Boggle- USA bound!

[tyner]

You are doing your absolute best
Sending hugs

So many people out there care about you and Boggle and you've helped a lot of people with this thread.

 

[Laurac13]

Bog looks very happy and the new place looks fab I think him being in between 2 chilled horses will do him the world of good in respect of the piggy fingers crossed

 

[Emilieu]

I’ve often felt rotten for you on this rollercoaster @Michen but being forced to give up CHEESE? That’s the last bloody straw.

 

[Cragrat]

Crikey Michen - no bacn and no cheese???? I suppose at least you have found out about your heart condition and can take whatever steps to mitigate it. You really are going through the mill

 

[Bradsmum]

Really hope all settles re the pig and giving him plenty of time to assess it will work as he looks very settled in your photos and sounds like he’s enjoying just being a horse and making friends. It certainly looks like he’s enjoying his new environment (bar the pig). My horse got some goat neighbours last year. He still does a great dragon impression snorting and prancing along the fence line when he first sees them but he soon loses interest. Just give him time.

 

[Michen]

I know the bacon and cheese thing is the worst news of the year honestly the news of a not great heart thing is just a minor blip compared to everything else.

Bog continues to settle much better. I fed the pig just inside his stable door and he stood at the back of his run doing the odd piercing snort but nothing drastic. He definitely seems more comfortable in that stable so i moved all his bedding over.

Went and rode Beau, really do love that horse. And his owner who’s just a wonderful person and support. Because we all as horsey people totally get it. My non horsey friends here I think are just shocked to see what a shadow of my usual self I am. And they don’t have to be horsey to know how much I love that horse. Hopefully this tearfulness will go away as Boggle continues to settle in.

He actually had his feet trimmed today and I was worried but he stood perfectly with no balance issues at all. Relaxed enough for it. And happy to hop around on three legs when he saw fit

Thanks for keeping me going guys, again. I hope you’ve all had a great weekend with your ponies.

 

[gallopingby]

Hope things continue to improve for you both Michen, the cheese and bacon thing is bad - I have had to give up cheese, bacon and butter. Occasionally sneak in a toastie with salad (spray stuff rather than butter) but the memory of toast with butter and jam

 

[Trouper]

Reflecting on all the things which have happened to Bog in the last year or so, it seems as if he is maturing gradually from the experiences - from the Jack The Lad approach to life to the realisation that other horses can be a comfort and support when illness and stress happen and you are feeling not so chipper.

I have always assumed that the horse/pig thing was yet another evolutionary hangover when wild boar would be capable of taking a horse out at the knees with no trouble - but that may just be fanciful??

Michen - it seems as if Bog has faced quite a few tests physically in the last days and has coped extremely well with them. Nerves do take a lot of time to heal and can make the most amazing recovery so, on the basis of what you are telling us about Bog now, I would feel pretty confident about his future - even if it is not quite the full one you had hoped to have with him.

The despair will fade when you are not so exhausted so time to look after yourself now please.

 

[ycbm]

I have always assumed that the horse/pig thing was yet another evolutionary hangover when wild boar would be capable of taking a horse out at the knees with no trouble - but that may just be fanciful??

I think this is exactly right except that I believe horses were originally much smaller before man made them bigger to make them more useful, so boars were definitely a predator for a horse to be afraid of.

 

[SEL]

I know the bacon and cheese thing is the worst news of the year honestly the news of a not great heart thing is just a minor blip compared to everything else.

Bog continues to settle much better. I fed the pig just inside his stable door and he stood at the back of his run doing the odd piercing snort but nothing drastic. He definitely seems more comfortable in that stable so i moved all his bedding over.

Went and rode Beau, really do love that horse. And his owner who’s just a wonderful person and support. Because we all as horsey people totally get it. My non horsey friends here I think are just shocked to see what a shadow of my usual self I am. And they don’t have to be horsey to know how much I love that horse. Hopefully this tearfulness will go away as Boggle continues to settle in.

He actually had his feet trimmed today and I was worried but he stood perfectly with no balance issues at all. Relaxed enough for it. And happy to hop around on three legs when he saw fit

Thanks for keeping me going guys, again. I hope you’ve all had a great weekend with your ponies.

We totally get the horsey stress.....

But giving up bacon is a whole new level of stress!!

 

[humblepie]

Just had a catch up. The new barn looks lovely with the little yard outside the stable. All the best for you both.

 

[Nicnac]

Bugger for you - the pig's safe then! Although you say nothing about crackling and roasts......

Pleased to read Boggle can do standing on 3 legs and still dance. Knowing what I've gleaned from you of Bog, him and the bloody pig will be best of friends by Christmas and Bog will stamp his feet if pig is out of sight.

 

[Michen]

Well I’ll be damned. Sudden, subtle improvement in Bog. His tail is now straight and I didn’t see that leg buckle whatsoever at walk, not once. A week ago I’d notice it a few times in ten minutes.

Life is good in Bogland today, he’s back to bossing around the other horses so clearly feeling better

 

[ycbm]

The bogstrut is back!
.

 

[Michen]

The bogstrut is back!
.

Unfortunately that’s a neuro sign apparently but I’m not sure how they tell the difference!

 

[tda]

Go on holiday, he WILL be ok x

 

[ycbm]

Unfortunately that’s a neuro sign apparently but I’m not sure how they tell the difference!

That doesn't look neuro to me, it looks all Bog!

 

[brighteyes]

Unfortunately that’s a neuro sign apparently but I’m not sure how they tell the difference!

That’s strange because a friend’s Grand Prix/speed horse walked EXACTLY like that!

 

[BallyJ]

Well I’ll be damned. Sudden, subtle improvement in Bog. His tail is now straight and I didn’t see that leg buckle whatsoever at walk, not once. A week ago I’d notice it a few times in ten minutes.

Life is good in Bogland today, he’s back to bossing around the other horses so clearly feeling better

He looks like he's on a mission!

 

[Michen]

That’s strange because a friend’s Grand Prix/speed horse walked EXACTLY like that!

Haha to be fair he DOES walk like that normally when he’s fired up or on a Bog mission so it is very hard to tell if it’s Boggle strut or normal.

But I can see the exaggerated walk too when he’s not fired up so I know he’s still not normal, if that makes sense.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I know a mare that's been walking like that for years. She's 26 and still ridden. It's just her boss walk.

She is a total boss and I think that's why she's so fit and keen to be worked still.

She's not so great with other horses. She is bay, so she might be a relative of Bog's. Seems legit


So glad he's improving!

 

[Michen]

Yeah I mean this was him pre neuro stuff! But he only walks like that when he’s up to something. When you pull him out the stable now you can defo see a more floaty “better” walk than was there before

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Hey, people will pay mega cash for a borderline or straight up neuro horse if it has nice movement!

...but that's a whole 'nother discussion.

 

[brighteyes]

You’re clearly showing signs of the unrelenting pressure and justifiable worry. This thread is a masterclass in how much positivity, support and balance can not only be willingly given but repeated as necessary and with each situational challenge.

So much brilliant and well-considered advice, suggestions and humour. I think anyone reading it could apply most of it to crap that crops up in their own lives.

You ARE going to blame yourself, but who knows what might have happened if you’d left him and how damaged you’d be (probably significantly less than at present, though some of that IS self-inflicted ) had you done so. Time to put that extra stick to beat yourself up with down now. Loads of people take their horses half way round the world just to compete, then fetch them back. So let’s hear no more about it.

With horses, you can never say never. Vets can’t always predict outcomes and have to be guarded. Everything I see is pointing to progress and repair. The pig is maybe an added complication and test but he’s not alone - except in his horrification of it. And so far he’s winning.

Don’t underestimate his ability to pick up on your demeanour and emotional exhaustion. I’ve known that to make a big difference to a horse’s behaviour and calmness.

I’d say all the signs are looking great and he’s in new surroundings. Whilst getting accustomed to new top/geography, most horses will skid and slip to varying degrees - and that’s without the fleeing from demons element. I’d be more worried about the trees!

Nobody is tiring of the adventure, the hiccups along the way and coming up with suggestions and things to consider, so post away. You need to hear things from other standpoints You’re impossibly close and I think everyone has a good handle on pragmatics vs despair talking. Your worries aren’t trivial and I haven’t felt resistance to you ‘continuing’ as you are with him.

We are all cheering you on xx

 

[brighteyes]

Yeah I mean this was him pre neuro stuff! But he only walks like that when he’s up to something. When you pull him out the stable now you can defo see a more floaty “better” walk than was there before

Come to thing of it, our (very similar to your) bog pony walks exactly like that. Quick march and let’s be doing!

 

[brighteyes]

Yeah I mean this was him pre neuro stuff! But he only walks like that when he’s up to something. When you pull him out the stable now you can defo see a more floaty “better” walk than was there before

When isn’t he???

 

[gunnergundog]

1. If there is another life, can I come back as your pony please?
2. Do you have any slow motion videos of Bog walking to check hoof placement/arc of travel etc pre-neuro and then again post-neuro? Would also be interesting to compare hoof pictures pre and post as he has recently been trimmed. Not sure what this would tell me - probably bugger all, but if there are differences it may be interesting/worthwhile pointing out to your vets and getting their opinion as after all, the hoof is a proprioceptive organ.

 

[splashgirl45]

He looks amazing and happy so don’t beat yourself up, the barn looks fabulous and I love the little extra bit so he can wander around rather than be stuck in the stable. It would be nice if all stables had that option.. keeping fingers crossed that he carries on improving and you can have a proper break

 

[ycbm]

Yeah I mean this was him pre neuro stuff! But he only walks like that when he’s up to something. When you pull him out the stable now you can defo see a more floaty “better” walk than was there before

That’s strange because a friend’s Grand Prix/speed horse walked EXACTLY like that!

There are apparently a lot of GP dressage horses which are wobblers!
.

 

[Nicnac]

@ycbm The Bogstrut