Boggle- USA bound!

[Michen]

Some would’ve said buying a youngster unseen from Ireland many years ago was a crazy decision and look how that worked out

Twice!

 

[Michen]

I was trying to find some more photos where the seller isn’t in them. Not great but here’s a few.

He looks very like a Lusitano stallion I used to get regularly bucked off when I worked in Portugal

 

[mini-eventer]

I'm really surprised that you guys aren't all going WTF are you thinking buying this project it's the last thing you need?

I was not expecting you to all think this is remotely a good idea though I'm sure there are some people who do think the above

To be fair i think a fair few of us are all f**ing nuts. I bought my last one a 17hh freshly backed 4yr old. Was looking for a 7yr old overgrown Connie.

Plus I had an arm in plaster when I tried him


Actually you seam quite sensible and pragmatic to me. Good luck I hope he passes x x

 

[Michen]

To be fair i think a fair few of us are all f**ing nuts. I bought my last one a 17hh freshly backed 4yr old. Was looking for a 7yr old overgrown Connie.

Plus I had an arm in plaster when I tried him


Actually you seam quite sensible and pragmatic to me. Good luck I hope he passes x x

And did he work out haha??

Thank you!!

 

[EventingMum]

I'm delighted for Jack's sake that he's potentially getting someone who will understand him and take their time to gain his confidence. Fingers crossed for the vetting, I do think you are being wise re the back x-rays, hopefully there's nothing sinister and anything is just down to badly fitting tack. I'm appalled a "trainer" is prepared to knowingly rush a youngster and do so in badly fitting tack - but there again years of experience should have taught me that some people are beyond my comprehension!

 

[Michen]

I think the trainer was under pressure and honestly she seemed really upset by it all. Now I know why it was hard getting videos, or even viewing him. He hadn’t been sat on for two weeks when I got there. I think, like the moment I had with Bear when he stood trembling in the round pen for no (visible) reason and I realised how worried he truly was, she had probably not quite seen how much he was unraveling. Until he’s stood at the mounting block looking so, so worried.

I don’t really know if he’s done something disgusting recently and it all came to a head, I feel like I got an honest answer to that when I asked but maybe I didn’t. It’s probably best I don’t know tbh.

If he passes the vetting I’ll give it my very best go and the first thing he will get when he arrives is a course of omeprazole. When I talk through the timing with them it seems the first time he went to an in hand show a few months ago (and it was a stay away show and he screamed the entire time) was when things began to unravel. He’s been to another since- recently where he was apparently more chilled. I’d be amazed if he doesn’t have ulcers.

 

[teapot]

Sounds like you did the best thing by only knowing so much and getting on what is clearly a very blank canvas (albeit whatever's gone on the past) to make a judgement.

Sounds like there's a lot of potential there, fingers crossed for vetting!

 

[Michen]

Thank you! I’m really hoping he passes now whereas yesterday I was a bit meh.

If it all pans out I’ll absolutely crawl along with him, for both our sakes I’ll need to make sure I never push too much to cause a set back. Certainly no riding until spring.

I hope I can help him and he passes the vet!

 

[splashgirl45]

 

[redmarius]

I’m not sure if I’m logged into my original account (sasquatch) but I used to post regularly and remember you and Basil, Michen.

I’ve spent the last day sat in a hostel in Rotterdam waiting on my apartment to be ready to move in too, and reading the last 115 pages of the thread. I’m so inspired by everything you’ve done for Boggle. You are such a good writer, and thank you for sharing your ups and downs with us on this emotional rollercoaster.

I lost my old boy in June this year. He’d been starting to struggle for a while and was obviously very stiff but still getting around and causing havoc and very bright. In the end, it was a loss of his grazing that made me call time as I knew it wouldn’t be fair to rehome an older horse with fairly serious soundness issues. On the day, he looked fabulous. Wonderful condition and still as bright as ever, but I knew it was the right thing for him as the last move had seen him deteriorate. It’s very hard when they’re still very bright and themselves, and it will make you question yourself but a day too soon is always better than a day too late, and I had to remind myself if I’d moved him and gotten a call in the middle of winter to say he was in a state I would have felt awful knowing I could have let him go earlier. I think we as humans know, sometimes the horse tells us, sometimes circumstances tell us and we just have to make sure we don’t ignore them.

I have my fingers crossed for Jack! He looks like he could do with a xanax and a person he can feel confident in. Fingers crossed for the vetting!

(And if he fails, I know of a mare who’d love hacking in Colorado, has tantrums and a bit of flare - but probably wouldn’t pass a vet!) (I’m also joking… or am I?)

 

[mini-eventer]

And did he work out haha??

Thank you!!

Yes! I still have him10yrs later

 

[Michen]

I’m not sure if I’m logged into my original account (sasquatch) but I used to post regularly and remember you and Basil, Michen.

I’ve spent the last day sat in a hostel in Rotterdam waiting on my apartment to be ready to move in too, and reading the last 115 pages of the thread. I’m so inspired by everything you’ve done for Boggle. You are such a good writer, and thank you for sharing your ups and downs with us on this emotional rollercoaster.

I lost my old boy in June this year. He’d been starting to struggle for a while and was obviously very stiff but still getting around and causing havoc and very bright. In the end, it was a loss of his grazing that made me call time as I knew it wouldn’t be fair to rehome an older horse with fairly serious soundness issues. On the day, he looked fabulous. Wonderful condition and still as bright as ever, but I knew it was the right thing for him as the last move had seen him deteriorate. It’s very hard when they’re still very bright and themselves, and it will make you question yourself but a day too soon is always better than a day too late, and I had to remind myself if I’d moved him and gotten a call in the middle of winter to say he was in a state I would have felt awful knowing I could have let him go earlier. I think we as humans know, sometimes the horse tells us, sometimes circumstances tell us and we just have to make sure we don’t ignore them.

I have my fingers crossed for Jack! He looks like he could do with a xanax and a person he can feel confident in. Fingers crossed for the vetting!

(And if he fails, I know of a mare who’d love hacking in Colorado, has tantrums and a bit of flare - but probably wouldn’t pass a vet!) (I’m also joking… or am I?)

Thank you very much! I’m just taking it day by day with Boggle at the moment.

Basil is all over my tack room at the barn, and in the USA in general with photos. 8 years on I’ve never forgotten him and it was so awful to lose him to that broken leg, but he sent me Bog so I guess it all works out in the end.

I hope your move went ok!!

 

[Cloball]

As @Ahrena said when she saw the videos fair for getting on that

I only did it because I thought well if I can’t get on him here then I might as well go because I’ll definitely be too scared to do much at home.

And once I was up there even when he was napping I liked the feel of his shape and size and neck a lot!

To be fair although not at all the same I did try my mare in high winds and horizontal rain next to a busy train line without a test rider something to be said for seeing how they cope.

 

[Clodagh]

He’s got a lovely neck and shoulder. Plenty to land on in a crisis!

 

[Michen]

He’s got a lovely neck and shoulder. Plenty to land on in a crisis!

Exactly what I thought when I was on him! He’s not got as much bone as Boggle but I felt like I was really sat IN him which I love.

 

[Red-1]

I actually think he's really good looking, especially as he's not yet muscled up for work.

Good luck!

 

[druid]

He looks lovely, hope the vetting goes well.

 

[Michen]

Thank you! I really hope so too. I felt a little sad leaving Canada like I just want to go scoop him up and give him tons of love.

But, sensible head on, a project is fine but he has to be sound.

The back x rays will be tricky as my UK vet said 3/4 of horses will have “something” there and if he does it’ll most likely have to be a no, as it could be the cause of his reactiveness. So it feels like he has a 75% chance of failing the vet somehow.

We will see.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Yup lol.

I mean guys this is a big project. And there could well be something physical that maybe a vetting won’t find. His canter, loose, was fast and flat and he’d much prefer to do a big trot instead.

He freaked when I leant over quietly and patted him. Didn’t do it again, but we are talking reactive. I spent ages getting him not worried and quite literally treating him like he had never been got on before. When I did get on, he napped at the exit. Half hearted, didn’t escalate it, but did it several times.

He has NO clue about anything. I might as well be buying something that’s never been broken in. In fact, he may be worse, because he has been broken in but has gone backwards.

I’m questioning why I’m not running away screaming from him.

They just agreed to accept half the asking price, I’m going to vet him plus X ray his back to rule out anything sinister.

Worse case including shipping he’s an expensive project in UK money but not for American money

My friend had an Arab which was a similar situation he had been with a show producer at 4 still entire, producer pushed him too quickly and the horse literally said no I've had enough and he was un rideable, producer told the owner he was useless and to get rid of him she didn't have the knowledge or inclination to keep hold of him.

So she offered him to my friend so she had him cut and just left him for 6 months, then very slowly just did groundwork and eventually she re backed him, he wasn't the easiest horse it took a long time but he went on to be a top ridden show horse and he won in hand as well, not many horses can do both he was an absolutely beautiful Arab and an amazing horse to ride, my friend had him all his life until he was pts 2 years ago at 21.

 

[druid]

Maybe send the rads to your UK vet for an opinion if anything comes up as you trust his opinion? Not at all saying Canadian vet isn't top notch but having someone who knows you, the stuation etc may be a good idea.

There's a fair amount I would forgive on back rads unless active remodelling is shown up

 

[Pinkvboots]

Just seen a nice Bay Anglo Arab gelding on Arabian lines his 3

 

[Michen]

Maybe send the rads to your UK vet for an opinion if anything comes up as you trust his opinion? Not at all saying Canadian vet isn't top notch but having someone who knows you, the stuation etc may be a good idea.

There's a fair amount I would forgive on back rads unless active remodelling is shown up

Exactly my plan!

 

[Goldenstar]

Have you a side on still with no saddle on ?

 

[Michen]

Have you a side on still with no saddle on ?

As in at rest? Yeh this is him.

I think I’m ok using the photos as seller must have bought them and they were on advert, hopefully I’m not doing anything wrong anyway!

 

[Goldenstar]

He is nice , I think he’s likely to have some soft tissue back pain based on the picture of you on him.
Of course that’s something easily fixed but the back X-ray is a good call .

 

[Michen]

He is nice , I think he’s likely to have some soft tissue back pain based on the picture of you on him.
Of course that’s something easily fixed but the back X-ray is a good call .

I think so too he was very tight through his back on the lunge and the saddle was not good. It’s possible his usual rider uses her own saddle but either way I highly doubt he has had his own individual one fitted.

 

[Michen]

He’s a lot lighter weight than he looks in the photos. He’s quite a floaty little thing.

 

[Goldenstar]

Fingers crossed for Thursday it’s going to be a long five days .

 

[Pinkvboots]

His really nice he does have an iberian look about him, the saddle looked terrible on him it looked like a really old and what I call pancake saddle

 

[Michen]

Which is funny cos I’ve been busy telling @CanteringCarrot and @Caol Ila I don’t want anything Iberian. But I did ride lots of them in Portugal when working on a stud farm so I’m not saying that having never sat on one! They are fabulous horses but I think I like them a little lighter.