Boggle- USA bound!

fwiw I think you've 100% done the right thing moving Atlas. How could you stay at the other yard after all that?

Hopefully, he will be fine, years ago a friend's horse was hit by a train, he lay for ages, everyone thought he was dying basically, he eventually got up, shook himself and walked onto a trailer to get home, he was just badly shaken up. Vet told them to leave him to recover as quietly as possible for a couple of weeks and then he was amazingly back to normal.

Fingers crossed when you do see him he's no worse 🤞
 
It looks like you've found a great yard for Atlas. It's really good that he can have a gentle mooch around his in/out stable. Just gentle movement will make a big difference. Sorry you've had such a rough time - just what you don't need after such a big move and upheaval, but tbh you're best away from a yard like that!

Hope all's well with Atlas when you visit later! 🤞
 
Oh Michen that sounds awful. I think you’ve done the right thing getting him moved somewhere you can be confident he will be looked after properly, especially when your work takes you away.
I would be apoplectic with the YO and their son, especially with that attitude. The fact that there was no blood visible is neither here nor there.
You can’t be certain that neither Atlas or Pepper don’t have internal injuries that aren’t as yet obvious.
Would it be worth having them both checked out by a vet asap just so there is a paper trail proving that should a problem arise, it is indeed from that incident and not something that has arisen later from something totally unrelated. I know you say you aren’t about suing but you already have experience of vets bills and how they can rocket.
 
Michen said:
Oh for sure no reassurances that the horse would be removed. I don’t think for one moment that will happen because “he’s never done anything like that before”.

I didn’t realise st the time that the dog belonged to the owners son. He was awful and couldn’t have cared less. The wife was very apologetic but I’m afraid I was furious, I’m not sure I’ve ever yelled at someone quite like that! The dog was bizarre it came up to Pepper and was wagging and seemed fine and then absolutely snapped out of no where. Like a switch was flipped.

They have a young toddler and I’m afraid I told her I thought she was a terrible mother for allowing a dog like that, that was capable of turning like that, anywhere near a kid. But frankly I mean it. A dog that can do that to another dog IMO could just as easily do that to a kid.

It’s 3.20am and I’m so angry and sad and worried about what I’ll find with Atlas this morning.

Thanks for having our backs guys, Christ I really thought I could be posting nicer stuff on this thread not constant drama.
Click to expand...
I took my young collie to her first agility class last month. I arrived a little early and as soon as we came through the door (not having been told the protocol was to wait outside), a large, loose black labrador just went for her. Again and again, while I held it back with my foot/leg until someone caught it. I was really lucky not to have been bitten but you just act instinctively (like your OH did). It's a horrible sight and feeling seeing your perfectly lovely, submissive dog being attacked out of the blue. We did not go back! Sorry for what happened to Pepper. I know how you feel! The instructor made out it was my fault for not having my dog under control and that she wasn't listening to me as she tried to escape the dog's jaws. She has right next to me on a lead when this started! It's strange how people can't see faults in their own dogs (like son of owner in your case).
 
Michen said:
I don’t know whether to walk Atlas either. He’s clearly going to be so sore is it best to keep him moving? He has one obvious kick on his stifle with a wound but his entire body obviously took a beating.

F*** I thought I did everything right. All of the other horses were perfectly civil it was just this one. And then to hear from everyone that they’ve been trying to get that horse out for months because of how aggressive it is… too late.
Click to expand...


Personally I would keep him moving specially if not lame

So he can explore how he feels, and to keep from spasms

I had a horse attack another time just like that, it was a mare and 2 day old foal, the thing went straight for the foal, after running through a fence, don't know to this day how this day how I got away from it

If its cool you could rug him to keep the muscles soft and the stiffness
 
What's happened would be a defining moment, having you own barn at home where you can be in control helps, dreams for the future.

Sounds like the new yard is on the ball

Hope you all feel better when the shock subsides
 
AnShanDan said:
fwiw I think you've 100% done the right thing moving Atlas. How could you stay at the other yard after all that?

Hopefully, he will be fine, years ago a friend's horse was hit by a train, he lay for ages, everyone thought he was dying basically, he eventually got up, shook himself and walked onto a trailer to get home, he was just badly shaken up. Vet told them to leave him to recover as quietly as possible for a couple of weeks and then he was amazingly back to normal.

Fingers crossed when you do see him he's no worse 🤞
Click to expand...



I've seen horses do that, I was amazed how sensible it seemed
 
Thanks all. Lots of good advice and some thoughts on things I should for sure consider.

Gosh I'm SO angry, 5am and I'm filled with fricking rage at what happened yesterday. Giving up sleeping and just waiting until I can get in the car and go see him, barn opens at 7am.

And stressing because in my panic to move him and get him sorted I glossed over the fact that winter turnout is restricted for 8 weeks or so at new barn when it gets really wet (they rotate through some winter turnout pens during that time and of course he has a run but its not the same). That the hacking is really only a 45 min loop, and I have a young horse that needs to hack. Urgh. I do have my truck/trailer of course but the reality of trailering out plus a 50 min drive.. yadayada

From a care perspective etc it was definitely the right call and I had looked at other barns when I came here, but I didn't find anything that ticked all the boxes.

I guess I need to just focus on the immediate issue, depending on what damage has been done Atlas may be doing not much of anything all winter anyway.

Mostly what's circulating in my head is how s*** I feel for my horse. Yes when things happen I do my best but I feel like I seem to attract bad luck and now he's got it constantly coming his way. He could have had a nice, quiet life with someone else rather than being trekked across the country and getting sick twice, lame and flipped over a fence.
 
Last edited:
Deep breathe Michen, things usually turn out ok although life does seem to through brickbats along the way. If the new barn will give ‘proper’ reliable care that’s a huge bonus, and although better turnout would be good at least you’ll be able to go away and not worry. 8 weeks isn’t very long and you’ll probably be away for part of it so if you’re confident they can give some turnout and he’s settled and safe there that’s a bonus. Yes hacking is good for young horses but a regular 45 minutes will be better than 1 -2 hours a couple of times a week and you can always trailer up or meet friends somewhere? Sure you’ll soon have loads of contacts at the new yard. You might even become a dressage diva 😀
 
Michen said:
Mostly what's circulating in my head is how s*** I feel for my horse. Yes when things happen I do my best but I feel like I seem to attract bad luck and now he's got it constantly coming his way. He could have had a nice, quiet life with someone else rather than being trekked across the country and getting sick twice, lame and flipped over a fence.
Click to expand...
And he could have had all of that with someone else who was not as conscientious or prepared to spend the money on him that you have. As my OH frequently says "sh**t happens" - it is how you deal with it that matters. You weren't planning to do huge amounts with him over the winter were you so time to see just how he settles, gets over this latest challenge and perhaps review your options down the line. I am sure he and Pepper will be grateful that they don't have to see anything or anyone from that place again!!
 
Thank you, everything seems so much worse in the early hours of the morning! He isn’t actually as bad as I thought. Improved with every stride and looks normal at the walk. But definitely stiff at the trot when he chose to do a bit. Obviously not going to look properly at the moment and enforce anything.

That said he did seem happy to do a massive leap and fly buck followed by a very cheeky expression when a car came down the track so he can’t feel THAT bad.

The irony of the dressage sign 🤣 Atlas is like nope nope I can’t see it.

Anyway cool barn for the first time in 3 years here I’ve finally found amazing arena surface! One huge indoor, a covered roundpen, a huge outdoor and a small outdoor with working equitation stuff in. Also an eventer next door. There’s a bit more hacking than I thought so that’s good.

The turnout isn’t optimal for sure it’s more dry lot paddocks that are the size of a couple of arenas or so but that’s more than typical here and is what it is. Ultimately for now we just need safety and good care over anything else.

I do feel really very zen after spending a few hours there and very convinced it was the right choice.


IMG_2925.jpegIMG_2929.jpegIMG_2942.jpegIMG_2949.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Michen said:
Thank you, everything seems so much worse in the early hours of the morning! He isn’t actually as bad as I thought. Improved with every stride and looks normal at the walk. But definitely stiff at the trot when he chose to do a bit. Obviously not going to look properly at the moment and enforce anything.

That said he did seem happy to do a massive leap and fly buck followed by a very cheeky expression when a car came down the track so he can’t feel THAT bad.

The irony of the dressage sign 🤣


View attachment 168702View attachment 168703View attachment 168704View attachment 168705
Click to expand...
He’s just skipping all the boring dressage stuff and moved straight to capriole!
Pleased he doesn’t seem too battered, bless him.
Hopefully that’s been a massive relief for you.
 
I don’t know how you’re not going bald with all the drama Atlas has put you through. 😂😂😂 fingers crossed. At least it’s better than you were thinking. He may even fancy a bit of fancy horse dancing lol
 
I heard the horse is still in the herd so.. yeh right decision to leave. And not even a text from the owner about his son’s dog. I wonder if he will give grief when I ask for my deposit back…

I can’t blame Atlas for this one really but he does seem to be cat like with his lives, jeez.

The barn will be in for a shock when I pull out my western saddle hehe.
 
If I understand its only 8 weeks restricted turn out? And you still have the runs? It's not the worst. I have that in the UK as we are on clay. If life was perfect I would prefer them to be in paddocks but unfortunately we have to make the best of what we have.

As long as he has company and space to move I am sure he will be fine x
 
mini-eventer said:
If I understand its only 8 weeks restricted turn out? And you still have the runs? It's not the worst. I have that in the UK as we are on clay. If life was perfect I would prefer them to be in paddocks but unfortunately we have to make the best of what we have.

As long as he has company and space to move I am sure he will be fine x
Click to expand...

About that yep depending on rain. But the turnout the rest of the year is still dry lot paddocks really, but that’s pretty much what you get with boarding here. More than enough space for a gallop and whatnot though.
 
Michen said:
I heard the horse is still in the herd so.. yeh right decision to leave. And not even a text from the owner about his son’s dog. I wonder if he will give grief when I ask for my deposit back…
Click to expand...
Definitely the right decision then. You'd never be able to feel safe in a place with that attitude. Even if the setup isn't perfect at the new place, they seem to have a helpful "can do" attitude which is so important.
 
What an absolute nightmare. So glad Pepper and Atlas seem to be OK, agree with everyone else that moving was 100% the right thing to do.

Love the photo of Atlas with his eyes shut carefully not looking at the DR sign.

Will keep everything crossed that you have a calm few weeks now.
 
I can't believe that happened, so glad they seem to be ok. It was absolutely the right thing to have done to have moved from the other barn and hopefully it might give you a bit of breathing space if there are more livery options at this yard.

Also keeping everything crossed that you have a calm few weeks now.
 
Gosh, I'm so gutted for you and your animals, but you've taken the right decision by getting them safe. Try not to worry about the eight weeks now, just settle in and you'll see how it goes. And if he's getting great care, hopefully you'll be able to relax a bit and go fewer times in the week - which should mean that you'll find you have enough energy to trailer him for hacking from time to time and get a bit of variety.
 
I dunno team, I’ll have a proper lameness check in a week or two by a vet but he seems happy enough to fly buck at the end of the lead rope when I hand walked him this morning before his first time out.

Back to some turnout next to a very quiet horse and he seems really good so far and happy.

If he’s got away with that medically then he truly is a cat with the number of lives he has.


IMG_3060.jpegIMG_3006.jpeg
 
I was having a bad hack once and got off so that my friend and I could swap horses (as she is a far braver rider than me) and my mare decided to about face and gallop off and I got dragged along for a while holding on to my friends mare but could not stop her or stay upright in the end had the reins torn out my hands. My friend's horse literally somersaulted from full gallop into a drainage ditch at the side of the road that was hidden by the long grass, got up and continued galloping with the adrenaline. It was absolutely one of the worse moments of my life. And all caused by me, nothing I could do to remedy it, the best I could do was pay the vet's bills. I still have nightmares thinking about it.

She was off for a week and never had another day's lameness for the next 15 years of life, ended up put down with colic in her late 20s.
 
Atlas indeed is the cat with nine lives! Other than some slightly bruised withers, he is sound and none the worse for what happened.

The vet was great, super pro barefoot and understanding about his crazy composite shoes. She couldn’t believe how sick he was in September, that all made quite the reading.

In true Atlas style he arched his neck and flicked his toes like the little Spanish horse he thinks he is 🤣

Oh and he’s learned about cross ties! And heat lamps for early mornings. We are loving the luxuries. The turnout really isn’t ideal as it’s absolutely poured with rain recently (and the land is truly sodden) so they’ve been rotating for a few hours in small sand turnouts but, he seems really, really relaxed and happy. And of course here it’s a stall and run situation so they always have access to the outside and plenty to look at. I’m also not terribly upset about the idea of him not going out in wet or slick conditions for this winter at least, whilst I’ve finally got him sound. I just need him to stay fixed for a little while.

I love, love the barn for its care and attention to everything even if the drive sucks. I am away for a total of four weeks between now and early January and I feel comfortable knowing he is really well taken care of.

I guess I really do have to get riding him and re back him for the second time!

IMG_3336.jpeg
IMG_3342.jpegIMG_3306.jpeg
 
Oooh that arena looks nice! And with the UK weather I'd like a heat lamp never mind the horse.

Relieved he's ok and I think with everything you two have been through then excellent care takes priority over slippery turnout. The hooligan was charging around 3 acres in the snow this morning doing sliding stops and farty bucks - i was underwhelmed!
 
Thank you!!! I’m so pleased.

Ha I am not loving the weather here. When it rains it’s absolutely torrential. I haven’t needed a waterproof since moving to the USA and now I’ve just ordered a stierna one in the hope it is as good as people say. Thankfully winter here is supposedly only two months or so.

The arena is sublime and there’s two more in addition plus a covered roundpen and the surface is great in all of them which is so hard to find.

I hope yours stops scaring you to death in the snow!!!! Better than ice, though :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top