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Part II
Apr 12, 2007 12:55:15 GMT -5
Post by sadie on Apr 12, 2007 12:55:15 GMT -5
When I had to have one of mine put down last year I took him to the vet and she put him down at her place and he was picked up there. It was nice that the last time I saw him he was happy. You have done right by this horse and what ever you do you will do in love.
What are you doing with Gucci? There is a Natural Horsemanship guy in Gig Harbor that might be able to hep you with her untill Jullian can take her.
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Part II
Apr 12, 2007 13:43:47 GMT -5
Post by pdevlieg on Apr 12, 2007 13:43:47 GMT -5
Oh Angie - this is such a hard decision. You have given Focus a great life. Let me know if you need anything. You have all of our support. Take time while you make your decision. Focus looks bright eyed in the pictures right now so you have some time to think about what is right.
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Part II
Apr 12, 2007 23:17:22 GMT -5
Post by mypintoponee on Apr 12, 2007 23:17:22 GMT -5
I want to thank everyone SO much for all the kind words. After I and my dad discussed our options with Focus we decided it would be so hard to put him down right now, as he still has so much life and really does want to live. We decided putting him down would be the very last resort if nothing could be found for him or his condition all of a sudden took a large turn for the worse. I looked at possible rescues that could take him on, checking out options. I found one I liked, Furry Tale Farms. My dad called there this morning and spoke with the owner, and told her Focus's story. She said she was full, and so my dad explained about me and she said that she had a 14yr old TB gelding that needed to be ridden and worked with. He was only there because he had to come with his 25yr old pasture mate. They ended up deciding a swap of horses would work- I end up with the TB and they get Focus. So I got to meet the gelding today, his name is Big Red. He is very sweet, but will defineatly need some work to get back into shape. The property at Furry Tale is GORGEOUS- every retired, old, unsound, horses dream. None of them are ridden, they all get tons of extra attention and everything that they need is given to them. So this evening the barn manager came out to look at our property and meet Focus. She approved the property as soon as she saw it and fell in love with Focus once he gave her a big huge smooch right on the lips ;D. So this Sunday we are going out to Furry Tale's again to visit and do some hauling for them. And within the next few weeks we will be swapping horses. I am so unbelieveably happy how this worked out. Focus will have the life of leisure he deserves and wont have to do a thing, and when it is really his time to go, they will have him laid to rest. But he hasnt given up yet. I will be taking on a horse that needs to have a job and be used and have someone teach him things. So it was a win-win situation and it worked out perfectly. And I want to thank everyone again for all the support. It means so much to me, I cannot tell you how much better I felt reading everyone's response and knowing how much everyone cared .
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horsefreakjb
Junior BB Member
.x. just jump it .x.
Posts: 71
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Part II
Apr 12, 2007 23:23:35 GMT -5
Post by horsefreakjb on Apr 12, 2007 23:23:35 GMT -5
I'm very sorry to hear about Focus I hope you either find him an excellent retirement home or are able to relieve him of his suffering by putting him down. Whatever your choice...we're all here for you. About Gucci....I was very surprised to hear about her temperment and some of the things she does when you work with her, because I worked with a horse who acted almost exactly the same way about a year ago. Logan was an unregistered Quarter Horse gelding who had been starved and neglected by his previous owners before my old riding stable bought him, and I have reason to believe he was once beaten, too, based on some of his reactions to human contact. However, his ornery temperment made him unsuited for a lesson horse, and he was virtually never used. When I became an intern at the stable, Logan was assigned to my as my project horse, and my job was to train him...virtually from the ground up. Logan was extremelly untrusting of people, due to his previous experiences. I don't know Gucci's history, but her actions are extremelly similar to Logan's when I first started working with him. For the longest time, Logan would rear up and literally jump forward, striking out at me, if I raised a training stick more than a few inches off the ground. It took him three months of weekly training to accept the stick all over his body. Quickly afterwards, he learned to walk and trot on a lunge line. I then used a process called Join-Up, created by natural horsemanship trainer Monty Roberts, to establish a bond of trust and respect with Logan. It worked wonders, and literally from that day on Logan would do anything for me...he trusted me, completlly. It was an amazing transformation. If you've never heard of the method, look it up on the Internet...it's an amazing technique. After that, I began riding Logan bareback in a halter. Like Gucci, Logan was extremelly heavy on my hands...I think it was just a lack of experience with a bit. He did do much better in a rope halter than a jointed snaffle. It took me six months, but at the end of it Logan became a wonderful, enthusiastic horse, who especially loves the trails. I don't ride at the barn where Logan is at, and currentlly they are trying to sell him, but I will never forget Logan He was an amazing horse. My advice for you and Gucci is to just keep working with her, and if you feel like she's just not the horse for you, find someone experienced and willing to work with a horse like her and who has the time to devote to her. Like I said, it took me six months before Logan was working willingly under saddle, so don't get discouraged.....patience is very important!!! Sorry to ramble on with my story....I just thought these two horses were eerily similar. Good luck with everything!!!!!!! They are both gorgeous horses!!! ;D
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horsefreakjb
Junior BB Member
.x. just jump it .x.
Posts: 71
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Part II
Apr 12, 2007 23:27:45 GMT -5
Post by horsefreakjb on Apr 12, 2007 23:27:45 GMT -5
Logan - June 2006
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Part II
Apr 13, 2007 0:00:10 GMT -5
Post by mypintoponee on Apr 13, 2007 0:00:10 GMT -5
Thank you for sharing your story! It is nice to know I am not the only one with a nutty horse, lol . Lately I noticed Lady has taken on a new personality. She has changed, yet again. She has become extremely friendly and safe, safe, safe on the ground. Today I tied her up and my little sister brushed her for over 30min and Lady just stood there soaking it up. When the Barn Manager of Furry Tales came to check over the property and meet Focus, Lady was right there begging for attention. When I first got her, the only one who could handle her was me and even then she was totally unpredictable and terrified. She is a totally different horse now, I am so proud of her. She still acts up. But now its not out of anger or fear, I can tell it is because she wants attention and wants to have fun, but sometimes makes mistakes on how to show it the right way. With me, she loves to play and she what she can get away with. She has this little thing she does that she KNOWS ticks me off and she does it just to make me upset, I am sure . She plays a game where everynow and then when I come out with a halter she starts to amble off, then I call her name, she looks and gives me a dirty face, then keeps walking. Sooo...I go grab treats and then she comes runnin. She has got me trained alright . Her other thing with me is when I ask her to trot with me on a leadline she gets so excited she literally bursts. She will all of a sudden stop, throw her head up, then all the way down, do a buck, a small rear, a head-toss, and then look at me like "what happend?". I am now able to figure out when she gets ready so I just give her some leadrope, let her do her thing, and we continue on and she realizes it doesnt bother me and she gives up, lol. She also loves to play chase and follow the leader with me. I run down to the end of the pasture and she comes tearin after me. Then I run back up the other side and she follows at a trot or canter. And she LOVES when I bring the lunge whip out, go to the end of the pasture and she will come running and just take off and strut her stuff. What a silly horse. I am so happy she has finally opened up to other people and her personality really shines. She wants to be "right there" but is never aggresive or pushy about it. Focus's news it posted above. I am so happy for him, I just about cried when everything "clicked" so perfectly. This is going to be a fairy tale ending for him
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Part II
Apr 13, 2007 10:05:28 GMT -5
Post by kahluacowgirl on Apr 13, 2007 10:05:28 GMT -5
You did a great job bringing Focus back from the condition he was in the first time I saw him. His attitude is good and I'm glad you looked into all your options - we would have supported you in whichever decision you would have needed to make though. We all know how difficult it is to make life and death choices on somebody else's behalf. Hopefully this place is not too far away and you can still go look in on him from time to time So is this TB going to be a foster situation or an adoption? It'll be great you'll have something you can ride - you need that
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horsefreakjb
Junior BB Member
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Posts: 71
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Part II
Apr 13, 2007 18:53:41 GMT -5
Post by horsefreakjb on Apr 13, 2007 18:53:41 GMT -5
I'm so gla Gucci's personality is starting to come around...she is obviously learning to trust you more and more. Like I said...just give it time. She sounds like a great horse. So glad to hear about Focus! It really does sound like a win-win situation. Congrats!
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Part II
Apr 15, 2007 21:45:35 GMT -5
Post by mypintoponee on Apr 15, 2007 21:45:35 GMT -5
Meet Big Red ;D We moved him to our house today. He loaded pretty well...and was reasonably quiet thruout the ride . Him and Lady/Gucci instantly buddied up and Lady/Gucci is in looooove . He is going to need a lot of work to get back into the groove of things. He is pushy and hasnt been ridden in about 6yrs other than the occasional ride at Furry Tale over the past year they have had him . He IS however, extremely smart. Here are some photos of him. As you can tell...he really did earn the name BIG RED . He stands about 16.1 hands and is built... Not to mention RED . He makes Lady look like a pony (and she is a good 15.2 at least). I will make a new blog thing to explain Focus's day in just a moment . The first thing he did when he got off the trailer... Checking out the place.... Found Lady! Pretty Boy
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Part II
Apr 15, 2007 21:54:21 GMT -5
Post by mypintoponee on Apr 15, 2007 21:54:21 GMT -5
As for Focus....He had a pretty eventful day. He was a good boy, loaded well, but would NOT stand still in the trailer . When we got there we led him to a paddock to stay in. He acted like he had been there all his life and had no problem settling in. And...he has no interest in the other horses. This is such a great place for him to retire. He is going to live out the rest of his life doing nothing with a bunch of other retired special needs horses who do the exact same thing ;D. I am really going to miss him but he is in the absolute best place for him. Here are some photos of the day for Focus.... Here is some property photos...NICE place A few of Focus's new neighbors (who are between 25-40 and have asthma, cushings, arthritis, cancer, among other things...) Focus meeting the new neighbors...and realizing he is much smaller than they are (he is about 14.2....the others are about 16.2) Focus in his new home And one of the resident pigs.... they have 12
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Part II
Apr 15, 2007 21:59:36 GMT -5
Post by mypintoponee on Apr 15, 2007 21:59:36 GMT -5
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Part II
Apr 19, 2007 22:10:45 GMT -5
Post by mypintoponee on Apr 19, 2007 22:10:45 GMT -5
Ekkk! So, turns out Red is about 17yrs old. And...He needs a TON of work. He is very, very jumpy and EXTREMELY herdbound. And not just herdbound as in he cries out to his pasture mate he has had for years...Noooo he is obsessive over Lady/Gucci who could care less about him, and if she is out of his sight he goes completely bananas. And when she is in his sight he is concentrating on her and nothing else. I dont know how to cure herdboundness, or if there even is one, but its already not a good thing, and it can only get worse from here. Other than that, both are fine. Lady/Gucci has been practicing her ear pinning at Red (only her ears are so big, when she pins them they stick straight out sideways, lol). Lady/Gucci has also decided that I am too slow bringing her dinner to her, so she now must paw at the door to make me go faster .
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rhea
Junior BB Member
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Part II
Apr 20, 2007 8:07:37 GMT -5
Post by rhea on Apr 20, 2007 8:07:37 GMT -5
I want to address your issues with Lady first.... My filly is from the feedlot alos. I got her last year as a coming 2 yr old. I longed, ground drove, longed alot more and ground drove more. I put 10 rides on her and layed her up for the winter to mature. She was always a bit aggresive with me once we bonded but always knew when she was pushing me too far. Lat year, all I had to do was act bigger then her, growling, waving my arms and she knew to back off. She rears and tries to be playfully dominent, much like Lady. We had gotten a handle on it. But, I would never "play" with her. Especially chase/tag in her pasture of all places. That is her grounds but also where we ride so I must keep her respect! This year has started out great and even found time to put 1 ride on her so far (with my very limited time). She wants to rear. She stops and backs, gets light in the front feet, etc... I make her move out in a turn. I use the long rein to l ightly tap her rump when she engages the idea of rearing. My move is to show her that I'm the Alpha which is by the rein tap, turn and leg forward. Repeating these steps until she gives up. I'm going to make her work regardless. I also do not give google, hug all over her during working time. She is to face up in the round pen and not climb all over me. All this does is let them beleive they are now equal. I pet her head, praise her with my voice and move her back out. After reading your issues with Lady, I think you are giving her too much credit as a green horse. Being able to play chase with a greenie and not commanding continued respect while handling and is setting a presedence for disrepesct and her alpha position. When you are with Lasy, she should most always be on the lead and working for you unless she is tied while brushing/grooming and then a nice hand walk with lots of praise/hugs and loves is fantastic. I'm not trying to be mean. I hope you don't take it that way. I am going through the same battle but find that when I allow her to just be my playful pony, I get into trouble. Until both our horses are farther along, we both need to continue working with them in a very professional manner. No games unless your using horse games and she is haltered. Pats, short scratches and lots of verbal praise as well are wonderful things, just don't over due while working as by the time your done, she's forgotten her job. Right now, be as consistant and routine sa you can. Horses love routine just don't let her get bored. Add something small into it to keep her thinking. As for Big Red. He hasn't had much of a chnace to settle in yet. Patience truly is a virtue! He really needs this. He came from a place with many friends. New changes never are easy for any of us. Be patient and at his age, he will be your best buddy soon. He will work very hard for you, just build him up slow. He will show YOU what he knows when you are ready. I have a 26 yr old here that belongs to my daughter but I have so much fun riding her. She has plenty of life and never forgot what she knew. She was rusty (and very crabby acting but it's a ploy ), but ever so willing. I only had to ask! but this was after she had time to understand she was beginning a new life with us. be patient, firm, loving and their "leader", they will both shine. Rhea sorry if I have spelling errors... gotta get ready for work
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Part II
Apr 20, 2007 11:02:35 GMT -5
Post by winterlakesfarm on Apr 20, 2007 11:02:35 GMT -5
I too would recommend not playing "chase" with your mare. She needs you to be her leader not her buddy. Being buddies comes after the leadership role is well established. It is very similar to playing "tug of war" with a dominant dog......begging for trouble! She is a lovely mare and I know you will have many wonderful adventures! Your new gelding probably just needs to settle in a bit. Removing him from her presence for short periods of itme for pleasurable pasttimes(grooming, mowing green grass etc) and returning him to her before he becomes frantic, gradually building to longer times away and soon he will forget all about "herd" mentality. He will see you as a part of his herd soon enough! Good luck and I know these two are going to do wonderfully with you!
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Part II
Apr 20, 2007 17:43:07 GMT -5
Post by mypintoponee on Apr 20, 2007 17:43:07 GMT -5
Let me elaborate on the "tag" thing. I dont go out there without a lunge whip. It is like a lunging session, only without a roundpen. Lady has more fun that way, and since we dont even have a roundpen it works. Lady has reared with me once, when I had her haltered and she was wired with energy. She has reared with my dad out in the pasture because she thought he was taking me away from her and she got jealous. And the issues have very much depleted once I started messing with her out in the pasture. I think with the lungewhip when I am out there it makes her think that the property is "mine" too so she has to respect me when I am there as well. She has always been very respectful of me unless I make her work and she gets frustrated or upset. If you had read my lastest post it would explain the changes Lady has had . To each their own I guess. As for Red.... He was severely herdbound to his last pasturemate as well. You couldnt do anything with him if she was out of his sight. When they tried to ride him anywhere that made it so he was out of her sight--- he would do anything to get back to her (which included bucking, rearing, bolting, etc). I was hopeful I could get him to follow my lead before he bonded with Lady so he would look to me before he became obsessive over her (and obviously, that ship has sunk). I cant even groom him or take him for walks out of the horse he is bonded to sight because he throws a hissy fit because he is not with them.
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