The Nature, Wildlife and Pet Photography Forum - Fine Art Landscape Photography

Benson

Posted By: Dee Dee

Benson - 01/23/08 03:40 AM

I took some shots of a skinny old horse my friends rescued from our awful flooding recently. His name is Benson and he's really sweet. He is arthritic and skinny but they are working hard to restore him back to health and he seems pretty spunky(in a Mr. Burns kind of way). Since these photos we've brushed him good and he now wears a blanket, he has been vetted, teeth floated, wormed etc and is getting good food but not really gained much weight yet. Hopefully he will with time. He's very sweet and loves the attention he's getting.

http://www.deedeemurry.com/temporaries/benson.htm

Posted By: Julie

Re: Benson - 01/23/08 04:13 AM

What a love of an old guy. He looks like a friend's old horse when he started going downhill. He just couldn't hold weight and she was coming three times a day to feed him insane amounts of food. He had that same hair coat and a similar look. It was nothing she did wrong, he was just not able to use that food anymore

Hopefully Benson just has had a hard time with the flood and will blossom this spring!

Posted By: Dee Dee

Re: Benson - 01/23/08 04:27 AM

Ahh Poor thing, I wonder too if Benson has something major going on with him. I'm a little worried that after almost 2 months of good care he hasn't put on much weight. I guess it's fairly common for really old horses to have a hard time keeping weight on from the sounds of things. I hope he has at least another summer or more ahead of him.

Posted By: Peggy Sue

Re: Benson - 01/23/08 04:46 AM

These images create a big swing in moods. Sadness and joy. I love your images but it breaks my heart to see a horse this thin. There still is such a beauty in his eye. Great job. Was it hard to work with the images?

Posted By: Dee Dee

Re: Benson - 01/23/08 05:15 AM

Thanks Peggy Sue! (good to see you here!)

He does have really beautiful eyes doesn't he. The hardest moment I had with him was the first time I saw him. I personally have not seen a horse that thin in real life. But it's a good feeling to be standing there watching him eat his senior mix and be brushing him and know you are helping him. Once I leaned over and was kissing him on the side of his muzzle near his mouth and he pressed his muzzle against my face and held really still, with his ears forward. He's so sweet.

Also he does trot and even canter on his own accord sometimes, although akwardly,(he's arthritic and has one bad leg in particular) when he could walk, so he feels good enough to do that.

And if he catches you hiding a halter behind your back, he can run just fine LOL. We just form a line and slowly move him into a corner somewhere and then he just stops and sighs and gives up, then I can walk up and put the halter on and he comes happily along. He's a smart old guy. When we put the blanket on him, he didn't spook at all and he looked like he was happy to have it. Made me feel good.

Posted By: James Morrissey

Re: Benson - 01/26/08 10:28 PM

Hi Dee Dee,

These are wondeful images...and they get better as you go further down the page. I think it is great that you guys have taken this guy into your lives. One thing I don't find these shots to be is saddening. While we all will grow old and infirmed, having the opportunity to do it and be cared for through the process is quite beautiful. While this guy may not have been for prior to being in your home (and that is saddening), I am thankful that this guy will hopefully have the opportunity to move on and do well in his twilight.

Cheers
James

Posted By: PossumCorner

Re: Benson - 01/27/08 12:53 PM

It's lovely Dee Dee that you've given these images the same care that your show horse shots are given. Beautiful work. Poor fellow, he does look like a reason for charging owners with neglect and dropping a huge fine on them. Although as Julie said, it's not fair to pass judgement unless the circumstances are known. We have also just had worst-on-record floods up in Queensland (other end of Australia to me) and many horses have been drowned. Two rivers met and rescue was impossible, it is so sad.

I hope Benson's rug and good food get him through the winter so he can make a fresh start next season.

Posted By: MartaA

Re: Benson - 02/10/08 08:38 PM

Quote:

He does have really beautiful eyes doesn't he.
Once I leaned over and was kissing him on the side of his muzzle near his mouth and he pressed his muzzle against my face and held really still, with his ears forward. He's so sweet.

Ohhh Dee Dee, his eyes! That was the first thing, they remind me of my Danny's soft sweet eyes..!
And kissing them in that exact spot, I knew exactly what you described.
Sweet ol man...hopefully they are adding some beet pulp pellets(soaked)? That helped us, when our QH dropped some weight, and it being soaked and oatmeal like, it was easy even if they were having a problem chewing(jaw could be misaligned)
Looking forward to his reports!
Awesome portraitures!

Posted By: Dee Dee

Re: Benson - 02/11/08 07:06 PM

Thanks you guys, I agree it is really heart warming to help the old guys in need. Benson has been wearing a blanket with a fleece liner underneath and he seems to love it. And yesterday he got a new friend, they brought home a rescued donkey! I don't know how they are getting on yet, they had not let them out together but I hope it will be a good match they will both have good company.

Marta we are thinking of adding beet pulp, that has been suggested by several people as well. They do give him corn oil with his grain although he looked at them like they were crazy.

We had the vet out and his mouth and teeth look surprisingly good, the vet floated them anyway. He does eat well, although he does tend to drop some from his mouth at times. But the vet said nothing looked amiss in there.

We took his blanket off to be sure there were no sores and give him a good brushing and I think he's put on a little weight. I keep hearing it takes a long time with an old horse this bad and as Julie said, sometimes there are underlying reasons. But he definitely looks a little more filled out. His coat looks good for his age too. So hopefully he will have a good summer to enjoy!

Posted By: MartaA

Re: Benson - 02/15/08 06:18 PM

Beet pulp pellets, vs straw, is easier to serve.
Both need a few hours to soak, ratio of 1c to 2.5c(water), depending on how much you add.. Its a give and take process for each horse.

And, did they take a manure sample?
Give him a big hug from me!!

Posted By: Dee Dee

Re: Benson - 02/16/08 07:05 PM

Thanks Marta. I'll let them know, Hallie and I are going out today to worm Eleanor the donkey.

They have not taken a manure sample? Is this to check for worms?

Posted By: MartaA

Re: Benson - 02/17/08 12:07 AM

Yes.
Testing a sample of manure, will indicate which types, AND if there is something else going on..
Look forward to hearing about his progress!

Posted By: Dee Dee

Re: Benson - 02/17/08 06:03 AM

Thanks for that. I will tell them. I went out today and wormed Eleanor...what a sweet heart. But didn't appreciate the worming! She also has rain scald and is losing huge patches of hair, so we also treated her for that. She does not need the feed that Benson does she is not obese at all but plenty plump! Both her and Benson's hooves look wonderful, they found a great shoer who was so good to them both a woman in her 60's if you can believe it! Benson is looking very good and perky, I did not see his body today as he still has his blanket on but he looks good. He didn't like Eleanor the first few days but they are now close buddies and stick together all the time and no squabbles.

Posted By: MartaA

Re: Benson - 02/19/08 04:54 PM

Hey Dee Dee,

My(ok, so its not MINE, I don't sell it!) "magic" oil, Neem oil/extract/cream, does wonders in soothing and promoting hair growth. AND most specifically is a great detriment to mangey type situations.
I learned of this natural oil 10 years ago, when litter showed up with a few pups with demodex mange. Very strange, and I was referred to a rottie breeder in Georgia? Who swore by natural Neem products.
They've done well with hotspots, for the few times my guys have gotten them, but the demodex, on the one puppy treated with Neem was gone within 1.5 months. The other puppy, treated by the vet chemical Rx, still was fighting it at 6 months. He died at 7. While the littermate was still thriving. Chemical stuff, I stay FAR away from. They carry Neem now, at Vitamin Cottages, and most natural grocers.
JME~

Posted By: aunty

Re: Benson - 03/01/08 06:40 AM

Thank you for posting the photos of Benson. They are really beautiful photos, even under the circumstances. I know he is well taken care of now and what a good feeling:)

Aloha.