Will someone just shoot me and put me out of my horse-induced misery?

[Merry]

I am looking for some moral support and virtual shoulders to cry on, here!

Okay, so many of you no doubt know the saga of me and my obnoxious but pretty and talented four year old warmblood, “Hammie”. He’s arrogant and can be a handful, but when he’s good, he’s awesome, and when he’s bad, he humiliates me. So what else is new in the world of baby greenies, right?

Well, I’ve been doing well on him in the show ring, and was looking forward to attending one more show at the end of this month, plus a year-end championship show at Del Mar. It’d be a fun show to end my year of Baby Green Hell.

So I’m lungeing him before my lesson Saturday, admiring what a pretty mover he is, when he takes off on one of his bucking frenzies, gets loose and runs around my trainer’s lungeing paddock. I have to head him off like a cutting horse. I recapture him, put him back on the line, and he’s DFL! (Dead Freakin’ Lame) It’s the left hind. I can’t see or find anything! He walks fine, but at the trot it’s quite noticeable.

To make matters worse, I take him home. The next day, I get him out to re-inspect, and discover one of his brand new $140. aluminum shoes is so badly shifted, that one of the clips is embedded in his hoof! I mean, all the way in!So I get the makeshift farrier tools (i.e. screwdriver and pliers) and pull off the shoe. There’s a one-inch wound right next to the white line-- but not in it-- now! I kept the foot up and poured some Betadine in there, and then totally wrapped up the hoof.

Good news: He’s trotting better in a straight line behind.
Bad news: How can he NOT be sore/get an abcess over the cavity in his foot from the embedded clip?

Somehow I don’t see any shows in our forseeable future.
So who put the bad ju-ju on my gorgeous Bay Prince, and why am I suddenly so accursed?

“Friends don’t let friends eat fish tacos.”

[Cactuskate]

Can you say YES to drugs? Hey better safe than sorry. I mean for your safety!! Let’s face it knuckleheads will be knuckleheads.

“The older I get, the better I used to be, but who the heck cares!”

[Lord_Helpus]

Sounds like you dodged the bullet this time, sis. Bear-man did the same thing 10 days ago and I also lucked out. Sometimes there is a God looking out for stupid horsies.

If you absolutely must show a 4 year old greenie this weekend, come show Mikey

[Beezer]

See, Merry? IT WASN’T MY FAULT! No matter what you think, I did not put the Beezer anti-soundness curse on the Hambola Virus!!

Bulletin Board Goddess

[Bumpkin]

Takes a big load off my mind.
My dear mother was the best horse mother and really supported me a lot and still does.

Last year she was in the hospital for a cancer surgery and I was wondering if I did the right thing at my age to buy a horse.
And she told me that you only live once and to go for it.

This gutsy 80 year old woman has beaten cancer twice in the past ten years and I am very proud of her.

Anyways thank you!!!

[farfel]

Bumpkin, what great news about your mother!

She sounds like a wonderful lady.

Merry, glad to hear Hammie is doing better!

Gotta love the dirt-skiing, eh? I believe the scandinavians have a similar sport performed, intentionally, in the snow - it’s called ski-joring (sp?) and involves, well, being dragged on skiis behind a horse.

I once performed a perfect somersault at the end of a longe line - with a big, fresh, green TB at the other end.

[wtywmn4]

Possibly Merry send the aforesaid parental units on a mini luncheon? Like in another state?

[DMK]

Ah yes, the clip in the quarter… that has to be my favorite one

OK, maybe the moment of idiocy on the lunge line was pure baby greenie, but the stepping on the clip thing? One would think there is some TB in there, since all mine have perfected it!

Robbie managed to step on the clip while pulling the shoe about 5 weeks ago. I carefully wrapped up the foot, and waited for the regularly scheduled appointment in 36 hours. Farrier carefully looked for any “bad spots” (very technical term) before setting new shoe. Fast Forward 48 hours and we are in the grip of an abscess Farrier comes out removes shoe, and (luckily) finds abscess and drains it.

Robbie, being one of the real world class wimps of this century, managed to milk another few weeks out of work, but he has had a few years of perfecting his craft. I doubt a young’un like Hammie is nearly as well versed as a crafty old show-dodger like Robert (got out of two shows that time).

Moral of the story: leave that shoe off for at least 4 days!!!

[Spider]

I’m so sorry for what happened!!! It’s really tough. these horses don’t make life easy, and yet we still love them so so much. If it’s any consolation, at least you know that your horse will in fact get better, it will take time, but he will heal. My horses had to be retired, both, my 7 year old and my 11 year old. And now i’m horseless. I know that doesn’t help you any to know that. But just look forward to the many years of good things that your horse will offer you, this is minor in the grand scheme of things, he will get better and he will turn heads, your Bay Prince isn’t going to let you down.

Horses can build character, not merely urge one to improve on it. Horses forge the mind, the character, the emotions and inner lives of humans.

[Duffy]

Very happy for you and your Mom, Bumpkin!!!

[rusty]

I am glad to hear that Bumpkins mom and Hammie are both doing well.

[Merry]

I am looking for some moral support and virtual shoulders to cry on, here!

Okay, so many of you no doubt know the saga of me and my obnoxious but pretty and talented four year old warmblood, “Hammie”. He’s arrogant and can be a handful, but when he’s good, he’s awesome, and when he’s bad, he humiliates me. So what else is new in the world of baby greenies, right?

Well, I’ve been doing well on him in the show ring, and was looking forward to attending one more show at the end of this month, plus a year-end championship show at Del Mar. It’d be a fun show to end my year of Baby Green Hell.

So I’m lungeing him before my lesson Saturday, admiring what a pretty mover he is, when he takes off on one of his bucking frenzies, gets loose and runs around my trainer’s lungeing paddock. I have to head him off like a cutting horse. I recapture him, put him back on the line, and he’s DFL! (Dead Freakin’ Lame) It’s the left hind. I can’t see or find anything! He walks fine, but at the trot it’s quite noticeable.

To make matters worse, I take him home. The next day, I get him out to re-inspect, and discover one of his brand new $140. aluminum shoes is so badly shifted, that one of the clips is embedded in his hoof! I mean, all the way in!So I get the makeshift farrier tools (i.e. screwdriver and pliers) and pull off the shoe. There’s a one-inch wound right next to the white line-- but not in it-- now! I kept the foot up and poured some Betadine in there, and then totally wrapped up the hoof.

Good news: He’s trotting better in a straight line behind.
Bad news: How can he NOT be sore/get an abcess over the cavity in his foot from the embedded clip?

Somehow I don’t see any shows in our forseeable future.
So who put the bad ju-ju on my gorgeous Bay Prince, and why am I suddenly so accursed?

“Friends don’t let friends eat fish tacos.”

[Tin]

Ah sorry to hear that Merry, hope Hammie healscompletly and fast! Good news though, my horse did that with his regular shoes and he didn’t abcess at all, and the clip was right up there. At least your horse has the “greenie” excuse, my horse was just being an idiot

<It’s all part of my ninja training >

[elizabeth]

Merry, Merry.

I’m sorry, but here’s the good news:
Buster-the-wonderhorse did the same thing about a year ago (remember, Jumphigh83?). And he was 11!!

He pulled the shoe slightly off and rotated it so that the clip was sticking up into his hoof.

He did NOT (thank God and knock on plywood computer desk) get an abscess. So you might be free and clear.

Now, what’s goin’ on with his back leg?

[Bumpkin]

You know.

[HossShoer]

Gee, isn’t the horse business just “Unbelievable”.
The only thing better would be that a BIG $$$$ buyer was trying him tomorrow.

[LaurieB]

Merry, I’m so sorry to hear about your bad luck. Unfortunately I don’t have any wisdom to impart, though I can offer lots of empathy. I’m feeling particularly cursed at the moment myself (due to non-horse related problems.) I hope Hammie gets better soon!

[wtywmn4]

Okay so I am slow, but did Hammie abcess? I thought what you said was how could he not? He may have a lovely constitution and NOT do it. This would be nice. Plus, somethings are just not meant to be. He’s exuberant, and well, maybe he would have done something at the show which could have been 10 times worse. Always pragmatic, especially with horses.

So buck up Merry, curbs they are a jangling, and next year, well maybe you will be in the pre-green futurity with the ole Hambola!

[Merry]

Great news, Bumpky!

Hammie looked totally sound when he, ah, trotted on the lunge line in a big circle and then proceeded to keep trotting off in a straight line back towards his paddock. I think that sort of behavior is what caused this whole problem in the first place. He gets his shoe back on tomorrow, but I think I’ll for sure give him the rest of the week off anyway. I sooo do not want to re-stress whatever ligament/muscle thingy he pulled or popped or whacked last weekend.

“Friends don’t let friends eat fish tacos.”

[Justice]

Merry, I am so sorry about Hammie’s escapade. Sounds like it may all end without surgery, (for both horse and human) which is always a plus. Look at it this way - maybe he learned an important lesson here - bucking and fleeing = pain (okay, I’m reaching for a good side, but hey, I’m an optimist.)