| This thread has been locked, it will not receive new replies. |
|
Locked on 02/24/2006 9:22:08 AM PST by Admin Moderator, reason:
Thread Nine: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1584833/posts |
Posted on 10/04/2005 9:56:41 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog
This is a horse chat thread where we share ideas, ask for input from other horsemen, and talk about our riding and horse-keeping. We have a lot of different kinds of riders and horses, and a lot to share. In the previous threads we have had a great time talking through lessons, training, horse lamenesses, illnesses and pregnancies... and always sharing pictures and stories.
I always have a link to this thread on my profile page, so if you have something to say and can't find the thread in latest posts… look for it there and wake the thread up!
I also have a ping list for horse threads that are of interest, and MissTargets will now be pinging everyone most mornings. Let MissTargets and/or me know if you would like to be on the ping list. As FreeRepublic is a political site, our politics and other issues will probably blend in…. There are many issues for horsemen that touch politics… land use, animal rights/abuse cases that make the news…. Legislation that might affect horse owners.
So... like the previous threads, this is intended as fun place to come and share stories, pictures, questions and chit-chat, unguided and unmoderated and that we come together here as friends. There are lots of ways of doing things and we all have our quirks, tricks and specialties that are neat to learn about.
Previous threads:
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread - thread ONE
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread - Thread TWO!
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread - Thread THREE!
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread FOUR
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread FIVE
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread SIX
The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread SEVEN
New folk and occasional posters, jump right in and introduce yourselves, tell us about your horses, and post pictures if you've got them!
Gak! That is a truly GHASTLY injury! Yes, I'm interested in seeing it all healed up.
As for feed, when horses are getting high quality feed, you can sure see it! They can look "OK" on hay alone, but most don't look great without good high quality supplements, and enough exercise to really be in good condition. You can see it in their shape and coat, but also in their expression and energy level. Heh... I have an old Arab, if he doesn't Piaffe the first two miles down trail, I think something's wrong with him :~D
Bay's been eating regular sweet COB all summer, he was holding weight a little too well on his senior, but as the temperatures drop, I'll probably be putting him back on Senior for winter.
OH MAN!!! That looks awful! I thought the bend of that leg looked a little scarred in the photo you posted of him earlier, but if that's all the scar he has left from an injury like this, you've done a super great job of wound management. Wow! I know how it is, poor ol' Bob has a huge hole in his right front knee right now, but it's not nearly as big as this. I'll bet you about had a heart attack the first time you saw it.
How is his injury doing now? Have you taken any pics lately?
It's looking pretty good, all things considered. I haven't taken any pics since that first week, but it's been about a month now so I'll take one as soon as I can get some decent light. It's been overcast here for the last couple of days.
Been gloomy grey here too. And the horses are getting fuzzy.
Do your horses in the south get fuzzy in winter?
Cyn doesn't grow a coat at all, but Bay and the pony do. And I always think it makes Bay look really old. At his age, I spend all winter fearing it won't shed out come spring.
Your horses don't look like they're growing a winter coat yet either.... isn't it starting to get cold there?
Yeah I was not in good shape. Fortunately, I was out of town and did not see what he looked like before the surgery to debride the wound and clean it up. I first saw him 3 days after the surgery.
The barn manager just about had a heart attack when he found him. He really thought Henkell was a goner. But, Trakehners are tough horses. We avoided infection although he was on IV antibiotics for about 2 weeks. It was a very expensive injury. You can see the stitch marks where the vet tried to suture the wound together. It did not hold though so the recovery took longer.
Once the bandage came off and he was able to go out in a small paddock, he really started healing fast. I used a combination of tea tree oil spray, Wonderdust, and Alushield to finish up the healing process. He spent nearly a year in his stall with no turn out. I did start walking him around a bit as long as he behaved. But, if we walked outside the barn, he would get too excited.
If you look back at the photo of Henkell eating his dinner, you can see it a bit. I will take a photo later close up. It needs to be scrubbed and retreated though so might be a bit crusty with scabs.
We just had our first cold weather this weekend. Last night, it got down to 38. I blanketed last night for the first time.
If allowed to Jake will grow a very shaggy coat. I usually keep him blanketed so that he doesn't grow too much coat. When he sweats during work, he could get chilled and a thick coat is difficult to dry out in cold weather. He is a prolific sweater.
Henkell is a Trakhener who grew up in Canada. He doesn't think it gets very cold around here so never grows a long coat. His coat does get thicker but never gets long, and it has thickened up this past week.
Our normal temps this time of year are high of 75 and low of 55. So, this weekend was more typical of January or February for me.
Yes, they do. Some more than others. Tennessee and Bob get real fuzzy but not long, more like velvet. Truly and Grace get to looking like Buffalo. Hope is somewhere in between. Here's her summer/winter transformation...
Of course she was younger in the winter pic, but she was a little fuzzball. And yes, it is the same horse. The winter picture was taken on 1/15/2005 and the summer on 7/21/2005. It's amazing what a difference six months makes.
Dressage is good for them. It will keep them supple and working a long time. Jake is 18 but thinks he is 2.
She really is lovely.
Jake is almost orange in the summer, but deep red in the winter. Funny how different they can look.
I've been blanketing mine at night for about a month, when we started getting down into the 40s at night. Most days, the blankets come off when it's nice, but some rainy days they stay on. I get the feeling Cyn wouldn't grow a coat even if she wasn't blanketed, and Bay's neck and face get just as fuzzy as they would if I didn't blanket. He has a tri-colored haircoat too, meaning his hair is black at the root, then blonde, then brown at the tip. In summer it makes him look bronzy.... Clipped, it makes him look really bad.
Heh - Yeah - she's fuzzy. :~D
We have been unusually warm until this weekend, and set several high temp records. Last week, it was over 90 degrees and only got down to around 70 at night.
I am glad the 90 degree weather is gone, but I am not ready for winter yet. I'd like our normal temps to stick around for awhile!
Just like her! I can only hope Bay's still going strong at 29. I really don't ~want~ another horse. I like the one I have!
My horse used to be exactly like Bay with his coat. Clipped him once, and never did it again. :-)
I'm really glad I didn't show him, because he looks awful clipped. I will, if I'm doing a lot of riding, do a modified hunter clip on him, so he can work and sweat and dry out again, but he just looks really bad when I do, particularly on his face.
I bet your roans look pretty funny clipped too, with all the colors in their haircoat. So hard to get them even. :~D
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
