Boggle- USA bound!

[ROMANY 1959]

Of all the horses I’ve had in over 45 years. The one that was never every lame or sick was the Irish draught X gypsy vaneer, the TB x ISH was next to was rarely sick or sore, The Tb was always seeing vet and the ex polo pony, played Polocrosse with my sone for 6 years, never a day lame, and is still going strong in veteran classes .
The one who gave us most issues was the TB. Pretty gelding, but even using a fly mask would give him a rub sore, withers like a mountain peak, could never get rug which never rubbed,,
Give my a gypsy cob cross any day. They go on for ever.

 

[Auslander]

is it terrible that it really amuses me to call to Bog through the camera and then watch him go into his run and stall to look for me

It’s also very cute. The other horses don’t even lift their heads when they hear me through the camera but Bog immediately goes on a hunt. Really has become a mummy’s boy!

I did the same with Alf, regularly!
Got busted by one of my liveries..

 

[Pinkvboots]

Well, I was worried the vet would come Friday and we wouldn’t find anything as he just didn’t look like a horse with sore feet. Just bought them in- Dusty is obviously lame on a fore at the trot!!!!! Unbelievable. He’s not taken an obvious lame step like that in the nearly four months I’ve had him- ever. He’s got an over reach boot rub which could be about to blow up, having had that happen once with a TB before where I thought a leg was broken when it happened, so I’ll go get some medicated wash and see what happens with that.

I am super busy with work this week and just not in a position to be overly worried about horses, vet can’t work him up until Friday so he will need to wait until then.

Horses, honestly, why do we bother. Helo is more than twice the age of Bog and Dusty and trots everywhere looking sound as a pound if a little creaky.

Arabi looked so lame the 2 times his over reach boot rubbed hopefully it's just that.

 

[Michen]

I did the same with Alf, regularly!
Got busted by one of my liveries..
View attachment 139824

So glad it’s not just me!!!

 

[Michen]

Looks fine today I’ve written Dusty off in my mind anyway, sad as it is. We will see. He’s good here for now keeping Bog company and having lots of love regardless. I don’t have the inclination to buy anything for myself at the moment, keeping an eye on the Connemara sales but for a good one I’d need 25k minimum including shipping and frankly it’s throwing that money down the drain when you buy a horse, and I’m not about to do that with that kind of money. If I even had it lying around! Maybe I’ll get a restarted TB or an Arab cross or something next year who knows.

At the moment I feel like when summer is over and assuming Boggle is PTS, I’ll be wintering in California and forgetting horses exist for a bit

 

[splashgirl45]

Poor Dusty being written off , he might not have anything bad wrong , hope he doesn’t as he is such a sweetie

 

[Michen]

Poor Dusty being written off , he might not have anything bad wrong , hope he doesn’t as he is such a sweetie

He might not but I’m assuming the worst because that’s what usually happens. If he’s ok, he can stick with me indefinitely. He’s actually becoming quite the character!

 

[Michen]

Just dropping in a Bog update, he had vet check and accupuncture today. He is actually now “sound” in front but vet agrees the ataxia is a little worse. We are just going to continue with steroids because they seem to be helping somewhat and I think best to keep him comfy rather than worry about laminitis risk.

But we both agree the neck is progressing, and just hope for a nice summer. As I expected really but I’m glad I have got him comfortable again. And I hope to be able to PTS whilst he’s like this, before winter. On our own terms. It would have been horrible to PTS when he was so angry and uncomfortable and that be the last memory.

 

[Caol Ila]

A very small part of me wishes I could have forgotten horses exist for a bit and traveled and done some other things. Naw....when it was theoretical, I thought I would take a break. When Gypsum started seriously looking like we were approaching 'one last summer' territory, I panic-bought a two-year old. Obviously. Don't be me. Or maybe do. I don't know.

I hope Dusty has some fixable issues. He seems like a cool dude.

 

[Cloball]

For some completely inexplicable reason I follow an 'endurance horses for sale' FB page in the US and there are always some nice cheap arabs for sale. Not that you want or need one.

 

[Michen]

Yeah, maybe. I can’t imagine not having horses in my life. If Dusty stays around that will feel ok, because in no way is he a replacement for Bog and he sort of fell into my lap.

I dunno, I feel like I’m on the edge of some big questions. Losing Bog will be losing a huge amount of my identity. He’s been my motivation, my reason for career growth and purpose. I never set out to have a career like this but I wanted to be able to afford it all and took risks and pushed to do it.

It’s funny how things go, the California thing has been in my mind a little and today our president plus two other seniors in my company out of no where told me I should go move to San Diego, it was like a practiced pitch! There’s a condo I could stay in to check it all out indefinitely.

I suppose I blame Colorado in some ways for everything that’s happened, and I’m not sure how I’ll feel about being here without my Bogster. I have this freedom and maybe I should utilize it.

Anyway, excuse my personal ramblings! It just feels like losing Bog isn’t just losing Bog but a whole lot of stability with him. And whilst I’m coming to terms with it, I feel so achingly sad for everything that should or could have been with him and this American adventure. I’ve paid the ultimate price of the thing most precious to me.

I guess the only thing I am sure of is that I want to be in the USA, so that’s one good thing to know.

 

[YourValentine]

Absolutely get how you feel, the indecision about what to do. After loosing a much loved horse I had a break from owning (slightly career enforced) and umm'ed and ahh'ed over getting another. On the good days I don't regret it, on the bad days I seriously question my life choices

Horses are such a big part of our lives, but they are also an anchor that to an extent limits what you feel you can/can't do.

Loosing Bog will leave a massive, unfillable hole. There is no harm in taking a break from horses, and going to explore San Diego or where ever and in 6/12/18months time deciding you have done exploring and it's time for horses again. And you can keep casually riding in that time and who knows you might end up back in Colorado. The connections you have made there will still be there.

But equally there is no harm in just continuing on with Dusty or another, who is hopefully slightly less stress, so you can enjoy weekends away exploring.

(not sure if it's a common cross there but QH x Arab can be a great cross if you get the good bits of each )

 

[misst]

Any massive life change is difficult even when it is a positive choice. Losing a beloved part of your life when you aren't emotionally ready and being almost forced into something else is even harder of course. One day at a time for now M and enjoy the bits that you can. xxx hugs

 

[Michen]

Yep you are both very right! I did a dive trip before I moved here and when I look back at the person I was on that boat I feel so sad. I was on the cusp of this amazing adventure, totally confident with who I was and what I wanted, Bog and I were having a ball eventing and life just felt incredibly exciting and care free. I never really questioned moving here, I remember getting the email from HR saying I had an interview whilst I was at the yard and I knew then it would happen.

I want to be that person again, not someone who cries at least once a day over their horse or who imagines horrible things happening all the time. The two things I am most passionate about have this awful sadness associated with them, shark attacks and horse heart ache. Moving here has been the best thing that’s ever happened to me and the worst .

And I am really very lucky to be here and to even have a visa that allows me to live wherever I want (lots of USA visas do not and you are tied to a state), a company that is so flexible and the freedom that gives.

As for a QH/Arab I would love that cross! My vet and I were talking about it yesterday. But again- what do I want in owning a horse? Eventing was my motivation before and competing, training. Then it became Bog because I just love him so dearly and didn’t care as long as he was around. Do I want to be spending thousands a month on a horse just to hack around? Maybe, maybe not.

Haha, maybe I’ll be posting in a year and I’ll be a yoga instructor or something .

 

[misst]

M you will definitely be something and however sad you feel now, with good cause, life will be good again. The new phase will be fine whatever it is. It's hard to imagine anything different when you don't want to lose what you have. But it will be fine. You will be successful and happy. Take from people who've been there xxx

 

[Michen]

M you will definitely be something and however sad you feel now, with good cause, life will be good again. The new phase will be fine whatever it is. It's hard to imagine anything different when you don't want to lose what you have. But it will be fine. You will be successful and happy. Take from people who've been there xxx

I hope you are right. Thank you! Is there a rewind button to go back to my twenties where I didn’t even contemplate such things. Ha.

Right now this makes me very happy!

 

[Trouper]

Ah @Michen - I'm afraid it's called life and it doesn't play fair. You have had some mega challenging things thrown at you in the space of such a small time and it all takes its toll. The past always seems so safe and secure because we know what happens and how we coped with it but the future carries all that uncertainty which is so draining when you are grappling with difficult situations and decisons.

Maybe time to just float for a bit and let the situation just unfold how it will without trying to "manage" it too much.

 

[Michen]

Dusty got worked up. Footsore for sure, we blocked one and it didn’t make much of a difference so it’s reasonably minor. Flexions had no response in front, response behind but no surprise there. He’s pretty responsive to hoof testers. X rays showed as expected thin soles, the HPA wasn’t too bad but room for improvement. Slight remodeling of coffin joint.

Trying some frog support pads and shoeing to the angles to see if that helps, if not I expect coffin joint injections if the rescue wants to go that far.

 

[Apercrumbie]

He wouldn't be the first tb to suffer from thin soles. I bet the issue could resolve itself in a few more months once he's had more TLC from you. That feels like quite a reassuring vet visit in many ways, how do you feel?

 

[BMA2]

And his feet must have been really neglected in the past too?

 

[Michen]

He wouldn't be the first tb to suffer from thin soles. I bet the issue could resolve itself in a few more months once he's had more TLC from you. That feels like quite a reassuring vet visit in many ways, how do you feel?

I think the coffin joint thing is not ideal for long term soundness, but it may not even be a “thing”. I’ll be interested to see if shoeing to angles etc helps.

Happy to persevere with him because I don’t want to buy another horse currently anyway, it’s summer, maybe he will be rideable in a few weeks maybe not, so just kind of taking it as it comes!

I expected him to be more lame when we blocked one.

 

[Michen]

And his feet must have been really neglected in the past too?

They were horrific when he got dumped at the rescue. And he was very lame.

 

[BMA2]

I would take this as a positive

 

[Michen]

It’s definitely not as bad as I thought it would be. I also feel relieved as it’s my friend who worked him up (she doesn’t look after boggle because we don’t want to mix friendship with vet stuff). But I asked her if she’d be willing to PTS bog when the time comes and she was happy too.

I feel a lot better about that.

Bog running his barn with glee today! Digging through all the hay bales is his favourite thing.

 

[Petalpoos]

Digging through all the hay bales is his favourite thing.

He's looking for his piggy friend

BTW - I loved San Diego. I worked in the States a lot in the past and San Diego was always my favourite city, with the beaches (La Jolla! Coronado!) and the hills and the laid back lifestyle.

 

[Michen]

He's looking for his piggy friend

BTW - I loved San Diego. I worked in the States a lot in the past and San Diego was always my favourite city, with the beaches (La Jolla! Coronado!) and the hills and the laid back lifestyle.

Oh awesome! I’ve only flown in briefly for work. The beauty is I can just go there for a few months over winter if I want. Or Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Washington, New Mexico lol. It’s cool to have options.

 

[Michen]

He's looking for his piggy friend

BTW - I loved San Diego. I worked in the States a lot in the past and San Diego was always my favourite city, with the beaches (La Jolla! Coronado!) and the hills and the laid back lifestyle.

Oh awesome! I’ve only flown in briefly for work. The beauty is I can just go there for a few months over winter if I want. Or Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Washington, New Mexico lol. It’s cool to have options.

 

[YourValentine]

Dusty got worked up. Footsore for sure, we blocked one and it didn’t make much of a difference so it’s reasonably minor. Flexions had no response in front, response behind but no surprise there. He’s pretty responsive to hoof testers. X rays showed as expected thin soles, the HPA wasn’t too bad but room for improvement. Slight remodeling of coffin joint.

Trying some frog support pads and shoeing to the angles to see if that helps, if not I expect coffin joint injections if the rescue wants to go that far.

That is positive! Nothing majorly catastrophic, and if he is very flat footed and recovering from very bad feet shoes and pads might just be what he needs.

Are you just shoeing in front?

 

[Michen]

That is positive! Nothing majorly catastrophic, and if he is very flat footed and recovering from very bad feet shoes and pads might just be what he needs.

Are you just shoeing in front?

Yes just in front. I really don’t like shoes in general on the roads here they are so slippery. Plus he can be quite exuberant with his back end and I don’t want helo getting near that with shoes!!

 

[YourValentine]

Yes just in front. I really don’t like shoes in general on the roads here they are so slippery. Plus he can be quite exuberant with his back end and I don’t want helo getting near that with shoes!!

Can you get road nails there? They might help with grip.

In Aus I bought a box of my own and just gave some to the farrier every time he shod as he didn't have them otherwise.