Boggle- USA bound!

[SBJT]

Yep they will I think put a second rug on at night check but I'm just trying to keep things easy and simple. And it's not ideal to remove a liner when he comes in then put one back on underneath later on!

I think the heated barn is throwing me but today inside there it was 10 degrees. It's set to not drop below 4. Every horse was unrugged (and some had a trace type clip) and Boggle is in 200g. Well actually, he would be in 200g in that temp at home too albiet he'd be more clipped.

What makes it tricky is sometimes the outdoor temp will be much lower than the barn and stay that way, sometimes it will go up to much higher. So there's no blanket rug more for outside then swap to this inside rule that I can write up for the guys who are rugging.

What I'm gonna do is just be there both ends while I can (I will be away for 4 days for the mid and third week in November). Then I can work out what Bog does/doesn't need. I don't know whether to get him clipped in three days when a lady is coming or not, in some ways it'll be easier as then I can work the rugging out further whilst I'm here. In others it may throw a new spanner in the works when I want to keep him warm and he may need to self regulate the odd time I get it wrong. Though, if he's clipped, I can over rug with less concern I guess.

I was thinking of doing an irish clip.

Only thing with clipping is trail riding in low temps. Just a thought, makes for an interesting ride. I don’t do it anymore because of that reason and I like to ride outside on a ‘nice’ day.

 

[Michen]

Only thing with clipping is trail riding in low temps. Just a thought, makes for an interesting ride. I don’t do it anymore because of that reason and I like to ride outside on a ‘nice’ day.

Yeah but I have to be realistic that 75% of the time over winter I'll be riding indoors. And if he's being schooled properly he will sweat, and a really sweaty Boggle is no fun.

Guess I'll layer up on the exercise sheets, maybe I can invent a heated one

 

[SEL]

Yeah but I have to be realistic that 75% of the time over winter I'll be riding indoors. And if he's being schooled properly he will sweat, and a really sweaty Boggle is no fun.

Guess I'll layer up on the exercise sheets, maybe I can invent a heated one

Catago are lovely bottom warmers.

I'd probably be asking for a 200g stable rug and then seeing if they could pop a 50g or 100g outer rug over it depending on weather. My PSSM horse had those kind of instructions when I wasn't there. Just had to tell people to ignore what every other horse had on, she was "special". Jealous of you actually being able to do stuff in snow without UK road carnage.

 

[Peglo]

Loving the Bog videos. He definitely looks like he wants to get out and explore.

I also can’t get over how clean the stables are. There’s not even a cobweb!! Where’s all the spiders?

 

[BBP]

FWIW I could never get my last horse to consistently eat grass nuts. Some of them just don't.

I went to see Ronaldo at lunchtime and decided to go into the roundpen for some very light lunging. Normally, I wouldn't lunge him at all, but just wanted to give him a little something to do outside of his quarantine pen.

The roundpen was full of grass that was very distracting. He lunged nicely to the left for 3 or 4 times around, but doesn't get the concept to the right and kept wanting to dive for grass. He doesn't give a single F about whips, and I know this because we tried to make him and his brothers move around their field a bit when I was looking at them (to buy) and he was generally the one that was least motivated by the whip.

So it was hard to lunge him with the grass and keep him moving forward. I didn't want the YO to think I was abusing my horse and getting too aggressive with the whip. I probably could've lit a firework off behind him and maybe he would've scooted a step, or not. So I need to lunge him in the small indoor where there is no grass. I just want 2 or 3 times around to the right, and I'll call it a day. I'm not for lunging young horses but it can be useful (to evaluate lameness for example) so I just want him to get the jist of it. He's never lunged before but instantly got the point to the left. I would've let him free in the roundpen, but I don't know that he respects the metal panels.

No planting today while leading, striking out, or rudely pulling himself out of his halter when I go to remove it. He's smart and registers and remembers lessons. He also strikes me as the type that's not going to give a whole lot of f*cks. I may have to turn up his sensitivity later on, but we'll see how he is. I used to have to turn the sensitivity down on my last one! Ronaldo is also naturally curious vs Spooky, it seems.

Poor dude whinnied when I left, and he's desperate for company, but he just needs to hold on until Saturday morning. Then he can be in a herd again. He's actually doing pretty darn good, all things considered.

View attachment 101404

I like reading about different approaches. I haven’t lunged mine at all, but I am teaching him to move away from light pressure. With my young horse I did a bit of a U turn recently and decided that we didn’t really have enough of a connection and ‘draw’ for me to be sending him off and away with a whip. He already isn’t bothered by my company. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a lovely, sweet, polite little horse and not shut down at all, but he doesn’t value my company. So I figured i want to build the draw before the drive. Whereas BBP always was really strongly drawn to me to I could work on drive straight away. (I’m sounding very ‘NH cult’ there!). I doubt you will have to turn up the sensitivity on yours, it’s already there, it’s just learning how to communicate with it. I also think that it’s not necessarily that he isn’t motivated by the whip, but that he’s a baby and hasn’t been educated about what it means. We assume that horses know that whip pressure behind them means go forwards, but mine will often move towards pressure (example, pony battles, they are playing bitey face and the older one pushes towards him, rather than backing off like BBP does, my youngster surges forwards and increases the pressure twofold on the older horse, or if they bite him on the bum he will reverse into them rather than jump forwards, so I have to bare his natural tendencies in mind when I work with him). But I’m no pro horse trainer so I’m probably getting it all wrong!

Loving the Boggle in the snow videos! He looks soooo good!

 

[Widgeon]

He doesn't give a single F about whips...I probably could've lit a firework off behind him and maybe he would've scooted a step, or not....He's smart and registers and remembers lessons....naturally curious vs Spooky, it seems.

I think Ronaldo sounds like a gem. I don't know what you plan to do with him but it sounds like he'd make a cracking trail horse and for that I'm jealous. Hope you're over the wobble by now, it sounds like he's settled down too

 

[SpotsandBays]

I love this thread. Please keep the updates and pretty pictures coming!!!

 

[Ahrena]

G just a slightly different angle on the rugging things.
They do acclimatise so don’t worry too much if he’s a bit chilly to start.

You know Lexi is the most feeble creature known to man who shivers in drizzle in July, can’t hold weight to save her life and feels the cold. With the foal, she couldn’t wear a rug. I found her shivering one morning early September and since then, she’s been absolutely fine. Even in pissing rain and one night when we had an unexpected frost, she’s been warm and not dropped off.

Obviously they are all different and she’s been living feral and your temperatures have a much bigger difference in a day but equally…if she can learn to cope, I feel like anyone can. I never thought she would cope rugless into the end of October. So I reckon I would echo the rugging for the higher temps and he will learn to regulate his temperature as he acclimatises.

I know it’s horrible to think of them being cold but until I had no choice, I didn’t realise how much they can actually sort themselves out to stay comfortable.

 

[Tarragon]

That trail ride countryside looks just amazing! I just want to saddle up and go

 

[Moobli]

Thanks for the videos. He is such a good looking guy … and he knows it ?. The scenery around there looks brilliant (especially as I’m sat looking out at very soggy Scottish hills today).
Has having Bog there helped you feel more settled now?

 

[Hallo2012]

i think id probably do away with the liner system tbh as like you say its a massive faff for staff and hard to understand, you could even layer rugs (rather than liners) which means only removing the top layer?

 

[nagblagger]

Love the videos, he looks so 'well' and fresh. Going to be an interesting first ride!

 

[palo1]

Have we just moved to the most beautiful place on earth?

He has gained a little condition back I think.

Also I’m afraid he used up all his lives and got bollocked for dragging me. Then spent a while with his top lip hanging over his bottom. He gets so upset when he’s told off, ridiculous prince ?

[video]

[\video]


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Yay!! Looking AMAZING and so does the surrounding area. Am loving these pictures and updates. Boggle's response to his walk made me very nostalgic for both of my horse's early love of exploring new places. Not sure either of mine would have been as polite as Boggle actually lol!!

 

[palo1]

FWIW I could never get my last horse to consistently eat grass nuts. Some of them just don't.

I went to see Ronaldo at lunchtime and decided to go into the roundpen for some very light lunging. Normally, I wouldn't lunge him at all, but just wanted to give him a little something to do outside of his quarantine pen.

The roundpen was full of grass that was very distracting. He lunged nicely to the left for 3 or 4 times around, but doesn't get the concept to the right and kept wanting to dive for grass. He doesn't give a single F about whips, and I know this because we tried to make him and his brothers move around their field a bit when I was looking at them (to buy) and he was generally the one that was least motivated by the whip.

So it was hard to lunge him with the grass and keep him moving forward. I didn't want the YO to think I was abusing my horse and getting too aggressive with the whip. I probably could've lit a firework off behind him and maybe he would've scooted a step, or not. So I need to lunge him in the small indoor where there is no grass. I just want 2 or 3 times around to the right, and I'll call it a day. I'm not for lunging young horses but it can be useful (to evaluate lameness for example) so I just want him to get the jist of it. He's never lunged before but instantly got the point to the left. I would've let him free in the roundpen, but I don't know that he respects the metal panels.

No planting today while leading, striking out, or rudely pulling himself out of his halter when I go to remove it. He's smart and registers and remembers lessons. He also strikes me as the type that's not going to give a whole lot of f*cks. I may have to turn up his sensitivity later on, but we'll see how he is. I used to have to turn the sensitivity down on my last one! Ronaldo is also naturally curious vs Spooky, it seems.

Poor dude whinnied when I left, and he's desperate for company, but he just needs to hold on until Saturday morning. Then he can be in a herd again. He's actually doing pretty darn good, all things considered.

View attachment 101404

Aw, good little chap!! He sounds like a good'un so hopefully you will feel good about all the things you have to do with him lol.

 

[Michen]

G just a slightly different angle on the rugging things.
They do acclimatise so don’t worry too much if he’s a bit chilly to start.

You know Lexi is the most feeble creature known to man who shivers in drizzle in July, can’t hold weight to save her life and feels the cold. With the foal, she couldn’t wear a rug. I found her shivering one morning early September and since then, she’s been absolutely fine. Even in pissing rain and one night when we had an unexpected frost, she’s been warm and not dropped off.

Obviously they are all different and she’s been living feral and your temperatures have a much bigger difference in a day but equally…if she can learn to cope, I feel like anyone can. I never thought she would cope rugless into the end of October. So I reckon I would echo the rugging for the higher temps and he will learn to regulate his temperature as he acclimatises.

I know it’s horrible to think of them being cold but until I had no choice, I didn’t realise how much they can actually sort themselves out to stay comfortable.

Can’t believe you are suggesting I let Bog shiver when you know him well enough to know what he’d do to me as a repercussion ??

Haha good to know though, hopefully he will toughen up a bit.

Haha,

 

[Michen]

Yay!! Looking AMAZING and so does the surrounding area. Am loving these pictures and updates. Boggle's response to his walk made me very nostalgic for both of my horse's early love of exploring new places. Not sure either of mine would have been as polite as Boggle actually lol!!

He was less polite after that video and I’m basically a hand down as my finger is so busted still from our warm up mishap a month ago. Am actually going to have to seek out a doctor as it’s swollen and red and lumpy!

 

[Michen]

Thanks for the videos. He is such a good looking guy … and he knows it ?. The scenery around there looks brilliant (especially as I’m sat looking out at very soggy Scottish hills today).
Has having Bog there helped you feel more settled now?

Yes! It’s so weird having him here and us being here but it’s awesome.

 

[Michen]

i think id probably do away with the liner system tbh as like you say its a massive faff for staff and hard to understand, you could even layer rugs (rather than liners) which means only removing the top layer?

I think really annoyingly it may be easier to. Which is going to be expensive for me!!!

 

[Ahrena]

Do it before you go away with work, then the grooms can bear the brunt ???

it does sound tricky tho with all those temperature fluctuations

 

[Michen]

Do it before you go away with work, then the grooms can bear the brunt ???

it does sound tricky tho with all those temperature fluctuations

Ahhh but the weather…the sun is so BORING haha!! This is Denver though, where he is is colder!

 

[Slightlyconfused]

I think really annoyingly it may be easier to. Which is going to be expensive for me!!!

Would it be worth maybe just having a 50g liner on and then they can change the top outdoor rugs weight etc. Thats what i normally do. I have just brought the 50g but normally do it with a 100g.

It stays on him and the outer one gets changed depending on the temps.


He is looking amazing.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I like reading about different approaches. I haven’t lunged mine at all, but I am teaching him to move away from light pressure. With my young horse I did a bit of a U turn recently and decided that we didn’t really have enough of a connection and ‘draw’ for me to be sending him off and away with a whip. He already isn’t bothered by my company. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a lovely, sweet, polite little horse and not shut down at all, but he doesn’t value my company. So I figured i want to build the draw before the drive. Whereas BBP always was really strongly drawn to me to I could work on drive straight away. (I’m sounding very ‘NH cult’ there!). I doubt you will have to turn up the sensitivity on yours, it’s already there, it’s just learning how to communicate with it. I also think that it’s not necessarily that he isn’t motivated by the whip, but that he’s a baby and hasn’t been educated about what it means. We assume that horses know that whip pressure behind them means go forwards, but mine will often move towards pressure (example, pony battles, they are playing bitey face and the older one pushes towards him, rather than backing off like BBP does, my youngster surges forwards and increases the pressure twofold on the older horse, or if they bite him on the bum he will reverse into them rather than jump forwards, so I have to bare his natural tendencies in mind when I work with him). But I’m no pro horse trainer so I’m probably getting it all wrong!

Loving the Boggle in the snow videos! He looks soooo good!

Hm, that's interesting re your thoughts on not sending your young horse away from you yet. I would probably still send the horse away from me, because once they are away, then I train them to come back to me. So it all goes hand it hand. For example, I sent Ronaldo off on the lunge, and after a few times around I whistled for him to slow and stop, then I changed my whistle (I have a come to he whistle which differs from the slow down/stop whistle) and he turned toward me and I slowly reeled him in toward he with the lunge line, then praised once he reached me and halted. So now he knows to be sent away with certain commands, and to slow/stop, and also when to come to me. He's sort of drawn to me at the moment from a curious standpoint because he's curious and insanely lonely. When he goes out with the herd in Saturday, he will probably think I'm chopped liver. Regardless of him looking to me or wanting to be near me, I would still work on sending him away from me, but perhaps I just don't think about it so deeply. I also want him to know how to he sent away from a human, based on body language, should be pester someone in the field, but also know how to be called back in.

It's interesting re the whip, because to some extent I agree that he just doesn't know, but I genuinely feel as though he will be more on the relaxed side, and won't be phased by some things. I know a few of his half brothers, and they're quite relaxed, bold, and smart, but still sensitive. I would've thought that humans whipping whips and making popping noises would garner some sort of reaction, as it did with some of his brothers, but he was sort of like, "Whatever, if you insist, but I'm just trying to chill here, man." my last one had to learn about the dressage whip, and he picked it up quickly. That horse was just more sensitive and lived his life with his hoof hovering over the panic button, so a different type. He was also raised by the Spanish (got him at 4) and some harsher methods were used.

I don't doing that Ronaldo is sensitive, and it will come out more as he learns, but my last horse was just...an extension of my body since day one, and incredibly sensitive. Then again, I don't know what he was like as a yearling. I'd say he took it to the extremes of sensitivity at times though and just wired a tad bit differently, which could be do to genetics as well.

I'd say that Ronaldo has a decent understanding of yielding to pressure, but will test or protest (baby tantrum such as planting) because he's young and he's not dumb. He backs up easily and now all I have to do is put my hand in front of his chest, not even apply pressure anymore, he yields from pressure laterally/will move sideways or his bum over, and if I send him out I can "reel him in" with the lunge or lead rope (he comes toward the pressure looking for the release, if that makes sense). When he was planting, I would apply pressure forwards on the lead and when he took a step forward I'd immediately give/take away the pressure, but he also understands if I apply pressure while in motion and stop my body, he stops and the pressure is released and he stands. I don't know if I'm explaining or doing it right at all, but he understands pressure in certain contexts, accordingly. No idea if he ties, aside from in trailers. We will be experimenting with that at some point.

Hoping to do some work with my dressage whip at some point re yielding to that. I teach my horses to pick up their hooves when I point to which ever hoof, and to pick the whip up from the ground in command because I'm weird.

I've watched and have video of him with his bros and he seems to play normally and moves away from pressure during play/backs off or when his "enthusiastic" brother pesters him. He seems to be middle of the pack and/or can't be arsed with your antics all of the time, but not totally submissive/at the very bottom, but not overly dominant, in that particular herd, anyway. Hard to tell (for me, an outsider) if BBP is more submissive so he backs off, and the young one is more dominant so he presses on?

I think Ronaldo sounds like a gem. I don't know what you plan to do with him but it sounds like he'd make a cracking trail horse and for that I'm jealous. Hope you're over the wobble by now, it sounds like he's settled down too

I'm hoping he will be like my last Spanish but surpass him/be strong in the areas where he was "weak" and we will mainly focus on dressage, hacking, and maybe small jumps. He's got a leg up on the trot over my last one re movement and natural inclination to extend vs knees everywhere. Still early days to tell what he will be like undersaddle (and he's got 1.5 years before I consider starting him) but his movement should be "better" than my last horse. Would be a bonus if he's a brave hack... Took my last one awhile, but he came a long way.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

@Michen I have an awesome wool quarter sheet, and if you haven't got one already, I'd recommend heavy, real wool for hacking. A fellow livery had a neck cover too. Her WB was cold sensitive and this seemed to help, maybe it was made by Back on Track? I can't recall. So for hacking maybe a quarter sheet and neck cover would help him keep warm, if that's a concern.

 

[Michen]

@Michen I have an awesome wool quarter sheet, and if you haven't got one already, I'd recommend heavy, real wool for hacking. A fellow livery had a neck cover too. Her WB was cold sensitive and this seemed to help, maybe it was made by Back on Track? I can't recall. So for hacking maybe a quarter sheet and neck cover would help him keep warm, if that's a concern.

Hmmm I mean Boggle kinda self warms regardless ? I’ll see how he goes though and look into that. Thanks!

what a morning! I feel like I’m relieving my ski season days!

now I’m fretting because it’s -4 and I’ve put Bog in a 150/200g outdoor as it’s due to go up to 12 and he may be cold for most of the day. Have regret ?‍

 

[Northern Hare]

i think id probably do away with the liner system tbh as like you say its a massive faff for staff and hard to understand, you could even layer rugs (rather than liners) which means only removing the top layer?

I was going to suggest the same thing - ie. layer the turnout rugs rather than get them to change liners. Don't get me wrong, I think liner systems are excellent, but for a horse on full livery, I think it works better to ask the yard staff to take-off / put on extra turnout rugs.

 

[Michen]

I was going to suggest the same thing - ie. layer the turnout rugs rather than get them to change liners. Don't get me wrong, I think liner systems are excellent, but for a horse on full livery, I think it works better to ask the yard staff to take-off / put on extra turnout rugs.

I think you are right! Such a bummer.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I was about to say that Denver might be too cold for me, but based on my weather app, our highs and lows are basically the same right now. We don't have mountains (sad face) or snow though. Reallyyyy hoping for a mild winter, because I hate it!

 

[palo1]

Hmmm I mean Boggle kinda self warms regardless ? I’ll see how he goes though and look into that. Thanks!

what a morning! I feel like I’m relieving my ski season days!

now I’m fretting because it’s -4 and I’ve put Bog in a 150/200g outdoor as it’s due to go up to 12 and he may be cold for most of the day. Have regret ?‍

View attachment 101428

Beautiful!! For the purposes of cultural education I checked out Baker Blankets too. Now I want one lol!! Lucky Boggle and you having such wonderful weather and adventures to enjoy. The season of mud has commenced here in Wales and I now have 3 horses in work on the yard - uuuurrgh.

 

[Denali]

Just because I’m an enabler:

http://www.bakerblankets.com/

The original is a stable rug and a magnet for shavings ?

 

[druid]

https://www.smartpakequine.com/content/colicare

Another thing you add to your plate - with the cost of colic surgery in USA this program which is essentially colic insurance is a good deal. They were great at paying out for clients who needed it.