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The Resident Destroyer of Liberal Logic
  
Location: PNW | As a lot of you know, my horse has had two months of stall rest with another two still to go due to him beating his pastern to smithereens while boarded over Christmas break. He bruised the bones pretty badly, was three-legged lame, super pathetic, the whole thing.
This is the same horse that I. Just. Got. Back. from the trainer's. He was in training for an entire year while I was pregnant with my second son (high risk, so absolutely NO HORSE ANYTHING) and then through my recovery time. I picked him up the middle of October, and I think I made MAYBE 5 runs (lopes, because he is stupidly fast and I'm a scaredy cat) before he got hurt. Mega bummer. Mega blessing.
I have learned so much about this horse in the last two months. When he went to the trainer I had only had him a couple months, so when I picked him up in October it was like I was getting a brand spanking new horse. I didn't know him at all. The last two months I have become so accustomed to his quirks, and body language, and his movements, and his personality. And he can say the same. We no longer tip-toe around each other waiting for him to spook (he's very timid). He stands UNTIED in his stall while I wrap his legs and ice him. I've learned that he loves orange Gatorade, and hates cedar shavings. Only pine shavings will do. I've really gotten to see his goofy, playful side - not just his reactive scared side.
I've decided to look at these four months of stall rest as a blessing and a confidence booster. My trust with this horse has grown so much the past couple of months that I feel much more confident in swinging a leg over him when the time comes in May. He is a big, fast horse - and I was intimidated both by his physical capabilities, but by his mental quirks as well - BUT NO MORE. I can't wait to get him rehabbed and get back to riding him to grow this bond more. Hopefully he will be back to running by the end of summer!
Sorry for the sappiness, but I really love this guy and am incredibly thankful that he is mine.
Enjoy your horses everybody! | |
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Expert
Posts: 1543
Location: MI |  Preacher is a good looking horse. Stall rest sucks, but it's awesome that you can see this as a bonding time! He's worth the wait! | |
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Red Bull Agressive
Posts: 5981
 
Location: North Dakota | That's awesome! I wish I could not be grumpy about stall rest but I am. I have one gelding that's had on and off lameness since we bought him (we knew him before, he was owned by family friends and both me and my sister rode him before he was purchased). His apparent front leg issues seem to be something in his hocks or stifles now. And my other gelding, the love of my life, has had an abscess that wouldn't go away for 2 months, strangles, and now a mysterious back soreness. This has all happened within 6 months of me purchasing him WITH a vet check. We're homies and I've only ever had one other horse I cared for this much. I. just. wanna. ride. Not to mention my other horse, who after 2 years of trying to fix her and rest, I had to sell for a tiny fraction of what she was worth.
Edited by cavyrunsbarrels 2015-02-21 9:37 PM
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Location: midwest mama | I have a horse that has been on stall rest for the last 2 months and instead of looking at it as a negative, I have used the time to really get to know him - petting, grazing, grooming, hugging..........we are totally connected now so when we go back to running I am convinced that we will be much better partners and more tuned into each other. :) | |
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