tankgirl1
Well-Known Member
Hi
My friend and I have recently bought (after a 4 week loan period), a lovely 16yo ID cross. It's the first horse either of us have owned - We both have a LOT of experience from when we were teenagers, but this was 10+ years ago, and we have only got back into horses over the last 12 months or so.
He's a lovely boy, but is quite withdrawn. his old owners were complete novices, had him 6 years and didn't do much with him - he was an expensive pet in their words. They bought him off a company who had 'professionally bombproofed' him - whatever that means??
During the last 6 years he has spent quite a bit of time living alone, which I firmly believe is not good for any equine! His old owners then bought another horse, and the 2 of them have lived together for the last few years.
It's a small yard - just the 2 horses - and Mac has always been the one that got left in the field while the other one got groomed and taken out. T'other one has always been the boss!
Since we have had Mac we have been bringing him in twice a day - for 5 mins am to pick out feet and change/take off rugs, and for a couple of hours pm to dry out/groom, pick out feet and feed. He never got hard feed routinely before - we are giving him chaff with a balancer incl pro biotic, plus glucosamine as he is a bit stiff and clicky. Forage ad lib whilst in. We leave barn doors open so that his field mate can see him whilst he's in, as he understandably tends to hang about at the gate.
We ride him 4-5 times a week - gentle hacks only atm.
I think and hope that we are doing everything right by Mac, and he does seem to enjoy and relish the attention. Things are changing in the 'herd' though, with us having Mac, and him becoming the one getting regular attention etc.
He was very withdrawn when we first met him, and he is slowly coming out of himself, but I wondered what more we could do to bring his personality out? It's like he's always been bottom of the heap both with herd and people, and he's being very reserved - yet I know there's a giant thelwell pony in there!
Are we doing right? What can we do better for him?
My friend and I have recently bought (after a 4 week loan period), a lovely 16yo ID cross. It's the first horse either of us have owned - We both have a LOT of experience from when we were teenagers, but this was 10+ years ago, and we have only got back into horses over the last 12 months or so.
He's a lovely boy, but is quite withdrawn. his old owners were complete novices, had him 6 years and didn't do much with him - he was an expensive pet in their words. They bought him off a company who had 'professionally bombproofed' him - whatever that means??
During the last 6 years he has spent quite a bit of time living alone, which I firmly believe is not good for any equine! His old owners then bought another horse, and the 2 of them have lived together for the last few years.
It's a small yard - just the 2 horses - and Mac has always been the one that got left in the field while the other one got groomed and taken out. T'other one has always been the boss!
Since we have had Mac we have been bringing him in twice a day - for 5 mins am to pick out feet and change/take off rugs, and for a couple of hours pm to dry out/groom, pick out feet and feed. He never got hard feed routinely before - we are giving him chaff with a balancer incl pro biotic, plus glucosamine as he is a bit stiff and clicky. Forage ad lib whilst in. We leave barn doors open so that his field mate can see him whilst he's in, as he understandably tends to hang about at the gate.
We ride him 4-5 times a week - gentle hacks only atm.
I think and hope that we are doing everything right by Mac, and he does seem to enjoy and relish the attention. Things are changing in the 'herd' though, with us having Mac, and him becoming the one getting regular attention etc.
He was very withdrawn when we first met him, and he is slowly coming out of himself, but I wondered what more we could do to bring his personality out? It's like he's always been bottom of the heap both with herd and people, and he's being very reserved - yet I know there's a giant thelwell pony in there!
Are we doing right? What can we do better for him?
