Month: May 2011

Windy and cold today. Gusts to 30 mph. I groomed Newt and took him to the arena. It was really windy and he got fired up.  When we got to arena I thought I would let him calm down by giving him an opportunity to graze. He started grazing in a minute or two and I thought this will be good for him to experience calming down in such exciting weather. Then the reins fell down his neck and on the ground just as he took a step forward, the foot landed on the reins about a foot from the bit, he felt it and pulled up. I was looking at the bit with my lunge line attached laying on the ground. Newt and I realized he was loose just about the same time and he had not forgotten that it was windy. He took off. The reins were still around his neck but they broke so easily that I did not notice it.  It was just like the bridle evaporated. It is a big pasture with cows. Newt ran up among them. I started walking to the gate where we came in and whistling for him to come. He did not seem to be paying much attention and ran out of sight. Then he came around the trees and started bucking trying to get the saddle off. It stayed on and he thought he’d just run flat out. They never would have sold him if they saw how he ran this morning. He was coming my way. One of two things was going to happen and the one I did not want was for him to run straight through the fence. This is not a horse safe pasture. It has barbed wire. Luckily I got him to stop. Maybe it was the tone in my voice. I got my hands on him and he let me put the lunge line around his neck. He was excited and it was difficult getting the loop around his nose. He was jumping around with every gust of wind and I somehow got mixed up with his hind feet. I think he realized it and avoided a problem rather than take advantage of it and hurting me so he could get loose. We went back to the barn but you would not call it a walk. At the barn I put on a halter and we lunged in the round pen. He was completely controllable in this environment. I put Newt in a situation he could not handle and it was a mistake. Thank goodness there was no injury.

I groomed and worked Magic in the round pen. He did good and was not bothered by his feet. I am still applying Venice Turpentine to Magic and Newt feet soles daily.

It was a brisk day in May. I need to remember not to extend my training on days like this. It is best to pull back a little and do something we are sure we can accomplish. Avoid potential problems on days like this.

Groomed, worked and rode Newt in the round pen. It has been a while since his feet would stand me riding. He did good today although we did not do much. After a little ride in the round pen, I had him step up to the gate, bent down and untied it, and eased it open. He was perfectly comfortable with the opening of the gate from his back. We rode up to the garden and turned around. I might have ridden out into the Ash pasture but his tender footedness was very obvious when we hit the gravel in the hallway.

Magic walked normal today. He also showed an interest in life. It was very good to see him feeling better. I think it was just his feet. I took his temperature when he was so despondent but it was always normal. I removed the duct tape soak boot and painted the soles with Venice Turpentine (Newt too). I has been some time since I gave him a good grooming and he had some waxy gunk in the base of his mane. I thought he had a scab and a wound under his mane near the crest but it was only a big wad of that wax and a wet spot in the middle. He seems to benefit from grooming the most of any horse I have and he likes it the least. He did not complain much today though.

Lunged Newt in the bull pen. It is still very wet and I was running short on time so I did not go to the arena. He lunged with control. When I rode I could tell he had lots of energy just wanting to express itself. I thought if it did express itself, it very well might not be in the direction I wanted. So we just did an approximate circle in each direction at a walk. I had intended to do some trotting and then ride the extent of the bull pen. I decided it best to keep control so we went to the round pen. Newt did good in the round pen. Walk and trot different size circles in both directions. The footing was not the best. His feet would slip a little at the trot in the wet places. When he slips or stumbles, it embarrass him, he will shake his head and maybe do a little crow hop. I enjoy riding Newt. Today on the lunge, I was happy with the control and how he was acting. I told him “You are the turn around horse. You da Man!”. He immediately tucked his head and lifted his front end to start a trot. I think he understood my happiness and pride and he reacted with a controlled expression of energy.

Magic has foot problems. Dale put shoes on a week ago Thursday. I had him on bute until Wednesday. Thursday I noticed he seemed somewhat stiff. Today he was keeping weight off the off front by always having it bent with only the toe touching when he stood. Tonight it was no better. He nickered when I walked up to him in the pasture. I guess he is nicked and getting an abscess. This is just like last shoeing just the other foot. Dale says he is very thin walled. He was not lame at all when I first got him. I admired his feet. They are all black with good concave. But we are having bad luck. This is not good. The only option I can see is just to remove his shoes and wait until his feet improve. Each time we shoe him, his behavior deteriorates. His feet are sore and the hammering is intolerable. Continuing down this road will ingrain a bad habit. It seems like it took Newt almost a year to get past the tender-foot stage. Newt is flat footed but has thicker hoof walls. It was pitiful to watch him limp around. One time the infection ruptured on the coronary band, commonly described as “he had a gravel”, and he was better almost immediately. I called Dale and left a message.