Chief is my nine year old Thoroughbred gelding. I originally owned him back in 2010 but had to sell him on in late 2011 due to pregnancy and preexisting history of miscarriage etc.

I regretted it from day one, and was always lurking around and hunting for him, waiting for him to go up for sale etc. A couple of months ago I got a phone call from a friend. She had Chief. He had been found in a bare paddock with no feed. She had found his owners and taken him back. She was ringing to see if I wanted him back.

The float was on the back of the car before the phone call finished. I was horrified when I saw him, but after some good groceries hes nearly back to normal now. Needs a good groom, and needs to start doing some gentle work to build his muscle up.

When I last saw him

When i saw him on the float

A month later

Today (month and a half later)

I can't even begin to imagine how it must have felt seeing him like that after regrettably giving him up. It's basically your worst fear brought to reality, and I am so, so sorry you had to go through that.

On the up side though, he looks fantastic now compared to before and you should be extremely proud of yourself.

Thank you shaenne. I wont rest until he looks as good as if not better than the first photo.

Next step grooming, if the good weather stays around lol.

Horses spring back so well with a little care. He's such a lovely boy. 

Link Tree

I rescued a horse last year that was in the same boat...2 months on thrive feed and he was fat and healthy!!!

Good feed is always a must and i dont understand why people cant feed the animals as well as they feed themselves...

I am so so so glad that you were able to bring him back into your life! It sounds like you really needed each other and he's looking really good!

I am so glad he was found and made it back into your life just in time.  He's already looking a million times better.  I can't wait to see more progress pictures!

Aww poor guy! I'm happy he is back with you and improving (clearly from those photos!) he's looking so much better.

Paints since 6-8-14

awh poor guy! so glad you found him and was able to reunite with him!

I bought my horse last year at christmas time. We traveled to arkansas, which is a nine hour drive to get this horse. I'd seen pictures of her from the summer before with her colt and she looked amazing. When I got down there I'd found out they had only just weaned her seven month old colt off her and she was almost skin and bones. I felt bad for her, because I was taking her from 70's weather to below zero, but she did great. It's been an up and down road the last ten or so months, but she's finally bulked up and my oldest daughter stole her from me I believe. lol.

That's my worst fear as well with the horses I've known in my life :(

Good on you for getting him back and doing so well turning him around! He's looking good now!

updated chieffy pics!

sorry for quality, they were taken from a video done yesterday

I am so estactic with his progress! Still needs a bit more muscle, I am used to him having a big butt. So he goes into work on the weekend! Still needs a good groom, but you can see the shine starting to come through, and he is getting black dapples over his butt and loins.

http://i.imgur.com/JV92GTd.jpg