The Art of Natural Dressage

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 Post subject: Making Injuries "Fun"
PostPosted: Wed Sep 14, 2016 1:19 am 
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Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2014 3:19 am
Posts: 98
Location: America
Hello! Rose has recently cut herself on her leg. It's on a really weird spot, too- it's on the upper part of the inside of her back leg. :blonde: I won't even try to understand how she did that one... Anyway, she needs to have it hosed off and have medicine put into it and everything. She had another injury like that last spring, too, and we had to hose it out as well. Seeing as horses are made of glass and often need their injuries cared for, I was wondering if you have any ideas how to make it more enjoyable for the horse? When I hose her leg, I need to tie her up to keep her still and still have enough arms to hose her leg, as I typically do that stuff on my own. I found a good way to keep her occupied is to put hay in a chair in front of her. However, that only works when she isn't stressed out, since horses don't eat when they're stressed. She also likes to knock the hay over, both to entertain herself seeing me pick it up for her (she's such a silly horse :love: ) and to get a quick break from her leg being hosed. Another thing I do is talk and sing to her, which requires no free arms and Rose seems to find quite entertaining, especially singing. I was just wondering if you guys have any suggestions on how to make a fairly unpleasant thing slightly better for the horse, besides from my rather strange ways of entertaining her? Anything would be appreciated. :yes:


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PostPosted: Wed Sep 14, 2016 8:06 am 
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Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2013 4:57 pm
Posts: 149
Rose wrote:
She also likes to knock the hay over, both to entertain herself seeing me pick it up for her (she's such a silly horse :love: ) and to get a quick break from her leg being hosed. Another thing I do is talk and sing to her, which requires no free arms and Rose seems to find quite entertaining, especially singing. I was just wondering if you guys have any suggestions on how to make a fairly unpleasant thing slightly better for the horse, besides from my rather strange ways of entertaining her?

What a great idea to sing for the horse :applause: !

Nathan had some injuries as well this year, that needed our treatment. I wrote about how we dealt with it in our diary, so I just copy it for you:

Anni wrote:
In the end of february there was another occasion in which Nathan proved that we can rely on him even when it comes to exceptional incidents that we cannot train for. One evening the stable owner called us because Nathan had a deep cut in his cheek. The vet came and we had to put a halter on Nathan and hold his head so that she could examine the wound. Nathan stood still like a horse that knows nothing but standing still and being held tightly even though he only knows the complete opposite. When the vet came again a few days later to take the stitches out Nathan's head was frozen while she pulled at the stitches although the cut was open again :ieks: .
I think Nathan knows when it is important for us that he agrees with what someone is doing to him and when it isn't too important. For example I really had to learn how to get his okay for cleaning the wound. He only allowed me to do it after I showed him that he was in control by rewarding every movement of his cheek towards my hand and only draw my hand nearer as long as he didn't move away. As soon as he moved his had away, I stopped. After the second day I got it and on the third day it was not even a problem to hold his head in my arms while I was cleaning the cut.


I hope the cut will heal up soon :f: .


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PostPosted: Wed Sep 14, 2016 11:55 pm 
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Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2014 3:19 am
Posts: 98
Location: America
Hmmm... I like that way of getting him to work with you to help clean the cut. It's awfully counter-intuitive to what I've been taught, but it makes sense from the horse's perspective. Thank you!


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