Honey the ASB update and progress thread!

[AdultEmmy]

Hey all!

There have been so many posts that I’m not even sure where to begin in replying. But please know I’m hearing you (seeing you?) and your opinions and thoughts are not falling on deaf ears.

For example: she now gets her hay on the ground. Huzzah! Also, fat cat has been ordered (though it’s tbd if it actually ships. It’s out of stock everywhere)

We walked over cavaletti’s today, in hand. She did a great job with it. I think even more importantly today, she was a gem about letting me put ointment on her cuts on her face. No fussing at all. Also I haven’t seen any new ones since I started her on the Zyrtec.

I apologize for my silence. I needed a night to myself (Pilates) and to get a little space from the thread, because I struggle to not feel like I’m a bad owner if I make mistakes or disagree or anything like that. I know nobody said I was, but I tend to feel very all or nothing feelings, and I was feeling like I was failing her. Now that I’ve got some space for a day, I feel better.

Anyway, here’s the daily dose.

[endlessclimb]

Girl, you’re doing fine. And honestly whichever advice you try, it’s going to be fine. Some things work for some horses that don’t work for other horses. That’s why we all have a little different take - all of our toolboxes have been shaped by the horses we’ve worked with.

And guess what? None of those horses have been Honey.

Differences of opinion are normal in the horse world. Give something a try for a couple weeks or a month, if it ain’t workin’ ditch it and move on to something else. No harm, no foul.

She looks so much better, and you’re a great owner.

[swmorse]

Please don’t feel like a bad owner. You are a great owner. Your willingness to put yourself out here and ask questions is what makes you one. Take what advice resonates with you and Honey, change it up if it’s not working and continue to enjoy your wonderful new horse.

I love going along on your ‘ride’.

[Paisley_Pony]

Echoing @endlessclimb and @swmorse. You’re doing a great job! Rehabbing a horse is a process, and you’ll both learn a lot together along the way. Each horse is unique - if it wasn’t, this would be easy.

[findeight]

You are a much better owner then most. Because you are seeking knowledge and willing, the fact you are asking makes you a good horseman. Remember, its only what you learn after you think you know it all that counts. Don’t be afraid to fail, just recognize it when it happens, figure out why and change it. Don’t get stuck with things that are not working.

There is no all or nothing in horses (or life in general but that’s another discussion). Each horse is an individual as are all of us and hands on experience is the best teacher…you get that by doing it. You are well on your way.

Have to say, in these last pictures? That is one correctly adjusted halter. Good job

ETA Ohhh, almost forgot. Do give yourself a break mentally and physically, never apologize for that. You and Honey does not need 7 days a week every week. Take at least one day a week away from the barn, maybe even 2 days. Know you have other demands on your time and you don’t want to burn out…and you will if you aren’t careful. Horses sense your moods plus can get bored with over drilling, they need time off too, especially older horses.

The Pilates night is great and so is skipping a day if you just can’t for whatever reason. What worked for me for decades is rotating serious sessions between 3 and 4 days a week. Week 1 is Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Week 2 is Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Week 3 rinse and repeat Week 1 and so on. Might visit on “off” days but no tacking up or training. Groom and hand graze.

Schedule like this gives you freedom to schedule appointments, plan a movie, dinner, etc.or just relax without feeling guilty or losing progress. Keeps you fresh and positive.

You are very fortunate you have what looks like a very well managed, trustworthy barn so you don’t have to supervise closely

[Sparrowette]

@endlessclimb, @swmorse, @Paisley_Pony, and @findeight are all right.

You certainly ARE NOT A BAD OWNER!! Read that again and make sure you accept it into your soul.

The fact that you are going all over trying to get the best information you can get to help your mare, testifies to the fact that you are a good owner.

You want to know what a bad owner is? Go look in “off course” at a thread called 2Raw2Ride Social Media.

That yahoo, when he was starting his “journey”, was offered good info and one-on-one help from accomplished and knowledgeable longriders but he just decided he would do whatever he wanted. Now the two horses that he got involved with him are suffering and probably will never be what they could have been. At this point, he’s been stopped by authorities, but we don’t know what will happen to the poor horses.

That’s a bad owner. That is not you.

[Ghazzu]

Put 5 horsemen in a room, ask a question, and you’ll get 7 firm opinions.

You are doing a good job.
You are a terrific owner.
Take a deep breath, file the advice for future reference–you never know when a previous suggestion will be a useful answer to a training/management problem down the road, even if it isn’t right now.

[AdultEmmy]

@swmorse

I love going along on your ‘ride’.

=) Thank you!

@findeight

Have to say, in these last pictures? That is one correctly adjusted halter. Good job

ha! I was hoping that would be noticed! Thank you. I definitely have a great barn, and do take days off to just go brush her, or just graze her or something. I like being with her and she is the light at the end of the work day. So even though I’m there every day–we definitely are not working every day. I think tonight in fact is just ladies night for Tacos and Margs at the barn. Definitely not working with her if that’s the plan =]

@Sparrowette

You certainly ARE NOT A BAD OWNER!! Read that again and make sure you accept it into your soul.

Thank you so much! Oof I’ve heard about that 2Raw2Ride situation. It’s terrible.

@Ghazzu

Put 5 horsemen in a room, ask a question, and you’ll get 7 firm opinions.

You are doing a good job.
You are a terrific owner.
Take a deep breath, file the advice for future reference–you never know when a previous suggestion will be a useful answer to a training/management problem down the road, even if it isn’t right now.

Solid points, thank you!

Thanks to you all for helping me feel better. I appreciate you.

[findeight]

Tacos and margs at the barn??? Now thats my kind of barn, develops a sense of community, and deals with challenges of clients cramming barn time into very busy days.

Not to mention it beats the drive thru for dinner.

Do you have a big holiday party too? Pumpkin carving and BBQ with corn in the cob in the fall? Love barns that decorate and celebrate like normal people.

[Sparrowette]

@findeight

Tacos and margs at the barn??? Now thats my kind of barn, develops a sense of community, and deals with challenges of clients cramming barn time into very busy days.

Not to mention it beats the drive thru for dinner.

Do you have a big holiday party too? Pumpkin carving and BBQ with corn in the cob in the fall? Love barns that decorate and celebrate like normal people.

Yes! When I moved Holly to our current barn, I didn’t know that it would be as nice as it has been.

They even threw me a “Foal Shower” party before she foaled Onyx! Other people in the barn gave me gifts for the baby like a little baby foal halter and baby fly mask. It was wonderful!

[AdultEmmy]

I love my barn. It’s very small and it’s not an official event or anything. We just like eachother, lol

They have easter egg hunts and trick or treating for the kids =)

[AdultEmmy]

I’m feeling a little frustrated right now. It has just been one thing after another with Honey.

She just saw the farrier-- we had a farrier come a few weeks ago when she threw a shoe, but I couldn’t seem to convince him to look at the other feet, and he just made it clear that we wouldn’t be going with him for anything more than a quick fix.

She threw her other shoe the other day and we saw the farrier I want to work with… He noticed that there’s some separation on her right front. She doesn’t have white line, but we gotta make sure it doesn’t become that. Awesome.

He also asked if her left front (which is a little clubbed) had ever foundered. As far as I no, it hasn’t. But after learning more about her history, and being told by this farrier that her feet are pretty bad, honestly it doesn’t shock me that it would go unnoticed in the past. I’m gonna put her on farrier’s formula.

However, we may have actually gotten somewhere on getting the papers today. So fingers crossed that we finally get that part of the puzzle figured out.

I need a drink. Is it 5:00 yet ?

[jvanrens]

It’s 5:00 somewhere is my motto.

Have you considered having her feet x-rayed so you can see what is going on so she is trimmed and shod properly.

[AdultEmmy]

I’m definitely thinking of doing that, now.

[cayuse]

It will be OK. You are doing great by your mare and things will sort themselves out little by little. I’d do exactly what jvanrens suggested and get her feet x-rayed so you have a baseline, and do a basic lameness eval for peace of mind.

[jvanrens]

@AdultEmmy

I’m definitely thinking of doing that, now.

It might be a good idea. You’ve been doing a wonderful job with Honey. It would be a good investment to know if there’s something going on with her feet. She didn’t look really sore to me, but sometimes she looked a little steppy (as my DH would say), so there might be something that needs a little TLC in her feet that would help things along.

I was lucky with my rehab project that he was very well broke to drive so my daughter did that with him to help him build up muscle, besides an obscene amount of hay and feed to put the weight on him. Keep up the good work!

[Heinz_57]

Don’t panic. Funky feet are a common thing that comes as part of the whole ‘rehab’ package! Proper nutrition and good farrier work will go a long way, but it does also just take time for things to grow out. As an owner, you can control the nutrition, the environment, and make sure she stays on a reasonably short schedule with a good farrier. You can also treat for any thrush that may be present, which goes a long way towards frog and caudal foot health. And if you can swing x-rays, those will be really helpful for the good farrier!

[AdultEmmy]

Hey guys!

I need opinions. The seller got in touch with the Saddlebred Association, and the only way she can avoid a $200 fee in order to get the papers switched to her name, then to my name, is if she and I send everything in together.

How would you go about this? I guess I need to send it to her and she can send everything in together, but any ideas on what I can do to ensure this goes through?

[ASBJumper]

That sounds like BS. The Association won’t care where/who the $ comes from as long as the fee is paid for. Contact Joan Smith - j.smith@asha.net, if she’s still working there, she is wonderful and will be very helpful and will give you honest answers. In your shoes i would also be more comfortable just sending fees directly to the Association.

Good luck!

[chestnutmarebeware]

I agree with @ASBJumper—trust but verify!