Boggle- USA bound!

[SO1]

If Bog only appears to go for the other horses when you are there I would say it is not random. Maybe you need to catch him in first if he is expecting to come in for food he may want to chase the others away in order to come in first. I know you are worried about laminitis have you restricted his food or changed his diet so he is more hungry than normal so keener to come in to eat?

It is a different routine with different horses in a new place he has moved around quite a bit in the last few months, you are his only constant and it can take several months for horses to settle into a new place.

They aren’t. They move out of his way instantly. Helo just really hurt my ear (bleeding, skin removed!) running into me as I led him into his run because Bog appeared and he wanted to get out of the way

And Dusty I just can’t ignore how he’s standing despite now being shod. Have text the rescue to see if they’d be open to having him checked for lameness. He looks good to me on a circle in trot on the field but I’m no vet and could be bilateral and not showing.

Sigh. Never easy is it? Obviously I bought this on myself taking on a compromised ex racer but I hoped I could get him good.

 

[equinerebel]

My mare is exactly like that. At times over her life she’s been bossy but quieter in a herd, but where she’s at now (and maybe it’s her advancing age), she’s very dominant. One poor mare has recently joined the herd and mine has taken an intense dislike for her whenever people are around. They’ll be grazing absolutely fine and peacefully side by side, but if mine thinks she’s coming in, she immediately switches to chasing her across the field, ears pinned back and teeth out. I have occasionally seen her like this before, but it’s certainly more extreme at the moment.

I post on the other thread, and I don’t know either of you, but I promise I don’t see any similarities. I have great respect for all you’ve done with Bog

 

[meleeka]

You won’t be able to see the subtle language between them. For all you know one of the others might have been a bit slow to move when he asked, so he feels he has to really tell them. My shetland was awful 6 months ago when he first came, not all the time, but it was extreme. Now they are all happily sharing a net. I have a mare and the Shetland did think he’d be the boss of her at first. He’s regretting that now, because she’s a mare, and she holds a grudge

 

[TheHairyOne]

I upset our small gelding herd with my recent purchase and introduction to their space, and wow did I upset them! They knocked him over on his side the first day he went out with them. Ran him ragged the first week, totally blocked him out for the next 2. Chased him away from anything they wanted (people included) for another week. Now 6 weeks in and they are finally a lot more settled, but they are much, much worse when they know their people are up and anyone goes to the gate. I can watch them away from the field and they are all getting on fine. People are what change it now.

Its very early days for your little herd at a new place. I'd not be stressing at all with Bog putting the others in their place at this point in time. He knows you are HIS!

 

[Michen]

Thank you. No other than carefully building him up on grass I’ve not restricted him at all. Feeling being if he gets it he gets it.

Vet coming to check Dusty on 24th so that’ll give new shoes time to bed in.

Something needs to change, either I change my attitude and manage to not get so worked up and stressed, or I need to call it. I really could do with Dusty being good and not worrying about him too, thank goodness I don’t own him but I do really like him and want him to be ok for his sake as much as mine. I can’t bear the idea of sending him back because of course I’m attached and care, how could I not.

 

[Caol Ila]

It's never easy!

I'd agree with everyone else at this point. He's in a new place, and this is the first time he's been in a herd of three for a long time. It sounds like the aggression shows up when he's resource guarding you.

I know it looks unprovoked, but there is a lot of subtle communication that goes on between horses which we completely miss.

A new horse went into Fin's field a couple months ago. He is normally a mild mannered guy but he likes order and wants everyone in the herd to understand The Rules. This horse has disrupted the order because he's a bit pushy and stupid, and he doesn't know The Rules, and Fin has regularly gien it yaldy with the double barelling. Good thing he's barefoot. Changes in herd dynamics can result in all sorts of interesting behaviour.

 

[Emilieu]

Thank you. No other than carefully building him up on grass I’ve not restricted him at all. Feeling being if he gets it he gets it.

Vet coming to check Dusty on 24th so that’ll give new shoes time to bed in.

Something needs to change, either I change my attitude and manage to not get so worked up and stressed, or I need to call it. I really could do with Dusty being good and not worrying about him too, thank goodness I don’t own him but I do really like him and want him to be ok for his sake as much as mine. I can’t bear the idea of sending him back because of course I’m attached and care, how could I not.

Could you draw up a welfare checklist and once a day run through it? If happy all the boxes are ticked then put it out of your mind for 24 hours. If not, careful monitoring for 24 hours and a vet call if still concerned? I have a similar thing for a cat who has been on PTS watch for some time, her checklist is: eating, sleeping, using her trays, showing affection, showing interest in goings on. I do it automatically every day first thing and find it stops me thinking about it every minute I’m with her and over analysing everything she does. If I start to worry I mentally run through it again. Sometimes at night I do another wee checklist of the nice stuff that happened to her that day - slept in the sun, cuddled with favourite person, enjoyed dinner etc.

For what it’s worth, occasional grumpiness to other horses would not be a deal breaker for me personally, even if it was a bit out of character. Escalating grumpiness maybe, but I would still probably try some other things first.

 

[scats]

I think you are over analysing a bit here Michen. You’ve changed the herd dynamic and they are in a new location. I really wouldn’t read too much into it at the moment.

 

[Backtoblack]

If Bog only appears to go for the other horses when you are there I would say it is not random. Maybe you need to catch him in first if he is expecting to come in for food he may want to chase the others away in order to come in first. I know you are worried about laminitis have you restricted his food or changed his diet so he is more hungry than normal so keener to come in to eat?

It is a different routine with different horses in a new place he has moved around quite a bit in the last few months, you are his only constant and it can take several months for horses to settle into a new place.

^^^^^this

 

[AmyMay]

Thank you. No other than carefully building him up on grass I’ve not restricted him at all. Feeling being if he gets it he gets it.

Vet coming to check Dusty on 24th so that’ll give new shoes time to bed in.

Something needs to change, either I change my attitude and manage to not get so worked up and stressed, or I need to call it. I really could do with Dusty being good and not worrying about him too, thank goodness I don’t own him but I do really like him and want him to be ok for his sake as much as mine. I can’t bear the idea of sending him back because of course I’m attached and care, how could I not.

I agree that something needs to change. And at the moment it’s your mindset. Try and just let horses be horses and not evaluate every little thing.

 

[Trouper]

Agree with everyone else - too soon yet to see the real effect of all the recent changes you have made. Plus, one other thing (and medical issues aside), Bog may just be missing getting out and about and doing things. Believe me, retirement takes some getting used to - and not always in a good way!

I really don't think he would be hooning around and getting into quite so much much mischief if he were in constant pain. Try and relax your brain and see what your freelance makes of them all while you are away.

 

[sportsmansB]

My retired horse at home and his companion get on perfectly well until I appear, and then he chases her away
I am his person and he wants the attention, she gives in

 

[Cavalier]

Thinking back, didn't the aggression to Dusty start when you started riding Dusty?

 

[splashgirl45]

Thank you. No other than carefully building him up on grass I’ve not restricted him at all. Feeling being if he gets it he gets it.

Vet coming to check Dusty on 24th so that’ll give new shoes time to bed in.

Something needs to change, either I change my attitude and manage to not get so worked up and stressed, or I need to call it. I really could do with Dusty being good and not worrying about him too, thank goodness I don’t own him but I do really like him and want him to be ok for his sake as much as mine. I can’t bear the idea of sending him back because of course I’m attached and care, how could I not.

I think you are right when you say you need to change but it won’t be easy as obviously this is your temperament. When my mares cushings rates kept increasing no matter how much we upped the prascend , I had almost 6 months of hell , worrying about her QOL every minute , I had a mental checklist I ran through each day, has she laid down overnight, has she eaten up, interested in hay, drinking enough but not too much, slighting stiff after being in but does it wear off quickly, alert and ready to spook at things , happy grazing, can she roll and get up easily, am I doing the right thing by letting her have extra time????? As you can see my mind is very much like yours , one morning she came out stiff but seemed pottery , that was my signal that laminitis could be on the way, so I did get the vet to see if there was anything else I could do and she agreed with me. I had made up my mind but just needed a little bit of reassurance . Sorry this is so long but I wanted you to see you are not alone in your thinking .

 

[meleeka]

her I change my attitude and manage to not get so worked up and stressed, or I need to call it. I really could do with Dusty being good and not worrying about him too, thank goodness I don’t own him but I do really like him and want him to be ok for his sake as much as mine. I can’t bear the idea of sending him back because of course I’m attached and care, how could I not.

All this worrying isn’t going to change the outcome, so I’m sure you know it’s a waste of time . I think it’s helpful to have a red line, so you know when a decision needs to be made. If you are looking hard enough you’ll always find a possible problem with horses! Perhaps put a time that you’ll reassess in say 6’weeks from now and apart from anything glaringly obvious, you wont have to face it until then.

 

[Michen]

O.M.G Boggle. I arrive and he’s hopping, falling around. Call the vet immediately thinking laminitis huge rotation and neuro and PTS.

Closer look reveals shoe has slipped and clip is in his foot.

Neighbour came to rescue with tools and thirty minutes of hard graft got it removed, not easy.

Poor Boggle he’s very sore and I’m off to buy poultice things.

 

[splashgirl45]

Can your horse find anything else to injure? He certainly seems to be trying everything… . He wants to keep you busy ..

 

[Michen]

At this point I am just kind of laughing I checked him on the camera and he was fine, he must have done it within 30 mins of that check and me arriving. FGS.

 

[GrassChop]

O.M.G Boggle. I arrive and he’s hopping, falling around. Call the vet immediately thinking laminitis huge rotation and neuro and PTS.

Closer look reveals shoe has slipped and clip is in his foot.

Neighbour came to rescue with tools and thirty minutes of hard graft got it removed, not easy.

Poor Boggle he’s very sore and I’m off to buy poultice things.

Oh ffs Boggle

 

[Michen]

He knows I’m meant to be going to New York Saturday and has decided my time would be better spent nursing his hoof. Every time I try and go away for pleasure he does something!

I AM going away and I’m absolutely roping in friends to help with his hoof, I need a time out from him

Obviously I’ve bumped my flight so I can do morning hoof care Saturday, though. Always a compromise

 

[teapot]

He’s such a drama queen Glad he’s ok!

 

[Britestar]

Could you draw up a welfare checklist and once a day run through it? If happy all the boxes are ticked then put it out of your mind for 24 hours. If not, careful monitoring for 24 hours and a vet call if still concerned? I have a similar thing for a cat who has been on PTS watch for some time, her checklist is: eating, sleeping, using her trays, showing affection, showing interest in goings on. I do it automatically every day first thing and find it stops me thinking about it every minute I’m with her and over analysing everything she does. If I start to worry I mentally run through it again. Sometimes at night I do another wee checklist of the nice stuff that happened to her that day - slept in the sun, cuddled with favourite person, enjoyed dinner etc.

For what it’s worth, occasional grumpiness to other horses would not be a deal breaker for me personally, even if it was a bit out of character. Escalating grumpiness maybe, but I would still probably try some other things first.

This is good advice. I'm doing something similar with an old horse.
She doesn't need to go now, but will before the end of the summer.
As long as she's eating, pulling faces at the others and all pushing her way to be first in, then I'm satisfied she's happy.

Any change and that'll be her time.

 

[Michen]

Does the welfare check list include me though. I feel like mine may be more compromised than Bog at this point

I honestly thought yet again that was it for him. I didn’t even look closely to realise about the shoe before I called the vet as the way he was staggering around I just assumed something catastrophic had happened in his neck or the pedal bone was through his sole and I knew if I went into his run I’d lose signal to ring them. So felt ring them first then comfort him second. The vet practice are less than pleased with me as I was obviously extremely upset, didn’t have good signal, and when they said a vet will ring me back to then organize coming out I (understandably) lost my cool and said no- I need a vet NOW on their way. To be fair I would have, had my neighbour not been able to come and help get the shoe off.

Once I got in there he just literally waved his foot at me like “no you silly cow, my foot, my foot!”

If it wasn’t so ridiculous it was comical. Boggle requests that I kindly stop trying to end his life. He looks fine on the foot now and it’s all wrapped up, he’s had lots of TLC and I’ve begged him to please, please just let me go on this trip because I really need to see my grown up English friends and drink a bucket of wine with them in a fancy NYC restaurant, to remember there’s life outside of the endless horse drama! And put on a dress and some make up and remember the other side of who I am

 

[BMA2]

When my horse got old and I declared I wasn't buying him a thing new or spending money on vets (and this was all in his earshot) nothing went wrong for years and years and YEARS

might be worth a go

 

[Ceriann]

He is a proper princess!! I agree with the comments that as he generally seems so bright, happy and with a zest for life - don’t overthink the occasional grump. It’s early days in a new herd and new home to assume a grump is an indication of underlying serious pain - your posts about his happy antics suggest otherwise.

Get away and enjoy your break.

 

[Sandstone1]

I was a little like this with a dog I had with health problems, I was constantly looking for problems and worrying myself that I would need to pts.
Looking back now I realise that I did not enjoy the last months I had with her because I was so stressed about what I was going to have to do at some point.

Its good you do recognise what you are doing but you do need to chill out! Easy to say I know but you really are spoiling what time you have left with Boggle.
I have done it myself and its human nature I guess.

You are very lucky with the set up you have now and I think you just need to relax and enjoy it all!

yes, one day you are going to have to pts.
Yes you do need to keep a eye on Boggle so you notice if hes going down hill BUT you also need to relax and live in the moment. Enjoy the time you have!
Put to the back of your mind what will happen down the road.
I know its hard but you are just not enjoying what you have.
Take a day at a time or even a hour at a time. He is with you now and enjoying his life, hes not worried about tomorrow so try and be the same!
I mean no offence by this and I do know what its like.
Just chill out, enjoy what you have and worry about whats down the road when you get there.

 

[hollyandivy123]

remember everyone of us on this forum will literately trip over something and hobble a couple of strides

But here is a thought
a friend is on a livery yard with someone who is analysing every little thing, they work away a lot and they have to take pictures of the horse for her, they have learnt never to send one of chilled horse resting a leg in a stable having a snooze after eating their tea..............whys are they like that, they are never at the back of the stable like that there must be a problem (she sees the horse always at the front of the stable because they are waiting for her, when they hear her voice)

or a slightly scurfy coat/stable stain.............its is that a cut, nope hair brushed the wrong way, always gets a quick brush before picture now


i think the bog is pony jealous, they are working out their herd order, and horses are horses, what seems a sensible thing to you is not to them, remember we know that a crisp packet is full of refined carbohydrates and they are addictive .................they see the spawn of Satan rising up to devour them

 

[Michen]

Bog thrilled he gets free run of barn. No turnout as snowed overnight and all wet and slippery.

He especially appreciates that he can come ask for a carrot whilst I’m on a work call

 

[Michen]

And you guys were right, just spied Boggle being extremely cute to Helo when he didn't realise I was there. What a territorial little arsehole!!!!! Seems he likes me more as he has gotten older, he's never been that bothered before.

 

[Snowfilly]

And you guys were right, just spied Boggle being extremely cute to Helo when he didn't realise I was there. What a territorial little arsehole!!!!! Seems he likes me more as he has gotten older, he's never been that bothered before.

What a horror he is! I’m glad.