A little thrushy

I took off Shaun's boots and he smelled a little thrusy this morning, so left boots off, treated him with thrush buster and giving him a little more time for his feet to dry out. Shaun is getting a lot better at picking up his feet. Maybe because I'm working with them so much, or maybe because he knows I'm trying to help him. Probably a bit of both.

It's been hard to make myself go out and spend time with everyone because it so hot. 100 degrees with humidity right now, but Sunday is another story! Maybe we can get back to some riding! If I can't ask myself to get out there and play, why would I ask my horses? Yes, there is a point where it's too hot to ride.

This morning I spent "nappy time" with the herd in the shelter under the mister. We all had a nice nap, and I made sure no one picked on Shuan and took his spot under the mister. He placed himself close enough for me to feel his breath on the top of my head. Everyone needs a nappy buddy.

His eyes are changing, and I HAVE to take a picture to share. His eyes looked like they did when he was racing in NZ! Big, bright and pain free. No worry lines around his eyes! He is really getting into hugging too. Lots of him placing his face right against mine. He is such a gentle soul.

No word from easy care about sponsoring him with boots. Also contacted another company that makes a great product for hoof recovery, E3liveforhorses. Boots treat the symptoms, but I'm more interested in treating the problem.

Check out horsetalkNZ for Shaun's most recent write up!

Pappa's got a new pair of shoes!

We tried bare foot, hoof hardner, and I could tell that Shaun wasn't doing well. Limping, head bobbing bad. I got in touch with a friend that is a rep for easy boot to see what we might be able to do for him. He cannot take any more nails in his feet. She was leaving for a mounted shooting clinic in Missouri, I had a doctors appointment, but if I rocketed up and traced his foot image on a piece of cardboard, then broke land speed records (sorry how sweaty and smelly I am doc) I could just make it to her house in time to pick up two pair of easy boot Trails. Two sizes because we didn't quite know what would fit and what wouldn't.

I cut out the cardboard images and fit them in the boots. Not so good on the size three, but he fours were looking promising. I inserted the comfy pads, sprayed them with athlete's foot powder, grabbed the pastern wraps and headed for the shelter. It's 103 out, and I wanted to fit these shoes in the shade, plus I have the mister system going so I wouldn't just melt into a puddle. It was getting Shaun's dinner time, so it was working out just perfect. Funny how all this has worked out just perfect.

Shaun is a horse that has horrendous ground manners. Picking up one of his feet is like trying to pick up a truck. Today I asked, and up comes the foot. That's weird, but I'll take it. I wrestled the pastern wrap on, which is a bit like trying to put on tight, wet jeans. Pastern wraps are like a neoprene 1/2 sock that keeps the boot from rubbing. He just stood there patiently while I sweated, grunted and got it on. Next I slipped on the boot, and viola! Same thing the other side. It's like he knew I was trying to help.

Then...he walked. Clumsy at first, but then he started doing some serious walking. Came over to me four times and thanked me. If you've ever been thanked by a horse, from the bottom of his heart, you know what I'm talking about. Bent his head around and hugged me to his shoulder. Rub, rub, big eyes, and then more walking. He got better at it, too. The clunky shoes and he were starting to get along, and he was moving even better. I think it's the first time in years that he's walked without pain.

I hear that when a horse walks, and there is pressure on that thin hoof wall at the toe, it's like pulling your nail away from your finger. His hoof wall is so thin, any pressure is painful. Now, that weight is evenly distributed. He has a pad that is encouraging his frog to pump blood with every step. More blood, better hoof growth, better hoof. He's a different horse. You can see it in his eyes, too. I thought he was just sad. Nope, he was in pain.

I'll go out and throw on the gold bond foot powder (Pete Remey trick) and make sure he's not rubbing anywhere. I'll give his feet a break for about an hour a day. We'll gradually build up the time, once his foot starts to get healthier.

No more pain. What a concept.

A happier time

Yes, I think Shaun was much happier in NZ as a race horse. You can see it in his picture, he's alive and exuberant! The folks that bred him figured out how he ran and let him do it his way. He won. A lot. When he reached this country, no one listened to how he liked to run. No one considered the horse. I watched some of his races here and in Canada, and he had no heart for it. Why would he? From Nz to a kill pen, and it was a continious down hill trek. If I had to be a race horse, I'd want to be in NZ. Never here. Never here.

Got some rain this morning, so dragged a steel panel up behind the three wheeler to smooth out the tractor tire marks in front of the shelter. It was the only place Shaun was having trouble with his feet. He's new to bare foot, and I'm hoping he will adjust. I'd rather he be comfortable, so if this doesn't work out for him, I'll keep him in shoes. His hoof wall is so thin the farrier was afraid to put nails into his foot. Just not enough there to hold a shoe. I'm going to introduce the farrier to Epona shoes. They are plastic, move with the foot, and the winter ones have carbide tips. Oh and mesh under the foot so snow doesn't ball up. If he has trouble with bf, these can be glue on, and we'll just do this.

He doesn't seem so sad, and happy to say he's a bit herd sour. He's building a relationship with the herd, especially Gunner. The mares don't hate him. Hawk is not as bossy, so life in the pasture has taken on a more lazy, graze kind of feeling. I've got the mister going in the shelter because it's still so hot. 106 by Thursday with humidity! Nice fine sand in the shelter makes for some cozy footing. He's gained good weight and only lacking in his one hip, probably from his trying to compensate for pin in his leg. Maybe nerve damage, according to vet.

I think he's going to be ok. It's like he's waking up. That's different that living in the past, like we do. I think he shut down, and went inside a long time ago. He's starting to trust. I'm not sure how much a horse loves, ya know? We love, but horses? I think it goes so deep, that connection and love is just a part of it. He's becoming a part of the whole, there's consistancy in his life, he's never hungry or thirsty, and I listen to him. His opinion matters. Like in NZ when his opinion was considered when he raced? I'm beginning to see glimpses of that horse in the picture, taken so long ago. Look at those eyes where he's in the racing bridle, an open heart, and a willing spirit. Now look at the picture at the top of the page. Can you see his pain? Is it worth it? Horse racing, I mean?

barefoot

The farrier was out today. My old farrier emailed me from Bagdad when asked why he missed our appointment. He just left, no call, no nothing. Nope, not in the military, just took a job over there. Musta been hurting for money. I've had a couple of farriers out, but as with any relationship, "we" didn't like them. I knew we had a winner when Hawk, my arabian stood there ground tied. Hawk usually uses the trimmer for target practice. Swipes their hankerchief, or steals their hat. Vince was fast, good, horses liked him and they all five stood there with him while he worked.

When he got to Shaun he was concerned about the terribly thin hoof walls. He said that they throw on shoes for a race, then pull them right after. The horses hoof is put through hell with all the nail holes they endure. Shaun's back feet are looking ok, but the fronts are pretty bad. Instead of making even more nail holes, we decided to try Shaun barefoot. My pasture is like wearing slippers, and that's not necessarily a good thing. Soft footing does not toughen up a foot, and we'll be seeing frozen ground soon. Going to see how he does. Expect him to be a bit ouchy. Hoping he doesn't chip and break off a lot of hoof. Hoping these hoof supplements help him.

starting to blossom

I'm not sure how much any horse is free to express his or her opinion. Most people approach riding like rape. You are gonna, and I don't care how you feel about it. Sometimes it comes to blows. I learned a different way through Carolyn Resnick, and I tell ya, horses have opinions. No, they aren't lazy. Some would prefer you not ride them. I have two like that, and they both have back issues. My paint loves to work. Loves it. My arabian loves ground play, but he's like (as Brent Graef said) "a person that's been on welfare and never had to work, and now he has a job". Then there's Shaun. I don't have an invite from him to ride. I'm just getting an invite to say "hello". For a long time he'd turn away. Did you know if the horse turns away, you don't have his permission to touch? It's hard not to throw your arms around the neck of a horse and take what you want. That being love. It took me a while to understand, if I touch a horse, I have to have permission and I better be giving, not taking.

So Mr. Shaun is touching his nose to my outstretched hand. I'm not touching him, he's touching me. That's important. His choice to say hello, not mine. I'm just offering the opportunity. He can say "no", and that's real important to a horse. Today he wanted to be let out of the 10 acres I have fenced in where I feed, to the other 30 acres we have for the herd. I needed to doctor Gunner's legs. He has something called scratches, and I had to lead him away from where Shaun wanted to go. He tried to herd me like a border collie, lol! Now I'm nice to my horses, I'm kind, but that was overstepping mama, so I twirled my rope at him. His head came up, but he was still trying to get me to turn around. I finally tapped him with the popper on the end of the rope, and he took off like I beat him. Very sensitive boy. I also stopped and told him I'd be right back after I took care of Gunner. He relaxed after that and waited for us to come back by the gate. I made sure I headed right for the gate and let him out when I got back. You need to keep your word with a horse.

I'm blessed to have five horses in my pasture. Chances are, I'll find a horse that wants to play. He or she may not want to ride, but they will want to play. I can usually talk em into a ride after a while. If not, I don't worry about it too much. If you ask a friend to go out, and they don't want to dance, do you make them? Or do you find something that you both want to do? My horses are my friends, and I treat them like they are friends. Good friends. They are generous to treat me with kindness, too. I don't know if they love me. What we have is so special, so deep, I don't know if love covers it. Shaun is starting to experience what might be possible for him here. With the herd, and with me. He's finding out that I won't force him to do anything, unless it's to save his live. He's discovering what it is to be a horse. He's experiencing life as a herd, and that's bigger than just himself. The herd is one unit, and it thrives because everyone works together to be better than they could be alone. He's starting to blossom into more than he has ever been.

Doin' ok!

I must say, Shaun is doing ok. He stopped by the three wheeler today when I turned everyone out to the big pasture, because I had some baby carrots. Funny how herd sour is no longer an issue when carrots are involved. I think he loves this life. Here, I'll post some pics.