Boggle- USA bound!

[Ahrena]

Oh I do remember how much you hated him at first, and how often you put him up for sale and took the ad down a few hours later you never know what’s round the corner, he may well surprise you yet!

 

[Michen]

Oh I do remember how much you hated him at first, and how often you put him up for sale and took the ad down a few hours later you never know what’s round the corner, he may well surprise you yet!

You picked us up for our first show! Where did those easy, fun times go where we were in our 20's mucking around with ponies without a care in the world.

 

[splashgirl45]

I remember all trials and tribulations at the beginning and the photo of the lean Bog when you first got him. It was nice to be reminded of how far he has come ( and you). He still looks amazing even being semi retired

 

[SEL]

I remember the hole in the hoof (the photos will be on here somewhere) but I never think of you as being out of your depth in those early days like you describe - you certainly never came across like you were scared.

He's such a fabulous little horse and I've always loved that massive personality. Wasn't he scrawny when he first arrived?!!

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

How do you still look glamorous, even when you're coming out the side door?!

 

[Michen]

I remember the hole in the hoof (the photos will be on here somewhere) but I never think of you as being out of your depth in those early days like you describe - you certainly never came across like you were scared.

He's such a fabulous little horse and I've always loved that massive personality. Wasn't he scrawny when he first arrived?!!

Oh I was terrified of him. I can’t tell you how much I cried that first year! And I wasn’t good enough to know how to deal with him. I think I would do things differently now. I fought fire with fire at the time. Boggle is such a complex mix of confident but anxious, testing but genuine and I was too reactive with how I dealt with him. I learned a lot! We got there though, he’s never let me down when it mattered and in the end I learned when to say “don’t be an utter idiot- get on with it” and when to say “it’s alright, you’re fine- there there ”.

For all his confidence and high spirit and bossiness he’s also a horse who gets immensely upset when he’s told off- haha.

 

[SO1]

I enjoy hearing about Boggle and I never knew you suffered from nerves it just seemed you were so at ease with him. You love him so much and just being with him is enough for you. It reminds me of how I felt about Homey. He is your horse of a lifetime and you have an amazing bond. I hope you have many many more years together and that his health stabilises and you can have some peace with him again. Life seems so unfair sometimes.

 

[Michen]

How do you still look glamorous, even when you're coming out the side door?!

I was smiling because the XC was ginormous, it was ALW BE100 and I didn’t want to do it and knew that by hitting the deck in the showjumping I was eliminated and didn’t have to @Ahrena witnessed that one!

 

[Michen]

I enjoy hearing about Boggle and I never knew you suffered from nerves it just seemed you were so at ease with him. You love him so much and just being with him is enough for you. It reminds me of how I felt about Homey. He is your horse of a lifetime and you have an amazing bond. I hope you have many many more years together and that his health stabilises and you can have some peace with him again. Life seems so unfair sometimes.

Definitely not for that first year but after that I never felt scared with him again. It is, I know you’d have done anything to keep Homey too.

 

[SO1]

Definitely not for that first year but after that I never felt scared with him again. It is, I know you’d have done anything to keep Homey too.

You and Boggle are the perfect partnership. He is such an intelligent expressive looking horse. I so want everything to turn out well for you two.

 

[Kunoichi73]

I wasn't on here for the beginning of the Boggle saga, I only picked up the story when he was on his travels to the USA. However, I was immediately captured by your story and waiting for every update and photo.

I felt devastated for you both with his recent medical issues and elated each time he pulled through and improved. Through it all, your love for him has been evident. He's such a gorgeous boy with such an amazing personality. I hope you (and therefore we) have many more years of Boggle. Plus he has perfect ears!

 

[Trouper]

Such a lovely bittersweet story to read. I look back on my time with my two TBs and wish if only I had known more, had more confidence, done some things differently.

If only - the two saddest words in the English language - and best avoided.

 

[Bernster]

Ah what a lovely reminder. Gave me a little in the eye. His gorgeous face!

 

[AandK]

You picked us up for our first show! Where did those easy, fun times go where we were in our 20's mucking around with ponies without a care in the world.

This totally resonates! I lost my horse of a lifetime in Aug last year, he was 26 and I’d had him since a 5yo so I am fortunate we had a lot of time together. I got him in my early 20s and have so many amazing memories of just going here, there and everywhere with him, no cares! I’d give anything to go back in time and do it all again! It also took me a long time to get over not being able to ride him again when an injury forced his retirement, in the end we had another 4.5yrs together.
Have loved following you and Boggles adventures, your absolute devotion to him shines through, he is one lucky pony! Cherish those memories!

 

[Michen]

Such a lovely bittersweet story to read. I look back on my time with my two TBs and wish if only I had known more, had more confidence, done some things differently.

If only - the two saddest words in the English language - and best avoided.

Dangerous words aren't they! I don't regret any of the past with him and whilst I'd do things differently now perhaps with that first year, I did what I could at the time with the knowledge and skill that I had. It was hard to admit defeat and get some help, but I really needed someone to get me through those explosions with him. Whilst he remained sharp to the last day I rode him, I had complete faith in him and the hunting field did that for us mostly, I think.

I mean he did some really stupid s*** over the years still, in Colorado he once backed me into a ditch (spooking at a truck- despite endless exposure to all things farm he was never reliable in traffic) that was completely filled with snow and his entire back end went down. All you could see was his withers upwards. I had to slide off him to let him get himself out and he looked furious with me like it was my fault!! We were stood on the road, both of us covered in snow, both of us annoyed at each other. There are many, many stories like that .

And I once had to get off and lead him past some jump wings to get to the XC at a BE where it was through a track and I couldn't give them a wide berth. Jump wings, he'd jump anything and everything, but would he walk past those damn wings that were somewhere he thought they shouldn't be? The humiliation!!!

In the same breath, he was a horse I hacked out solo 10 days post op for a broken ankle (despite being hunting fit and at the peak of his hotness), because I trusted him so much not to put me on the floor.

 

[Peglo]

I joined while you were riding Bear and Bog was in rehab. I got caught up on a lot of your story but it was lovely to read about it.

I’d also like to say how inspiring your story is. The strength of your partnership with Bog is so clear and real so to hear of your struggles with him to start with and to end up where you are now is amazing and so heartening.
thank you for sharing your story and hope so much you have many many more years together (and we get to tag along with you)

 

[Michen]

Good boy Dusty!! I’m considering taking him and Bog home in April for the month once the weather is a bit better, as where I’m living has a barn and one stall has a big run which would be great whilst bogs leg recovers. Plus I can more easily hand walk twice a day whereas currently it’s a 50 minute round trip to do twice a day which is such a pain with work etc.

So figured I needed to get on Dusty and see how sane he is if I’m going to be riding alone at the house. He wasn’t remotely arsed he still needs a lot of building up so I’ll be continuing the long reining the rest of the month but just adding five or ten minutes of riding at the end of it.

Boggle seems a little less good on his front legs, I think maybe because he’s not moving around so much with turnout, so I’ll need to weigh up the balance of that… but now it’s not so icy I can do plenty of walking on varied surfaces around the barn. He also seems very tense and “solid” in his neck, so e stim acupuncture on Monday which I hope will help. It never ends. He’s not remotely bothered about stall/pen rest at the moment so we shall see.
He is being SUCH a pain in the arse to cold hose, you’d think I was asking the impossible

 

[Ahrena]

Yesss get them home, nothing like snugs in your pjs before bed!!

 

[Michen]

Yesss get them home, nothing like snugs in your pjs before bed!!

It’s the two horse drama when you take one away to do stuff that I’m not sure I can be arsed with

 

[Jayzee]

Catching up on this. Dusty looks super lovely and fun to have a little project that is so relaxed. Enjoy him.

It is lovely to have them close to home however I second the 2 horse drama which is a pain also if you need help with them if you are away is that easy to arrange? only speaking from experience.

Speedy healing vibes for Boggle

 

[Michen]

Catching up on this. Dusty looks super lovely and fun to have a little project that is so relaxed. Enjoy him.

It is lovely to have them close to home however I second the 2 horse drama which is a pain also if you need help with them if you are away is that easy to arrange? only speaking from experience.

Speedy healing vibes for Boggle

Yep I’ve got help covered! I’m thinking I can mostly keep each one in eyesight and if Dusty is good maybe ride and lead. One stall overlooks the outdoor arena. Obviously I wouldn’t box Dusty out anywhere but he’s ages away from any adventures anyway. It would only be a month so not worth trying to train them out of it.

Conscious it’s another move for Bog/Dusty but it’s extremely quiet and chilled there and they’d travel there together, so I think it wouldn’t be too much drama.

Barn is beautiful and have to admit with everything with Bog, spending tons of time with him outside my door is appealing.

 

[Jayzee]

Yep I’ve got help covered! I’m thinking I can mostly keep each one in eyesight and if Dusty is good maybe ride and lead. One stall overlooks the outdoor arena. Obviously I wouldn’t box Dusty out anywhere but he’s ages away from any adventures anyway. It would only be a month so not worth trying to train them out of it.

Conscious it’s another move for Bog/Dusty but it’s extremely quiet and chilled there and they’d travel there together, so I think it wouldn’t be too much drama.

Barn is beautiful and have to admit with everything with Bog, spending tons of time with him outside my door is appealing.



View attachment 135581

OH my it is soooooooo gorgeous!!

Sounds like you have it pretty well figured out

 

[Michen]

OH my it is soooooooo gorgeous!!

Sounds like you have it pretty well figured out

It really is! Haha within an hour of the idea popping up I’d found three horse care people to help if needed, spoken to current barn and basically organised everything

Will see though nearer the time. Need temps to warm as it’s a shady area so the runs need to be ice free.

 

[tatty_v]

It’s the two horse drama when you take one away to do stuff that I’m not sure I can be arsed with

I solved this by buying a Shetland….

 

[Michen]

I solved this by buying a Shetland….

Ha! It’s only for a month until Beau and Rupert get back, I certainly don’t need another horse in my life for that time

 

[asmp]

I solved this by buying a Shetland….

Or a pig!

 

[Titchy Pony]

It’s the two horse drama when you take one away to do stuff that I’m not sure I can be arsed with

Borrow the pig to keep the other one company!

Joking aside, I've only got two at home and circumvent the issue by feeding the one that's staying in as I leave with the other.

 

[Titchy Pony]

Or a pig!

great minds...

 

[Pinkvboots]

It’s the two horse drama when you take one away to do stuff that I’m not sure I can be arsed with

I've always coped with 2 I just bring them both in and they get hay and they are fine left alone then, I can't leave 1 in the field they just go nuts galloping and screaming.

 

[meleeka]

I think you are going to drive yourself crazy trying to do the best for both conditions, which need opposing care, movement for his neck and rest for his leg. I’ve just had a similar dilemma (arthritis and laminitis) and I think you have to kind of ignore the least worse (in my case upped the Danilon to help the arthritis while the pony rested). The larger pen sounds like a good compromise. Mine had the yard and stable, so not strict box rest and not turnout. I can’t hose her let either so she gets a wet, cold bandage on loosely for an hour if her leg puffs up. It seems to work almost as well.