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Thread III: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1311311/posts |
Posted on 09/18/2004 6:56:23 AM PDT by 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.
This is the yearling we bought this fall. She came off a ranch in Kansas. The farrier tried putting a rope on the one hind leg, and pulling it up. She just freaked on that also. Just not enough handling, when she was a foal.
It will take some time and patience. I really hate to see her forced, or drugged.
Congrats on the business. We have been so busy with the remodeling and Christmas, that I have not been able to reply much. Checking in during work hours when I can. They do frown on that thou. :(
Let me be a little clearer on this. You cannot pick them up. She will let you touch them, but as soon as you try to pick them up, she pulls away and will kick.
Sounds like you're right, she just needs some handling:)
Well, I've got a horse saddled, clutter picked up around the house readying for real cleaning, cookie dough made and chilling, so I'm off for an hour or so:)
Becky
Well, I'd certainly work on this now before she gets any bigger and stronger...
The hobbling tricks like the farrier was going to try are one way, as long as they are in a safe place to fight and thrash and even throw herself on the ground without getting hurt or breaking something. There's much chance that she could be hurt or get worse and I wouldn't do it alone.
I think she probably pulls away because she always has, and has gotten away with it. Now she's had some other scares with farriers that she has also won. She's not sure, but she thinks you are trying to kill her and it has to do with back feet.
I might try giving her mild sedation when you work on it, like Quietex that you can buy at the feed store.... something that will take the edge off her nervousness. It really does well for calming without making them drunk. And then I would work a routine where I pick up one front foot, second front foot and move back to try back foot, in the very same order every time, so she can learn to expect that. The key is the ability to safely hang onto that foot through the initial reaction and don't let go.
If working with her patiently and making a day of trying and repeating doesn't work, or isn't safe (and I suspect it is beyond your strength if strong farriers have made a hard attempt already) then I would think seriously about de-sensitizing her to hobbles by putting them on her both front first, and backs (not connected to each other at first, just around her ankles) in the stall and leaving her there until she ignores them. Then connect them and do the same thing... in strong round pen or stall, wherever is safest. Right now I suspect she freaks out instinctually from a restraint there and has been able to break loose. Get some help on hobbling if you haven't done it before. I'd enlist help on site that day also.
Harley and I just got back from a nice easy ride:)
Now it's time for some more coffee and then bake some cookies.
Becky
My horse wasn't that bad but she would lock her back feet or move away from me. Once she tried to lean into me to push me back. Now she lifts them on her own. She will still tend to move away because I always use the same order and she knows whats coming but she doesn't like thumbs to her ribs and going back where I had her. We used to play tug back and forth. The farrier has problems with her too. We just do it over and over. I don't know if they get over what was bothering them or just realize it's worse if they don't.
Well I still have a trailer standing. A neighbor said we lost some tree limbs but were a lot more fortunate than some around there. He told us to hold off on getting that new dock built though because we have a really nice one on our property now:')
Thanks for the suggestions. I would rather do that, then twitch her anyhow. But, if it comes down to it, we might have to.
I think I have an idea but can't find it in my books. What's hobbling and twitching?
good question. I haven't really looked into it, but there may be some "on the hill." It's a very elite area locally where people have homes with barns and stables. I could easily find out though. I have thought about taking riding lessons, just really busy with animal rescue and being a single mom who works full time too. :-)
Hard to believe that it's as cold there as it is here - I just know I slept through a pole shift :)
Looking forward to the pictures.
Glad to hear the trailer is okay.
Thanks. I don't know about ok but it's standing:') We are going up weekend after next to check the roof. I was mostly concerned about the trees. I'm tree deprived here and I really enjoy those oaks. I want to see our new dock too:') I hope we don't have to pay to clear it off. Eddie was told it was thrown upside down onto our property. I wonder if the owners will come for it or if the insurance company will just write it off.
I hope you find everything okay. Seems like the insurance company would write off the dock (and pay to have it removed).
A restraint for the front legs. Good to use when there isn't anything to teeter to. Our case, we will use them to prevent the kick out.
The twitch is placed on the horses top lip, then closed. He thinks about how his lip is getting numb, and doesn't pay attention to what you are trying to "kill" him with..lol. It's a restraint that works pretty well, in most cases, I have seen anyhow.
There are other types, one with a chain on the end. The one pictured, is called the "humane" one. I saw a horse, that had his top lip cut off by a twitch. I felt so bad for the horse, but it did look funny seeing his teeth sticking out. He must have had that twitch on for sometime, and cut the circulation off enough, to kill the tissue.
Good morning.
Becky
Last night choctawsquaw and her husband came and visited. She told me that a cousin of hers who has an 18 year old daughter asked her to ask me if I would give this girl and her horse some riding/training lessons. Seems they can find no one that will work with the girl and her horse.
CS said the horse has it's bluff in on the girl, does a lot of jigging when she's on it, so she is constantly hanging in it's mouth which just makes the horse jig more. The parents really want the girl to learn to handle the horse and run barrels. I told CS I would first have to see the horse rode by someone who can make it behave it's best before I could decide to help. I don't get on crazies:)
Then just as they were leaving the neighbor that I posted pictures of riding her Arabs here called. She was calling for another neighbor who has a couple of unbroke POA's, and doesn't know how to ride, and wants lessons on riding and training. This lady bought these horses and thought she would be able to break them herself. Figured out it's not easy as it looks.
Becky
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