Question:I have an abused horse that is losing weight. I bought him but he won't eat out of my hand or the bucket beside me. He is losing pounds quickly and I will not leave a bucket with him.. that would be dangerous. How do I get him to eat out of my hand?
Answers:
This is the time to bring in a specialist.
It's going to be a LONG time before an abused horse eats out of your hand. You need to get a professional to help you, because if he's losing weight THAT quickly, you're not helping him by trying to feed him in a way he's not ready for right now.
should I just ask questions?
speak to the animal shelter they are used to feeding abused animals
i have a horse an i dont think leaving the buket with him is dangerouse, if you are afraid that he will get his foot stuck or something then attacth to his stable wall but the best thing to do is call the vet, also give him hay. There is also speacil food for horses who need to ganin weight.
Why does he have to eat out of your hand? Just let him eat out of a bucket. There is no harm in that.
Working with abused animals is VERY time consuming and you MUST have lots of patience.
Now is not the time to get him to eat out of your hand, ride him or anything else. The main priority now is getting him on a regular eating schedule.
Feed him out of the bucket dish etc. after he eats, remove the feeding dish.
After he is eating well and has adjusted to his new environment you then start to work on his social skills.
There is nothing wrong with letting him eat out of the bucket. If you are afraid of him getting caught in it, buy a feed pan that you can dump his feed into. A small rubber one is only about $7.
You are not helping his situation by refusing to feed him. Also, he should have unlimited access to good quality grass/alfalfa hay. Buy a daily dewormer (pellets) to put in his grain as well.
When he has put weight on, you can start to work with him on handling and what not.
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