Here he is asking me to take of the saddle right after I had put it on!!!Poor
Max, he's like "really do I have to be a horse???"!!!Horsie Boot Camp
June 1, 2011 Wednesday: Picked Max up from Tina's house. He came from the Fallon killer auction last year (Shiloh Horse Rescue-Jill bought him and brought him to her place then he went to Tina). Jill didn't think he had ever been handled when she got him. Max was called Fax at Shiloh and Jax at Tina's but now he is MAXMILLION cause he will be a Million dollar horse! He did not want strangers near him so Tina haltered and lead him into the trailer no problem with a bit of encouragement from me walking behind him. I let him settle in his stall and eat lunch, he was scared to go in the barn to eat or drink so I put buckets outside for him. A few hours later I turned him out with the mares and he had fun running but wouldn't let me catch him to bring him home. I had to play the catching game and he finally came to me to be haltered and lead home (after about 5-7 min).
June 2, 2011 Thursday: I was at work so horses stayed in runs for the day.
June 3, 2011 Friday: Turnout again with mares, ran around, more relaxed at
home now, still wont allow anyone to walk up to him and is really skittish and
jumpy of noises and movements. I got him caught after a few minutes of catching
game but he was startled on the way home and ran off loose. I put the girls away
and left his run open and he ran right into his stall when I walked behind him.
He stands tied well but swings his hind end away from pressure so I got knocked
to the ground twice trying to touch his back end. I didn't want to start my work
program (Horsie Boot Camp) with his long feet in case he pulled a tendon or got
hurt BUT realized it was not safe yet to try to get near his hind legs (I now
have scuffs and bruises).....SO I ended up sedating him (and had to use an extra
bump dose too) to trim his hind hooves and of course while I had the opportunity
I pulled his mane and clipped ears and whiskers to make him live up to his name
and look Like a Million Bucks!!!! (ignore low camera, self video)
See video:
June 4, 2011 Saturday: Same routine as everyday, turnout after lunch then he was easy to catch and lead back to the barn. Then round pen work using Downunder Method, lunging for respect and desensitizing. We spent about an hour turning circles with me touching his back, ribs, belly, tail, hind legs and finally rear lower legs (a bit). Then I hand walked him to graze with halter and lead. He would eat hesitantly with me at the far end of the lead (15ft).
June 5, 2011 Sunday: Same turnout with girls after lunch, I was able to lead all three to and from the turnout together all at once as I usually do (neighbors call it my 3 ring circus). Then grooming routine, fly spray, pick front feet. Round pen work, lunge, desensitize same as yesterday but much less jumpy, still breathing hard and scared but held still and let me stand nearer to his ribs and flank. We took about another 3/4 hour of turning circles to get him to let me touch his hind legs but I was able to rub from hock to fetlock on both sides while he held still at the end of our time. Then I hand grazed him and he stood nearer me (6ft) and ate with gusto and deep breaths.
June 6, Monday. Same routine, halter, fly spray, grooming. He is still spinning circles to try to escape the fly spray and brushes. He is not yet accustomed to being groomed. Comes up to me to be haltered now even in the big arena. Daily work of building a routine to include normal horse stuff. He has loads of fun running with the other horses in turnout, they are all young (2, 4 and 7)
June 8, Wednesday. Went to Patty's place to pick up new horse Amarco and take Tierra to her in trade. Then turned the crew out to play, the boys had fun running together. I did not mess with Max mutch cause I had to check out Amarco before I set up a Vet to do pre-purchase exam
June 10, Friday. Big day for geldings, Max is scheduled for dental this am and Amarco for his pre-purchase exam. I did some desensitizing work with Max, just getting him used to me moving around him and touching him all over. He is still very goosie and scared. Amarco has sprung (bent) a shoe so I had to call an apprentice farrier (my friends's son) to come pull the shoes (which was my plan but after the exam). Luckily Amarco has good feet and passed his soundness and flexion tests even barefoot on the rocks!! I did have to bevel his feet a bit to prevent chipping and I fixed his hind feet a bit too, the breakover was not centered properly. Both geldings had their dentistry completed by noontime, now they can comfortably eat and wear a bit.
June 11, Saturday. I went to work for a few hours and was really tired from the previous day being in the heat and sun all day so gave horses lunch and bute (anti-inflamatory) post-dental medicine; then I had a nap! In the late afternoon, I let the horses run in the turnout as usual and they ran each other relentlessly!!! I worked both new guys in the round pen a little and was able to touch Max' hind legs and even feet!!! When I touched his tail he tucked his but and scooted away like he had been bitten.
June 12, Sunday. I fed early (530am) so I could work the horses before the
heat. I rode Amarco after round pen work. He is not a quick as the others but
once he learns something I think it will stick. My 2yo walked trotted and
cantered both directions (first time cantering under saddle!). She is so easy to
train and has no thought of bucking at all! She couldn't get her right lead
under saddle but counter cantered on left lead to the right OK. Then we walked a
lap each direction out in the common area with a neighbor and her horse for
company. Max came up to be haltered, then I started the routine: rope looped
loosely over rail, groomed with rubber curry and brush everywhere, hooves picked
out. He let me rub his butt and hind legs and pick up his feet and even pick
them out. I sacked him out a bit with a pad and the put a bridle without reins
on under my rope halter and saddled him slowly. He was a bit wierd about the
girth so we tightened and loosened it a few times. I worked him in the round pen
(the usual Clinton Anderson program) and he did buck with the saddle on a bit
but then forgot about it. He was very jumpy about the stirrup slapping that I do
and rope slaps on the saddle etc. I kept jumping and rubbing and making noises
and motions around the saddle for quite some time. He had the most problem with
the flexing exercise where I pull the lead rope to the saddle to bend his head
and neck. He kept spinning circles till I got so dizzy I almost fell down. After
more than half hour of cirlces, he let me flex his neck and stood still. I tried
to lay my body over the saddle a bit after lots of jumping while holding and
pulling on it but my weight really scared him and he bucked really hard, as I
slid down my bad arm got jammed pretty hard (oh well-Julien volunteered for next
time and said Max likes him better). Julien likes Max for some reason and calls
him "Doggie" We finished on a calm note and I hand grazed him before putting him
away.
Here he is asking me to take of the saddle right after I had put it on!!!Poor
Max, he's like "really do I have to be a horse???"!!!
June 13 I was injured and ended up at the Trauma Center after a horse I was on flipped over and landed on me fracturing my pelvis in 5 places and knocking me out cold! (see my xray pic on facebook)
June 15 back home with family on the way, my Dad and Brother are coming from Canada but Julien is home with me.
June 25ish...on crutches and Max is too unpredictable for me to be around but my brother is turning the horses out and feeding/cleaning for me.
Around July 1, I took Max back to Shiloh, Jill said he was welcome back there and she will find him a good home, I am still on crutches. I cannot afford to be bumped or get re-injured at this point so cannot justify this rehab for Max, too bad cause he will be so cool once he gets over his people phobias.
July 12 Doctor took xrays that are still *%#*'ed up but improving over the first set, I am starting to walk with one crutch.
July 13, tried to get on a horse and just walk but the rocking motion hurt too much...
End of Julyish back riding just sitting the walk but off crutches and time to regain some strength
Aug 16, was supposed to return to work but lifting 50# dog food or horse feed bag hurts too much so a 400 lb patient would undo me for sure...delay the work thing for now, luck I have disability insurance!
End of Aug back to riding walk, trot, canter and building my strength...
Sept. 10 I am still sore sometimes but starting to feel like myself on a horse as long as it doesn't do any unexpected quick movements to jar me. I have ridden both horses each day for the las 3 days with no ill effects