Blaze is home - and we might have solved the box walking problem...

[madhector]

Picked Blaze up from the AHT finally, he is ok, bit stressed by the whole thing but not too bad. He aparently didnt recover from the GA very well and now has a big knee to add to his other ailments

Spoke to them about cross tying him and they werent keen as they want him to move about a bit, just not in repetive circles. So I came up with plan B.. tying some water bottles from the ceiling to break up his circle. I thought the bottles might freak him out so wasnt holding out much hope, but it seems they may work for a different reason....


...Blaze just likes standing in them! Not in the least bit bothered about them banging him on the head, but very content to go to sleep with them resting on either side of his face

My horse is a little special....he does like to stand resting his legs in his water bucket so suppose I should have guess he would love his bottles!

 

[SpottedCat]

How cute is that?! I am pleased you have found a solution, even if it is a tad unorthodox!!

 

[Cliqmo]

Aww what a handsome boy, if a little quirky

Any news on the cause of the problems yet?

 

[zefragile]

Hahaha bless!

That's a really novel idea!

 

[katie_and_toto]

Hehe

Aww bless him

 

[AutumnRose]

Haha well what ever works!!!! Bless him....

 

[madhector]

Not really, we can only guess I suppose. Think he has had them there since before I had him as he has always worked the same, going choppy which we put down to tension but as his work load increased he got worse and then went lame. He has an old scar on his near fore quite close to the coronett so that might be something, or could be coincidence!

 

[ladybones]

Oh gosh! i nearly fell off my seat laughing looking at that picture! I hope he recovers well,

 

[MillionDollar]

Naw, that is so cute.................and a little, well quite a lot, funny

Just read your posts, so sorry about him, but heres to a speedy recovery!

 

[kerilli]

special needs horse, definitely, i think he needs some wind chimes too! maybe he likes the massaging effect, i'd hang a few pillows up too, he might want to rest his head on something soft!

 

[madhector]

Bet he'd love some wind chimes!!

 

[TarrSteps]

Actually, not that unusual. I put a filled bag hung from the ceiling for a weaver - originally for the same purpose of putting something in his way - and he used to sleep with it draped over his neck. Since that one I've been keeping track of similar habits in weavers and box walkers . . . I've collected two that stand with tie ropes over their necks, one that "hugs" its haynet, one that rests against a bottle with rocks hung for it to play with, and one that - disgustingly as it gets all sticky - puts its "Lick-it" over it's neck. I've also thought of a few retroactively that did similar things, I just never made the connection.

I actually have a theory about why it works, based partly on the work of Temple Grandin (very interesting for the scientifically minded amongst you) but I don't think anyone wants to be put to sleep this early in the evening.

But I'd definitely hang things for similar horses again. In fact I mentioned it on one of your threads.

 

[Chloe_GHE]

maybe there's some comforting affect similar to that of nuzzeling for milk and being under the bellies and between the legs of their mothers which water bottles replicate?....

he looks like a real little character

 

[daisycrazy]

Bless him. We had a special needs horse who had one of those little cuddly toys from Tesco (a unicorn) tied from the ceiling in his stable and he loved nothing better than going to sleep with it against his face or on the top of his head!

 

[kerilli]

TarrSteps, Temple Grandin is fascinating, i read a long article about her work designing u.s. slaughterhouses for cattle, how she made them much less traumatic, with comforting narrowing corridors, walking into water, etc etc iirc.

 

[TarrSteps]

Thanks, K. I feel less like a geek now.

It really is fascinating reading and a real insight into a different perspective.

 

[MistletoeMegan]

[ QUOTE ]
TarrSteps, Temple Grandin is fascinating,

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto this, I came across her whilst working for a company that owned/ran homes for autistic young adults and she sounds fascinating, although I only know a teeny bit about her work.

Go on, TarrSteps, reveal more

 

[madhector]

It was you that made me think to try it in the first place. Think he will still circle a bit but hopefully not as much and he certainly seems very happy!

 

[dieseldog]

I'm glad you solved his problem.

Now - think up a suitable Natural Horsemanship type name - Botrelli? And get out there marketing them - you could have a nice little earner

 

[madhector]

LMAO! Good plan, could do with the cash!

 

[MegaBeast]

Brilliant!! He looks so content

 

[Booboos]

Blaze is very cute, so glad he looks so chilled!!

Oh go on TarrSteps, tell us!!!

 

[Ferdinase514]

PMSL! That is hilarimouse!!

 

[Rafferoo]

So glad you have him home - he is certainly quite special though!! I think the botrelli idea is a winner - you could be a millionaire with the right marketing plan!

Ditto the comments about temple grandin - there was a fantastic documentary about her on a couple of years ago. Her squeeze machine and work with livestock is very interesting.

 

[Mike007]

Brilliant, I love the idea.
Get well soon blaze.

 

[MysteryGirl]

So Botrelli will you use green plastic bottles when you market your idea? They have a certain je ne sais quoi about them which is rather attractive!

Get well soon Blaze xx

 

[teapot]

That's really cool

 

[wizoz]

Aww bless him, what a good boy

. He is looking SOOOO sexy MH, he's gone very chocolatey and it suits him, gorgeous boy