MORE HORSE WOES
I will be posting pictures of Cassidy's birthday party as soon as I find the computer cord to my camera, until then, no pictures will be posted.
I helped my friend clean her horse barn most of the day Sunday. I went back out yesterday while she was at work to finish up what we didn't get done on Sunday. It felt great to go out and help her get everything taken care of. I enjoy work like that. It doesn't feel like I am working at all.
I have made the decision to just be a two-horse-owning family. Four is hard to take care of, three gets a little bit crowded, but two is just right. I want to keep my mothers black/white appaloosa gelding, so I made the decision to sell my 19-year-old mare. She is well broke, child friendly, and my 6-year-old daughter rides her by herself. I can also get more money for my well-broke mare then my mom's gelding. However, after making this decision, I have come across a BIG problem.
I saddled up my mare, Luna, for a ride the other day. She had been showing signs of lameness off and on over the summer, but has been doing pretty good lately. I rode her down the road and back, and she did just great. I saddled my sorrel gelding, Mack, and waited for my friend, Brandie, who came out to ride with me. We took off on the horses and got about a mile north of my house when Luna started limping. I told Brandie I had to get the horse back to the house so I could check her out. I cleaned out her hoof and it was dry and clean. There were no hot or soft spots when I pushed down on the inside of the hoof, so I don't believe there is an abscess or infection in it. However, there is definitely a problem somewhere, because when I would let go of her leg so she could put it down on the ground, she kept her leg in the air and didn't want to put weight on it. I have tried calling farriers to come out and check the hoof. So far, no one has gotten back to me. If her hooves are good, then it is more than likely a hock (ankle) problem, and here is where it gets hard. If it's a hock problem, there is only so much a vet can do, and a majority of legs problems ARE NOT fixable, no matter how hard you try. I cannot ride her until she has been checked out, so she is a yard ornament right now. I cannot sell her as a riding horse if she is lame, and I do not want her next owners to have any problems. If it is a problem that the farrier and vet cannot fix, then I will have to put her down because nothing else can be done for her. If I bred horses, she would be okay, but I don't have the facility for raising foals. I just ride, and if she cannot be ridden because of injury, the humane thing would be to put her down.....unless someone wants her as a brood mare. However, I want to be down to just two horses by the time snow flies, so there is a time limit on everything.
I hate thinking about it. I would rather sell her and see her go to a good home then have to put her down. My father bought Luna for me when I was an eighth grader and started attending a new school. I grew up sitting on the back of Luna, spending many days riding country roads and through fields exploring everything. We have had our share of great adventures, and Lord knows the mishaps during some of them. She's a wonderful horse. It sucks making the decision to put a good horse down. I don't think there is a horse owner out there that likes putting a good horse down, but there is no other options if a farrier and vet cannot fix what is injured.
I helped my friend clean her horse barn most of the day Sunday. I went back out yesterday while she was at work to finish up what we didn't get done on Sunday. It felt great to go out and help her get everything taken care of. I enjoy work like that. It doesn't feel like I am working at all.
I have made the decision to just be a two-horse-owning family. Four is hard to take care of, three gets a little bit crowded, but two is just right. I want to keep my mothers black/white appaloosa gelding, so I made the decision to sell my 19-year-old mare. She is well broke, child friendly, and my 6-year-old daughter rides her by herself. I can also get more money for my well-broke mare then my mom's gelding. However, after making this decision, I have come across a BIG problem.
I saddled up my mare, Luna, for a ride the other day. She had been showing signs of lameness off and on over the summer, but has been doing pretty good lately. I rode her down the road and back, and she did just great. I saddled my sorrel gelding, Mack, and waited for my friend, Brandie, who came out to ride with me. We took off on the horses and got about a mile north of my house when Luna started limping. I told Brandie I had to get the horse back to the house so I could check her out. I cleaned out her hoof and it was dry and clean. There were no hot or soft spots when I pushed down on the inside of the hoof, so I don't believe there is an abscess or infection in it. However, there is definitely a problem somewhere, because when I would let go of her leg so she could put it down on the ground, she kept her leg in the air and didn't want to put weight on it. I have tried calling farriers to come out and check the hoof. So far, no one has gotten back to me. If her hooves are good, then it is more than likely a hock (ankle) problem, and here is where it gets hard. If it's a hock problem, there is only so much a vet can do, and a majority of legs problems ARE NOT fixable, no matter how hard you try. I cannot ride her until she has been checked out, so she is a yard ornament right now. I cannot sell her as a riding horse if she is lame, and I do not want her next owners to have any problems. If it is a problem that the farrier and vet cannot fix, then I will have to put her down because nothing else can be done for her. If I bred horses, she would be okay, but I don't have the facility for raising foals. I just ride, and if she cannot be ridden because of injury, the humane thing would be to put her down.....unless someone wants her as a brood mare. However, I want to be down to just two horses by the time snow flies, so there is a time limit on everything.
I hate thinking about it. I would rather sell her and see her go to a good home then have to put her down. My father bought Luna for me when I was an eighth grader and started attending a new school. I grew up sitting on the back of Luna, spending many days riding country roads and through fields exploring everything. We have had our share of great adventures, and Lord knows the mishaps during some of them. She's a wonderful horse. It sucks making the decision to put a good horse down. I don't think there is a horse owner out there that likes putting a good horse down, but there is no other options if a farrier and vet cannot fix what is injured.
posted by Janelle @ 10:59 AM
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