Equestrian

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Rosie has started acting oddly and I'm a bit worried. Her stable has a door which is cut in half like usual and a window at the back which is covered so she can see through it but can't put her head out. There is a field behind her and she can see the rest of the yard out of her door.

The first time I noticed something was up was the other day when she kept backing away from her stable and didn't seem to want to go in. I got her in in the end by asking someone to put her feed in her stable for her (she'll do anything for food) and she seemed fine after that. It was dodgy weather so I just thought that maybe she was a bit on edge.

However, a few days later she went in her stable fine but as soon as she got in she looked out the back window and started running around in circles looking at the back and then sort of legging it to the front. She was shaking and everything and was clearly scared of something and she had that look, you know when you can see it in their eyes :frown:

it was horrible but I have no idea what it was. I went round the back and into the field behind and as far as I could see there was nothing that would bother her there, there was literally a wheelbarrow and thats it. All the horses were in by then also. I gave her a cuddle, her dinner and stayed with her for a bit and she seemed to calm down.

Now I have noticed that she backs away frm her stable regularly. I really have no idea what is up with her, she's not a spooky pony and I've never known her to act like this in the 3 years that I have had her. I hate the thought of her being scared in a stable that she has to spend all night in. :frown:

Does anyone have any advice or suggestions of what I could do?? Thanks

Reply 681

CossLne

This may sound really silly but do you have rafters in the stable that birds could nest on? Birds have been known to dive about and this can easily spook a horse. I will try and ask my instructor tomorrow.

Reply 682

CossLne

loser88

MY GOD!!!! :frown:

WHAT an AMAZING horse to withstand being ridden with a dislocated hip!!!! IT must have been AGONY! How come your friend didn't notice?? :confused:

If you'd seen him galloping around the field like a loonatic (sp?) you would be very suspicious about him refusing to work. It was as if one minute he was fine (ie the field galloping and hacking) and the next he couldn't cope (ie when schooled). Friend only noticed when he refused to circle as he showed no hesitation on straight lines, hacking etc.
On the mend though so tis good. Back person going out to check again in few weeks. They are thinking of getting their other horse checked out.

Reply 683

sheryl06

coss

No, theres no where that birds could nest. I think I have worked out what it is though! In the field behind her stable there seems to be an area where they do like fires to burn all the branches and that. I've never actually seen them do it but my mum did and wasn't very happy at the time.

So I checked it out today and it's pretty much right outside her stable and right in her view thorugh the back window :mad:

You'd think that horsey people would realise that a fire, let alone one close, may spoke the horses. Therefore I'm guessing this is the reason she's acting up and to be honest I don't blame her. I actually think that it is dangerously close to the stables.

By the looks of it they are planning on doing one soon maybe even today as well. :frown:

My mum is going to say something, it's hard though because we have only been at this yard for a few months and to be honest we don't really have any sort of connection with the yard owners as they very much let everyone just sort of get on with it so it is a bit more awkward asking them to move it. Hopefully it will get sorted because I don't want my Rosebud getting scared!!

Reply 684

CossLne

that is so bad!!! they really should be more considerate but at least you know why she's scared now... better than you wondering whats causing it!

Reply 685

CossLne

The hooves don't look too bad but thought i'd let you see them anyway.

This is the view when you pick up her offside hind, nothing unusual there

And from the front...

The crack has been like that for about a year now :frown:

Farrier did put a notch in (will have to find the pic of it) to try and prevent it getting worse. appeared to grow out but then it came back

Reply 686

BlackHawk

I'm no farrier, but her feet look very upright! Have you always used the same farrier?

Reply 687

CossLne

here are her hooves from the side...
front (not as upright)

Its hard to judge the angle of this as she was standing in a dip but it may let you see

hind (more upright)

Have not always used the same farrier but the previous one did the opposite, her feet were so flat and she seemed to be lame all the time as if it was putting a strain on her legs.
My instructor and other friends all think her feet are much better now i have my current farrier.
Its very difficult to see the angle when pictures are 2D.

From the previous photos i can see why they look upright but i didn't think they were that bad. As i have said she is much more sound now that they aren't as flat

Reply 688

LouE3D

coss

We have doves and swallows living in our stables!!! Make a right mess! At first think horses were a bit spooked but soon got used to them... if it is birds, try not to worry :redface:

Reply 689

LouE3D

coss

This may sounds strange but was the hip actually dislocated or just 'out'... i just ask because i (as in me) was told by my osteopath that my pelvis was out of place... was quite painful to stand went bent and stuff like that so mucking out was a challenge and it felt ALOT better when he 'put it back in' but it wasn't dislocated, if you get what I mean?? With me, i think it was al something to do with the muscles being out of place, maybe pulling things in the wrong way, hurt like hell... :confused:

Reply 690

CossLne

the word dislocated was not mentioned when my friends told me what the chiropractor had said. they just said that the hip had popped out so i'm not entirely sure. Am just pleased he's on the mend. they did mention that it was more than likely due to the lack of muscle hence why they have to massage. The horse has often seem very stiff in his hind legs but the chiropractor thinks that is to do with muscles as well, can't remember exact phrasing but she said massaging might help that too!

Reply 691

StaVix

Coss that crack looks sore! did the farriers notch not work? They do look quite long but some farriers just leave them longer?

ok need to horsey advice... ive been asked to play in a big match over 3 days, its a pretty big deal i've been asked and will help my polo playing apirations and will be an amazing op esp as its a mil style tournamnet at a v prestigieous club but have several problems...a) will have to pay horse transporter to take me on thurs pick me up sunday... (that is if he is free) b) one of my ponies will have to play a lot which as its quite fast will tire her out... c) im supposed to be in wales next week and would have to postpone that until sept... horrible weather etc d) im having a few problems with my boss anyway and am thinking of leaving but dont want to give her the final straw... e) i could play at home so do i really need to go to all this effort? f) i just cant decide...??? :confused:

ahhhhh

Reply 692

AngelOfAges

I haven't been riding for 6 years now (I'm 21) and I really wanted to start up again this september when I hopefully go to Glamorgan Uni. I'm relying on public transport though and it's proving impossible to get to any of the stables here. The only possibility is Cardiff riding school, which I've heard great things about, but I watched one lesson and the teaching was pretty terrible. I'm going to keep looking though, I might have to beg a housemate to drive me every week :frown:

Anybody had any experience with Cardiff riding school? Or any other riding schools near by? This thread is great, soo many gorgeous pictures!

Reply 693

CossLne

StaVix

Coss that crack looks sore! did the farriers notch not work? They do look quite long but some farriers just leave them longer?

Dawn seems fine with the crack, as i say, it stays like that, doesn't get much bigger than that. farriers notch didn't work, it grew out quite well but when the notch was nearly on the ground the crack spread through the notch and above it so we were back to square one. Her feet were longer than that with the previous farrier :eek:

. Its quite deceptive somtimes though, i find it hard to judge how long they should be etc. i would rather have them as they are rather than being so short the horse goes lame.

Has any1 else noticed that there i supposed to be a "new fashion" for farriery. Just as clothes go in and out of fashion so do the way a horse's hoof should look! My instructor was down at hickstead for the dressage about a month/3 weeks ago and she couldn't believe it. She went down with her instructor who has a prix saint George horse. she was watching the horses going round and noticed one horse who's front hooves looked really square... if you think of the shape of a hind shoe with the two clips, well this was on the front but really squared off and she said the toes were trimmed right back so they looked almost vertical :eek:

. My instructor then saw a couple of other horses like this and commented to her instructor and she informed that they are the "in" thing. "Have they not reached scotland yet". Now i may be wrong with the name but i think is was something like the American square toe but i may be wrong.

Taking that into consideration i no longer know what is best for my horse's feet. There are so many farriers that have their way and it will work for one horse and not another. I suppose it might be similar to the fact that some people prefer high heels, some prefer flat. I just think as long as the shoe is made to fit the hoof and not the other way round then you're on to a winner.

StaVix

ok need to horsey advice... ive been asked to play in a big match over 3 days, its a pretty big deal i've been asked and will help my polo playing apirations and will be an amazing op esp as its a mil style tournamnet at a v prestigieous club but have several problems...a) will have to pay horse transporter to take me on thurs pick me up sunday... (that is if he is free) b) one of my ponies will have to play a lot which as its quite fast will tire her out... c) im supposed to be in wales next week and would have to postpone that until sept... horrible weather etc d) im having a few problems with my boss anyway and am thinking of leaving but dont want to give her the final straw... e) i could play at home so do i really need to go to all this effort? f) i just cant decide...??? :confused:

ahhhhh

By the sounds of all the cons to your post i think you would be safer staying at home and going to wales next week. one test would be to ring up the transporter, if they're not free then you won't be able to go, right? but they are free, will you feel disappointed because you won't be going to wales, you're having problems with the boss etc?
If you're not sure if your horse will be too tired surely its best to stay home. If you went and had to pull out you would probably feel much worse.
I can see exactly why it is such a difficult decision though and if you feel you have been disagreeing with most of what i just said then go for it! I hope that helps although i really apolofise if it makest the decision harder! I do confuse people sometimes so sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, in advance.
Good luck with whichever decision you make, just keep us posted. Also, thanks for your comments about Dawn's hooves

Reply 694

CossLne

Here is what the crack looked like when the notch was put in, as you can see it was worse then.

Reply 695

LouE3D

StaVix

ahhhhh

Oh heck vic, that is a bit of a dilema.... hmmmm....
Well I'm assuming its a raf thing so playing for them could really boost your playing prospects when you are in? As for your boss, remember she means nothing to you, come october you will never have to see that woman again or worry about getting another job... at the end of the day, if she does take a major dislike to it, at least you can take solace in the fact that your playing career is on the up and you have many many prospects to look forward to in the future (she sounds like a bit of a bag tbh??!! :eek:

). Transport wise, well you can't really get round that... but it could be worth it? Any chance you can cadge a lift with a fellow player? D of E you can still do in Sept and will be quite cool to do then as it will be good practice for oct :wink:

and tbh, the weather isn't exactly great at the mo anyway :p:

(typical british summertime lol!). Only other thing to consider is the horses... the rest of the stuff, all points to a big "YES GO FOR IT" with me, but you have to decide if the girls are fit enough and if there is sufficient recouperation time for them each day? Any chance of spare ponies somewhere? I'm sure no matter what, you are going to excel in polo in and out of the mob, so try not to worry!!

Where you playing btw?

Reply 696

StaVix

Thanks guys...
Lou no it wasnt for the RAF, I had been recommended to them to play at guards... on number one ground... where they played the cartier :argh:

... but as coss said i wrote a long list opf pros and cons and the only pros were, prestiege etc and how cool would it be, plus cherola has now developed a tennis ball sized lump on her elbow, its hard, not attached to anything, theres no kick, bite marks, and shes not lame? :confused:

so to cut a long story short i said no :puke:

too late now oh dear oh well im still playing just not in super cool match on one of teh best pitches in the country, for a v strong team... (it was a major and generals tournament) little old Stu.off me!!! makes me chuckle!

coss hoof looks better now, would another notch work?

Reply 697

StaVix

p.s that

smiley is sooo cool just sums up the way I feel!

Reply 698

CossLne

Agree about smilie. don't know if another notch would work. Don't know if it will weaken the hoof? Also, her feet are growing so slow i just don't know how long it would take to grow out. Farrier is due near the end of his month so i'll ask him what he thinks of the crack. As i say, Dawn doesn't even seem to notice its there, she's the sort of horse that communicates if she doesn't feel right. Lowered head, ears not as perked, sad eyes etc. I rode her once and thought she didn't feel right so stopped, next day she was right as rain, don't know what was wrong, do horses get head aches? vaguely remember that the atmosphere was heavy and loads of people were complaining about head aches.

Reply 699

LouE3D

StaVix

Thanks guys...
cherola has now developed a tennis ball sized lump on her elbow, its hard, not attached to anything, theres no kick, bite marks, and shes not lame? :confused:

Sounds like an abcess... I used to work in a vets when I was younger and we used to have alot of rabbits etc come in with them (bit random I know :rolleyes:

).... large, rapidly formed hard balls, quite often the size of tennis balls. The vet would simply lance it and all this... ugh..puss :puke:

would come out, then they would syringe (i think) hydrochloride into the abcess to kill off any remaining bacteria. Bob's your unlce, rabbit is ok :biggrin:

Now they used to knock the rabbits out before they did this, so not quite sure how they deal with it with horses... probably just a local? Good news is, if it is an abcess, don't worry! :redface:

OMG... guards!!! Next time, hun :wink: