Update on the leg issue

I went out today to investigate how his leg looked, clean it again, and possibly wrap it up.

I was greeted with a very pleasant image. It has almost covered over. Don't confuse closed up for covered over. It isn't bleeding anymore, and is not looking as nasty.

The property manager has put some nitr(o/a)fur(o/a)zone on it. He thought Faran would baulk at it, but he was very calm and easy about the whole thing.

I had taken some gauze and vet-wrap out with me to try to cover it, but it has stayed very much clean, the flies aren't attracted to it, and it isn't really deep. It has just scraped the hide off it. Well, not just like it's nothing, but it isn't a gouge, it isn't a puncture. We decided to leave it open because it's doing fine.

I didn't take pictures today because there won't be much change, but he's doing ok.

I will not be able to go out tomorrow because of a prior engagement, but I have told the property manager and he will clean it and put more meds on it and I will check on it Wednesday.

We think we figured out how it happened. We think he was trying to run the other horses off the round bale of hay out there and he got his leg snagged on the ring.

I think this is due to the fact he has been malnourished so he feels threatened about whether he will have enough. He doesn't get aggressive over the grain though. I am glad he's not just being walked all over, but he shouldn't be aggressive.

Anyway, I need to go to dinner.

Until next time -
Happy Tails!
Lucy Roberts

   [--;-/=_
     `-; \=_        ___
       ) ,"-... --./===--___
  ___|/       /   ]`
 /;- - > >...-\  <\
 `- < <,       7 /-.\,
     `-        /(  ' _

Life is what happens when you have other plans - especially when horses are involved.

Today I had intentions to go and work with Faran on some training with endurance. We were going to go on a 8 mile "hack". I got out there and low and behold, he had a huge gash going down the inside of his rear right leg. It was pretty fresh. The blood was still oozing. It's not gushing, so I think that is a good sign. None got on his other leg, or in his tail. I don't know how it happened. He wasn't limping, nor was he seeming to have it be painful to step / stretch it.

I did use this opportunity to train him about bathing, and learning to stand still when I am doing something that may not feel just wonderful, or that he wants me to do. I gave him a full bath, and sprayed the wound out several times to clean it. Here is how the wound looks today (warning - it is a bit gory.)


This was when I found it.

This was when I had cleaned it once. It filled with blood rather quickly, but was not gushing.

This is after several heavy spray downs.

I couldn't scrub it, but he would let me spray it with pressure on the hose. I scrubbed his tail with shampoo, and scrubbed his whole body except on the inside of that leg where the wound is with shampoo to clean him as much as possible.

He stood good for his major part of his body, but when he thought I was going to get seriously involved and aggressive with his wound. If I stood near his hind legs he got a bit antsy, but I could scrub his tail, and semi-aggressively spray out his wound until I saw it clear (no blood, dirt, debris), but before I could get the camera and get a good picture, it would have blood back in it again.

No workouts for a while - this is bleeding enough that I can't ask him to exert that much stress or energy on it. When it starts to close up, we will get back to it. Until then we can train on ground manners when doing "vet" work.

You take what you can and turn every opportunity into a training session and as good as possible.

Until next time -
Happy Tails!
Lucy Roberts

   [--;-/=_
    `-; \=_        ___
      ) ,"-... --./===--___
 ___|/       /   ]`
/;- - > >...-\  <\  `- < <,       7 /-.\,      `-        /(  ' _

Faran's Feet

Well, today I got a call from the guy who owns the property that Faran is on, and he said the farrier was there to work on his horses and he wanted to confirm I was interested in Faran still getting his hooves trimmed. I said desperately so, yes.

I was going to go out today, but I have been battling being sick all day today. I didn't get to go, but will try again tomorrow. I really do hope it helps his stumbling.

If I can handle it, and he isn't acting sore because of being trimmed (he needed it badly), I will work with him again. I tend to be more sensitive to heat when I get like this, and the heat index is predicted to be 115-120 tomorrow.

I will updated again if I do.

Also tomorrow if I can I am aiming at bathing him. I have read some tricks for flies, and this poor boy (as all horses probably in this area) is having bad issues with flies. I am going to try one or two out and see if any help out.

Anyway, going to go get some sleep to try to feel better tomorrow.

Good night -
Happy Tails!
Lucy Roberts

   [--;-/=_
     `-; \=_        ___
       ) ,"-... --./===--___
  ___|/       /   ]`
 /;- - > >...-\  <\
 `- < <,       7 /-.\,
     `-        /(  ' _

How much more amazing can this horse be?

Today I went out to see Faran and work with him some. It was amazing yet again. As you know I have been working with educating him to the round pen and the idea of lunging, and he did pick it up relatively instantly.

He has had about a week to rest up and recover from the hard work out I did just about a week ago, and he was moving much nicer. I'm still waiting for the farrier (this is getting frustrating.) Even though the farrier care is supposed to be included in the cost of board, he isn't coming. I went out there and his front right hoof is chipping up. I am just about to get my own out.

He however wasn't stumbling, and was moving out with some energy and not dragging his back legs and any point I saw.

When I went to catch him, he tried to avoid it for about 5 minutes or so, but I put my hand up at chest level and said halt, and he stood perfectly still for me. So amazingly well behaved.

I let him graze on the grass in the yard about an hour while I slowly desensitized him to the cavesson, the surcingle, the whip, and the noises the equipment makes when moving around. It didn't really seem to bother him a bit.

Today I went out set in mind to try to lunge him in the large arena pen and then if he was moving good and seeming comfortable to then try and drive him.

Let me tell you he did fantastically. Moving to the left he was more comfortable staying on the rail, and he did listen really well, and I even allowed him open up into an rolling lope since the pen was larger.

Moving to the right he was not as secure. He kept wanting to turn around, and he did cut the arena in half, but he did move, he did listen, and he did try.

Therefore I went ahead and decided to do an introductory session on driving, but I was going to keep it fairly short. He needs more work to the right to get comfortable with staying on the rail, so I will start tomorrow in the smaller pen, just at a walk to remind him at liberly, then on the line, then move him into the arena.

Anyway, back to today and what happened.

We warmed up slightly and walked around on the lead. Then I backed off and lunged him and got him up to a trot on the left, then even up to a lope. Then I hooked him up to drive, and even had him at an easy going trot.

He was thinking hard about the lines dropping around his hips and legs, and it was a little confusing when I wanted him to stop, and then tried to move up to the front to unhook him, but all in all he did fabulous!

I rewarded him with a bit of grazing then turned him out without over doing the work out. He needs some confidence building, and so this was the best reward I could possibly give him this time.

I did get a video, but I am having problems with my hosting at the moment. I will post them as soon as possible. Sorry for the delays. I promise they are coming. (And I remember the other ones below are missing too.)

Until later -
Happy Tails!
Lucy Roberts

   [--;-/=_
     `-; \=_        ___
       ) ,"-... --./===--___
  ___|/       /   ]`
 /;- - > >...-\  <\
 `- < <,       7 /-.\,
     `-        /(  ' _

"Workout" on 8/3

100 SPF Broad Spectrum Sunscreen... check... Refill cup... check... 69 cents for refill... check... HD video camera... check... tripod... check... stethoscope... check... timer... check... notebook... check...

Yep, another day of working with *drum roll please* Stonehaven Stables Faran's Phoenix.

His name has been chosen. We think it is perfectly suited for him. Symbolically suits the situation for both he and I, and he is named after one of my favorite equine characters in literature to date - Faran, from the David Eddings books.

Fits him really well in name from his predecessor too - as he is extremely intelligent.

Now that the drama and pomp and circumstance are over and done with, on about what has been going on with Faran of late.

On Sunday we had a really marvelous workout, but it seems that workout, paired with being kept in the round pen, and his lack of conditioning beforehand has caused him to become a little bit sore, which is making him not want to work in the roundpen at a walk/trot. He has done so without too much consternation (I got the bulk of his consternation on "film" this time, but really opened the check valve before it got out of hand).

His issues are not making him limp, or be lame, or anything like that. I'm just noticing a bit of awkwardness and laziness in his movements. He's occassionally dragging his back legs, and seems to trip himself up. I also think it is possible that because he is a large guy (length of body) that this round pen I have worked him in the last 3 days might be a bit small so he is getting "tight". He did still walk and trot for me - really much better yesterday than he did on Monday, which was better (in response to the voice commands quicker) than on Sunday.

He was supposed to be turned out to the pasture in front on Monday night, but that didn't happen for some unknown (to me) reason. So when I got there and asked how he did in the front pasture, the property manager said we would turn him out that night (last night on Tuesday) at dinner.

I took Faran into the round pen, which he wasn't keen on, but did it anyway, and walked him around a couple times in each direction letting him check out everything and where everyone was (regarding the horses loose in the pasture surrounding). I then unhaltered him, and began him at a walk for 10 minutes in one direction, with a short burst of trotting occassionally, and then back to walking. I had decided to change my plan when I saw how he was moving out sluggishly and was dragging his back legs, and they almost seemed weak under him. The only way I can explain what it looked like it felt like is if you were to run a marathon and how your muscles would be so spent you couldn't lift your legs to walk properly. He wasn't limping, favoring anything, or showing any outward signs of injury, just didn't seem in top form, so I did a workout of just warming up, then I walked him out to let him graze on some grass in the yard. He really enjoyed this, and I felt it was a fair reward for the effort he did put forth even though he really didn't want to do it. He honestly could have baulked, bucked, kicked, and fought me all the way, but he only thought about kicking once. He thought better of it with one quick stern "NO!" from me though - which I also was very proud of his reaction and his reaction time.

After he had grazed about an hour, I turned him out to the new pasture. He kind of looked sideways at me, but quickly ambled off to check out the new surroundings. He sniffed every manure pile in the pasture, and the current residents of the pasture looked on warily. When he found a place he liked, he quickly dropped and rolled several times, then hopped back up and walked right back to me, as if to say, "OK, that was fun, now what?" I looped the lead lightly around his neck and walked toward the water trough, and he found the mineral block and licked and chewed it a moment, then went and had a nice long drink. Then he wandered off to the far side of the pasture and walked the fenceline next to the road we walked on Wednesday 7/21 after he came. I watched him moving and he was covering much more ground on his own (which was when I began thinking the pen is just too small and so he gets tense. This is also combined with the way he was trotting when asked - it was almost a trot in place.

I stood there to make sure the other horses didn't come run him off/steal his feed while he ate his grain, and once that was done and I was leaving I saw him drink several times from the trough, eating his two flakes of hay, and grazing some as I drove away. Looks as if at that time the introduction was fairly uneventful - though they were watching intently.

I am going to give him a couple days rest in the pasture where he can roll, eat, graze, relax, rest, stretch, move at his own leisure to let any soreness come out of his muscles. I also will note, the farrier is scheduled, and some of that stumbling could be due to the fact his toes are entirely too long.

Then (probably not before Friday) I am going out with a surcingle, cavesson, long lines, driving lines, and going to begin working him and preparing him to understand rein commands.

I do not think this going to be difficult, as he does very well with voice commands, and does understand control with a halter, and even just a lead rope looped over his neck. I forsee this being another easy transition. Then we will continue with the conditioning and such to make sure that while he gains weight his muscles gain strength, and his endurance improves. Then when his spine isn't so exposed, and he is closer to a body score of 5 or 6, I will put a saddle on him and begin preparing him for weight on his back. I have hopes of this happening in the next 2 months, but only his further recovery will tell when honestly that will happen.

So, then next few days I am going to spend finding all the equipment that has been stored away and get everything ready to go.

Attached I have a short video of our "workout" session on Tuesday. It was 104+ outside, and miserably muggy, but he did what I asked. Instead of a work out, I kept it to just a warm up. 10 minutes in each direction mainly at a walk, with some short bursts of trotting just to elevate the blood flow through his body. I just wanted him to move because I was trying to loosen up what seems to be tight muscles.

Sorry - video has been delayed until I can get it edited to a point it will fit in the maximum 10 minutes allotted. I will link it up here A.S.A.P.

Enjoy!

Until our paths next cross -
Happy Tails!
Lucy Roberts

   [--;-/=_
    `-; \=_        ___
      ) ,"-... --./===--___
 ___|/       /   ]`
/;- - > >...-\  <\  `- < <,       7 /-.\,      `-        /(  ' _

I am glowing!

Today I really wish I had taken my tripod and videoed the workout. He did amazingly well. He really was fantastic.

We exercised a full hour non-stop and he did so well. He only had one little temper tantrum which I saw building up and once the main coil was released he did perfectly well the remainder of the time.

What we did was warm up 10 minutes to the left, 10 minutes to the right, both at a hot walk and short bursts of trotting, then working out at easy trot 15 minutes to the left, 15 minutes to the right, then 5 minutes to the left at a long walk to cool down and 5 minutes to the right at a long walk.

He did so well, and I really wish I had videoed. I will do it soon. He is ready I think because he is very good at the voice commands walk, trot, easy, woah, and will come down to a walk from a trot with purely voice commands.

He is so smart, and is picking up everything so fantastically. He is truly an worthy "poster child" for rehabilitation and re-purposing of equines.

His one little "outburst" came during the warm up and the other horses loose in the pasture surrounding the round pen we were working in were reacting to the commands I was giving him and it was a bit too much stimulus for him I believe. One time a sorrel tried to challenge him through the pen I got him stopped, and stepped to the fence which sent the sorrel loping off. Other than that, he only grew tired and needed to be prodded forward after about 12 minutes of trotting it got a bit more of a struggle to keep him moving forward, but he did with a little clicking, some voice command coaxing, and some arm movements. On occasion I used the soft lead rope out behind him underhandedly flicking it gently about 3-4 feet behind him when he still refused. I don't believe it ever touched him, but if it did it barely brushed on him and caused no pain or injury. Mostly a bit of clicking and reminder of the gate I wanted was all I needed.

Did I say I was proud of him. I must add that this was totally at liberty. I walked him on a lead one time in each direction, then took the halter off and did everything using hand/arm signals, body language, voice commands, and sounds.

I am so extremely proud of him! I can't say it enough!

I'm not even going to post the video of when he was in the arena cause he did so much better this time. I just need to make a new video.

Today was simply amazing!

I may not get to go back out there tomorrow, because I need to work on finding some of my equipment in my storage unit. Once I do find it though, I will be going out there daily and keeping up the conditioning training, because he's doing so well.

His feed has been bumped up to grain being a scoop and a half a day and hay. We will keep this up at least another week, when we will possibly bump it up to 2 scoops. More exercise makes the need for more food.

It is time, I think, to begin training him to drive. This will prep him to be ridden soon. His development is coming along. There isn't any physical change yet. I will take pictures in one month to compare.

The swelling on his leg isn't changing yet. I have tried cold water. Next I will try ice on it to see if that helps when I have some time to stay out there with him long enough to really test it. The guy who operates the facility got in and felt it too and said he thought maybe he knocked it getting in or out of the trailer, and since it isn't hurting him now it is just going to take some time to go down. It's pretty close to the right point where a knock would create an "injury" so I think he could be right, but if it was that it has been a couple weeks and it should be down by now.

Well anyway, let me just say I am very proud, very excited, and looking forward to the next training session.

Until then -
Happy Tails!
Lucy Roberts

   [--;-/=_
     `-; \=_        ___
       ) ,"-... --./===--___
  ___|/       /   ]`
 /;- - > >...-\  <\
 `- < <,       7 /-.\,
     `-        /(  ' _