Poor Mistreated Blue

" That's not a saddle, is it ?"

Have you ever had a horse that really despises being ridden and gives the impression he believes he is being forced against his will to do exhausting work for an excruciating period of time--even if he's only being worked lightly for an hour or so a few times a week?  Well, I do, and his name is Blue.  The worst part of this scenario is that I actually feel guilty about riding him because I know he doesn’t want me to.  He makes his feelings known by making me hike out to get him while he plays the “I can’t see or hear you game,” all the while munching away.   My other favorite is his sighing when I put the saddle on his back.  Blue can be very dramatic if I do say so myself. 

Just the other day I put Blue in the side paddock so he wouldn’t high-tail it to the back pastures.  By the time I got done with some chores, I decided not to ride because it was so hot and humid.  In other words, the governor called and he got a reprieve.  When I released him through the gate to his usual pastures, he took off at a gallop and didn’t stop until he was waaaay out back.  That certainly tells me something.  Whoopee, no riding today and I am so outta here!

The question is how do you get a horse to enjoy his job?  Personally, I think it’s just Blue’s personality.  He’s very smart, very lazy and a horse unto himself.  He seems to need no one, not even the herd.  Blue is a horse that is very comfortable with himself whether completely alone, standing in the middle of a deer herd or on the top of the manure pile in the dumpster (which I’ve seen him do.)  He seems to be oblivious to the world around him until a gate is left open, then he’ll make a beeline and be out of the gate in a flash.  So he does know what’s going on, he just doesn’t seem to care.

I’ve come up with a plan to try and interest him in working and, more importantly, enjoying himself.  From now on after our walking warm-up we’ll start right out with trotting some cavelletti because that seems to perk him up.  His ears come to attention and his pace picks up (Blue only enjoys jumping, but I’m not ready for that just yet.)  Then we’ll dispense with the trotting and canter a bit then maybe move on to some more trotting.  Of course, there can’t be two days in a row of this, so on every other day he needs to go out on a trail ride with some hacking in the field thrown in for good measure.

In my opinion it is very important to keep a horse’s work interesting.  The more Blue finds something that will challenge his mind and talent, the more he will enjoy his time with me.  If I set him up to succeed even with the smallest challenges and offer lots of praise, hopefully he’ll start to look forward to seeing me coming towards him with saddle and bridle.  Then again, we’re talking about Blue here and nothing I do may change his mind.  He was born with his own personality and set of rules to live by.

If anyone has had a horse like Blue I’d be interested to hear how you got him over his “I hate to work” attitude.

Until next time

Quote for Today

The horse thinks one thing and he who saddles him another.

  - Benjamin Franklin-

Wordless Wednesday

          Don't sit around the house . . . 

Get out and enjoy nature!

I

 

Never mind, let's just go back inside! 

I received this in an e-mail and thought the pictures were great.  What's your favorite one? I can't decide which I like best, there are so many good ones.

Until next time

Quote for Today

" The thing that a lot of people cannot comprehend is that Mother Nature doesn't have a bullet with your name on it, she has millions of bullets inscribed with " to whom it may concern"

Dusty’s At It Again

Yet another quick story about Dusty.  Seems she’s been trying to help once again.  Since her injury she’s been hanging around the barn watching the goings on and I’m convinced she has found her employees lacking.  Just the other day I was in the feed shed dishing out dinners into the feed buckets, when I was done I closed the door.  Then I popped into the barn to grab a muck bucket and pitchfork to pick out her stall.

Back outside, Dusty is nowhere to be found.   Then I hear some commotion in the feed shed.  She somehow got herself up the front steps and into the shed, and was in there sampling the feed buckets.  Reminiscent of Goldilocks, some were to her liking and some were not.  There was not enough room to turn her around to get her out the narrow front door so I moved the feed cart and some hay bales.  The shed has two double doors on the side and she made her dignified—if haughty—departure through those doors, none the worse for her escapade. 

As happened with the latches on the run in shed, I knew I shut the door.  But I didn’t turn the handle to latch it because I didn’t think it was necessary.  Knowing how smart and resourceful Dusty can be, I should have known better.  Now you might think that she simply pulled the handle to open the door.  Not Dusty; that would be too easy for her.  After I left her grazing under the trees, I went back into the barn to snap the feed buckets up, and then I waited and watched. 

In a short time, I wasn’t disappointed.  She marched over to the feed shed again and, to my surprise, didn’t use her teeth to pull the handle but instead she used the small wreath on the door to pull it open.  I’m only sorry I didn’t have a camera to catch her antics.  Dusty was led away from the door and it was secured. 

It is obvious what a huge help she is to me around here.  I’m so grateful she is taking the time to show me how it should be done.  Unfortunately, I’m afraid that from now on everything will have to be Dusty-proofed and this place will be locked down like Fort Knox.  She’s such a character and even with all the exasperation, she brings a smile to my face.  And that’s what it’s all about… enjoying your horses.

Until next time

Quote for Today

Horses have as much individuality and character as people.
    -

C.W. Anderson

Riding Blue

" Waiting for Dinner"

With the beforehand preparation and aftermath cleanup of Hurricane Irene, plus life in general, I’ve not been able to ride Blue.  Yesterday was the first ride in two weeks.   Color me surprised when he was as good as gold and seemed not to have had any setbacks.  The key to the Blue vault has been unlocked.  I’d like to think it’s because of my brilliant riding but I’m old enough to know better.

Usually, Blue is lazy and opinionated but not this time.  After his warm – up walk about, where I insisted on him steering and staying on the rail, we picked up a nice trot.  I mentioned the “key” and it was so simple really.  Give him a task that is interesting to him.  Instead of trotting circles or staying on the rail I immediately headed for the cavelletti and did a pattern.   Outside, inside, outside, inside.  This does the trick for him; his ears perk up and he picks up a very nice working trot.  A few times he actually jumped the cavelletti (they’re basically on the ground) and he did want to canter but we were working more on maintaining an even pace and steering straight.  We also were working towards adjusting his pace to find distances.  Blue loves to jump--in fact he lives for it--and would do it everyday if you let him.  He’s good at it too.  So my lazy push-me-along horse can get very motivated if you point him at any obstacle in his path. 

I had planned on raising the cavelletti today and letting him canter circles afterward but that didn’t happen.  Our farrier showed up and so everyone is either getting trims or shod today.  Have you ever been secretly relieved you didn’t have to ride and had a legitimate excuse?  Well that’s my feeling today.  Not because I didn’t want to jump cavelletti or canter but because it is so hot and humid I just couldn’t repeat another yesterday.  We only worked for a half hour and both Blue and I were drenched.  I thought I was going to stroke out, so I’m happy for the day off. 

I’ve decided to send Mother Nature a request.

Dear Mother Nature,

It’s September, how about some decent cool weather for a change!  Thanks for any help you can give us on this.

Sincerely, 

The Herd and The Caretakers

P.S And could you do something about these damn flies too!

Until next time

Quote for Today

A horse is an animal not a machine and is only as good as it's rider.

Dusty vs. The Latch

Dusty

vs.

The Latch

I was lucky enough to get this video of Dusty yesterday.  Before I witnessed this I thought I might be having early onset dementia.  Every time I passed the shed I closed and latched the lower half of the door.  I was positive of this and yet each time I passed the door it was open.  Very mysterious or I was really losing it.  Dusty is allowed to wander occasionally when one of us is out there to supervise.  She wants desperately to go out with the boys and she could see them in the next field by the other shed…

A video showing what a properly motivated horse is capable of accomplishing!  

Until next time

Quote for Today

A little horseplay... the way best to enjoy a summer day!

Dusty’s Coming Along

Mellon keeping Dusty company

Our vet was out today to recheck Dusty and see how she is progressing.  Her laminitis/founder is doing really well.  There is no more rotation; it’s stabilized at 8 degrees. She has a good, thick sole now and her hoof is growing out evenly from her coronet band, which is a good thing.  He feels that we can correct the rotation in time with proper shoeing and care.  So that was a bit of good news concerning both her front feet.

The suspensory injury in her right hind is doing much better also.  The ultrasound shows that the fibers in the branches are knitting together and there are no gaping holes left.  So that was good news too.  Her left hind, which seemed to be the worst injury site, is no worse and it is hard to say if it’s any better.  Looking at the ultrasound, the tear in the suspensory branch still seems to be about the same size as it was previously.  The only difference we can see is that in her last ultrasound it looked as if the fibers were sort of hanging loose and compared to this one they seem to be gone.  Maybe there is scar tissue forming, I don’t know.

Our options are sort of limited as to more treatments.  The vet is suggesting shock wave therapy.  This would consist of three sessions at around $400 or more for each.  Will it work?  That’s unclear; maybe yes maybe no. He’s also pushing for PRP therapy, which is even more expensive.  From what I’ve researched it seems that this particular therapy has a chance of working if it’s done within a few weeks of the injury, after more time has elapsed it’s basically another maybe. The PRP treatment is very invasive the way they want to do it.  I’m not totally sure what they’re advocating but apparently this is an interesting case for their surgeon. He wants to split her suspensory to get in there and administer the platelets which is going to cause more damage before it can begin healing and will enlarge the ligament with scar tissue as well.  For me that’s not an option right now.  There would be a longer recovery time in her stall and the risk of infection, in my opinion. The shock wave sounds like a better option, but not right now.  

Dusty had a lameness exam too.  She’s not lame in the least trotting on the pavement or making tight circles.  On the longe line she broke into a very natural balanced canter and looked wonderful and sound.  Her trot was the same; no lameness and she looked like she can’t wait to have a job again.  Sorry girl, not just yet.

She doesn’t seem to be in any pain and she is healing, although slowly, so I’m going to hold off on any big decisions for now concerning different treatment.  I’m going to keep giving her supplements and light exercise in her turnout time and she’ll be sporting her laser boots each night.  It’s only been a few months and she is fifteen, so I’m going to give her a few more months to heal and see where we are then.  In the meantime I’m going to check into alternative methods and see what they have to offer. Acupuncture might be an option.  If anyone has suggestions for a suspensory branch injury and how you treated them I’d be interested to hear about your methods.

Until next time

Quote for Today

Ask not what your horse can do for you - Ask what you can do for your horse.

Friday Fun - Free Lunch

First, take the cable car up to the start of the trail.

Now follow the path on the wooden planks.

Be sure to hold on to the 'railing,'

the chain attached to the side.

Keep an eye on the person in front of you.

Be very careful when passing someone going in the opposite

direction.

 Now just up a few steps. (They are on

the left in the picture.)

Gets a little steeper here, so put your

toes in the holes .

A few more steps to go.

You might want to hold on.

FINALLY IN SIGHT.

'THE RESTAURANT' !!!

This restaurant is in China

If you manage to reach the restaurant 

the food is free

Let me know how the food is.

 

I'm not going.

 


Until next time

Quote for Today
It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.
Confucius