Post photos of your horses along with a story....

[FlaRocky]

Starting a thread about our babys, please post a photo or two along with a story or two about your horse or horses.

You can go more than one time. We all love to talk horses.

Maye

 

[FlaRocky]

I'll start with my first horse that was in my name. Her name was Scott's Bridget, she was a registered Rocky Mountain Horse. I got her 12 years ago from a breeder in CO.

She was a wonderful mother and was sound to ride well into her mid twentys. I just lost her a few weeks ago. She was at least 28 yo. The reason I say this is she was caught off a mountiantop in Eastern Kentucky back in 1986 was put under-saddle, examined and certified as a Rocky Mountain Horse with the Rocky Mountain Horse Association. This was the year that the RMHA was founded. She was 1 of 33 that started a new breed. I still have one of her daughters. But that is another story. I was so blessed to have and be a part of history with this amazing mare. I miss you my Brigie girl.

Maye

 

[FlaRocky]

OK, I know I am not the only one with a horse story or two. So who is next???

Maye

 

[Chicken Frenzie]

I wish I could contribute, but I don't have a horse.

 

[FlaRocky]

But if you have a horse story go ahead and tell it, please.

Maye

 

[lynnR]

This is me sitting on Toffee in 2002. He's a Shetland pony.

My aunt June got Toffee as a yearling newly gelded in 2000. She broke him at 3 years old for my cousins to ride and I would also ride him when visiting in the school holidays. I made such a bond with him even though I only saw him for 7 weeks every summer. He became too boisterous for my cousins to want to ride him, bucking and rearing if they ever did get on but he would let me ride him no problem. I was so happy when June gave me a half share of Toffee for Christmas one year and would get the biggest smile on my face whenever I thought of him.
7 years ago (2005) I moved in with June and my cousins to start my crofting life. By this time it had been a year since Toffee was ridden by anyone, he'd only just been lead on walks. I bought myself a mini Shetland colt foal to be companion for Toffee. The pair of them were best friends becoming inseperable but they would have you believe otherwise until they were apart. He's another story though.
June wouldn't let me ride Toffee as he'd become dangerous to mount and ride if you did get on. With having all year round with him now our bond had strengthened and I felt I could do it. So when June went away on holiday in 2006 and left me in charge I took the opportunity and started getting Toffee used to me hanging over his back. A week of that and he was standing still as a rock and trusted me doing that. On the 8th day I decided I'd get on him properly. He was very obliging for about half a minute then bucked me off. I landed with a thud giving myself a dead leg but slowly got up and told Toffee what a cheeky monster he was being. When the feeling came back in my leg I got right back on him. This time I was successful in staying on. He walked around the croft a number of times happily. I got off before I thought he would be getting bored and gave him the biggest cuddle and scratched him until my arms ached.
June was mad about this but at the same time very pleased that Toffee was ridable again. Or that's what she thought until my cousins wanted to ride and he wouldn't let them on. It was only me he would let up on him.
In early 2008 June told me she was moving off the island and leaving me the croft. But she'd made a deal with Toffee's owner when she got him that if she ever left Foula she would give Toffee to another islander as a companion for his lone filly. I would have nothing to do with him from then. I was gutted to say the least.
The field Toffee and his new buddy Sally were kept in was very lush grass and only had them, 2 cows and 2 goats grazing it when there easily could have been 6 times that amount with grass to spare.

Obese Toffee in his home with Sally

He was also getting extra feeding all through the year and no hoof care at all. Not even any hard ground to stand on to help wear them down. 2 years ago I went to visit Toffee and was appalled at the state of him, obese and severely overgrown hooves. I pushed the owner to get the vet in to trim their hooves which did get done twice in the year and tried to get him to restrict the amount of grazing the ponies were on to no avail. I also worked with Toffee in getting him to lift his feet again which had never been done a single time in his new home. But everytime I was there working with Toffee his owner would come out and undo all the work I'd done that day. I was getting more and more upset at the condition of Toffee and was thinking very hard about phoning the SSPCA to report the state of the ponies. Sally's hooves were in a far worse state than Toffee's. But some visiting tourist bet me to it. I'd spoken with the vet about rescueing Toffee in the spring of 2011 and he was mine again by that July.

Toffee the day I got him home after rescueing him 2 weeks before. That was the earliest I could move him after having anti-inflamitories and a vet trim.

The SSPCA came to check up on Toffee and Sally in August and told me that the advice they'd gotten from the vet was that both ponies had severe laminitus and had to be put down. The 2 SSPCA workers were shocked at that advice upon seeing Toffee as he was cantering around with Kirsch after being reunited again. He'd not cantered even trotted in the years he was with Sally as he was in too much pain to. Both workers said I should be proud of literally saving Toffee's life because with out my dedication to him and care after getting him home he would have certainly looked poorly enough to be put to sleep.
I'm working with his hooves every month sometimes more if need be to trim them back into shape. He is virtually sound now unless he gets a long walk every day. I would say another year and he will be a 100% sound pony again like he always used to be. I've even started backing him this summer on the soft ground in the croft. He has taken to it like there never was a break between now and the weeks after he bucked me off.

A slimmer and sounder Toffee with Kirsch - friends reunited.

 

[newhope]

Wow, wonderful story lynnR!

 

[FlaRocky]

I am so happy that you got your Toffee boy Back home where he belongs, with you. So sorry that you both had to go thru such he!!.


You are truly an inspiration for what is just and good in this world. This earth sure could use more people like you in it. I am sure Toffee thanks his lucky stars that you are in his life everyday. No more suffering and pain for him.

Blessings to you and yours,

Maye

 

[Gryphon]

Have you thought of cart training him? He'd look (even more) adorable pulling a cart, plus it's a good way to exercise him without straining his feet.

 

[lynnR]

I would love to train him to drive. Looking for a cart at the moment for him and my 2 standard fillies, not having any luck so far.
Kirsch is had done as much as towed a kids sledge in the snow but can't find a harness small enough for him being 33.5" in height to work him yet. I do have a set of klibbers for working the boys and also the lasses when they're old enough. He's a lovely little guy too.

http://www.journeyman-leather.co.uk/klibber8.html A link to the makers of klibbers.