The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread - Thread TWO!

[HairOfTheDog]

Free Republic has a lot of horse people that have found each other on other threads…. And since we all like to talk horses, how about a thread where it is not off-topic, but is THE topic?

A few of us thought it would be interesting and informative to have a chat thread where we can 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 last thread we had a great time and were a great help to each other working through lessons and training, horse lamenesses and illnesses, questions and challenges and always just our stories we like to tell.

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 Becky pings everyone most mornings. Let Becky (Paynoattentionmanbehindthecurtain) 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 last thread, 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.

[Beaker]

I think it could be a combination of both. More like learning from Bay and the pony and having the room to run in and experiment on her own.

[CindyDawg]

She may be feeling "good" too , with all the groceries:')

[HairOfTheDog]

That may be part of it too, certainly...

[CindyDawg]

Anyone up?

[tuffydoodle]

Good Morning, all

I had something funny happen last night. I was standing at my fence saying good night to the horses and one of my cats was sitting on the fence. All of the sudden, this dumb cat jumped up on the back of my horse named Bud. Bud stood there for a few minutes and didn't do anything until the cat started sharpening his claws on his back. Bud bucked that kitty off. I decided to see what Tuffy would do with a cat on his back and tossed the cat up there. Tuffy gave the cat a little ride then the cat jumped off.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Good morning

Hair: I'd say it's more having the room, and following two others. I'm not sure that one horse could/would teach another how to move, just showing them they can move, then the gracefulness would just come.

tuffy: I'm surprised the cat would even let you hold him up to a horse. My cat would be clawing his way over my shoulder:)

Becky

[ljswisc]

Ok so my sister's mare colicked last night. The vet told her to walk her until she seemed interested in food again. He was 40 minutes away and I guess didn't want to come out and give her a shot of Banamine (is that spelled right?) unless he had to so he just said to keep walking her.

She said her mare looked like the horse in the "end of the trail" statue she looked really sick. I told her that if her mare wasn't trying to roll she didn't have to walk her. The walking thing is really only for keeping them on their feet if they insist on rolling, but it actually makes them more uncomfortable. Letting her stand or lie down is ok. She told me that wasn't what the vet said he said she had to keep walking. She asked where I got my information and I said we'd stopped walking colicky horses in the mid to late 80's. (Again, unless we had to stop them from rolling.) The mare was also not sweaty at all and I told her that if she were in excruciating pain she would be sweating. The mare also did defacate 3 times.

Three hours later she was still walking the mare and there was no improvement. She lives in AR and the last I'd heard from her the vet was coming out. I don't know as of this morning the outcome.

I've been out of the horse business for awhile, and I was wondering what you all do these days for a colicky horse?

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I don't walk one anymore either, unless they are trying to roll. Are they sure this horse is colicky?

Banimine would have been what I would have tried too. Maybe take the horse on a trailer ride. Since the horse was pooping so much tho, I'm wondering if it was really colic. My experience with colic is you will see some improvement at least once they poop.

Keep us informed.

Becky

[ljswisc]

Well, when my sister found her she was rolling. When she got her up the mare tried to lay down again and so commenced the walking. Two hours later I got the call, and she'd been walking her the whole time despite the fact that she'd pooped twice. I told her to give the mare a chance to stand and get comfortable, and when she did with me on the phone she said that the horse would turn and bite or pin her ears back at her belly. Pretty classic signs. My sister hasn't had a lot of experience with horses except when we were kids and back then.. you walked a colicky horse for hours whether they were trying to roll or not.

[cowboyway]

12/17/2004 3:56:08 AM EST
Anyone up?

Damn girl! Don't you ever sleep?

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Oh, sorry, I thought you were saying the horse was just standing.

Yeah, it does sound like colic. But I agree with you that I would stop walking the horse now, if she won't roll. I'd also get a vet out after this amount of time.

Becky

[CindyDawg]

Funny thing happened here too last night. I have another rat in the house. My husband and I argue about traps. I like the old fashioned spring ones because they usually kill the rats instantly and they don't suffer. He likes the stick ums and since he went shopping last.... I caught Cindydawg. She tried to eat the gob of peanutbutter I dropped on it:')

[CindyDawg]

I guess if you are used to something that worked for you..They still walk um at the stables.

[CindyDawg]

Almost too tired to laugh:') I was just going to tell yall about the big rat I caught!

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

LOL...she'd only eat the peanut butter off a spring trap once:)

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

The only thing about keeping them walking is I had a vet tell me that walking one for that amount of time on top of the stress of pain can bring on founder. I don't know if that has been proven true or not, just what a vet told me one time when I had been walking one. Who knows...

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

I agree with you and with Becky... When mine colicked this last year our vet said walking him or interfering with him was only needed to stop him from rolling. If he were willing to stand, or even lay down quietly until the vet got there he could be allowed to. Walking will help shift things around so it does no harm.

And the vet needs to come out this morning.

Good morning everyone.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

So you caught it?

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

Oooh - that could have been a bad scene!

[CindyDawg]

No, just the goofy dog. I'm going to lock her up in the garage and set some springs tonight. The field behind us sold into lots and it's cold and I guess they are coming the wrong way.