Pez despensor and head scratcher

That would be me. Right now, that's all I am to Shaun. We are at the beginning of this relationship, and to be fair, it is probably the closest he's been to a human. I did protect him tonight from the harrassing arabian and paint. He doesn't often choose my company, but I believe he trusts me. He knows I really try to help him.

Once Tony heads back to Montana to work, and Amanda hits school next week, my time will be my own and I can spend all day with them. I think it has worked out for the best this way. He's bonded with the herd, and he will be spending more time with them, than me. that bond should be strong.

Will download new pics tomorrow. He's looking pretty good. Now, about him finding his happy place? Still working on that one.

He likes me! He really likes me!

On most days, it's a herd. Ok, Bit is attached to Eclipse by the hip, but otherwise, everyone hangs out, with Shaun maintaining the proper distance to keep himself with, but not too close to the herd. When Shaun got choke, the herd was with him. Did not leave him, and Gunner refused to let more than five feet separate them. He stayed with Shaun throughout the entire ordeal. After, you'd find them both grazing nose to nose. Sometimes a crises will bond two souls, when they might not have connected, before. Shaun's near death experience has made us all a bit closer.

Breakfast went well, and not hearing his swallow reflex anymore. Once or twice yesterday, but the vet said he'd have a sore throat. Between antibiotics and a little time, he seems to be doing well.

I know a lot of folks go out and get a horse without a clue how to take care of them, what they might need to thrive, or what to look for if they get sick. I'd heard of colic but never had experienced it with a horse I knew. Once you do, you live in fear of it happening to your horse. You not only have to know how to recognize it right away, but also what to do. Do you? Choke. How many horse owners would even know what it looks like? How many just throw that grain and walk back into the house, or their horses are boarded and someone else throws the grain and walks away? Did you know that feeding your horses only twice a day can create severe digestive problems? That you need to have your hay analyzed because it probably lacks certain nutrients and you need to add supplements? Did you know that if your water contains iron, you need to add copper and zinc to the diet or the feet and coat will not be healthy? And you can't offer those red mineral blocks? Did you know you have to float your horses teeth? HAVE TO? Do you know what to do if your horse gets an abscess on his hoof?

There is a lot to know before you own a horse. Most folks figure, feed em some hay (many feed alfalfa which is not horse food. It's ok in small amounts but horses need to be on grass hay. They are not cows.) Did you know that alfalfa in some parts of the country contain blister beetles which will kill your horses? Just feeding them hay is more complicated than you can imagine. Lets not even get into supplements, hoof care, to shoe or not to shoe, and sunburn in the summer.

This is with a "normal" healthy horse. Shaun is not a normal healthy horse. He needs chiro tx's, his food practically liqified, and very good supplements. I don't know what will happen in the winter with the cold. He has a heavy duty blanket on the way. Cold makes any old injury hurt. It can be very hard on older horses. Lots of folks rescue horses and then face the many challenges these horse may face. Ignorance is no excuse! I can't say this enough, educate yourself. Ask questions and when your gut says that vet is wrong, get a second opinion! Use an equine vet, not a vet that does equines. Know your horse well enough so that NOT NORMAL is a red flag. Just like your car. You know the minute something isn't right. You owe your horse that much of a relationship.

A better deal for the horse

I frequent a great horse forum, It's About the Horse forum. It consists of a lot of old Parelli folks, some who still do Parelli, a lot who have moved on. As Pat said, Parelli is the cake, and it is a great foundation. Most of the people on the forum have moved on to "the icing" and have a good foundation in place. We study Tom Dorrance, Ray Hunt, Buck, Brent, Carolyn Resnick, and some other really great horse people. I've learned tons from this forum, and when Shaun choked, it was the first place I went to find out what to do so it never happened again. Chances are, someone has a horse like you, and is going through or has gone through exactly what your are going through. Lots of wisdom and a great place to find what you need.

Not just one, but a few people had horses that choked, and they also had some good suggestions for why it happened (I like to know why) and what to do so it hopefully doesn't happen again. The why? Shaun gets fed twice what my other horses get, and so my other horses finish up and want his. Even though I gaurd him so no one gets his food, the pressure is there. They stare, they try, a relaxed meal time it is not. So Shaun bolts his food because he is fearful it will be taken away. The solution? Make him feel safe, give him more time to feel it.

I already decided to add water to everyones feed so that no one chokes, EVER. The more water you add, the more the alfalfa pellets there are. It takes longer to eat more, so the other horses get the feeling they are getting more, they take longer. Plus, I put Shaun's big bowl down in his favorite corner of the shelter and wrapped a one inch wide electric fence tape around him to make a safe corral. It was like a wall to the other horses. No staring, no pressure and Shaun ate slowly, eyes half closed and enjoyed his dinner.

It was suggested that Shaun may have scar tissue in his throat from previous choke episodes. He may always have issues with it. But it's manageable right now. I'm hoping he'll be ok with the hay this winter. Green grass is easier to eat than dry hay. Winter is 5 months away.

After dinner, the horses and I headed out to go hedge apple hunting. Google it. Hedge apples grow on hedge trees, and horses love em! We have a lot of hedge trees, but it's more fun when we all head out together. Hawk knows, as soon as I go "let's go hedge apple hunting!" He throws a snakey neck and off we all go, into the secret paths in the trees. It was great training for trail riding. Ya can't be a woosie horse when you go into the scarey tree path. Everyone came but Shaun.

I found him hiding in his little corner of the shelter. I whispered to him, reassured him and tried to get him to come out with me. I walked out, took down the offending fence, came back and got him. I was so unconfident, but he walked out with me and we joined the herd. Eclipse had waited for him. When he showed up, she headed out. It's like she puts out this silent signal and all the horses heads snap up. They all lock onto her, but Shaun. He locked onto me. "GO Shaun! Go!" Hawk took off running after Eclipse, followed by Bit and then Gunner. Shan started towards me. "SHAUN, GO!" He turned and took of running like I know those humans that used to own him wish he would have. He ran for the sheer joy of going. He ran with the herd. He's finally beginning to understand. He's part of it. He's part of something bigger than himself. He's wanted. He's loved. He's a horse.

Another scare

Last night I fed Shaun when suddenly, he stopped eating. It wasn't just a stop, he froze. Then he started coughing, his neck got rock hard and he began to choke. I ran down to the house, called the vet and he said to massage his throat, and it sometimes breaks it up. My daughter, Amanda and I ran back up and by then, great gobs of fluid were pouring out of his nose and mouth. He was dripping in sweat, and struggling to breath between swallowing. Amanda ran back down to the house, called the vet and we waited while Shaun went down hill very quickly. By the time the vet arrived, he was in very bad shape. The doctor gave a sedative, and we tried to tube him to move whatever was blocking his throat. The sedative hadn't taken ehim ffect, and Shaun fought us, slug ugly, thick green gobs in my hair, in my eye, down my shirt...the vet was trying to hold him but he couldn't and hole the hose. He ordered Amanda over to hold the hose in his nose, while we both held an ear and I bit one. Pressure on the ear helps calm a horse, did you know that? It was not long until the sedative suddenly hit, and the vet pumped at least three gallons of water into Shaun. Soon, he was breathing, his head hung low, and it got very quiet. We were all covered in green goo and standing in stunned silence, waiting to see if Shaun would be ok, or not. The vet hosed Shaun off while I moved him around.

I'm starting to realize just how Shaun ended up in a kill pen...I think. He has always done this swallowing thing, and I've told vets about it. He didn't do it while they were there, so they didn't know what it was. I think this boy just may tend to choke. It's ok, I'll just give him a nice, green slurry and never give him dry grain again. We will see how he does on hay this winter. So far he seems ok with it, but he's mostly on pasture grass right now. Just have to see how we work this out. He may have scar tissue from multiple choke episodes, he may not be able to just eat hay. That makes him a hard keeper, and that makes him a non desireable horse to have around for most folks. We'll just have to see what I need to do, as things come up.

Big doesn't mean bad

Just because Shaun is the biggest horse in the pasture, doesn't mean he's the baddest. Even Eclipse was willing to give this big horse a chance, but not Bit. Bit was consumed with keeping Shaun away from her mare. She still doesn't like him, to this day. Eclipse had her moments, like when she is in heat. When you are in love, size matters. Eclipse loves Shaunie when Eclipse is in heat.

It worked out well, having Shuan and the mares have some time before Hawk and Gunner came home from summer camp. It was them coming home, new to the herd. Shaun is such a gentle spirit, Hawk and Gunner quickly assumed a higher position in the herd. Thankfully, Gunner has found Shaun's company a bit more pleasant than the other horse's. He was like Shaun, not too long ago. No one liked him, accepted him, or would graze with him. He was the outsider. Now, he's accepted by the herd a bit more because Shaun is that bottom horse. Just having Shaun be the one that is the outsider, makes it easier for Gunner. I think he knows that.

Today I opened up the big pasture. Tony bush hogged paths through the 30 acres so I could retrieve horses to the home 10 during the day. Sugar levels go down in the grass, and the temps are cooler at night. I bring them in come morning, and they spend the heat of the day in the shade of the trees or shelter. Not that there aren't plenty of trees in the big pasture. There's everything out there, including a running creek, except this year. It's so dry and it's been so hot, the creek has dried up and there is no water for them. Tony says they'll come in when they get thirsty, but they don't. I let them out this morning, because it was cool (only 75) and it had just rained. By the afternoon, it was 88 and I got worried. Took the three wheeler out to the herd, put a halter and lead on Eclipse and brought in the herd. They drank and drank.

Now, did Shuan like his 30 acre run? Why yes he did! He was the first one out, and the whole herd ran like their tails were on fire! It was a beautiful thing to watch. By the time they got to the other fence line where my horses like to hang out, (by the next door stallion) Shaun had no idea where he was. He ususally leaves the herd and goes hangs out in his shelter. Where was it? He ran, he worried, and finally settled with the herd in the shade. It was Shaun's big adventure, today. He was one relieved tb when I brought him in. He nuzzled, licked, snuggled and touched me when we got back. If our horse is our mirrior, then Shuan is my horse. We are both home bodies, and it takes an act of God to get us away from the house. Something to consider...home is not about geography. You carry home within yourself. I'm not saying some place like wore torn Iraq is a good place. I am saying, where ever you are is home, as long as you know that peace within. I'm hoping Shuan will know that peace within himself, so it won't matter where he finds himself. Whether it's in the back pasture, on the trail with me, or in his shelter, he'll be a peace because he carries it with him, always.

present day

Have been practicing Carolyn Resnic's, water hole rituals with my horses for a couple of years now. One of the first rituals is called sharing territory. It's probably the most important, and enjoyable things I do with the herd. You sit in a chair (read a book until you can sit there with your mind in the present moment) and spend time with your horse. No touching him, but he can touch you. It gives the horse, choice. Choice to be with you, choose your company and explore you. He can do anything he wants, as long as you feel safe. This morning Shaun and I kept company. He stood as close as he could with his head right next to me, and fell asleep. At one point Hawk, my arabian, decided to try and chase him off. Yep, I protected Shuan, and made Hawk go wait by the mares. We sat under the mister system, soft, cooling mist falling on us, as we dozed and relaxed.

Shaun likes the barn cats quite a bit, but the cats aren't inclined to trust the horses. Hawk has tried to play "wack a mole" way too many times for those cats to trust a horse. Still, this gentle giant regards the barn cats with interest and kindness. They will wound their bodies around his legs and lie next to him and sleep. It gives you an idea of this ottb's heart. It must have been so stressful for him to run as he did, and he still will not let me near him with anything resembling a whip. T touch uses a white dressage-like whip to guide a horse. No hitting, but some tapping for body awareness. Some rubbing too. The only thing he will let me near him with is the reed that I use for the waterhole rituals.

I can't imagine the life he must have endured before hitting that kill pen. I tell him everyday, "you are home. You are safe. Please be happy."

The drive home

It was hot, and we still had an hour before we'd be pulling into the driveway. I did take it slow over the railroad tracks on the way out of town. Suddenly, my daughter was urging me to "just go!", and I thought she was concerned about the guy tail gaiting me. No, she was concerned about the rail road crossing gaurds lowering, the lights flashing and the train that was making it's way down the track. It became apparant that speed was more important than keeping the ride smooth, and I floored it! It got our hearts beating! Thankfully, a non eventful ride home and Shaun seemed no worse for the wear.

He backed out of the trailer just fine, took a look around, and led right into the pasture. Eclipse and Bit were about an acre away, so after checking out the fence line, we headed up to meet the mares after a nice roll in the shelter. Now Eclipse really liked Shaun, but Bitty was not happy with the new guy. She was sure he was going to take his mare! Please keep in mind, Bit is about 13.5 hh, and Shaun is 16.2 hh. Bit tried to terrorize him, to the point that I stayed with him until 11:00 p.m. It was a great time to bond, and by the time I staggered on down to the house, peace reigned in the pasture.