Holy Cow!
One of those minor set backs, but very telling.
Since Lutine was looking so sound and happy, I decided to start trying to walk her out on the lanes for 10 minutes a day, without boots, as the smooth tarmac is a good surface for building strong hooves.
Luckily my husband came with me the first time we tried to walk past the neighbouring farm. Lutine doesn't 'do' cows! Ho my Lordy! Anyone would think they were horse-eating space monsters. She was dancing about, she leapt over a ditch at one point and, even worse, I found out that Lutine likes to come over the top of the puny people leading her when she gets worried about something - a bit like when Scooby Doo dives into Shaggy's arms... but with a 16.3hh (167cm) horse, it's not funny! So, I quickly realised some schooling effort had to go into Lutine before we recommenced the handwalking.
However, all the blasting about and silliness on the tarmac had left its mark. It must have reignited some inflammation and Lutine started head bobbing slightly in trot again out in the field. :-/ This head bobbing lasted about 5 days and then gradually disappeared until after about 8 days, she was no longer doing it. I was glad it hadn't lasted longer than 8 days. Hopefully, as she gets stronger and sounder, these episodes will require more strain before it has an effect and will heal more quickly until she's about the same as the other horses.
When I think about it, the things that frighten her vs the things she's sanguine about are a rather poignant reflection of her life so far. She absolutely does not mind: travelling in a trailer (she's seen a lot of vet hospitals in her life), having injections, having the vet examine her, being stabled, eating medication, having her feet looked at. She FREAKS about common-or-garden items around the countryside such as cows, bits of farm equipment, little yappy dogs, flappy washing lines. My other horses are pretty much the opposite in terms of what they're used to.
A friend and I rode out with two of my other horses plus Lutine on the lead rein the other day though, and she was much better with the cows so long as she could 'hide' in between the other horses.
Since Lutine was looking so sound and happy, I decided to start trying to walk her out on the lanes for 10 minutes a day, without boots, as the smooth tarmac is a good surface for building strong hooves.
Luckily my husband came with me the first time we tried to walk past the neighbouring farm. Lutine doesn't 'do' cows! Ho my Lordy! Anyone would think they were horse-eating space monsters. She was dancing about, she leapt over a ditch at one point and, even worse, I found out that Lutine likes to come over the top of the puny people leading her when she gets worried about something - a bit like when Scooby Doo dives into Shaggy's arms... but with a 16.3hh (167cm) horse, it's not funny! So, I quickly realised some schooling effort had to go into Lutine before we recommenced the handwalking.
However, all the blasting about and silliness on the tarmac had left its mark. It must have reignited some inflammation and Lutine started head bobbing slightly in trot again out in the field. :-/ This head bobbing lasted about 5 days and then gradually disappeared until after about 8 days, she was no longer doing it. I was glad it hadn't lasted longer than 8 days. Hopefully, as she gets stronger and sounder, these episodes will require more strain before it has an effect and will heal more quickly until she's about the same as the other horses.
When I think about it, the things that frighten her vs the things she's sanguine about are a rather poignant reflection of her life so far. She absolutely does not mind: travelling in a trailer (she's seen a lot of vet hospitals in her life), having injections, having the vet examine her, being stabled, eating medication, having her feet looked at. She FREAKS about common-or-garden items around the countryside such as cows, bits of farm equipment, little yappy dogs, flappy washing lines. My other horses are pretty much the opposite in terms of what they're used to.
A friend and I rode out with two of my other horses plus Lutine on the lead rein the other day though, and she was much better with the cows so long as she could 'hide' in between the other horses.
posted by Lulu's friend at
4:45 PM
2 Comments:
Bless her, it doesn't sound she saw much of the big wide world in her previous life...
Good news that she doesn't mind the cows so much when in company.. it gives you a bit more of a chance at least.
Hi Jane, it was funny in a way. The cows were totally bored by her and yet she was leaping about and being crazy. I got to see some of the anglo arab-chestnut-mare side of things! :D
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