AandK
Well-Known Member
My late gelding was another who threw some serious shapes in the field but never when I rode him! I'm not surprised you are smitten with him Michen, he sounds like such a character!
Boggle- USA bound!
- Thread starter Michen
- Start date
Michen
Well-Known Member
Thought you guys may be interested to see what we do for snow prep around here! Usually I’d have Bog barefoot but the snow does still ball up in their feet and I’m trying to avoid that. He’s been shod here in full snow poppers with borium (that splodge of metal at the heel) for traction. You can add more borium or even studs/nails but for now starting with that as I don’t want my grooms to have to fiddle with putting studs in and out.
Hopefully this will keep him as safe as possible up here this winter, if he continues to do ok.
Hopefully this will keep him as safe as possible up here this winter, if he continues to do ok.
Keith_Beef
Novice equestrian, accomplished equichetrian
I had to go googling for that... I didn't know that borium was another name for tungsten carbide.
teapot
Well-Known Member
Boggle snow shoes!
Michen
Well-Known Member
Yeh! Finally ready for winter. A barn full of 6 months worth of hay, new outdoor feeder thing to ensure they have constant hay access without wasting it, heated outdoor water trough plus a spare for back up, inside waterers all fixed and heated, fences all electrified, ATV with snow plow ready to go, I have heated gloves/a thick jumpsuit thing/heated gilet/heated jacket (I know, pathetic, I get raynauds and it's miserable).
And most importantly I've orchestrated it so that my winter doesn't really start until Jan because I'm only actually in Colorado for 3 of the next 8 weeks, the rest will be somewhere far warmer!!! Makes it almost bearable.
Now just keeping my fingers crossed that Boggle does ok. Well Boggle does good, not just "ok".
YourValentine
Well-Known Member
Is the bump at the front to stop the snow balling up or to help with grip?
Michen
Well-Known Member
It’s a popper so it compresses with the snow build up and then pops the snow out. Kinda cool.
brighteyes
Pooh-Bah
Oh how fabulous you could accommodate the hedge-hopper.
brighteyes
Pooh-Bah
WE NEED A VIDEO!
Pinkvboots
Well-Known Member
Michen
Well-Known Member
Atlas was thrilled to discover the window from field to feed room today! Poor guy seems to have a new patch of hair removed daily. I don’t get it as I know it’s not Bog and most of the time him and Helo are palled up. But I think he must still be challenging Helo sometimes, they seem to go at it occasionally. Helo never has a mark on him so it’s clear whose losing but I hope they settle down soon. 
Equi
Well-Known Member
That last photo is a cracker 
splashgirl45
Lurcher lover
He looks like he has loads of personality , should keep you busy 
Trot_on
Active Member
He is so cute!
Michen
Well-Known Member
He’s so cute and I love that he uses his thick shavings bed only for sleeping. All pee and poo in a pile outside.
Unlike bog who uses his only as his toilet and chooses to sleep on the hard cold ground outside. Annoys me so much
Unlike bog who uses his only as his toilet and chooses to sleep on the hard cold ground outside. Annoys me so much
Trouper
Well-Known Member
Well I guess as herd leader his is permanently "on duty"!! Or just doing things the hard Bog Way
nutjob
Well-Known Member
The winter shoes are really fascinating, I've never seen anything like it. I'd also like to add that it's a real positive that he can stand on 3 legs long enough to have shoes fitted. Mine struggles to pick up his front feet and I couldn't expect the farrier to do more than a trim. The hind legs are always close together, often touching, and he needs to be carefully stood square and still to be stable enough to lift a front leg.
Michen
Well-Known Member
He struggles a little pulling them forward but fine on a lower stand and just being conscious not to ask him to hold it too long. He definitely stands normally behind.
He stands on 3 legs a lot any time he’s tied up- because he’s feral and rarely gets tied up these days so he makes a point of “begging” with his leg held up in the air to show his displeasure (this is his version of pawing the ground, as he was told as a youngster that was not ok but quickly worked out doing something without any associated sound got him a free pass lol).
I can’t remember is your horse on steroids? I think you did ones into the neck? Sorry I know it was a while ago we were talking about it!!
Caol Ila
Well-Known Member
FYI, you can get those winter shoes in the UK if you have a clever farrier. I did it with Gypsum the last winter she was on work. I was laughing whilst no one else at my yard with a shod horse could ride.
Michen
Well-Known Member
I would not want them if it wasn’t for the snow though. I do not like the idea of having permanent traction on the bottom of Boggle’s feet because of the torque, but it’s a better option for an ataxic horse in the snow and the lesser of two evils.
I’d do little ice studs that I could take in and out if I was shoeing and riding.
nutjob
Well-Known Member
My vet advised not to inject the neck. She said she would do it as a last resort which I took to mean if he would otherwise be pts. I think it's because mine most likely has cervical vertebral instability rather than cervical static stenosis and the instability would still be there. He was on oral steroids for a while and did seem to improve a bit - mainly on the panniculus test. ATM he looks so good in the field that my trainer suggested he could be sent away to be rebacked. I'm keeping an open mind, but it's deceptive as I think he's just adapted to his condition and if you do the neuro tests he's a clear fail on some like the hoof placement.
Ahrena
Well-Known Member
It’s always the ones who definitely have a permanent home that are the grubbiest!! Pesto is revolting in the stable despite having an enormous one. Nutmeg and Rambo are both really clean 
Michen
Well-Known Member
Light hearted as distracting myself from the election. Should I be shutting bog in to make him sleep in his thick shavings bed and sheltered stall!? Under the overhang is also bedded. Yet he chooses to sleep out in the snow.
He’s never had this choice before as last barn shut them in at night as their waterers weren’t heated so they had to keep the temps above freezing. So he’s never in 8 years been “out” like this or had the option too.
Good point made in this thread that as herd leader maybe he feels he needs to keep an eye out. I could try putting him in the middle of the horses instead and see if that encourages him to go inside?
Or should I stop worrying lol. He’s just such a compromised horse and I do everything I can to make life easier for him but… he doesn’t.
He’s never had this choice before as last barn shut them in at night as their waterers weren’t heated so they had to keep the temps above freezing. So he’s never in 8 years been “out” like this or had the option too.
Good point made in this thread that as herd leader maybe he feels he needs to keep an eye out. I could try putting him in the middle of the horses instead and see if that encourages him to go inside?
Or should I stop worrying lol. He’s just such a compromised horse and I do everything I can to make life easier for him but… he doesn’t.
Ahrena
Well-Known Member
Personally, I wouldn’t worry. He had access to shelter if he wants it and he has voted with his feet. Daft as it seems
Peglo
Well-Known Member
I can fully understand your worry. I too wouldn’t want him out in the snow. If it makes you happier to try moving stables it won’t hurt but it is his silly little choice so my guess is he will still choose to sleep outside.
rabatsa
Confuddled
My mule would rather sleep out on the concrete yard than in any of the bedded down stables that the others are using.
AutumnDays
Well-Known Member
Mine have a lovely deep bed in their shelter and choose to sleep.out in the rain and lie flat out in the muddiest bit of the field... I swear they are hippos
YourValentine
Well-Known Member
Does he go in the stable to eat and chill at other times of day? If he does I'd leave him be.
There was a lady, in the US who had a small herd and gave them open access to snowy field with ring feeder and big bedded barn with hay and set up multiple cameras and found that her little herd choose to use the barn when she least expected it and generally slept out side except in driving wind and rain. She had snow and proper minus temps as well.
Similarly in Aus, my mums 2 would use their field shelter when it rained (mainly because one of them hated getting wet ears) and to dose in the morning sun for a few hours but rest of the time they preferred the field or trees for shelter.
Some obviously do enjoy a nice soft bed, but for many I think it's for our benefit more than theirs.
Look on the brightside, you'll save on shaving with Bog
There was a lady, in the US who had a small herd and gave them open access to snowy field with ring feeder and big bedded barn with hay and set up multiple cameras and found that her little herd choose to use the barn when she least expected it and generally slept out side except in driving wind and rain. She had snow and proper minus temps as well.
Similarly in Aus, my mums 2 would use their field shelter when it rained (mainly because one of them hated getting wet ears) and to dose in the morning sun for a few hours but rest of the time they preferred the field or trees for shelter.
Some obviously do enjoy a nice soft bed, but for many I think it's for our benefit more than theirs.
Look on the brightside, you'll save on shaving with Bog
Michen
Well-Known Member
Does he go in the stable to eat and chill at other times of day? If he does I'd leave him be.
There was a lady, in the US who had a small herd and gave them open access to snowy field with ring feeder and big bedded barn with hay and set up multiple cameras and found that her little herd choose to use the barn when she least expected it and generally slept out side except in driving wind and rain. She had snow and proper minus temps as well.
Similarly in Aus, my mums 2 would use their field shelter when it rained (mainly because one of them hated getting wet ears) and to dose in the morning sun for a few hours but rest of the time they preferred the field or trees for shelter.
Some obviously do enjoy a nice soft bed, but for many I think it's for our benefit more than theirs.
Look on the brightside, you'll save on shaving with Bog
Oh no he still has full bed JUST in case he changes his mind. He uses it exclusively as his toilet. So the costs remain
I can’t bring myself to take it away..,
Michen
Well-Known Member
Personally, I wouldn’t worry. He had access to shelter if he wants it and he has voted with his feet. Daft as it seems
It’s just so annoying!!! Like go sleep somewhere comfy and nice for your joints. But no. Snow.
It’s dumped with snow and he’s caked with it on camera.