Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 8:22 pm Post subject: My Friend Flicka . . .
Don't want to get too excited (impossible!) but re the thread 'Can't Go Barefoot' 22.9.09, I mentioned on P.4 about a gorgeous but sad Exmoor pone called Flicka who I was going to try try try and get to come live with me. Cut a long long one short, and having played the long waiting game, it's all coming together. Looks like Flicka will be moving in with us this weekend, and I, for one, can't wait! Shame I can't get her here earlier, as in tomorrow, cos me and my 4-legger crew have a hot date with SarahH, trimmer superior for West Wilts - if you read this before I see you SarahH, hope you're feeling better (full of rotten cold). Will update as soon as and get some Flicka pics on!
And just goes to show its not just 'high performance' breeds that suffer with modern management techniques (in reference to those that say 'domestic' horses have had the feet bred off them.)
Hinted re the angle 'I'd love to get her home to sort out her sweetitch' - cos boss knows I already have a sweetitch - didn't mention the flared feet as I didn't want boss thinking I was questioning her equine management skills. Got gently rejected so I gave it a while then last week I casually mentioned that 'my pone is really missing Blas (now on loan in Dorset) and I need to get her a friend' and asked if she had any pones I could 'loan' as a companion. She suggested two, one being Flicka!
I cemented plan and took husband and 12yr old (step)daughter to the yard before I started work to meet Flicka. Saw boss and said I'd accidentally mentioned Flicka to the child-person who now was desperate to meet her. Boss thrilled that child-person keen and is now seriously on board. Just need to set a time now which I will work on this afternoon as I'm working today - just hope my waterproofs have dried out from yesterdays' trail rides eeeuuuggh.
Went to collect her with big cob this morning and led her back home with long line. Good as gold. Settled her in to meet the others then went back up this afternoon to give her a big medicated bath (didn't like that!), pick out her feet (didn't like that either!) - managed to get fronts done but No Way Jose to the backs, into stable with wormer in gob (chemical but need to do big clearout cos gawd knows what's inside her and my others are worm counted and clear). Left her there with (very) oversized wicky rug on in stable with big pile of hay and will go up later to take off wicky and slather sudocreme on her sores. The bath revealed lots of sores on saddle area (and she was being ridden . . .) and her tail is awful. Side tum area rubbed but not raw like tail, mane and saddle area. Feet not as bad as I remembered so I reckon she's had a trim of sorts but still overly long and wide with a good 4-5cms outside of the white line. She's so sweet - very looky and cautious but trusting. Pics hopefully tomorrow courtesy of hubbie's clever camera.
Oh - PS - edited to add this - husband says her breath smells of sick (it does!). Anyone got any ideas????
Heres to a new start for Flicka - she sounds lovely.
Smelly breath could be a number of things but I would probably get a dentist in as it could be her teeth. People dont seem to bother with pony teeth, as if they are somewhat different to horses teeth !! Does she have any nasal discharge or lumps on her face from toothy problems ??
Well done you anyway - pics before and during your tlc would be good.
I have a sweetitch ponio and LOVE global Herbs Skratch - its amazing if you can get it into them as is STINKS !! Mine loves it though ???? It smells like a bonfire !! _________________ www.petportraitsbybonnie.blogspot.com
Breath smells of sick - possible sinus infection maybe? A couple of tablespoons of neem leaf a day in the feed for a couple of weeks would help with that. Good for all sorts of things and it's not expensive - about £5 a Kg from Cotswolds. _________________ http://www.4hooves.co.uk http://4hoovesblog.spaces.live.com/default.aspx
Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 10:45 am Post subject: Quick Flicka Update
Just a quick update as we have the first trimming today!
It's only been a few days but so far I've discovered she's had no basic handling at all! Flicka is Feisty! She has a fantastic talent of rear-ending, head-glaring-with-ears-back, and a new move, the Flicka-Wriggle, which is a nice way of saying she spins on a sixpence and leaps all over the place. But - we are seeing daily progress. I'm now on my second large jar of Sudocreme for her sores, which after the first few days she now lets me do while gritting her teeth, she now accepts fly spray, and - here's the BIG one - this morning I got all four feet up!!!!!! Woooohoooo!!!!
Every morning so far it's either been one or the other front hoof, and a big Clear-Orff on the hinds. Then yesterday I got both fronts for a short moment before she slammed each one down and did the Wriggle. I'm learning a nifty foot shuffle myself - keeping well away from her small but perfectly ton-weight slamming hoofs. But today, well! All Four Feet! Admittedly a bit of a Wriggle with the off hind and off fore, but hey, who's worrying. I didn't push it, kept things simple and slow, and learnt a great lesson to boot. Treats - work. After the first willing foot she got a treat. Which led to the next foot almost being offered. After we'd done foot 2 she got a treat. And so on. Why didn't I think to do this before? Now the world is our oyster, with a big pocket of fibre nuts on the go.
The husband's camera is at the ready for the hoof photos this afternoon. We have sedation at the ready, more for trimmer's safety than anything, so we'll get pics of the before and after.
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