horse progress
Aug. 30th, 2009 10:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kirkcudbrightCouple months ago, Gemini got into a kicking match with Stjarni, and came out the worse for it. Left hind ankle, pretty much healed at this point, but still stocked up. Couple weeks ago, she stumbled and strained a ligament in the right fore, and she's still a bit gimpy on that side, especially if asked to trot, or even if she's just been standing around for a while. My horse, she is a delicate flower.
OTOH, she's a lot easier to catch now. I used to have to make a lightning grab for her halter, then get dragged 10 feet as she backed up. Now I walk around with her until I can put a hand on her flank; sometimes she stops right away, sometimes I walk with a hand on her flank for a minute or so, but she stops sooner or later, and is utterly indifferent to my taking her halter. This is progress. This is huge progress.
Took her out to graze this afternoon, with an agenda. I grazed her all the way down the side path, and off the property, and across the street to the forest access trail, and into the woods to the top of the hill. Took probably an hour, but no drama. The last time I tried this, she wouldn't leave the property, and then she wouldn't cross the road, and she certainly wouldn't climb the curb onto the access trail, and the whole thing took just as long, but very stressful and dramatic. This is also huge progress.
On the one hand, I can't believe I have my own horse, and still haven't ridden on the trails at all this summer. On the other hand, I'm really pleased with the progress I'm making in rehabilitating this horse. If this turn-around continues, and she turns into a trail horse I'd like her to be in the next month (a long shot, I admit), then I'd love love love to take her on the MSPCA Beach Ride.
On the other other hand (while I'm pimping the MSPCA), I'm appalled at the number of horses that aren't so lucky. "The number of horses surrendered [this year] will surpass last year's total by early September, with 13 horses scheduled to be surrendered in the next few weeks." Jesus. I mean, surrender is preferable to death by neglect, but...Jesus.
OTOH, she's a lot easier to catch now. I used to have to make a lightning grab for her halter, then get dragged 10 feet as she backed up. Now I walk around with her until I can put a hand on her flank; sometimes she stops right away, sometimes I walk with a hand on her flank for a minute or so, but she stops sooner or later, and is utterly indifferent to my taking her halter. This is progress. This is huge progress.
Took her out to graze this afternoon, with an agenda. I grazed her all the way down the side path, and off the property, and across the street to the forest access trail, and into the woods to the top of the hill. Took probably an hour, but no drama. The last time I tried this, she wouldn't leave the property, and then she wouldn't cross the road, and she certainly wouldn't climb the curb onto the access trail, and the whole thing took just as long, but very stressful and dramatic. This is also huge progress.
On the one hand, I can't believe I have my own horse, and still haven't ridden on the trails at all this summer. On the other hand, I'm really pleased with the progress I'm making in rehabilitating this horse. If this turn-around continues, and she turns into a trail horse I'd like her to be in the next month (a long shot, I admit), then I'd love love love to take her on the MSPCA Beach Ride.
On the other other hand (while I'm pimping the MSPCA), I'm appalled at the number of horses that aren't so lucky. "The number of horses surrendered [this year] will surpass last year's total by early September, with 13 horses scheduled to be surrendered in the next few weeks." Jesus. I mean, surrender is preferable to death by neglect, but...Jesus.
