thatsmygirl
Well-Known Member
Well I'm on her 
it's been hard for her, leaving her horse family that she's lived with for 10 yrs in the same fields with no handling apart from the odd pat. We had to get the vet in to get her home, he sadated her which was the only option to get her loaded. So many transport companies kept saying no we won't travel them sadated and we will load them fine but nobody knew what they were up against until they came out and saw a herd off semi wild horses who only a few would headcoller with no stables and about 50 acres to run off around ( fields very poorly keep with fencing down no gates etc) the mare I had was a 14 yr old spotty mare build like a tank!! Anyway we got her home late at night after the whole travelling fuss and she stabled over night ( first time stabled) I had to start at the beginning, couldn't lead, couldn't pick up feet which were in a awful state, so the 1st 2 weeks were just settling into her new herd, leaning to pick feet up, lead, find out what hard feed was, and being stabled off course. She's accepted it pretty well tbh and only comes in after Iv finished work to do something and then goes stright back out. She's a pretty sadate mare and calm which has worked in my favour, I'm now riding her out around our lanes and she's taken it all in her stride, I wasn't in any hurry to back her but Iv had her 5 weeks in total, 2 off which I left her to settle. She's even led one off the old horses past a tractor, horse box it really is amazing. I obviously had her teeth,feet,back all checked before work started but her teeth apart from a few sharp point were very good, I was actually very nervous about any issues mouth wise but fingers xd all was good. Her feet will need a lot off work as they have never been done so out off shape and collapsed, but look a lot better, hoof boots are the next thing on my list!! The only problem Iv had is she will not accept the bit, will take it but a slightly tweet on the reins and she chucks her head up and shakes it about so Iv listened to her and she's bitless, currently in a monty Roberts headcoller and rides beautifully in it, I tried all sorts off bits but wouldn't take to any off them, ok if you didn't put any pressure on them. I'm so glade I took the chance with her, I nearly backed out after people telling me how stupid I was for taking her on but I'm so attached to her all ready, she is actually loving the attention instead off interbreeding foals every year off her life. I do actually have her granddaughter as well which I saved when she was 5 weeks old!!
The only thing is she's a bit girthy, I'm assuming all the stress she went through has given her ulcers? Or hind gut upset, so she's on a supplement and pre/pros with a girth sleeve and girth her very slowly 1 hole at a time, she looks round at me to tell me she's not 100% happy with the girth being tightened so I keep it on the loose side and do it up slowly on our ride so she don't notice as we go along. She's only doing short rides as she needs to build up so much.
Anyway just thought id give you all a update and please don't rule out the older horse to back. I was lucky as she wasn't messed up in anyway so a blank canvas.
I thought I would need to give her the summer to settle and honestly didn't mind if I didn't back her until next summer or though the winter but she's a sweet mare with a home for life now with the granddaughter who seems to remember her and ran off together up the field when she first met the herd.
it's been hard for her, leaving her horse family that she's lived with for 10 yrs in the same fields with no handling apart from the odd pat. We had to get the vet in to get her home, he sadated her which was the only option to get her loaded. So many transport companies kept saying no we won't travel them sadated and we will load them fine but nobody knew what they were up against until they came out and saw a herd off semi wild horses who only a few would headcoller with no stables and about 50 acres to run off around ( fields very poorly keep with fencing down no gates etc) the mare I had was a 14 yr old spotty mare build like a tank!! Anyway we got her home late at night after the whole travelling fuss and she stabled over night ( first time stabled) I had to start at the beginning, couldn't lead, couldn't pick up feet which were in a awful state, so the 1st 2 weeks were just settling into her new herd, leaning to pick feet up, lead, find out what hard feed was, and being stabled off course. She's accepted it pretty well tbh and only comes in after Iv finished work to do something and then goes stright back out. She's a pretty sadate mare and calm which has worked in my favour, I'm now riding her out around our lanes and she's taken it all in her stride, I wasn't in any hurry to back her but Iv had her 5 weeks in total, 2 off which I left her to settle. She's even led one off the old horses past a tractor, horse box it really is amazing. I obviously had her teeth,feet,back all checked before work started but her teeth apart from a few sharp point were very good, I was actually very nervous about any issues mouth wise but fingers xd all was good. Her feet will need a lot off work as they have never been done so out off shape and collapsed, but look a lot better, hoof boots are the next thing on my list!! The only problem Iv had is she will not accept the bit, will take it but a slightly tweet on the reins and she chucks her head up and shakes it about so Iv listened to her and she's bitless, currently in a monty Roberts headcoller and rides beautifully in it, I tried all sorts off bits but wouldn't take to any off them, ok if you didn't put any pressure on them. I'm so glade I took the chance with her, I nearly backed out after people telling me how stupid I was for taking her on but I'm so attached to her all ready, she is actually loving the attention instead off interbreeding foals every year off her life. I do actually have her granddaughter as well which I saved when she was 5 weeks old!! The only thing is she's a bit girthy, I'm assuming all the stress she went through has given her ulcers? Or hind gut upset, so she's on a supplement and pre/pros with a girth sleeve and girth her very slowly 1 hole at a time, she looks round at me to tell me she's not 100% happy with the girth being tightened so I keep it on the loose side and do it up slowly on our ride so she don't notice as we go along. She's only doing short rides as she needs to build up so much.
Anyway just thought id give you all a update and please don't rule out the older horse to back. I was lucky as she wasn't messed up in anyway so a blank canvas.
I thought I would need to give her the summer to settle and honestly didn't mind if I didn't back her until next summer or though the winter but she's a sweet mare with a home for life now with the granddaughter who seems to remember her and ran off together up the field when she first met the herd.
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