The Art of Natural Dressage

We've put rubber matting on concrete so the old boxes can be used as field shelters - i.e., open all the time, but able to be used as a lie-down area if wished. It's been the most tremendous success - Cass loves it and it's easy to clean (poos - he doesn't whizz on it at all!). I don't think it was cheap, but it was worth every euro!

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"There is always an alternative to every cruel act".

I've not talked with my vet about chiropractic, but he is an accupuncturist and has done some work with my mature, well, coming into late life for a Lab, dog and I see considerable improvement along with using supplements and weight loss. I know he does horse accupuncture too.

I'll look into this.

I've read up on it, and I know my vet uses this method, but he's conservative about it.


I've only recently read about how the fusion takes place. It's said that it happens for some horses and not other but that steroids can bring it on though it's a painful period for the horse. For her to be able to run and play again, just as it would for me had I a similar condition, I think the choice would be to go with the pain that precedes recovery. I'll "consult" with her, but everything about how she moves and wants to move and how hard she'll try even when I can see it hurts her tells me what her choice would be.

She and Bonnie are, now that weaning is pretty much over (she doesn't have to go all snakey headed to keep Bonnie away from her udder), becoming "herd buddies." Very sweet to see them taking care of each other and trying to play together. I'll love to see them able to run together. Interesting, I made a typing error in that sentence. I meant to type "I'd love to them," but typed "I'll," instead. Seems I've made up my mind to go all out for Altea.

My Kate and I were talking just last evening over a glass of wine and discussing how nice it would be for her to have Altea to ride. Easy straight forward work would be the right thing for both she and Altea. We even are on a diet regimen to bring out weight into a range I consider more safe for riding. Looks like we are committed.

And thank you for the information. I'll take up those leads you gave.

Donald

Baby Bonnie (about three months old at the time) and Altea going with the Old Man to play in the deep dark forest.

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Love is Trust, trust is All
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So say Don, Altea, and Bonnie the Wonder Filly.

The deep bedding system is over a "felted," type polypropelene. While it's not made for constant wear under hoof contact it is, when bare, just rough enough to give a horse purchase on it and let them get up.

I've look at some of the rubber matting products and I'm not sure I'd like that or that it would work.

There are soft rubber systems that might work though but these are way out of my price range.

I'll keep experimenting and find the solution.

Donald

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Love is Trust, trust is All
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So say Don, Altea, and Bonnie the Wonder Filly.

I love the picture of you three taking a walk. The forest looks gorgeous(and so do you of course!! )

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Jocelyne
[Hug your animals everyday. You never know!

Yes, I know.

But then so do the horses.

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Love is Trust, trust is All
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So say Don, Altea, and Bonnie the Wonder Filly.

Our Welsh pony Rusty who is prone to laminitis has not been well this summer. He has suffered with a type of lameness similar to rheumatoid arthritis in humans. He finds it very difficult to stand when he has been lying down. We recently moved and the new stables all have rubber matting the change in Rusty has been miraculous he is almost sound for the first time in months. The change could of course be due to many things but whatever the reason he remains strong and well.

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Listen! Or your tongue will make you deaf.

Cherokee Saying

I won't post what my vet bill actually was, but it's going to break the bank on our horse budget, and other household expenses for the next 4 months, easily.

Yet I"m holding open the option of rubber matting. It will require me to get a load of gravel in for leveling (deep bedding over a fiber mat system - Stall Skins - can have a pretty uneven base) will up my expenses even more.

However our current regimen, with deep straw bedding in Altea's stall, and deep shavings in Bonnie's along with diet change seems to be helping.

I took them both, since they seemed so chipper and energetic, for a long walk, the latter part pretty steeply uphill. Hard on me but obviously fun and far easier for them. Though I noticed Altea, who has, since ended nursing Bonnie, gained too much weight, and was puffing just a bit at the top of the walk. The deep dark forest was great fun for Bonnie. She had so many wonderful things to shreek about and race off in feigned fright, and dawdle until mom and I were nearly out of sight then sqeal and come galloping wildly after us.

Great sillinesses going on nearly the whole walk.

And Altea stopped to touch noses with a Llama, a big surprise. Bonnie did not know what to make of that, and held back hiding behind her mom's all too ample butt.

The only sour note has to do with my feet. I'm in considerable pain today. I should not have walked so far, but it was so tempting, and so much fun. I'll just have to stop whining about it.

I do think my curcumen and cinnamon supplement to my diet may be working. The extreme pain in my right hand is gone. Now that's special.

And Bonnie and Altea look so much improved that I'm delighted.

We'll see now the weeks ahead go and if finally Altea can give me a hind leg without the other three trembling and threatening to give way under her.

Donald

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Love is Trust, trust is All
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So say Don, Altea, and Bonnie the Wonder Filly.

I swear my animals, my vehicles and this house are able to "see" our bank balance. As soon as we think we might be starting to get a little bit ahead something will happen that has large costs involved. The latest episode is that we are going to rewire most of the house, as well as install a completely new septic tank system. Sigh.

It sounds like your walk was fantastic. Sorry about the sore feet, though. I would love to see how my herd reacts to a llama. I've often thought about getting one as a guardian after I have the large pasture reconditioned and functional.

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Glen Grobler

Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled. Anon

Oooo...big bucks. I'm lucky that as a teen my dad, a home builder, carpenter, and son of yet another homebuilder, put me to work on his crew. I learned to do everything, electrical, plumbing, concrete work, siding, roofing, windows, even glazing empty frames, painting, drywall, even laying carpet. I've slowed down a little but can still do much of this work myself.

Not that I prefer it, mind you. Much prefer to pay others, and even with doing it myself the materials cost is gruesome.

I'm about to wire my little horse barn, when the snow lets up and thing dry out just a bit.



The folks with the Llama, friends actually, have had a few encounters with Mt. Lions hereabouts. But not since they got the Llama. It must puzzle the local predators. Quite a ferocious and aggressive animal when he wants to be.

When he and Altea touched noses, Altea's touch was her usual soft gentle approach, his amounted to poking her with his nose quite sharply. Rude. But funny.

If I had livestock, as my neighbor does, sheep, goats, chickens, I'd maybe want a Llama.

Donald

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Love is Trust, trust is All
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So say Don, Altea, and Bonnie the Wonder Filly.

good to hear that the treatment works for you, pain is always terrible.
take care!! even if you have funn

I rode Altea today.

Now isn't THAT a surprise.

I knew that she needed more exercise than I could give her with the limits of my mobility on old feet.

She looked so good today, as did Bonnie, that I just took a sudden notion, walked her to her step up log round, and instead of her getting up on it I did, asked her to come over, and she did, and I swung aboard. No saddle, nothing but her halter and lead rope and off we went.

Altea is a bored slug on the lead line. She just seems to cave in emotionally. I can't say why, but there it is.

However with me on her back she comes alive and wants to do things. Off we trotted (you can't make her trot on a lead line unless it's steeply downhill).

She has the most amazingly smooth trot that when you ease it down just a hair goes "gaited," and just rolls along.

Where did we go? Up the same mountain into the deep dark woods that crippled my feet a few days ago when I walked it leading her.

Bonnie had a wonderful time.

Altea was doing very well, and when we came back I did a flexing of her hock and stifle, and hipjoint, and she barely showed any sign of discomfort where before she'd almost collapse from the pain and strain.

I backed off to look at her and she promptly laid down to roll, and just as promptly and almost as agilely as in her youth I would think. Only the slightest hesitation once up, but then could walk easily.

I'm a happy old man.

Donald

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Love is Trust, trust is All
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So say Don, Altea, and Bonnie the Wonder Filly.

What a wonderful post.
I am happy for you, I am sure you are still smiling from enjoying the priviledge of riding on the beautiful Altea, and enjoying your exercise together. Bravo.

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Susie xx
http://www.flickr.com/photos/piepony/

That´s absolutely wonderful, Donald!! I am very happy for all three of you.

Ooohh! Wonderful! It must have been such fun ...



Schatzi, Gem's mare, has some of this as well. Often as we start to ride she is quite "down" but it only takes a minute for her to perk up and start to "fizz" - particularly if she is being asked to do something which is a bit of a challenge. She has a powerful work-ethic, this horse.



We can also do much of it, but if we want to avoid problems with the electric company we have to get a "competent" (ie. certified) electrician in. We probably will do the septic system ourselves, though.

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Glen Grobler



Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled. Anon

Thank you all so much for your celebratory notes. Yes, I am so very happy about Altea. We love our little Bonnie but know that Altea is more likely to be our keeping horse and to know we can ride is special. Kate was SOOOOO jealous when I told her. Looks like the next ride is hers (well, maybe the one after my next ride).



Hmm... a different and more positive way of viewing the horse's behavior. Yes, that is IT. Altea too reserves her self for "business." That thought could forever change my view of Altea's quiet aloofness, that changes only when she's challenged.



Yeah, I have to get in an electrician to sign off on my work too. Fortunately I know a couple of them and one is the husband of my top student.

You aren't going to hand dig that septic system are you? You can rent a backhoe/bucket loader for digging and moving, right? We may be facing the same task one of these days, and boy, am I ever going to just pay for it all to be done. On the other hand my neighbor has offered us the use of his backhoe any old time we want. Now I'll have to think about that.

So are you still sweltering? All your northern friends are shivering. Think of us when it gets too hot for you there.

Must get out to the barn, trudging through the snow on the way, and look after the girls.

Hugs, Donald

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Love is Trust, trust is All
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So say Don, Altea, and Bonnie the Wonder Filly.