WishfulThinker
Well-Known Member
This is long, you dont have to read it but i need it out before I explode!
This all began on Boxing Day, and I need to vent or I might strangle someone!
I was busy so as there was SJ on at local yard and one friend was going I let other friend who's horse is out of action take my horse. She has ridden him before, and works at yard so knows his feeds/rugs etc. I gave her instructions - spoken and written in text to take a rug with her as it was cold - I went up to the yard (as was doing another horse there) about 4 hours after they had left for the SJ and they weren't back and ALL his rugs were in his stable - GREAT! A half clipped horse standing out in the cold and dark after being ridden
.
Before I had left that day I made up his feeds so she didnt have to - she was there when I did it - and I asked her if she knew whis feed buckets, and I added which colour for which feed (as dinner has his supps in) she said she did, adn I left it at that.
Came up last night to be greeted by not very happy looking horse, and only 1 feed bucket in stable - his breakfast one. I know this girl wouldn't have taken his dinner bucket out as they dont do that so mate checked feed bin and low and behold one full dinner bucket with LAST NIGHTS feed in it
- so not only did he not get his supps he either didnt get dinner last night, or he had his breakfast for dinner and no brekkie!
I then had to finish his clip as the blades were blunt so it didnt get done fully before. He was ok for 10 mins, then got a bit antsy so I twitched him and did the ear rubbing for a bit which worked and as usual he was a bit funny about his neck so his nose was held (restricted airway)- this really calms him. So he was fine and I was doing his neck and OMG, in hind sight I think I did see this coming - I just saw the white of his eye and then he went up and boxed out with both front feet
I just about shat myself and instead of jumping out the way I tried to kick him away with my foot but he came down and landed on the still going clippers (so now has a cut on his cheek/neck fold) and then started boxing out at me with his front feet - at that point I legged it and turned the clippers off. I was physically shaking as he can be a bit stroppy, but this was the worse EVER. But when I then approached him without the clippers he was normal and in fact very calm (twitch had come off) and looking for sweeties!!!! I then held the switched off clippers and approached him and he did notice them but stood, and then I touched the off clippers to his neck and he was not happy.
He has had about 8/10 clips this year with them - some during summer to do his hog and legs, and he has been on the whole good, but each time there has been a bit less patience at doing it. So I take the time adn run the clippers over him when they are off and let him sniff them and he sees me changing the blades etc. He is inquisitive and will nuzzle them. So I don;t know why he suddenly went a bit mad! I knwo you will say how is my technique, but I have managed to clip other horses perfectly well and given them a clean smart clip as they havent titted about! It now of course looks terrible as he was being arsy. THe blades were not hot, and they were sharp and gliding through the hair very well.
The only time he has ever been really funny about his neck before was when they were in a mixed field and they were fighting and we discovered after taking the hair off that he was covered in bites and scratches from shoes as they had been fighting over the mares.
But it seems that the better he is performing under the saddle the WORSE he is getting on the ground - despite me being more firm with him and showing others what to do. But I guess if they then dont follow those actions out when im not there and let him away with stuff I am not progressing as much as I think!
And this doesnt help that I have PMT, and so this is all realyl niggling me to the point where last night I really wished I didnt own the beast! I coul dhave quite happily just gotten in my car and left him there! Bad I know, but its niggling at me so much - and the fact that when I have asked nicely or even when someone has offered to do something they do not carry it out!!
I mean I spend 5 hours of my xmas day doing other peoples horses and mucking them out properly and thoroughly at the expense of my time - and the same on boxing day! and the same numerous other times - I put them first and look after them like they were my own - WHY THE HELL CANT OTHER PEOPLE JUST DO 2 SIMPLE THINGS I ASK OF THEM!
.....................I think my head just exploded!
This all began on Boxing Day, and I need to vent or I might strangle someone!
I was busy so as there was SJ on at local yard and one friend was going I let other friend who's horse is out of action take my horse. She has ridden him before, and works at yard so knows his feeds/rugs etc. I gave her instructions - spoken and written in text to take a rug with her as it was cold - I went up to the yard (as was doing another horse there) about 4 hours after they had left for the SJ and they weren't back and ALL his rugs were in his stable - GREAT! A half clipped horse standing out in the cold and dark after being ridden
Before I had left that day I made up his feeds so she didnt have to - she was there when I did it - and I asked her if she knew whis feed buckets, and I added which colour for which feed (as dinner has his supps in) she said she did, adn I left it at that.
Came up last night to be greeted by not very happy looking horse, and only 1 feed bucket in stable - his breakfast one. I know this girl wouldn't have taken his dinner bucket out as they dont do that so mate checked feed bin and low and behold one full dinner bucket with LAST NIGHTS feed in it
I then had to finish his clip as the blades were blunt so it didnt get done fully before. He was ok for 10 mins, then got a bit antsy so I twitched him and did the ear rubbing for a bit which worked and as usual he was a bit funny about his neck so his nose was held (restricted airway)- this really calms him. So he was fine and I was doing his neck and OMG, in hind sight I think I did see this coming - I just saw the white of his eye and then he went up and boxed out with both front feet
He has had about 8/10 clips this year with them - some during summer to do his hog and legs, and he has been on the whole good, but each time there has been a bit less patience at doing it. So I take the time adn run the clippers over him when they are off and let him sniff them and he sees me changing the blades etc. He is inquisitive and will nuzzle them. So I don;t know why he suddenly went a bit mad! I knwo you will say how is my technique, but I have managed to clip other horses perfectly well and given them a clean smart clip as they havent titted about! It now of course looks terrible as he was being arsy. THe blades were not hot, and they were sharp and gliding through the hair very well.
The only time he has ever been really funny about his neck before was when they were in a mixed field and they were fighting and we discovered after taking the hair off that he was covered in bites and scratches from shoes as they had been fighting over the mares.
But it seems that the better he is performing under the saddle the WORSE he is getting on the ground - despite me being more firm with him and showing others what to do. But I guess if they then dont follow those actions out when im not there and let him away with stuff I am not progressing as much as I think!
And this doesnt help that I have PMT, and so this is all realyl niggling me to the point where last night I really wished I didnt own the beast! I coul dhave quite happily just gotten in my car and left him there! Bad I know, but its niggling at me so much - and the fact that when I have asked nicely or even when someone has offered to do something they do not carry it out!!
I mean I spend 5 hours of my xmas day doing other peoples horses and mucking them out properly and thoroughly at the expense of my time - and the same on boxing day! and the same numerous other times - I put them first and look after them like they were my own - WHY THE HELL CANT OTHER PEOPLE JUST DO 2 SIMPLE THINGS I ASK OF THEM!
.....................I think my head just exploded!
