i'm about to do it again
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Topic by xine
December 2, 2009 11:19PM
someone stop me! or not. you enablers!(sp)
free 17 year old 17h tb on craigslist here. i love tbs.
i have room for 1 more since gronwy passed away.
i do not need a 4th horse.
but i don't want to see a 17 year old fall through the cracks and end up slaughterbound to mexico from some false offer of a forever home on craigslist.
17 is not old to me.
owner and i have been writing back and forth for about 1 1/2 months now. i offered hay since her finances were bad. she boards, so the hay doesn't help a bit. i'm not silly enough to give anyone cash.
i'd give him right back if her finances improve. its a tough decision for her.
xiney the soft hearted
December 3, 2009 01:04AM
Enable 
December 3, 2009 07:53AM
I agree, 17 is not old but even if it was?? Bring him home xine
December 3, 2009 08:33AM
Xine,
Have you gone to see this pony
It sounds like you are more than half way there to me...
Take a drive...
Merry Christmas to you and the 17 year old! (horse not human
sixhorses
December 3, 2009 10:17AM
I've got 6...with 2 more on the way this spring...a 4th horse ain't nothing...lol...go get him! 
December 3, 2009 10:33AM
Good for you for being so kind and considerate!
December 3, 2009 10:52AM
I agree, 4 is easy LOL!!!
December 3, 2009 11:08AM
Do it Do it and take pics!
GP
Reply by xine
December 3, 2009 09:57PM
haven't gone to see him yet.
am NOT bringing trailer to first visit. need to have a 'connection' to add another to the herd.
who am i kidding? i always have a 'connection'. lol
hauled a neighbor's mini to a place with minis for breeding. all the 'traumatized untouchables' came right to me for petting.
bringing a daughter or two incase she's really an ax murderer.
will keep you all utd on how it plays out.
i know this is very hard for her.
it would be for me.
gave her my vet's # for a reference.
now that gronwy ids dead, and mack is a roarer, i miss the speed of a tb.
sizemore is great, but i miss speed.
i must be the only cowgirl in az that really likes tbs. everyone else likes qh's.
xiney
December 3, 2009 11:52PM
I agree with the rest of the "herd" on here, "enable"!
December 4, 2009 08:30AM
Put on your lucky helmet before you go.
December 4, 2009 09:03AM
Xiney,
When are you actually going???????? Dates and times please
sixhorses(Jayne)
Reply by xine
December 4, 2009 08:11PM
going sunday at 11.
not bringing the trailer.
things could get better for her. i hope they do.
she emailed me today. she cries at the thought of having to let her horse go.
we'll talk sunday. maybe if i can help her with farrier bills she can afford to keep him.
we'll see.
xiney
ps: you enablers rock!
December 4, 2009 10:19PM
sad for her; So many people are in a tough spot these days. 
Its nice to know there are people like you(all) out there not in it for themselves
December 4, 2009 10:23PM
Xiney, sounds like a sad situation. I hope it works out for all involved, whatever that might mean!
I hope you'll report back on Sunday to fill us in and share pics!
GP
December 5, 2009 12:08AM
don't worry about the trailer, bring the lucky helmet and the saddle and ride him back, since you like them fast it shouldn't take too long, right?
seriously, good luck with your visit
Reply by xine
December 5, 2009 12:46AM
hey all,
jeanne's been riding iza blue. nobody in az really knows how to ride correctly. except for my next door neighbors. and me.
if she can ride him, i sure i can, healing from crippled but riding the whole time.
she's not quite ready to let him go. i understand that. the economy here is very bad.
i am not in a hurry. she doesn't seem to be either since we've been corresponding since sept.
instead of a daughter, i might bring my jockey neighbor with me. he has a better sense of horse soundness.
i just say 'oh well' and pay the vet and farrier.
i'll let you all know how it goes.
bringing a saddle and the lucky helmet.
xiney
December 5, 2009 09:56AM
That sounds like exactly the kind of situation that bodes well for the horse. No matter who has him!!
Looking forward to the next report.
Jayne
Reply by xine
December 6, 2009 09:12PM
hi,
went out to meet iza blue and jeanne his owner today.
brought lely my 19 year old daughter.
he was in the round pen chock full of energy. it was cold and windy today. a storm is expected tomorrow. not the best day to meet a horse.
good weight, good looking, a true 17h., dark bay with a white star and 2 white little socks on his front legs. pin fireing scars on his front legs just like gronwy had. he raced in his youth.
i played around with him. he was fine.
looked in his mouth and he's a cribber. never look a gift horse in the mouth, lol.
she didn't tell me this until i asked.
at one point in his life he was starved, so he's also food aggressive.
also 'hard to load'. she's had him 3 years, loaded him in a trailer once. took her an hour and a half.
plan is to go back another weekend and ride him out into the desert with jeanne and her other horse (a smaller qh mare)
i would really appreciate any info about cribbing. will all my horses learn this? will he eat my wooden tackroom like a giant termite with hooves?
dana next door says she wouldn't want a cribber (she's had some), and that this horse will probably latch onto the (metal railed) fence between my house and the horses and destroy it.
jeanne is tiny and can't worm him without help, so i wormed him for her. no trouble.
xiney
December 6, 2009 10:15PM
I can't comment on some vices...But will on the Cribber.
In my experience ( Which means nothing, just from horse to horse ) I have never had one Crib on metal.
And i'm a sucker for Cribbers....
I have never, ever, had a horse learn to Crib from another Cribber.
I can honestly say that if a horse Cribs, i'm more prone to take them in....Quirky
The absolute best horses of my life have been Cribbers.
Ulcers, worn teeth, etc.....I'm sure are factors, but i've never lost one to either.
And with that said....How close is your tackroom
December 6, 2009 10:21PM
When I worked in a show barn (ie the horses were stabled 24/7 and fed only 2x a day) a cribber came in the barn. A horse across the aisle picked it up, a horse across the aisle and diagonal from the second newly made cribber also started to crib, and a fourth was trying out the movements but couldn't quite figure out what the others were doing. The horses were bored out of thier minds and i can't blame them for trying out anything new to relieve the boredom and stress of being boxed in.
I would say the other horses picked up cribbing from watching the first one, especially since there was no cribbing until the cribber moved in.
I also remember there was a mare who cribbed- a different farm, but many many years ago. She had a foal who was also a cribber by the time it was weaned. whether that was genetic, or because it was a learned behaviour...? I dunno, it was a long time ago and a vague memory.
If you take this horse buy it a crib collar, save wear and tear on your fences, buckets and stalls, save the horse from potential choke/colic. Save yourself the annoyance of hearing "HUGGh!" all the time
Reply by xine
December 7, 2009 12:20AM
epic and noodle,
thank you for the insights.
tackroom is in the middle of their turn out.
i have stalls on the other side of the yard.
i'm in arizona, so the 'stalls' are just panels with a 14' shade cover.
the stall gates are open unless i need to lock some up for the farrier, vet, etc.
they have a yard to play in. they have things to destroy like traffic cones, balls, watermelons when i toss a melon out back. 'slow' chickens to pick up by their tail feathers to toss. chix are fine.
long story short, my 3 are not bored and stalled. they have their horsey drama all day long.
they 'bowl' picking up food bowls and playing tug of war or bowl smacking each other in the head with bowls.
this guy must be cribbing on metal since he's been in a metal panel stall and has stubs for teeth.
would he improve in a non-stalled setting, or is it just a habit like smoking?
i saw him biteing down on his water barrel, but not wind sucking today. water barrel was not scarred.
he may have been acting his worst since he senses a change, but his teeth don't lie.
i'm going to see how riding him goes. i'm glad she's not in a hurry and cares about where he goes.
she'd like to visit him here if he comes here.
how do they choke from cribbing?
i feed grass hay and if i feed pellets, i soak them first. have a microwave in the tackroom so all soaked foods are warm porridge in the winter.
xiney
December 7, 2009 01:01AM
I've never had a cribber (they drive me nuts ) but my best friend has owned one for 10 years. He is a bad cribber (cribs on nylon crossties, go figure!) and both collars and sprays don't work - the collars would give him rubs when they were actually tight enough to stop him and he liked the "gross tasting" sprays. It wasn't until he was retired and turned out almost 24/7 (brought in at night during the colder months) with free-choice hay that he almost stopped - now, he only cribs when he eats. The last barn he was at actually had a cribbing board in his paddock (which was flex fencing) so if someone fed him a treat, he would go to that board, crib a few times, and go back to his hay. At least this way he wasn't destroying anything!
I think cribbing can be learned but I think the horses have to have a predisposition/situation that encourages it. It can also be improved if you have the time and patience. Although cribbers send shivers up my spine , I wouldn't turn one down if they were in need!
December 7, 2009 02:32PM
On choking- a friend had a cribber who would eat hay and drink water, chew it up and crib, there-by inhaling food. He could not make the connection between cribbing with his mouth full and choking. It didnt kill him, but he was awfully skinny and had weird stomach muscles from cribbing and coughing.
December 12, 2009 04:04PM
My horse has always cribbed.OTTB, with ulcers. Ulcers are now gone, but he cribs on anything and everything.Outside he has his "cribbing tree". No one has picked up his bad habit.He is stabled next to another cribber, and older horses. I know that younger horses will pick up the habit if exposed to it.I have found that feeding him out of a pan on the ground is better for him.He wastes his food, takes a bite, cribs and drops it.Its harder for him to crib on the feed pan, so it does help.i have tried 2 types of collars..no help! i figure that at this point, he so dependent on the cribbing, that theres no stopping it, hes fat, happy and healthy.My horse is an endorphin junky, what can you do! I have a friend, whos got a jumper from Germany.The cut Camaros throat muscles to try to stop him from cribbing.Its aweful.
December 12, 2009 05:57PM
If its the Camaro from where I think it is, he comes form the same farm mentioned above, and was not a cribber when he came out of quarrantine.
Gorgeous horse, and I sure wouldnt mind owning him vices and all!
December 13, 2009 11:39AM
Camaro has been at Peter Stoeckels barn for the past 12 years! Pauline still owns him, well NEVER part with him.Hes had a rough life, and she wouldnt do that to him.He is a very nice horse! Almost 17 years old now!
December 13, 2009 04:22PM
different horse then lol. We both have/had a mutual friend with a horse named Camaro
December 13, 2009 05:58PM
Was the other Camaro at Grinyer's place?
Reply by xine
December 13, 2009 09:11PM
not the best update:
she forgot to mention he gets abscesses almost constantly in one front foot.
not from stepping on something sharp or being quicked with a horseshoe nail.
he tossed some man who went to look at him. she thinks he hates men. i think he hates the extra weight on that foot.
is limping again now. abscesses for no good reason here in the desert usually (almost always, especially in winter) mean there's trouble with his laminae being a bit weak and his coffin bone moving ever so slightly.
body thinks it's a foreign object, abscesses happen. it's the highway to inevitable founder.
she's doing a few things wrong, and has been for a few years.
grain, alfafa, a 'guy' who just trims feet, no bute, no vet.
the abscess needs to be cut into, drained, treated, healed, shoes on to help hold the laminae together and help keep that coffin bone in place.
splained everything except for what i think she's doing wrong, and i told her i could not bring home heartbreak.
offered to pay for my farrier to treat her horse for a while.
that would at least help the horse.
i feel bad, but i don't want a horse that's already in pain having to play pecking order with my mob of 3.
unfair for him. i'm not his perfect home.
xiney
December 13, 2009 09:51PM
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, Xiney, I'm sorry to hear the update. So very nice of you to offer the farrier. What was her response?????
Sixhorses
Reply by xine
December 13, 2009 10:09PM
no response so far.
if it were me, i'd jump right on that offer.
maybe i'm wrong, and lewis could actually permanently fix this.
i doubt i'm wrong because when i talked to lewis this morning he gave me a verbal slap upside the head when i told him what i suspected and asked if he'd just go look at the horse for/with me.
doesn't mean he wouldn't go and do his farrier stuff if i foot the bill for jeanne.
it's 7pm here, i left the message around 11am.
chris
December 14, 2009 02:58PM
Thats too bad
Its nice you tried.
December 14, 2009 09:53PM
Xiney,
I'll never understand people. She's having trouble financially but won't jump at the chance of some farrier work???? Someone else foots the bill? If the big fella's foot can't be fixed permanently at least he gets a trim that will last 8 weeks or so. If it can be fixed, WOWZER. To me it is a win-win situation. Pride?
How are you feeling?? Rough? or ok?
sixhorses
(you are so courageous Xiney)
Reply by xine
December 14, 2009 10:10PM
6H,
i just feel sorta numb now.
i don't think she's going to call.
x
December 14, 2009 10:31PM
Bah, bummer.
Sorry Xine.
Reply by xine
December 14, 2009 11:40PM
thanks, epic.
xine
Reply by xine
December 17, 2009 07:24PM
plan c:
she emailed me today. didn't mention the farrier offer.
i offered to haul her horse to my vet for x-rays to really find out if there is a problem.
told her it would increase my comfort level if we found out my farrier was wrong over the phone.
i guess now i'll find out if she has really known all along there is a big problem.
i just never quit.
xiney
Reply by xine
December 18, 2009 11:04PM
she accepted the vet offer.
now i'll be able to make an informed decision.
feeling better.
tb's are not popular here, let alone 17h cribbing tbs.
it's such a short trip to mexico for a horse that slips through the cracks and ends up at auction.
xiney
Reply by xine
December 23, 2009 09:44PM
update:
planning on picking horse up sunday for a 'fun' sleepover here.
monday my vet is coming to do x-rays on that hoof that constantly gets abscesses.
also a general vet check while she's here.
then back to jeanne until she decides it's time to part with him.
i'm in no hurry; and i hope with vetting, the horse will have an action plan for his hoof and relief for the pain he's having.
xiney
December 24, 2009 10:44AM
Xiney,
I hope it all works out for you and for the horse! Keep us posted on what the vet has to say!
Merry Christmas!
GP
December 24, 2009 12:01PM
Good for you xine for hanging in there for this guy. He's lucky to have you with a foot in his corner. I've got my fingers crossed that the vet report is favorable...and that the owner sees how great a home this would be for him
Reply by xine
December 24, 2009 07:33PM
thanks guys!
i'll keep you updated. my fingers are crossed too!
xiney
Reply by xine
December 29, 2009 09:56PM
he's here.
had a terrible time at his stable getting him loaded.
owner had some yahoo cowboy co-boarder 'help'.
it wasn't good, horse eventually got very mad, reared up, struck the guy and broke his hand.
right about then, another boarder named helene showed up. she was scared, wore her lucky helmet, but does the same nh stuff i learned. we both learned new stuff from each other. i sure liked her.
it took us a while to settle him down. a w h i l e.
then we started from scratch. got him near the trailer, but didn't ask him to get in. repeat. got 2 feet in, backed him out, repeat. got 4 feet in, backed him out, repeat. got him in, closed the door, opened it, backed him out.
by the time we had him in to travel, he wasn't traumatized by the trailer anymore.
i got there around 3pm, got home around 9:30pm.
vet was here yesterday. x-rays were way cool. showed up on a laptop screen.
he's structurally sound, but his front feet hurt all over. even the bulbs are tender.
abscess in right front, deep thrush in both.
he's wearing rowdy's moon boots with the gel pads out and a vet-med-smeared-diaper in them. bute 2X a day for a bit. he needs to wear moon boots for about 8 weeks.
talked to the owner, and she agreed he's got a better chance of getting better here.
so i have a guest.
i let nimrod out for supervised play with the mob yesterday. things were ok for a while.
when he hid behind me as the mob charged and i twirled a leadrope to divert the charge, i figured it was time to tuck him back into a stall.
i have 3 stalls. he's in the middle one with all 3 locked shut so there is only 1 panel the brats can make mean faces at him over.
the goats went in his stall last night. he acted like he'd never seen a goat and was sniffing and curious.
this morning i made a mistake. fed nimrod in a barrel on the ground. the goats came running to see what he was eating. uh oh i thought (that food aggression warning), but he let them eat and sniffed their butts. whew!
xine
December 29, 2009 10:41PM
December 29, 2009 11:43PM
wow you are one patient person!
I wonder if he will stop cribbing once there is no more pain. So..was tehre a diagnosis on his feet? Is it just thrush(and an abcess)?
Reply by xine
December 30, 2009 01:09AM
i am one patient person.
got sizemore at 4 months. sat on him when he was 3. i got crippled, got better.
now i'm riding him at 6. he's missed out on so much training i couldn't do.
that's why i bought the lucky helmet. i ride him anyway. i have a lucky helmet.
nimrod's foot bones are good. no coffin bone rotation. that suprised me.
he's structurally sound, but has a few issues. does need shoes after i'm done with the 8 weeks of therapy. deep thrush and that abscess. have to cure the root of the abscesses.
i've heard rubbing a bar of ivory soap deters them from cribbing. don't know if that's true, but i'm going to try it.
i realize he's in a stressful new place. i saw him chew on a bowl while turned out. i put the bowl in his stall. gave him a water bottle to play with.
once he and the mob decide pecking order, i think he might be too entertained to crib. we'll see.
he's cribbing a little, but is having the most fun ever with the horse water fountain.
sent a sad face photo to gp. i'm sure she'll post it when she gets time. he looks so sad right now.
xine
December 30, 2009 09:21AM
Here's the sad pic of Nim [ picasaweb.google.com]
I'm betting Xiney can get light back in those eyes!
Good for you for looking after him Xiney... sounds like he has a good chance at improving now that he's at your place!
GP
December 30, 2009 03:22PM
Nim is beautiful. Hats off to you Xine for giving him an upgrade
December 30, 2009 04:42PM
He's gorgeous xine! Don't worry - he'll settle in and feel so much better. He looks every bit worth all the effort.
Don't like to hear of anyone getting hurt....but sounds like someone got their due that day!
Reply by xine
December 30, 2009 09:47PM
jazz,
he had a part in his getting hurt.
jeanne the owner came to visit him tonight. she'd happy that he looks happier.
let him out with the mob while i scraped his stall down to the dirt to have a clean foundation for shavings.
in his moon boots he jumped the water trough lenghtwise.
got cornered by the mob and kicked sizemore.
good for him! he's already feeling a bit better, and he can't hurt sizemore the tank.
started him on hoof supplement and local brand equine senior which has glucosomine and chondrointin(sp) already in it.
hope to have a happier picture soon.
xine
December 30, 2009 10:09PM
That is a sad looking fellow!
Reply by xine
January 4, 2010 11:14PM
well, he's been here a week. sent a more cheerful piccie to gp.
he cribs like crazy when his owner comes to visit, but not so much at all otherwise.
saturday owner said she could let him go to me. she's happy with how happy he seems here.
i'm still trying to make peace with the herd/mob.
today, he stayed out 2 hours with the mob. a coupla of them need neosporin for some bite/scrapes.
expected.
he wanted back in his stall at dinnertime, but not before. that's a first.
he's moving fine in his med soaked moon boots, so i stopped the bute incase he has ulcers. (cribbing/ulcer connection).
vet hardly charged me. i was giving a hurting horse a xmas present, and she gave me one.
i could just hug her for that. but we are not 'huggy' people.
told owner to not pay board for 3 months. 2 for rehab here. 1 for riding after shoes are on.
you all and i know he's here for good. who am i kidding?
he's been upgraded to spoiled horse headquarters.
i don't think he's ever had the chance to have so long off while he gets better.
he needs that time. and he will get it.
xiney
January 5, 2010 09:14AM
Here's the latest pic of Nim, his eyes look brighter, hopeful.
[ picasaweb.google.com]
Great update Xiney!!
What a wonderful present from your vet!
Interesting that he cribs a lot more when his owner comes by.... wonder what's up with that?
Keep us posted, hope there's soon peace in your herd
GP
Reply by xine
January 9, 2010 11:38PM
had him out for 3 hours with the mob yesterday. it's getting calmer. no new bites to put boo boo goo on.
he finally wanted to go back to his 'safe' stall after dark.
he's not limping at all anymore, but i'm still soaking diapers with meds to put in his moon boots.
today he did not want to go out. ok.
cleaned his stall and added some fresh shavings.
last night, he 'talked' to me for the first time. made a noise at feeding time. the hurggh noise.
saw no cribbing today. a teeny bit yesterday.
this is going to take time, but i am patient.
he's not a guest anymore, he's here forever. everyone but me knew this the moment i unloaded him here.
owner was supposed to come today, but she didn't. something came up.
i do want to study/quiz her about the two of them together to try to solve the excessive cribbing mystery.
xine
January 10, 2010 01:09AM
Yay xine! He does look better already - more engaged in your environment. Great that his feet are feeling better too.
January 10, 2010 10:32AM
good job Xine...hats off to you...I'm sure Nimrod (nice name) is soooo much happier now that he's not in pain...I unfortunately have a longer road with Xena then 8 weeks...but it's coming...just ALOT slower...I'm sure Nimrod would give you a horse hug if he could...
Just something to think about...we had a friend who was one of those "nit-picky" people and she ALWAYS fussed with her horses to the point of pretty much driving them crazy...she had a mare that could not stand her to the point she started weaving whenever she came in the barn...needless to say, she traded horses alot...this is just maybe an idea of why this boy cribs more when the old owner comes around...maybe he's just not one of those horses who likes to be "picked" on all the time...she's obviously doing something to make him go crazy
Reply by xine
January 18, 2010 08:26PM
update:
i've spent around 20 days messing around with his hooves. moon boots and vet goop.
took the moon boots off a few days ago. he's cheerful and sound.
we are getting at least 5 days of rainstorms starting today.
spent yesterday getting the yard ready for rain.
time to let nimrod out full time with the mob.
i need all stalls tied open so they can get out of the rain if they choose.
herd dynamics are going well. no new bloody bites.
with just me, he's not cribbing. is fascinated by the horse water fountains, and just makes them run if he feels nervous. not ripping them from the plumbing pipes.
owner visited yesterday. you guessed it. manic cribbing.
xiney
January 18, 2010 09:16PM
Did I mention my parents are in Mesa? Heard similar complaining about the coming rain. No sympathy!
Glad to hear your new boy is doing well. The cribbing is curious.
January 19, 2010 07:40PM
Xiney,
Sounds like Nimrod knows how to keep a good gig going!!
Congrats. 5 days of rain. Quick! appease the Mud Goddess!
Sixhorses
Reply by xine
January 19, 2010 09:20PM
gruffy,
rain here is omething to behold.
we actually have a 'stupid motorist law' for the folks who drive their cars into flash flooded streets.
they can be washed away!
6h, i am not giving a boot to the mud goddess. got the yard prepped.
nimrod is now hiding in the stall by the back fence. he can still work the water fountain between the rails. too funny.
it's raining again now. just in time for their dinner.
nimrod is funny. too much attention bothers him.
i've been giving him space to relax. he does not want constant human attention, but he does like me inbetween him and the mob. 'talks' at food time. he's a horse, i'm going by what i think he wants.
he doesn't want to be brushed and bothered. ok. guy just needs time to chill out.
i worry that once i 'fix' him, jeanne will want him back. then she will wreck him all over at that damp boarding stable.
putting shoes on next month, and then taking him around the mountain trails.
do expect farrier to find an abscess and dig it out. vet just said he had one, but didn't dig.
nothing has 'popped'.
i don't want to ride him until his feet are what they should look like. fronts are long and trimmed by 'a guy' to 2 different lenghts.
plus, he has very high withers, so i need to check my 6 saddles to find the best fit.
i'm patient. i can wait.
i'm going to put on my rain garb and feed all the hoofies now.
xiney
Reply by xine
February 6, 2010 11:22PM
well, it's been over a month here for nimrod.
bites are all healing. only 2 new bites today. progress.
sometimes wish i could get him some horse dentures so he can bite back.
he's joining in the herd dynamics of moving from one pile of hay to a 'better' pile of hay.
looks at me to fix things when his pile of hay gets invaded. and i do. lol.
jeanne has been coming to visit most every sunday. last sunday, he ignored her at first (that hurt her feelings a little), but paid attention when she brought out the treats. she skipped a sunday, and he did not crib last sunday.
she's speaking in past tense about him. she does have that qh mare. now just talks about her one horse. so much for me making a decision. we all knew he's been upgraded to here.
she hugs me and thanks me every time she leaves. i think that's a hint.
will have lewis the farrier out this month to shoe on the schedule i have for the rest to be shod and trimmed. he's not lame anymore, but his feet need professional attention.
i think things are getting better around here for him. he's out and about and looking more cheerful.
still looks like a paint by number horse with purple boo boo goo on his bites.
he's moving around and making use of the larger space he has now. it's just a horse property yard, but bigger than stalls he's been kept in for years.
i've caught the mob just hanging out with him with no aggression. good!
he likes the goats. shares food with them willingly.
if it doesn't rain again tomorrow, i'll take him walkies to see the neighborhood. he stands by the back fence curious about 'what's out there'. lots of horses and smells in the neighborhood.
xine
Reply by xine
February 12, 2010 11:36PM
this week has been magical.
all is calm out back.
sizemore who was the biggest butthead is now hanging out with nimrod during the day, and sharing hay at feeding times.
sent a photo to gp. hope she will post it for me (thanks!)
he's looking like a normal horse happy in his surroundings now.
farrier is coming the last friday of this month.
when i talked to him, i told him i had a new horse to shoe. he groaned. i said you should be saying 'ka-ching' for the bigger bill.
i know when lewis gets here i'll confess this is the horse he head-smacked me over the phone about, but i did x-rays! i do suspect there is an abscess he will cut out. not sure my moon boots and salve fixed that. i'm just not one to know how to cut into an abscess and fix it myself.
i am so happy about having a herd of 4 instead of a mob of 3 picking on nimrod.
happy enough to do a happy dance.
xine
February 13, 2010 12:11AM
Great update Xiney! (I also somehow missed your last one too, in all my chaos around here, sorry!)
Sounds like he's really starting to settle into life at your place, that's fabulous. So glad to hear he's hanging out peacefully with Sizemore.
[ picasaweb.google.com]
He's looking really good! Way to go And of course Sizemore is gorgeous as usual!! Thanks for sharing the pic
GP
February 13, 2010 08:11AM
Handsome boys!
February 13, 2010 09:36AM
Xiney,
Soooooo very happy and relieved for you! Nim is looking fabulous!
Why do the smallest women collect the biggest horses??????
Oh sure my horses are big, but I make them look smaller!
Isn't it a great weight lifted from your shoulders when they sort themselves out?? It gets tiring to hold your breath everytime you walk down to the paddock... Congratulations!
sixhorses
February 13, 2010 07:46PM
Love the photo! Congrats that everything is working out so well. I love in the previous post how you mentioned he waits for you to sort out the hay for him...and you do!! I'd do exactly the same thing. lol
Reply by xine
February 14, 2010 12:34AM
thanks all!
he's so much happier now than in the first picture GP posted for me.(thanks!)
his feet don't hurt, and he has no new bites.
i'm not small, i just pick horses that make me appear small.
illusion.
xine
Reply by xine
February 26, 2010 11:02PM
update on nimrod.
lewis came to trim and shoe.
front left hoof, good, no thrush, no abscess
rear left hoof, thrush, iodine
rear right hoof, blood spot in hoof wall from a chunk of hoof breaking off before coming here. gap in hoof, poor inner wall. it's his 'pivot' hoof which he uses most.
front right hoof, no thrush, no abscess, horribly unbalanced trimwise much longer than other front hoof. heel much lower and angled than other front hoof.
he's officially fixable, but it will take more than this visit to get everything right.
i did good with the lame front feet, but i guess i should have thought harder about all his feet.
he wasn't the easiest to shoe, but considering his feet, i think he did very well.
i do think he's feeling better already.
xiney
ps: while lewis was here, another client (jason) came by with his horse 'miss chrissy' who would not let jason's regular farrier touch her rear hooves. jason brought his dad who's visiting from canada.
since 'miss chrissy' was throwing hissy fits in the alley behind my house, i figured i'd just go in the yard and de-fuzz my hoofies since lewis and i were going to lunch after miss chrissy was done.
i was daydreaming and not paying attention to how excited/distracted my hoofies were by miss chrissy.
sizemore (for the first time ever) kicked me and launched me in the air into the mud.
i laid there unable to breath taking inventory of my body parts. then finally i could breath and got up with lewis' help. my face was white, my lips were blue.
first kick ever and i had to have an audience.
lewis made me change out of my mud clothes before i could ride in his truck to lunch.
he confessed he was thinking 'i don't have time for the er, and i'm hungry. hope she's ok'
he just called to check on me and told me his wife asked if he'da made me change clothes if he had to take me to the er.
i think we all know the answer to that. lol
February 27, 2010 12:06PM
Xine!! Hope you are OK - bet you are very sore today. Doesn't sound like any wee love tap either Hope you guys were able to enjoy lunch - well, we know Lewis probably did
See now there's one advantage to a Canadian winter...if you were here right about now and Sizemore 'launched' you - you'd have landed gently in a big puffy pile of snow!
(I'm reaching, I know)
Take it easy and good news re: Nim's feet - sounds like you are going in the right direction Don't blame you for focusing on the fronts - they are usually the big problem and most important.
Reply by xine
February 27, 2010 08:27PM
hi jazz,
it was totally my fault, not a spiteful kick, just a startled one while he was distracted by the mare in the alley. good thing with his huge feet that the psi was spread out across me.
lunch was very good. it was lewis' turn to buy.
he did say he was going to cash the check right away in case i died and the account was frozen. wyoming humour.
mud, snow; both good and soft to land on.
i might have a cracked rib, but if i do, it's cracked in place. i'm not sick and coughing. i'm ok.
purple bruise is surfacing. showed it to jose at the feedstore. not good enough to take a picture of yet.
thanks for the kind comment on the front vs rear hooves. he was dead lame on the front when he arrived. it was hard to take x-rays of them. i can concentrate on all 4 now that i'm better informed.
i think nimrod's feet will be perfect in 6 months here.
lewis did say that nimrod has a kind eye. that's quite something coming from him.
i will live, nimrod will be much happier and better. life is good.
xine
Reply by xine
March 7, 2010 02:02AM
update alert!
rode nimrod today for the first time.
he's a very insecure horse. poor dear.
add my sore rib squeezing sports bra to the mix, and i was not a confidence inspirer.
even with my super duper aussie saddle and my lucky helmet.
but about 1/2 hour into a 2 hour ride, we were hitting it off.
he knows cues. has a smooth canter, nice trot. he's not used to mountains and almost slid down a slope trying to pass monty on weedy. he's a quick learner, only did that once.
he will jump small ravines, so i had to be ready to jump at each ravine.
weedy tried to kick him. marsha's horse destiny tried to kick him and all 3 other horses.
dana's horse crop was the best behaved.
when we came home, the herd was squealing. he passed the gate and wandered a couple yards up, then wandered back. mack was at the fenceline demanding nimrod return. it was cute.
now that i have a better 'feel' for him, the next ride will be better. i'm understanding him better.
my saddle is a good fit. the new-to-me used bridle with gronwy's old french link eggbut snaffle was a good fit. good thing i'm a tackaholic. i have everything! i have things i've never used like the girth i used today. it's way too small for my bigger barreled horses. found it under clean laundry in my bedroom.
had to stop mid ride to go one notch up since it was loose.
oh, another charming habit: he reaches around to bite while one tacks him up,
gave him a dried apricot to keep his mouth busy.
jeanne (owner) never just got on and rode. she'd chase him around the round pen for a while.
even if i had a round pen, i'd still just head straight out to the trails. always have.
he is not an unhappy horse in pain anymore. yay! nimrod!
xiney
March 7, 2010 07:58AM
sounds like a lot of fun!
March 7, 2010 08:53AM
Awesome xine - sounds like a great relationship developing there
March 7, 2010 10:00AM
Awesome update Xiney, sounds like you had a great time! I look forward to hearing about your adventures together! Way to go for getting him out of pain
I wonder if the biting while tacking behaviour will mellow out with time, once he realizes its not all about the pain. In the meantime watch your backside (Spoken by someone who KNOWS about that behaviour *ouch* )
GP
March 7, 2010 10:17AM
Xiney,
Fantastic update!! Yipppeeeeeeeeee. Two hours your first time out???? Glutton for punishment
So exciting!!
sixhorses
March 7, 2010 09:06PM
XIney... I wish I had a set of those..... bug balls I mean....good for you .... your seriously rock...
I resolve to ride this year.... NO MATTER WHAT.
( notice how I didn't say even if it kills me)....
March 7, 2010 09:07PM
That was supposed to be BIG BALLs... sorry folks...
March 7, 2010 10:06PM
oh stonehenge, dont we all want some bug balls rotflmao!
Great update Xine!
Reply by xine
March 7, 2010 11:48PM
i could use some bug balls somehow. i just know it.
i'm taking time to understand him. i think the biting while tacking up stems from a too tight girth.
that's why i left it one notch loose. with his high withers, no saddle is slipping sideways.
once i was up, it was one notch too loose. fixed that with no trouble an hour into the ride.
i think i will do that for a while.
2 hours isn't a long ride for me. would have took 6 hours at a walk. i wanted to let him run and have fun.
17 years of who knows what done to him. i know at one point in his life he was starved.
he doesn't care for men, but did ok with lewis. he will need more than 1 trim and shoe to get his feet balanced.
i think he did rather well. i'm paying attention to what he needs.
i will be much more confident on my next ride now that i understand him a little better.
it's so funny how i'll ride green broke sizemore with no worries since i've known him for 6 years.
he doesn't have a mean bone in his body, but is a bit bouncy like a giant goat.
i've only known nimrod since christmas, so i was nervous(and my ribs hurt). i'll be better each time. as will he.
this is a good success story so far. lucky guy to end up with me instead of going to mexico.
xine
March 8, 2010 12:22AM
Lucky indeed Xine !!!!
Reply by xine
March 8, 2010 12:48AM
he's very lucky.
we are a border state.
between horses left out in the desert to fend for themselves, and people making a quick buck at auction, this 17 year old 17h ottb was really in a troublesome place.
there's not many people here that even like tbs. it's all qh's, paints, and arabs here.
i like them all, but really like ottbs. nimrod has about 6-7 good years of riding before he becomes a pasture pal.
xine
March 8, 2010 01:23AM
That is a scary place for him to be, but dont be so sure on the 6-7 years of riding for him, I've seen many horses like him with so much heart and a love for their people that they have given everything they have and more to those they love, he could ride far past that out of sure heart for you. We had a big old guy " Belgium Cross " named Casper , that came off a buyers truck at our old place, he'd had a terrible life by the scarying on his body, deep scare tissue from collar scald's, proud flesh from un- treated wounds, terible feet and absessed teeth, but we ended up having him until he drew his last breath at 30 + years, and even his last year he was pretty much crippled up with arthritis and his sight was gone, he'd let the kids lead him up to a fence and crawl up on him to tuddle around the paddock, and they were just little guys then, but he was always so gentle with them and truely looked like he loved every giggle. When Quinton was only 9 and learned to harness on him, horse drawn puttering, and when my daughter was about 4, he would lower his head to her , she'd grab his halter and he'd lift his head pulling her feet up off the ground, she'd curl up her legs and swing under his chin and just belly laugh, if she dropped off to the ground, he'd put his head back down and they'd do it all over again, his picture is still over her bed today. I like to think that they are so Thankful of their happy home that it gives them an iron will to stay with us, hope you have a decade or more with him Xine.
Reply by xine
March 9, 2010 01:10AM
crazyacres,
he's been upgraded to a better place.
however long he feels like riding, we will go.
wish i had piccies from our first outing. he is not the sad lame horse that arrived here in december.
he's feeling good.
i hope for many years of good company with him.
when he's ready to be a pasture pal, he's deserved it. he'll still be good company.
trying to bite me while tacking is proof he's feeling better. funny as that sounds.
what a difference from december to now.
score 1 for me. the light has returned to his eyes.
xine
March 9, 2010 10:21AM
He's obviously feeling safe and cared for, they know !!!! Over the year's, it always surprises me how many horse people remember my Grampa, and always have such funny Ole Dude stories about him and can remember in great detail the horses that he brought them and great stories of those horses, some of the horses I remember being with us, just not the people they went too, and earned a crisp $ 2.00 bill for riding them in the training ring ,getting them ready for a new home, and a couple of years ago , I was asked to do a 2 day Horsemanship clinic, while there an older woman asked me if I was Rusty's Grandaughter !!! she remembered me from visiting the farm a few times and delivering a horse that she ended up riding for almost 18 years, and then in front of a full arena asked me, if I had to choose the most important thing that Rusty ever taught me, what would it be ??? I had to think for a second and decided that the Creed he lived by and taught me and I try and live by in consideration in the presence of all horses is this.. he always said..that a horse has the intellect and emotion copeing skill's of a 8 - 10 year old child, and if you wouldnt do it to that child, dont ever do it to a horse !!! and remember in every situation you put a horse into ,that he feel's the same fear and hurt as a child so be repectful of that.
If you took your 8 yr. old child and in the blink of an eye gave him to a family that pulled into your driveway, and they took him to their home and gave him a nice room and lots of food and all the basic need's, does that mean he isnt still heartbroken over the lose of all he know's and has has come to love, and do that to him many times in a few years, and have some of those homes starve and abuse him, would it take some time for him to ever trust a new home again ?? It amazes me everytime one of these horses ever allows a human on their back again and fall's in love with us... and Thankful we have people out there that will take the time to teach them to trust again !!!
March 9, 2010 10:21PM
You guys are making me cry...
March 10, 2010 11:25AM
Crazyacres...
you're right...they do mourn still even if they go to a good home...I sold a 4 yr old mare years ago that I raised from a baby...I don't have a big operation, but do breed a couple foals a year and sell them...but this filly I kept awhile longer because I was using her so much and she was good at her job...and she was pretty and well bred to boot...well, when I sold her, she was bought by a couple, friends of friends, who treat their horses very good...my friends told me about 2 weeks later that they were talking to the people that bought her and they said Lena wouldn't eat for like a week...looked depressed and confused...but the woman would go out and groom her, talk to her and just was with her alot in that first week, Lena eventually came around, started eating better, would go out and play with the other horses when before she would just stand in a corner...some horses are more sensitive then others...Lena was EXCEPTIONALLY sensitive...both Lena and Xena were born a week apart that year...Xena could care less about where she is...whereas Lena, well, obviously it took her longer to adjust...it is sad...and I do feel bad sometimes, but IF I know they're going to a good home, that takes some of the guilt away...........and hell, some of them, let's admit, YOU JUST CAN'T WAIT TO GET RID OF!...lol...sometimes you just don't click with a horse...Xena's dam and I never really *connected*...I didn't hate her by any means, there just wasn't that bond there...the woman I sold her to LOVED her...and then there was Mouse...who I couldn't WAIT to find a buyer for...my boyfriend cried when she left...I waved bye....lol
March 10, 2010 12:21PM
LMAO , your so truthfully too funny !!!! I've had a few of those horses too, I call them " Tail Light Horses " I never want to see them again after your Tail Lights pull out my Laneway !!!!
March 10, 2010 04:06PM
and here I am... I felt guilty when I moved my mare the first time. She had been at the farm about 6 years and, although aloof, I still know she had some good friends! I felt really bad for her the first few weeks because she does not make friends easily.However, the atmosphere at the original barn made it imperative we moved.
She stayed at the second barn for 4 1/2 years, but I did not feel bad at all moving her then. She went (and still is) to a private barn and was reunited with her best friend from barn no. 2. They have been together now since 2003 (and at the new barn since Christmas 2007). I will never move her again and I hope her friend lives a very long life (she is 25!).
I always wondered about people changing barns so often. Don't they care about their horses' friendships? lol
March 10, 2010 05:16PM
LMAO Crazyacres...yes...tail-light horses...good one...
don't feel bad FI...its just like people...they'll adjust...some longer then others..but they will
March 10, 2010 07:34PM
Absolutly QH Girl, they adjust always like we do, my Grampy always meant to be mindful of their pain like you would your child, and give them honest time to trust a new home, I really love when folks get a new horse, throw a saddle on its back, and bit in it mouth and put the heel's to it's sides and wonder why it isnt riding as good as it did at it's other home !!! Dahhhhh, different home, different smell's, heartbroken, strange bad fitting saddle, bit that tastes like crap..Gezzz, i wonder why it is a little out of sorts, I always give them time to adjust to all the new everything, in all fairness to the horse..
Reply by xine
March 10, 2010 09:55PM
jeanne hasn't been to visit in 3 weeks, but when she does come, he becomes a crazy cribber.
still can't figure that out.
he's starting to 'talk' when he sees me. good sign.
xine
March 10, 2010 10:23PM
GREAT sign xine...I'm still sticking to my guns though with him cribbing everytime she shows up...I think she made him neurotic (is that how it's spelled?) to the point he has an anxiety attack...like I said, my ex-friend made her mare so spazzed out that everytime she came in the barn the mare would start weaving...she wasn't a weaver before and when they sold her back to the people, she wasn't a weaver after...I think he just has a mental meltdown when he see's/hear's her...that's my thoughts
Reply by xine
March 10, 2010 11:50PM
qhcuttingirl.
i'm leaning towards what you say.
she's done something (i'm sure not on purpose) that makes him neurotic when he sees her.
he was stalled most of the time on damp bedding, i think run around a round pen before riding, cinching may be an issue. actually, it is an issue going by his attempts to bite me.
here he gets to just roam around with the 'now friendly' mob and just be a horse doing horsey herd stuff. it's probably the most relaxation he's had ever now that the pecking order is set.
he has white hairs where a cavesson would fit, and white hairs by his dock. i don't think they are his normal colour. i've never seen white in those places. white from bad saddles, yes, but not on him.
his white hairs are on unexpected places.
judging by the 'guy' who was going to 'help' her load him in the trailer, i think not so good people have 'helped' her in the past 3 years she's had him.
the first time i met him, i wormed him for her since she needed 'help'.
his feet were evidence of at least one part of the 'helpers' not actually helping things.
he's a mystery to be solved with a lot of time and patience.
i have time and patience.
i think his outlook is good now. he will chill out and get to be a horse, not a being stuck in a stall.
i have seen none of the food aggression i was warned of.
xine
March 11, 2010 02:05AM
Some sensative horses will retreat back into anxiety behaviours with even the sound of a voice that they associate with that place of their life, like a mouse clicking on a link, so the cribbing and weaving makes sense in her presence, my family always beleived that a horse had a visual memory and could instantly picture abuse and stressful times like a painting in their mind, and they have a memory thats every bit as good as an Elephant's and our's I'm sure, Ive seen a mare recognize a foal born to her 12 years before out of whole truck of new arrival's, and it wasnt until she kept nickering at him with that throaty rumble along the fence and he answered her back and met her over the fence that my Dad realized who the gelding was, when he left as a yearling, he was starting to go dapple dark grey, and he had turned a lighter washed out gray, but still had the same "Jesters Hat" star on his forehead..... His name with us when he was born was Jester. And when he was turned out with is Mom and the rest of old Canadian Mares , they all knew him and with in a 1/2 hour , he went right to ground spring at the back of Pasture to get a drink, he remembered where it was, walked right to it with his Mom poking along behind him and latter that day, Dad went to walk him into the barn , he went in the doorway with no hesitation, walked past the first few stalls and then took a hard left, right into my Dad to go into his Mom's empty box stall and the box he was born in and stayed with her at night. They forget nothing, Good or Bad
March 11, 2010 09:49AM
actually Crazyacres, I just read something where horses actually have a memory that would put elephants to shame...there was this little trival thing in a magazine I was reading...I'll have to dig it out and copy it down here...was kind of interesting...
March 11, 2010 11:25PM
Love to see it, you wouldn't beleive how many freindly banter discussion's I've had about a horses memory, only because I have seen it to be true with my own eye's, and yet other people dont think that horses have a good memory at all or that they aren't " for- thinker's" and yet again I've watched them stand on a high ridge and set up their whole path down before they take off, have watched a young mischeivious horse stand and plan out a full out pain in the butt attack on one of its herd pal's, or set up a chain reaction spook on another horse. I have a 5 yr. old Dunskin QH here named " Gunslinger Kate " and she is quite possibly the funniest and smartest horse I've ever owned.
With witness's in tow sitting in the yard here, we watched her standing at a garden box across the yard as my youngest son got up out of our Hammock hanging in between two Maple tree's and as it released and swung, it scared the crap out of about 6 of them and they spooked and ran back up towards the safety of their barnyard, they should know what it is by now, its been hanging here 3 years now !!!! when they bolted and ran, she stood and watched them go with great curiosity !!! about 20 minutes later , they had all had made their way back down to the yard with us, but leery and watched that Hammock on the way by !!! as they got busy grazing and trimming around my flower bed's, my husband tapped my arm and nodded towards her and said " whats she up too " we watched as she very nonchalantly cruised over to the Hammock , stood beside it for about 30 seconds, looking down at it, and in the blink of an eye, she grabbed the side of it with her mouth and stepped back, pulling it way up and let it go !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it swung wildly, and the herd down here tore up my lawn on such a flat out stampede, as she stood perfectly still and watched them go, I swear to God that horse does everything in her power to create panic and then stands back and laughs at them , she'll also pick up an empty plastic bag from my potting soil ect. ect. and flail it in the air when shes standing by one that is affraid of bags !!!!! Wait until you walk away from your truck with the window's down and steal a box of Tim Bits from the center console, see you coming and run holding it by the handles away from you and only stop when you quit chasing her, stop , eat some , until you start to catch up and run again !!! My husband says if she were a human, she'd be Jim Carey... she's the Dunskin in my facebook pics link a couple weeks ago I posted, that is up on our front porch in the mornings. looking at us thru the screen door, so we shut the door and she went around to the back of the house and looked in the window at me drinking coffee, so I grabbed the camera one morning and caught it on film... For Thought... absolutly !!!
March 12, 2010 10:03PM
okay...found it...it was in the ORHA Slider Newsletter: Winter 2010...is as follows:
DID YOU KNOW?
* Horses do not have a gallbladder
*In the wild, foals will suckle until they are a year old, and sometimes longer
*The horse has the largest eye of any land animal
*A horse's teeth occupy more space in its head than its brain
*Horses are not colour blind
*Horses have memories that put elephants to shame
*Adult male horses generally have 40 teeth, but females only 36
*The oldest horse on record is Old Billy. Foaled in 1760, he died at age 62 in 1822. He was a draft cross in Woolston, Britian
*Women rode astride until the 15th century, then followed the period of side saddle
Just alittle trivia...thought it was interesting...
Reply by xine
March 13, 2010 01:31AM
qh,
very interesting.
crazy,
rowdy is the smart one in my herd. you have jim carey, i have a mischevious 12 year old boy trapped in a horse body. the things he gets in to....
xiney
March 13, 2010 03:44AM
Thanks QHCG, love those little trivia tidbits, didn't know that about the side saddle thing, Thank God they rode astride though, Joan of Arc would have looked pretty silly charging into battle sitting side saddle !! LOLOL I did know about the gall bladder though, it's the reason some get such extreme gas and colic with nothing to neutralize the gas's, and their stomach flap only open's in-ward, preventing a horse from being able throw up, so if something in there is not settling, they dont even have the chance to throw it up and out, it has to stay in their belly and hopefully pass out the other end !!!!
March 13, 2010 09:58AM
I thought the teeth thing and the "Old Billy" thing was pretty neat...I myself was born with less teeth then the average person...my dentist at the time called it pre-mature evolution...most people have what? 32 teeth that they'll get?...I was born with 26...2 molars on each side on the bottom and 1 molar on each side on the top...now I had to get the other 2 top molars pulled when they eventually came in (equivalent to other people's wisdom teeth I guess?) because there was no tooth on the bottom to match it and it was ripping the inside of my mouth apart...so yes, I have 24 teeth in my head right now...I have a full mouth mind you (and I use it well...lol), the dentist just said people don't really need those teeth...ok, I'm a freak
March 13, 2010 01:15PM
That's weird ey !! my younger brother Steven was like that and he still at 39 has a few baby teeth, there were no adult permanent teeth under them !!! I heard such a funny thing they other day in my driveway, one of my farming neighbors had dropped by and we standing around chatting, and he's always got great one liners and said to me, did ya know that Bancroft is famous !!! they invented the toothbrush, if it would have been invented anywhere else , it would have been called the TEETHBRUSH !!!!!!! LOLOLO, still chuckling
March 14, 2010 11:05AM
lol...that's the old *south* joke...that if they were from somewhere like Alabama or Mississippi it'd have been called a toothbrush because everywhere else it'd be called a teethbrush...but that's funny....everyone has an area where they live that they make fun of...
Reply by xine
March 15, 2010 10:07PM
'teethbrush' makes more sense.
qhg, you have amazing teeth, as does crazy's brother steven.
i was about to invite jeanne riding with me so i could study her and nimrod together, but her qh broke jeanne's leg friday.
after the 3 week gap in visits, nimrod came for carrot treats and then ignored her. he didn't crib this time.
jeanne even had a hard time telling him apart from mack. mack has a shorter tail (chewed off by rowdy). nimrod has a star and one white front foot. mack has a bigger noggin also.
nimrod needs to have the dentist visit, he's dropping food out of his mouth. maintaining weight.
i have taken on a project for sure, but i think he will be ok.
xine
Reply by xine
March 23, 2010 10:45PM
update,
nimrod is doing great. my neighbors spy on him for me and they haven't seen cribbing lately.
i haven't while i'm home.
he's totally relaxed for the first time in i don't know how long.
sharing food with his buddy sizemore and the goaties.
runs to the fence to greet me when i go out back.
jeanne didn't come this past sunday since she was in hospital with something to do with her heart. i think she'll be fine. she's in her 40's and only weighs 105 pounds.
she's not a big chunk of walking talking cholesterol like i probably am.
i think her kids are stressing her out. 19 year old just had her 2nd baby, some drama there.
she has 5 daughters and they all drive her nuts in various ways.
sunday, rowdy(brains) and sizemore(brawn) crushed my chainlink fence to get to neighbor vince's grass, weeds, and malva. i woke up to my house shaking from sizemore galluping around vince's yard.
had to check their feet for rusty car/truck parts.
good mack and good nimrod stayed in my yard. it's always rowdy and sizemore making trouble.
sizemore was happy to hop over the crushed fence and come home.
for rowdy, it took dried apricots and me picking up his feet to cross the fence.
if he hadn't come named rowdy, i think i'da called him red chief.
borrowed money from my kid!! (i was waiting for my tax return, but haven't filed yet) and got some steel 6 rail 12 ' panels my other neighbors patty and patty were selling.
$850 for 3 12' panels with gates and 6 12' straight panels. a deal around here. there might be 1 or 2 more, i wasn't counting in all the excitement. robbie and family from across the street helped me get the panels moved and set up here.
broke my lawnmower. broke the pullstring on the light by the dryer. those and the broken fence should complete the things coming in 3's.
since i was having a doomed day yesterday, i bought beer for the neighbors for them helping, and drank beer with them instead of going riding. i felt doomed. lol.
xiney
March 24, 2010 09:50AM
Oh Xiney... I hope you have a better day today... So happy that Nim is doing so much better..... how bout electric would they be more respectful of that????
Wishing you better days ahead .....
Stoney.
March 24, 2010 10:00AM
Great plan on the beer Xine !!! have had a few of those days myself lately, company of good friend's and some cold beer's, just somehow makes the day look better sometimes !!! there's happier days on the horizon Xine.
Reply by xine
March 24, 2010 10:38PM
things have been better since sunday.
the beer was a great plan.
stoney,
i had an electric fence across the hay storage area before i got a panel to put there.
rowdy would 'limbo' underneath it even though i had the wire chest high.
once i got the panel gate installed, i unplugged the electric controller.
rowdy unscrewed the fuse cap and probably ate it since i never found it again.
can't really do perimeter electric since it's not legal in town and some idiot would touch it and sue me.
oh well, living in town with pizza delivery and the mountain preserves is just where i want to be.
xiney
Reply by xine
April 16, 2010 09:17PM
i typed a ton, and then skittles the cat jumped on the computer. grrr. trying again.
nimrod update:
rode him for the 2nd time tuesday with a crowd. dana, monty, dana's visiting mom, and my neighbor friend susan(a nervous rider). susan rode my usually bombproof mack.
we rode the alleys since dana's mom is brittle.
let susan ride in my fabulous aussie saddle. i used an english saddle this time.
since i did not die the last time i rode nimrod, i was way confortable and relaxed.
nimrod picked up on this and he was just great.
rode the alley behind susan's house. her donk and haflinger/donk mule brayed.
really loud.
i learned mack does not like braying donks.
he did the skeery 'back up away from the braying monsters move' on her.
nimrod and i got susan and mack to pass the long ears. no trouble.
a skateboarder startled all the horses but mack. nimrod did a little side jump. no biggie.
nimrod is a gem. it was almost like riding gronwy. i slipped into 'daydream mode' and just rode.
farrier is coming at the end of the month to sort out the mismatched unbalanced hooves some more.
that will take more than 2 visits.
having vet and dentist out also. the teeth are the last piece of the puzzle.
like the rest of you i had concerns i'd fix this horse only to have jeanne take him back.
i told her i needed a $1 bill of sale with buyback rights for her. said i needed it for the homeowner's insurance.
she's agreed. only wants visitation. that's fine. i like her, and don't have many female friends due to my fabulous and exciting career in the construction industry.
in the meantime, nimrod is not the same horse that arrived here lame and in pain in december.
he's doing great and loves the herd of 4.
after jeanne's treats, he ignores her. no more cribbing when he sees her. no signs of cribbing at all lately. i have my neighbors spy on him when i'm at work.
all's good here for him.
posting before another cat jumps on the keyboard.
xiney
April 16, 2010 10:39PM
Great update Xiney Sounds like a wonderful 2nd ride!
So relieved to hear she's agreed to provide a bill fo sale, I was one of the one's afraid she'd want him back. Sounds like he's making excellent progress... fantastic that the cribbing habit has disappeared. Wonder if he was cribbing out of pain? Poor guy.
Funny that Mack was offended by the bray of the long ears! haha
GP
April 17, 2010 12:09AM
That sounds super awesome xine! So glad you and Nim are finding your way together - sounds like a wonderful ride. Good for you for getting things straightened out for him, and now he's really yours. What a great group you have there (when Rowdy and Size aren't cooking up a 'breakout'!) and what a great home they have with you, and your spies
My cat Romeo does that too... 
April 17, 2010 08:52AM
WONDERFUL NEWS XINE!!!...we are in the same boat together with the ponies...farrier, time, love and patience...I happened to have the upper hand because I bred and raised mine I guess...but still, sounds like we're on the right track...it's great when the pain/distress leaves their eyes isn't it?...they know they've got a home for life, a warm bed, good meals and good pasturemates and owners...I used to show alot and have won numerous awards, but seeing that look in Xena's eyes, BEST reward I've ever gotten...
you keep up the good work and SOOOO happy to hear that she's giving you a bill of sale...at least that worry will be eased...sounds like everything's ticking along great with you and Nimrod...love reading the updates
April 17, 2010 08:53AM
oh, and one more thing guys...my cat's too old to jump on the keyboard...lol...just wanted to mention my kitty
April 17, 2010 12:09PM
Xiney,
What a marvellous update!! I was especially glad to hear about the bill of sale. I hate to be such a sceptic, but too many people are basically selfish, grasping, A-holes. I know there are a few decent folks out there in the mix. Perhaps Jeanne is going to turn out to be a terrific person and a good friend. I hope that is true. However, I'm just glad you have the bill of sale.
Way to go on fencing, on riding Nim, and saving Mack and Susan from the dreaded long-ears.
Jayne
April 17, 2010 06:08PM
I love the updates Xiney... and wish I had your level of comfort.....
Reply by xine
April 17, 2010 10:37PM
he's been cribbing for years for whatever reason he had.
front teeth are sad little nubs.
i wonder if they will grow out some eventually.
he's 17, so i'm not sure.
bill of sale is important now that i'm committed to keeping him.
he's a sweetheart, and a great ride.
i was suprised mack hated the long-ears. what's up with that?
i'll take him back to them over and over until he's over it.
gronwy hated llamas (me too. one spit on me wnen i was 12) and camels.
the critters we have around here! buffalo, long horned steers, i'm the only one with an emu.
horses love plucking feathers off the emu.
comfort is more brave than sense. i'll never be the rider i was before the crippling guillain-barre, but i'm stupid-brave. plus i have a 'lucky helmet' now.
nimrod is a safer horse to ride than sizemore. i ride sizemore anyway. first half hour i wonder if i'll get killed; after that, it's a breeze.
he gets snarkey, i run up a mountain and he's good.
mountains are great to have!
haven't decided who to ride tomorrow, but i'm riding.
xine
Reply by xine
April 19, 2010 12:18AM
thanks for all the responses to the update.
rode again today. used 'already set up for nimsy' english saddle.
fast canter and trot around the mountain trails.
he is so smooth and responsive.
no grief whatsoever (minus the attempts at biting while tacking up, just ignored that, hugged him, scratched his face and neck, and ignored it) this time.
excellent ride. i'm still a bit iffy slowing down for ravines(my legs). grabbed back of saddle to go down the steep 'goat trail' between 2 mountains.
so what if i have to grab the back of the saddle on steep declines.
we had fun! no trouble leaving his friends or crossing the busy street.
sizemore threw a fit, but he survived being left at home.
xiney
April 19, 2010 07:59AM
No shame in holding on to the back of the saddle on steep declines, Xiney!! I'm pretty damned sure I'd be doing the same just out of fear, assuming I somehow got onto a trail like that!!  You sure got "balls", girl ... I'm a wee bit envious of your courage, that's something I just can't seem to muster much of anymore!
Sounds like you're having a great time with Nimsy, perhaps it wasn't just HIM that needed YOU
Good thing Sizemore didn't throw a "flatten the fence" fit... good for him to learn to survive alone for a while!!
GP
April 19, 2010 08:57AM
Good for you Xine.... like GP a wee bit envious here is Ontario... not only of your courage but of your mountain trail... and there is no shame in holding on to the cantle... god until last week I still have to use the horn to keep my balance.
Happy Trails,
Stoney
April 19, 2010 09:12PM
Me three jealous of your cojones!!
Not jealous of rattlesnakes, largespiders or scorpions
Way to go Wonder Woman!!!!!!
sixhorses
Reply by xine
April 19, 2010 09:26PM
i don't know if i'd call it courage. brave and stupid maybe.
i was a much better rider before i got the wobbles.
some of the downhills were steep. found some sticky breeches on ebay today for about $50 less than the local tack store sells them for. free shipping. yay!
then i'll be really ready for the ravines of buckery.
if you google 'phoenix mountain preserve' you can see pictures of some of the places i ride.
sizemore did look like he wanted to climb/flatten the fence. i have panels i need to put up there.
gotta go and help neighbor megan trap and put ointment on the unfriendly horse that is a guest at her house.
xiney
Reply by xine
April 23, 2010 09:46PM
another update!
lewis was here to do hooves again. it's been 8 weeks.
he showed me the obvious (to him, and then me when he pointed it out) new 'larger around' hoof growth since nimrod has been here on a better diet/riding/turnout with his friends/resort-like atmosphere, etc.
long story short, in about 10 months his hooves will be the size they should be.
still a little bad stuff on the hind that will grow out, but an A+ from lewis.
it was so cool to 'see' the difference 4 months with me has made for his hooves.
oh! and he was a butthead for lewis, so i know he's feeling much better.
not so cool that i'm such a doofus i didn't notice how different and better the new growth was.
doofus xiney
April 23, 2010 09:53PM
I love when i can finally notice change in a horses hooves. I end up staring at them almost everyday, then one day I notice they are different. Was like that with Toby, and the little pony.
April 23, 2010 11:29PM
CONGRATS XINE!....job well done!...and I'm with you in knowing they're feeling better when they act up for the farrier!...you usually don't smile about that, but I do with Xena...you know they're feeling frisky!!!!
April 24, 2010 11:58AM
Xine, it's a labor of love, and the rewards are too great to list.. Nimrod is a lucky Dude to be with you!!!
April 25, 2010 08:24AM
Xine,
Keep the good news coming! Nimrod is a lottery winner. I hope you are next!
Sixhorses
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