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Yesterday afternoon was the day...; Trotted yesterday...not great. Update 5/15
Topic Started: May 11 2009, 09:07 AM (823 Views)
SnackPack
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So, after some finagling, some due diligence, and some quick thinking, Show's been put out to pasture(what you outside of CA people would call a paddock but in CA it's a pasture). Not put out in the 'retired' way...but his cushy life is hopefully coming to a close and he's going to be roughing it from now on. He went out yesterday afternoon and was doing really well. I have no idea how/if he made it through the night...I'm nervously awaiting my trainer's phone call.

Saturday we put him and his soon to be pasture buddy...and older, mellow Arabian out in the grass pature together. Show was drugged and with all the grass he couldn't have cared less about Pinot. Pinot didn't seem too interested in Show either, there was grass to be had, afterall. He ignored him so thoroughly that when Show did start to run (and make me cringe thinking about his leg) Pinot barely looked up as Show zoomed past about three feet in front of him. :teehee:

The plan for Sunday was to do the same thing as Saturday, but lo and behold, three horses had been moved on to the grass pasture permanently. Grrrr. Thankfully, the BO let me put Show and Pinot in the pasture where those three horses came from and will let me leave them there for a week or so (the pasture is set for some R&R). This is good because:

1. This pasture is close to the barn. Where Show will end up being is at the very back of the property...with donkeys as fence neighbors. Show HATES donkeys.
2. This pasture is pretty darn safe. The other has sprinklers that really have me worried...especially as Show is getting used to being in pasture. Running around blindly is not a good idea when there are things to run into
3. There is no grass to speak of, so Pinot-the-fatty, and Show-the-"I-haven't-had-much-grass-at-all-and-would-founder-being-turned-out-on-it" won't be able to do too much damage to themselves.

Pinot was incredibly happy to have a buddy, he's been alone for a few weeks. He followed Show around while he was exploring. There was no squealing, no drama...just 'oh look, a friend' from them both.

I'm really hoping this is going to work out...but also incredibly nervous that I'm going to end up with an injured horse and many more months of re-hab. As I was leading him out there, my trainer and I told him 'hooves down or hooves up but no in-betweens.' (Is that callous and cruel? :teehee: )
Edited by SnackPack, May 11 2009, 09:10 AM.
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OpticalIllusion
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Ive never had experience trying to get one use to turn out (have the other way around in trying to get one use to being in the barn) but good luck to you. Do you have his bad leg wrapped while in turnout to help keep his old injury safe?
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SnackPack
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OpticalIllusion
May 11 2009, 10:31 AM
Do you have his bad leg wrapped while in turnout to help keep his old injury safe?
Nope. Show is horrible to wraps. I can soak them in McNasty or whatever and he'll still pull at them. I almost have to put him in a neck cradle if he has to wear wraps for long periods (hasn't really had to, except for after the stem cell injection...but he can't get through Elastikon :cheer: ). He ends up being better of without the minimal support a wrap can offer over the chances of a bandage bow.
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SnackPack
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Trainer says Show's running some but then stops and stands for awhile (I'm sure doing dragons at all the scaries), walks a bit, then runs some more. Still has both shoes on. No blood, no cuts, signs of sweat but not excessive. He was supposedly running in the morning before feeding...but the donkeys were in the turn-out right next to him. He really doesn't like the donkeys.

We're still toughing it out. Trainer will bring him in when Miguel mows the mare pasture. That might be a little much for him right now. I'll ice his leg tonight...and then stick him back out to rough it again. I feel like I'm torturing my boy. :sigh:
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Trialbyfire
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I don't remember what his injury is, but I do remember you saying that he didn't like turnout...but you know what. I think he'll survive. It's not torture, really. And it won't necessarily be overnight that he'll just love it but each day will be a little easier, I'm sure, and compared to being stalled...he might just like it more than he knows!

What luck to find a buddy that doesn't hate him - that makes everything 200% easier!

Good luck! :luck: :luck:
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Fish Cheeks
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Well that sounds like a workable plan. I'm sure he'll get used to it once the novelty wears off. Pretty soon you'll have to chase after him to catch him 'cause he won't want to come in!
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vxf111
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He's got to get used to it and he will. In the end it's probably WAY more stressful for you than it is for him. Even if he acts like the world is ending. Those first few turnouts post-injury are CRINGE worthy! All that effort to heal the horse and you worry they'll undo it all in one feel swoop. But it has to happen eventually.

Stoney and Shane are going to their new retirement farm soon, it's beautimous *BUT* it has PVC fencing. Which I have dealt with before. I am SURE it'll be fine, it's plenty high and well sunk in. Stoney CANNOT jump that high and Shane has never jumped a fence in his life OR voluntarily left Stoney... I am nervous all the same. So I know how you feel!
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SnackPack
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vxf111
May 11 2009, 01:53 PM
Those first few turnouts post-injury are CRINGE worthy! All that effort to heal the horse and you worry they'll undo it all in one feel swoop. But it has to happen eventually.
Thanks guys. I think if Show were decent in turn-out prior to the injury, I would feel better. The fact of the matter, however, is that in the 6 years I've had him, he's only been in turn-out a handful of times...and even less than that would be called successful. I can only think of two times where he didn't start running in terror (not in exuberance, in terror...sliding stops, slamming into fences, slipping around turns, screaming frantically) within 15 minutes. Add on the possibility of re-injury and I'm a bit of a mess today. :psycho:

I haven't heard anything since this morning, so it can't be too bad, right?

TBF: Thankfully, Show loves other horses. I wasn't worried on his end. Pinot is the grand gentleman and wouldn't stoop to being nasty. He's all about calm assertiveness. Just moves the others off his feed by sure force of will and show of confidence.

Veronica: I didn't know you're retiring Shane (Stoney's been in retirement, right?) I hope it goes well for them both. We can :cheer: each other on.
Edited by SnackPack, May 11 2009, 02:56 PM.
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Kikki
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We have one at the barn that would NOT stay outside - he hated it. Well, he got injured and was going on (hopefully just) a year rest so he had to learn to like turnout. He got thrown out with an old horse. He fretted for a while, would get upset and want to come in, but all of the sudden, he decided he LOVED being outside. You couldn't even catch him anymore without plenty of bribery. He now is back to work, but still living outside (he was also extremely hot and fractious, so the fulltime turnout is actually a good thing for him)

Show will do just fine - its just going to take a little time. He just doesn't know what he's missing yet - he will come to love being a real horse!
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Chezzie
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Poking my head out long enough to offer my good wishes...I know you've agonized over this, and I think in the long run it will be a good thing for the Show Monster. Have a glass of wine, take a deep breath, and know the transition period will end. Eventually. :teehee:
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vxf111
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I got the bad news about Shane, Stoney, and Somerset all at once last month. 6+ months of stall rest for Somerset's DDFT tendonitis. Stoney has somehow wrenched his back and they think it's best given his age/condition to let him be a pasture puff. Shane, as usual, is 75 right and 25% not right and it's his stifles AGAIN and now 2 of the best vets in the country can't make him right-- I can't break my heart anymore over him, so retirement for him too.

I have been looking for a more low key and less expensive place for Stoney and Shane and finally found what seems perfect. Except, you know, I worry about how they (read: Shane) will behave in a different place and whether he'll go psycho and jump the fence. But I am just being a worrywart, it'll be ok.
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FlashGordon
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Hugs to all you guys with horses in rehab/layup!

Snacky, my theory with horses is, sometimes it gets worse before it gets better. So maybe Show will get a little crazy, for a few days, but hopefully he'll turn the corner and learn to love his new turnout situation!
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TatteredDaydreamer
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SP, best of luck with Show.

Veronica...I'm so sorry about Shane, what a shame for a lovely talented boy.:(
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Danielle Fournier
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SnackPack - My TB mare is the same way when she gets out on the field. She flys around screaming like she is dying, sliding around corners, etc. - so I know EXACTLY how you feel :( I have learned to close my eyes/ears come spring when they start going back out there and let her learn to be a horse. She still has days where she runs laps screaming...but she is a dream to ride! And (lucky for me) has never injured herself out there. Our horses just have that frantic mentality when they are put in new situations. Just breathe and relax, it WILL get better and it is exactly what this type of horse needs to learn to deal with :) And I bet after a week or so he will chill out and be a dream to work with!
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SnackPack
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(quick note: Chezzie...good to see you. :clap: :) )

So Show was apparently chill all day yesterday. Acting like any other (normal) pasture horse. :clap: This is good.

Bad news: His leg looks like crap. Worse than it has for probably 6-9 months. Worse than when he re-injured in September. This is not good. I'm hoping that it's just general windpuff-iness (the other leg is wind puffy for sure) and not re-injury but I'm not what you would call a lucky person. I'm a persevere-er and seem to have to struggle through. I'm tired of struggling through. I need me some good luck. :luck:
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