I do love my new boy *a very sickly self indulgant post!*

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PennywithHenry

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How I love my Henry!! He's been with me 4 weeks now, and everyone has commented not only is he a different horse in himself, but he's also gained a little weight!

He's got a spring in his step, a sparkle in his eye and it brings a tear to my eye when he sees me in the garden and calls to me! If I call him he whinnies and canters over, when I turn him out he shoots across the field, has a buck then has a roll.

This morning I groomed him and he was nuzzling my neck in return! Everytime I tried to move past his shoulder to groom his sides and back he kept turning around to follow me! To be practical I should have tied him up but he was having such a good time! Afterwards I took him for his daily walk and he walked so proudly! A low helicopter flew over, one of those big ones (a chinook sp?) and he really didn't like it, but I talked to him and stroked his neck and immediately his attention turned back to me....

Got home and swapped his rugs over (he has an excercise sheet and roller to cover the worst of his bones when out in public, I know I have nothing to worry about, but I'm still pretty paranoid, and whilst I was doing this he as picking up the grooming brushes, one by one and dropping them in his water tub! That'll teach me to not pick up after myself!!

He spent the afternoon folloing me and the wheelbarrow around grabbing the poop-scoop rake and trotting off with it!

He's just the sweetest boy out! I can't believe he got into the state he did....

Before he had his tea Poppy, my 18 month old daughter sat on him, her daddy holding her on while I was at his head, I led him a few steps for her benefit ("wide horsey, wide horsey, yah, yah" with legs flailing!) and he walked so carefully, then kept turning and stretching to lick her shoe!

I have to really watch Pop, as soon as the door's open she's straight out there, toddles under the fence and over to him. His head hangs, almost touching the floor and he goes to sleep while chubby little fingers stroke between his eyes, he's so good with her but I know it'd only take a spook to have a squashed child!

So...I know he's underweight, a little scratty looking and not the youngest of boys, but I think he's worth his weight in gold for what I want him for....and for £100 it's not a bad deal!
 
Aah, what a lovely post. Don't know the history as haven't read any previous posts but by the sounds of it he has certainly landed on his feet with you! It is so nice when they are "people horses" I have an ex racer I have had about 6 weeks and he is like that, loves being with you and seems appreciative of everything you do for him (if thats possible) none of my other horses are like it!
Good luck and keep us updated. Maybe you could do a "before and after" post soon.
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Henry obviously realises he's landed on his feet - it must be lovely for him
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It's a wonderful post although I think I must have missed previous posts cos don't know his history. Anyway good luck - not that either of you need it.
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Thanks Hollyf, to cut a long story short, Henry was being sent to be shot, he was at a yard, chucked out with a load of others, on about half an acre of mud, no rug, no grazing, and a bale of hay between them every other day-5 of them all together, not one under 15hh....Henry's an 18 year old TB gelding. They had another who really wasn't well they were sending to the knackers yard, they decided to send Hens as "he wouldn't last another winter"....I shuldn't think he would in those conditions....

So, I took a chance, paid £100 including delivery and had him at mine by that evening.
 
Aah. lucky Henry bless him.
You sound like us, we are real softies for a sad story. What a lovely post. Is he going to be a gent of leisure or do you hope to get some weight on him and maybe do a bit of ridden work
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I'll leave that decision up to him hollyf lol

I think we'll just have some fun, hacking, a few pleasure rides.....I'm quite lucky as I bought a horse I knew nothing about, no idea if he was rideable or had an old injury or anything....

I traced his owner before last, and discovered just 18 months or so ago he was out and about jumping etc. He took his owner as far as he could and taught her a lot, though in order to progress she had to leave Henry behind. It seemed a shame to throw him out in the field, when he enjoyed his work so much, so she sold him for a token amount to a seemingly lovely lady as a general fun horse. The lady only had him for 2 or 3 months and apparantly her marriage broke up, though she assured the old owner I spoke to that he'd found him a lovely new home.

She's unsure whether seemingly lovely lady spun her a yarn, or the dealer spun lovely lady a yarn....though to be fair I'd have thought if the dealer got him in as good condition as he as meant to be in he'd let him waste away to skin and bone then sell him for a nominal amount....We'll never know as supposed lovely lady doesn't answer the phone, though to be fair who knows what state she could have been in if her marriage broke up?

Anyway, lovely girl I spoke to is coming to see him next weekend, just to put her mind at rest. I emailed her some pics as I don't want her too shocked when she comes over. He's pretty thin, the bit I hate the most is the vertabrae to tail bit that sticks right up, and his bum is sucked really far up under his tail....I don't know why, but that upsets me more than the ribs, withers like a blade, jutting out shoulder blades and back bone.....

That's about all I know about him
 
It amazes me how horses can go from a loving home and be sold in good faith to another so called loving home only to end up on the scrapheap unloved and unwanted.
Your young man has a happy ending but there are so many others that don't. I find it very sad.
Bet it was nice to trace his old owners that care about him!
He will soon put his weight back on. I have one I bought that I felt sorry for and he was a bag of bones. He now is a big strapping lad who is out competing. If I get chance I will pm you the pics and you will see the difference.
 
Nice to know that this boy has landed on his feet again, if only every horse that was sold on/unwanted vetrans etc ended up like this story. Well done lets hope people think twice about where their selling there horses once there done with them.
 
What a lovely post - don't worry too much about his weight, at this time of year he will probably do well with plenty of turnout on the grass.
I'd love to see some piccies!
 
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