Pretty significant improvement considering that I've only had him 2 weeks.
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Monday, August 30, 2010
Good mornin'
Pretty significant improvement considering that I've only had him 2 weeks.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
I think we're ok
I stayed around last night until he pooped- it was normal. Went back out at 5, he was downright pushy for his breakfast (with less beet pulp). Put him back in the paddock after he ate since it's supposed to be overcast and rainy all day.
Think I saw him give me the finger for putting him out in the rain as I was leaving.
Think I saw him give me the finger for putting him out in the rain as I was leaving.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Argh!
Louvin didn't finish his dinner. However- I did up the beet pulp again and while he's been eating it, he shoves it to the side and leaves it if I don't mix it in well enough, so I wouldn't say he likes it.
He has normal gut sounds as best as I can figure- definitely has some. Might be a bit lethargic, but it's hard to tell with him.
Brought him out to the paddock and he's grazing normally.
No signs of discomfort really. I think I am being a worrywart... doesn't help that I haven't dealt with a colic since 93ish. Sigh.
He has normal gut sounds as best as I can figure- definitely has some. Might be a bit lethargic, but it's hard to tell with him.
Brought him out to the paddock and he's grazing normally.
No signs of discomfort really. I think I am being a worrywart... doesn't help that I haven't dealt with a colic since 93ish. Sigh.
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Friday, August 27, 2010
Test Results
He was good today, bright eyed and peppy. Some buffalo had escaped the other night and had been corralled in the arena. I took Louvin by them when I was trotting him in hand up the lane, and we can add them to the list of things my last OTTB would have flown to the moon over that Louvin considers a bore. Also on this list are cows, donkies, barking dogs, car alarms and sirens. Louvin did look at the buffalo- just didn't react to 'em at all. The pics are of him chillin' in the washrack w/ the buffs in the background.
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Thursday, August 26, 2010
cribbity
Apparently Louvin does not approve of his new stall. Linda caught him cribbing, said he'd take a bite every 10 minutes or so. Could be 2 things- he doesn't have a buddy next to him that he can see, and I'd put his hay in a feeder. He ate it level to the part that's fully inclosed, so maybe he just doesn't like sticking his head in such things and that effectively left him without hay. Pulled the hay out of it, we'll see what he does tomorrow and go from there.
Told him he had to work for his dinner tonight and trotted him in hand a few times around the paddock, which of course made me sweat a heck of a lot more than it did him. Tossed him into the arena and smacked his butt- he happily cantered around once, bucked (big ol buck) when I told him to keep going, trotted a bit then I stopped chasin' him, told him whoa- he stopped instantly- and called it a night.
Told him he had to work for his dinner tonight and trotted him in hand a few times around the paddock, which of course made me sweat a heck of a lot more than it did him. Tossed him into the arena and smacked his butt- he happily cantered around once, bucked (big ol buck) when I told him to keep going, trotted a bit then I stopped chasin' him, told him whoa- he stopped instantly- and called it a night.
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Wednesday, August 25, 2010
and
Today when I walked into the barn, I was greeted with a nicker.
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Vet report
No good news on the eye front, looks like he'll be a daytime stall baby for longer than I'd hoped. We'll keep treating at least until the next vet visit 2 weeks from now. Anyone want to wager on my sanity after 3 weeks of getting up at 5 am?
I left the vet notes out in the car, but basically, his eye isn't dilating the way it should with the meds and that ain't good. She showed me the cataracts he's got- some formed, some forming, and got me all set up to treat long term w/o having to have her back out (the visit in 2 weeks is primarily for boosters since we could obtain no vac records).
Had her pull blood to check kidney function after discussing his pee issues. She gave me a container to get a urine sample but then we decided to see if he'd provide that while she was there so I wouldnt have to go by the office with it. Tossed him in a stall and sure enough, he hooked that right up. Weirdo horse, vet was pretty tickled with how easy it was. Hopefully all will be ok with that.
Bobbi had lent us her horse's stall for the past week (awesome of her), this vet visit confirmed that Louvin was gonna need his own. I'd been considering it anyway, because I've been enjoying the social aspects of being up there instead of out in the back- during my evening visits of course, no one's ever hanging out at sun up.
We had to clean up a stall for him. I had to rather, but Bobbi jumped right in, so did 2 of her boys, and so did Linda, and we got it fixed up in short order. Thank goodness for the help, it was HOT, woulda died doing it alone.
Other stuff- got to see him really move for the first time today when we turned him out with his girlfriend. He didn't run around for long, but it was still nice to see. And when I took him out to the paddock for the night, I asked him to trot alongside me, which he did very nicely. He continues to show a bit more 'tude, moving around a bit when tied and letting me know when he objects to things, but he's still a pretty dang sweet guy and he minds when I tell him what he can do with that 'tude.
His former owner sent me a friend request on facebook today. lolololol.
I left the vet notes out in the car, but basically, his eye isn't dilating the way it should with the meds and that ain't good. She showed me the cataracts he's got- some formed, some forming, and got me all set up to treat long term w/o having to have her back out (the visit in 2 weeks is primarily for boosters since we could obtain no vac records).
Had her pull blood to check kidney function after discussing his pee issues. She gave me a container to get a urine sample but then we decided to see if he'd provide that while she was there so I wouldnt have to go by the office with it. Tossed him in a stall and sure enough, he hooked that right up. Weirdo horse, vet was pretty tickled with how easy it was. Hopefully all will be ok with that.
Bobbi had lent us her horse's stall for the past week (awesome of her), this vet visit confirmed that Louvin was gonna need his own. I'd been considering it anyway, because I've been enjoying the social aspects of being up there instead of out in the back- during my evening visits of course, no one's ever hanging out at sun up.
We had to clean up a stall for him. I had to rather, but Bobbi jumped right in, so did 2 of her boys, and so did Linda, and we got it fixed up in short order. Thank goodness for the help, it was HOT, woulda died doing it alone.
Other stuff- got to see him really move for the first time today when we turned him out with his girlfriend. He didn't run around for long, but it was still nice to see. And when I took him out to the paddock for the night, I asked him to trot alongside me, which he did very nicely. He continues to show a bit more 'tude, moving around a bit when tied and letting me know when he objects to things, but he's still a pretty dang sweet guy and he minds when I tell him what he can do with that 'tude.
His former owner sent me a friend request on facebook today. lolololol.
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Monday, August 23, 2010
Scratches
Man, he's been high and dry but he's got scratches. They came on fast and nasty. Wasn't all that surprised that they showed up on his right rear, because the skin there was somewhat irritated when I got him (not fungusy, but too pink- just irritated from some unknown), but they showed up today on left rear too, though not as badly.
So he got some scrubbin' tonight, started with the scraches but ended up giving him a bath. Think I got the last of the scaley nasty skin outta his mane (that was super ick, too bad I didn't think to take pictures) and got most of him squeaky clean. He wasn't impressed but was tolerant.
Threw some furazone on the right hind where his skin is pretty painful looking, left the left alone after getting it cleaned up.
Put him out to graze for the night even though things are kinda wet, going with the perceived lesser of two evils. He'll be back in his dry stall by daybreak anyway, and that's not really very far off.
I can't think of ever having pretty gnarly scratches show up in a 24 hour period like this, it seems odd. He stayed in last night too, because it was storming like crazy last night. Blech. Maybe they flourished because of the condition he's in.
So he got some scrubbin' tonight, started with the scraches but ended up giving him a bath. Think I got the last of the scaley nasty skin outta his mane (that was super ick, too bad I didn't think to take pictures) and got most of him squeaky clean. He wasn't impressed but was tolerant.
Threw some furazone on the right hind where his skin is pretty painful looking, left the left alone after getting it cleaned up.
Put him out to graze for the night even though things are kinda wet, going with the perceived lesser of two evils. He'll be back in his dry stall by daybreak anyway, and that's not really very far off.
I can't think of ever having pretty gnarly scratches show up in a 24 hour period like this, it seems odd. He stayed in last night too, because it was storming like crazy last night. Blech. Maybe they flourished because of the condition he's in.
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Out w/ his gal
Left the fly mask off for the afternoon when I brought him in. The spot it rubbed is healing- when I washed it, the scabby bits all came off. Not a bad thing, but the mask wouldn't feel good on that at all. His stall is pretty dark, so it shouldn't hurt his eye unless he manages to get dust or some other junk in it. Knock on wood.
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Sunday, August 22, 2010
Fussy morning
Bobbi commented on how much Louvin dislikes flies on his legs the other day, and he sure made sure I knew that today. This is a pic of him doing the damn fly on my leg dance, he was definitely much fussier today than he's been. I don't mind it really, he's been so stoic to date, nice to see a little normal horse behavior from him.
He peed in the isle again today. This guy is crazy with this "will pee anywhere" thing. Has no shame at all... he peed during the vet's exam, with all of us standing around him and last night when he was tied and I was standing around shootin' bull with a couple folks. He doesn't seem to be peeing excessively, but it is strange. I'll be chatting with the vet more about that when she comes out Wednesday. I've been reading up on urinary things online today, and haven't seen anything that seems relevant, but well... all strange things go to the vet for now.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Cribbing
I don't believe I posted about this here yet, so let me get it down. When previous owner told me this horse cribs, I was less than thrilled. I don't have my own property and cribbers are lousy tenants.
When I was in his stall at her place, I saw that while there was damage to it, it wasn't that bad- especially if she'd had him 2 months and "just" got him the muzzle.
Bobbi and I were both thinking it, took us a bit to dare to bring it up, because it's just insane to market a non-cribber as a cribber- especially when you really want a horse gone. Lies about cribbers pretty much universally go the other way.
The first couple days I had him, he was out on pasture, so we couldn't really know. But since Wednesday, he's been in a stall as much as he's been out. Nothing. I'm totally comfortable saying this now- Louvin isn't a cribber. And though behaviors can change when a horse is brought into a new environment, I'm 99.9 percent sure that's not the case.
IMO, he was chewing up her stall because she wasn't feeding him. Not ever taking him out might have played a role too.
This ticks me off, it just makes me see red, almost more so than any other aspect of this whole thing. She fed him so little that he took to eating the wood of his stall and she saw muzzling him (with a muzzle that destroyed his face) as the solution to that. And she had the nerve to tell me multiple times that she paid $40 for the dang thing, like I'd be impressed with how much she invested in the horse. Aaargh! Why couldn't she have spent that money on some dang hay?!
Ok, breathe.
I'm very happy he isn't a cribber and that's all that really matters now.
In other news, my beet pulp finally came in. Gave him a bit with his dinner, in a separate bucket, to get his opinion on it. He's proved to be a little picky (passed on the peppermints I tried to give him and looked at me like I was insane when I offered him a bite of watermelon), but he gobbled it all up.
He was a little dehyrated tonight- nothing huge, but his skin was a little slow to unpinch. Linda hooked me/him up with some electrolites, and all was well by the time I left to come home.
It makes me so happy whenever someone hops in to help Louvin out like that, it's so cool how so many folks care about him now. We got some dac bloom from Dana yesterday, another buddy from HC is sending us a better (darker) fly mask, and quite a few other folks have offered various things. And of course, Bobbi continues to rock my socks, what with her giving me her horse's stall and helping me with meds and everything else.
That sounds like a good note to end on, so I'm off to bed.
When I was in his stall at her place, I saw that while there was damage to it, it wasn't that bad- especially if she'd had him 2 months and "just" got him the muzzle.
Bobbi and I were both thinking it, took us a bit to dare to bring it up, because it's just insane to market a non-cribber as a cribber- especially when you really want a horse gone. Lies about cribbers pretty much universally go the other way.
The first couple days I had him, he was out on pasture, so we couldn't really know. But since Wednesday, he's been in a stall as much as he's been out. Nothing. I'm totally comfortable saying this now- Louvin isn't a cribber. And though behaviors can change when a horse is brought into a new environment, I'm 99.9 percent sure that's not the case.
IMO, he was chewing up her stall because she wasn't feeding him. Not ever taking him out might have played a role too.
This ticks me off, it just makes me see red, almost more so than any other aspect of this whole thing. She fed him so little that he took to eating the wood of his stall and she saw muzzling him (with a muzzle that destroyed his face) as the solution to that. And she had the nerve to tell me multiple times that she paid $40 for the dang thing, like I'd be impressed with how much she invested in the horse. Aaargh! Why couldn't she have spent that money on some dang hay?!
Ok, breathe.
I'm very happy he isn't a cribber and that's all that really matters now.
In other news, my beet pulp finally came in. Gave him a bit with his dinner, in a separate bucket, to get his opinion on it. He's proved to be a little picky (passed on the peppermints I tried to give him and looked at me like I was insane when I offered him a bite of watermelon), but he gobbled it all up.
He was a little dehyrated tonight- nothing huge, but his skin was a little slow to unpinch. Linda hooked me/him up with some electrolites, and all was well by the time I left to come home.
It makes me so happy whenever someone hops in to help Louvin out like that, it's so cool how so many folks care about him now. We got some dac bloom from Dana yesterday, another buddy from HC is sending us a better (darker) fly mask, and quite a few other folks have offered various things. And of course, Bobbi continues to rock my socks, what with her giving me her horse's stall and helping me with meds and everything else.
That sounds like a good note to end on, so I'm off to bed.
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Vet (last Weds)
Louvin's new vet is Allison Barca, she came to check him out last Wednesday. That morning Louvin came in with a squinty eye, that's the first thing she looked at. Diagnosed him with anterior uveitis in the right eye. Prescribed two eye ointments and banamine. He's been a pretty dang good patient, while he obviously isn't thrilled with having his eye messed with, he remains a gentleman in his objections.
The eye thing wasn't obvious when I got him. We're thinking that being out in the sunshine after being in the dark for so long (hidden in a stall), might have aggravated the eye. Course, we don't really know. This could be a problem he's had for quite some time.
The back/hip weirdness- sacroiliac rupture on the left side. Appears healed. Since he's sound now, it likely won't cause problems. No promises, of course, but she doesn't think it's impossible that he'll be a functional horsey citizen in time. Suggested in a couple weeks that I start working him in side reins to start building up his topline. (Weeks?! Cool! Not that I don't love just brushin' and lovin' on him, but there are really only so many baths a horse needs).
Other news- he needs a float, but his teeth aren't terrible. Skin/coat are excellent (she mentioned how rare it is to see a horse in his shape with a nice coat- course it's because he was never outside).
Had him vaccinated, because I was unable to verify that he was UTD on anything aside from his coggins. She hit him with Quest for me too (which may seem weird, but the feed stores on this side of the lake are terrible, and I just knew if I went out to try to buy my own Quest I'd have no luck- it was cheaper to have her do it than drive around for hours in search of it).
Vet is coming back this Wednesday to check his eye, then again 2 weeks after that for vaccination boosters, and we'll do a fecal then to see if the Quest missed anything.
Feet before/after
Louvin got his feet done on Tuesday. Here are some before and after pics. Thankfully, they were just long, no huge problems!
And after. Pretty drastic, but he wasn't sore at all. Vet was out the next day to give him the once over (and then some, she was training some animal control folk on horses and was super thorough) and was all over them with the hoof testers. He was really not sore!
Yar, matey.
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Friday, August 20, 2010
Eye issues
Tonight when I went to put him out for the night, he was a bit stocked up. I've really wanted him out grazing 24/7 anyway, so I decided to try what the vet had mentioned before Bobbi so kindly lent us a stall- that being a fly mask eye patch. Just seein what he would do, I stuck a big x of duct tape over that eye on his mask and put it on him.
And nothing. Didn't change how he was acting at all. Didn't hesitate when I lead him around, or when I turned him into it, or when I approached him from that side quietly or loudly. Now, he's laid back, but this is a bit out there. I'm really questioning his vision on that side because he was way too chill and functional when I blinded him.
Vet's coming back out on Weds. to recheck the eye. Guess I'll just hope for the best.
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This morning
5:30 is too early for man and beast.
He looks like he's in pretty good shape in the dark though, doesn't he?
I'll get back to the backstory posts (have the farrier and vet visits to dish on) but figured I'd post a current update to keep things interesting.
Home pics Saturday 8-14-10
Scrubby time
Eat!
Got a bit of a haircut too. I lack the patience for such things (Bobbi undreaded what was left for me), and have never been a fan of long manes anyway.
Picking him up
We went to pick him up Saturday. When we arrived, she'd just hosed him down. She'd also forgotten his coggins at home, so we had to stick around for awhile to wait for her to go back home and get that. Took a few pics while we were waiting.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Summation of the rest of the BS
Gal said she'd had him 1 month, 2 months, and that she hasn't been able to care for him "since it's been hot."
She said that she fed him 2 bales of hay each day, later said that she gets 10 bales a week (and had 3 other horses- all in decent flesh, no pasture).
Said she was mostly concerned with him having a good home, but did not ask me a single question about where he was going, about intended veterinary care, or even about myself.
She said he's in the stall so no one could see him, but that she sometimes comes out after dark to let him out for awhile.
Her barrel horse has a pretty nasty tumor on one of his hind fetlocks. I didn't see it up close, but it protrudes over an inch, probably closer to 2 inches. She complained about people saying things about it, but she shows them by still making good runs on him. Says he still likes to run and it doesn't bother him. Told me it had been removed and it came back, so now she puts wonder dust on it when it splits and bleeds and that makes it fine.
She stated that the horse only cribs when he doesn't have hay and told me he always has hay. Muzzle was for his own good, though it had rubbed his face some.
Said that the horse was UTD on vacs and everything but of course no vet could confirm that. And on that subject, the coggins was from MS, because they're cheaper. Sure. But using so many vets you don't know who did anything specific? That's shady.
And toward the end of our interaction, she must have thought I was alright. Like I said, I can deal with just about anyone and hide my distaste, if I was a little less honest I'd make a hell of a politician. She started talking about her being on disability. Asked if I knew anyone trying to get on it, wanted to give me a card from the folks who got her on it. Not a biggie... she gets $ for referrals. Then she went on to tell me that her husband gets mad cus she doesn't use his name, but that if she did, she wouldn't qualify for disability or insurance because of his income... after telling me how much money she gets and how it's not a liveable amount (which it's not, but that debate doesn't belong here).
Stupid things to tell someone who's already cleaning up your mess for you, but then, most smart folks don't have starved horses hid in their barns.
I've toyed with the idea of really outting her, of naming names and such, but I'm not going to. I can see it getting really ugly and I'm not going to put myself in that position and I can't see anything being gained from it.
So, former owner, if you've come across this, you're safe. I'm sure you're now lumping me in with all those folks who emailed you when they saw this horse on craigslist and read you the riot act, but that don't bother me none. When I responded to your rant about them by saying "there are crazy people on craigslist"- I didn't mean them.
She said that she fed him 2 bales of hay each day, later said that she gets 10 bales a week (and had 3 other horses- all in decent flesh, no pasture).
Said she was mostly concerned with him having a good home, but did not ask me a single question about where he was going, about intended veterinary care, or even about myself.
She said he's in the stall so no one could see him, but that she sometimes comes out after dark to let him out for awhile.
Her barrel horse has a pretty nasty tumor on one of his hind fetlocks. I didn't see it up close, but it protrudes over an inch, probably closer to 2 inches. She complained about people saying things about it, but she shows them by still making good runs on him. Says he still likes to run and it doesn't bother him. Told me it had been removed and it came back, so now she puts wonder dust on it when it splits and bleeds and that makes it fine.
She stated that the horse only cribs when he doesn't have hay and told me he always has hay. Muzzle was for his own good, though it had rubbed his face some.
Said that the horse was UTD on vacs and everything but of course no vet could confirm that. And on that subject, the coggins was from MS, because they're cheaper. Sure. But using so many vets you don't know who did anything specific? That's shady.
And toward the end of our interaction, she must have thought I was alright. Like I said, I can deal with just about anyone and hide my distaste, if I was a little less honest I'd make a hell of a politician. She started talking about her being on disability. Asked if I knew anyone trying to get on it, wanted to give me a card from the folks who got her on it. Not a biggie... she gets $ for referrals. Then she went on to tell me that her husband gets mad cus she doesn't use his name, but that if she did, she wouldn't qualify for disability or insurance because of his income... after telling me how much money she gets and how it's not a liveable amount (which it's not, but that debate doesn't belong here).
Stupid things to tell someone who's already cleaning up your mess for you, but then, most smart folks don't have starved horses hid in their barns.
I've toyed with the idea of really outting her, of naming names and such, but I'm not going to. I can see it getting really ugly and I'm not going to put myself in that position and I can't see anything being gained from it.
So, former owner, if you've come across this, you're safe. I'm sure you're now lumping me in with all those folks who emailed you when they saw this horse on craigslist and read you the riot act, but that don't bother me none. When I responded to your rant about them by saying "there are crazy people on craigslist"- I didn't mean them.
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Story number 3
When they weren't able to find the coggins on Friday, we went into manic WTF are we gonna do mode, because we really wanted him out of there ASAP.
I called HARP to see if they had any ideas, and not all that surprisingly, I hadn't said a half dozen words about the horse when she (and horribly enough, I never got the name of who I was speaking to, bad manners on my part) asked if he was the horse from craigslist.
She'd talked to the owner too. Owner told her that a guy dumped the horses on her property, along with two others he eventually picked up and that she'd had to go to the courthouse to get them legally turned over to her so she could sell them.
She'd come across well to HARP, she should have stuck with that story, it makes her sound not too bad. Of course, if she had, I would have asked to see those legal documents before purchasing the horse from her, so she couldn't go that route with a potential buyer.
I called HARP to see if they had any ideas, and not all that surprisingly, I hadn't said a half dozen words about the horse when she (and horribly enough, I never got the name of who I was speaking to, bad manners on my part) asked if he was the horse from craigslist.
She'd talked to the owner too. Owner told her that a guy dumped the horses on her property, along with two others he eventually picked up and that she'd had to go to the courthouse to get them legally turned over to her so she could sell them.
She'd come across well to HARP, she should have stuck with that story, it makes her sound not too bad. Of course, if she had, I would have asked to see those legal documents before purchasing the horse from her, so she couldn't go that route with a potential buyer.
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Story number 2
When I went to pay her for the horse, I met her at what she said was her friend's apartment, where her husband had left her for the day- but it had all of the buckles, etc. that she'd won on display.
I asked her for the current coggins and she asked me to take her round the block to her friends house because he had it. I did. He was unable to find it then, but came out to talk to me about the horse.
He told me this story in her presence, and they're obviously fairly good friends as they made plans for him to take her shopping later that day.
This guy told me that he aquired the horse from "a rescue that really wasn't a rescue" and that the horse weighed 800 lbs at that time. He said he got the horse up to 1200 lbs then decided to get out of horses for personal reasons, so he gave the horse to her. Guy said that he went to see the horse the day before and that he looks like he did when he first got him.
I asked her for the current coggins and she asked me to take her round the block to her friends house because he had it. I did. He was unable to find it then, but came out to talk to me about the horse.
He told me this story in her presence, and they're obviously fairly good friends as they made plans for him to take her shopping later that day.
This guy told me that he aquired the horse from "a rescue that really wasn't a rescue" and that the horse weighed 800 lbs at that time. He said he got the horse up to 1200 lbs then decided to get out of horses for personal reasons, so he gave the horse to her. Guy said that he went to see the horse the day before and that he looks like he did when he first got him.
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Story number 1
This is the first story I heard about this horse, told to me when I went to check him out.
Horse was kept on her family's property by a husband and wife who were new to horses and clueless. Wife was scared of him because of his size, but they took him on trailrides, only at a walk, all the time. Her son rode the horse sometimes, and he can lope. These people got out of horses, sold him, and he left the property.
She went to a bbq at her friends house and saw him in the barn. He was in bad shape, so she found the woman who owned him and talked her into selling him to her for $300.
She's had him 2 months and he's improved a great deal. She's been feeding him two bales of hay each day along with stratedy.
Horse was kept on her family's property by a husband and wife who were new to horses and clueless. Wife was scared of him because of his size, but they took him on trailrides, only at a walk, all the time. Her son rode the horse sometimes, and he can lope. These people got out of horses, sold him, and he left the property.
She went to a bbq at her friends house and saw him in the barn. He was in bad shape, so she found the woman who owned him and talked her into selling him to her for $300.
She's had him 2 months and he's improved a great deal. She's been feeding him two bales of hay each day along with stratedy.
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Cell pics from first meeting
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And we meet-
We had originally planned to meet so I could see the horse late in the day so that her son could drive her after he got off work, but she called in the am to see if I wanted to come out earlier. Because of the weather- rainy- kid wasn't working. I'm game, so I drive out there.
She's not there. Her sister pulls up after me, I talk to her, and she takes me in to meet their father. He calls owner, she doesn't answer. We talk for a bit (let me interject here- her dad seemed like a real nice guy) and he decides to take me back to the horse. He unlocks everything, takes a look at the horse and throws it hay. He goes back up to the house then, leaving me with the horse.
I'd like to say it wasn't that bad, but boy- it was. I spend a good while trying out all the theories I'd come up with about his funky topline and hind end. Is that a hunters bump that looks like hell because of his condition? His hips aren't even- knocked down hip? Other pelvic fracture? Something dislocated back here? I grabbed my phone, took a pic, and posted to to FB with the caption "he's more crooked than a Louisiana politician."
I called the owner again and she answered. Surprised I was out there.
I gotta run out and feed/medicate now. I'll post the first of the stories she told me about this horse next.
She's not there. Her sister pulls up after me, I talk to her, and she takes me in to meet their father. He calls owner, she doesn't answer. We talk for a bit (let me interject here- her dad seemed like a real nice guy) and he decides to take me back to the horse. He unlocks everything, takes a look at the horse and throws it hay. He goes back up to the house then, leaving me with the horse.
I'd like to say it wasn't that bad, but boy- it was. I spend a good while trying out all the theories I'd come up with about his funky topline and hind end. Is that a hunters bump that looks like hell because of his condition? His hips aren't even- knocked down hip? Other pelvic fracture? Something dislocated back here? I grabbed my phone, took a pic, and posted to to FB with the caption "he's more crooked than a Louisiana politician."
I called the owner again and she answered. Surprised I was out there.
I gotta run out and feed/medicate now. I'll post the first of the stories she told me about this horse next.
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Phone contact
A week ago today, I went to see this horse for the first time.
But wait, let's talk about the phone conversation I had with his owner first. I jotted down some of what she told me.
She's on disability and can't take care of the horses.
It's difficult because she has other people taking care of them, and it's hard to find people willing to take care of your 4 horses for you, but she used to have 7, went down to 2, then rescued these 2 because she felt bad for them.
She feeds a 'complete feed' so it doesn't matter when she runs out of hay.
She's had the horse 2 months and put weight on him.
She's had animal control called on her multiple times for neglect.
Horse is kept next door to the parish animal shelter.
She got him a cribbing muzzle because he was destroying the stall.
Muzzle has rubbed his face.
He only cribs when he doesn't have hay.
Her stalls are in terrible shape and she doesn't want anyone to see them.
She can't get another load of shavings because her son put rims on her truck and now it can't pull that trailer.
She spoke some about the buckles, etc. that she's won.
Sounds like a perfectly reasonable person, right? I've left my comments off the above list, I really think they stand on their own.
So I arrange to go out there, and decide I'll google her first. Find her myspace, which had recent updates. All of which were along the lines of bitch/ho best be minding her own man/business/etc. Ooooh. Hooray. I'll admit she was nowhere near that bad on the phone, but I still wasn't exactly surprised at how she presented herself online.
But hey, I managed a store on Bourbon street for 3 years. I can handle talking to just about anyone and they'll never know how I really feel about them.
By this point, I'd seen enough red flags that I was suspecting the horse would look even worse IRL than he did in the craigslist pictures. I arranged to go see him the next day.
But wait, let's talk about the phone conversation I had with his owner first. I jotted down some of what she told me.
She's on disability and can't take care of the horses.
It's difficult because she has other people taking care of them, and it's hard to find people willing to take care of your 4 horses for you, but she used to have 7, went down to 2, then rescued these 2 because she felt bad for them.
She feeds a 'complete feed' so it doesn't matter when she runs out of hay.
She's had the horse 2 months and put weight on him.
She's had animal control called on her multiple times for neglect.
Horse is kept next door to the parish animal shelter.
She got him a cribbing muzzle because he was destroying the stall.
Muzzle has rubbed his face.
He only cribs when he doesn't have hay.
Her stalls are in terrible shape and she doesn't want anyone to see them.
She can't get another load of shavings because her son put rims on her truck and now it can't pull that trailer.
She spoke some about the buckles, etc. that she's won.
Sounds like a perfectly reasonable person, right? I've left my comments off the above list, I really think they stand on their own.
So I arrange to go out there, and decide I'll google her first. Find her myspace, which had recent updates. All of which were along the lines of bitch/ho best be minding her own man/business/etc. Ooooh. Hooray. I'll admit she was nowhere near that bad on the phone, but I still wasn't exactly surprised at how she presented herself online.
But hey, I managed a store on Bourbon street for 3 years. I can handle talking to just about anyone and they'll never know how I really feel about them.
By this point, I'd seen enough red flags that I was suspecting the horse would look even worse IRL than he did in the craigslist pictures. I arranged to go see him the next day.
Published with Blogger-droid v1.5.3.1
Surfing craigslist
I spotted an ad for 2 horses. It had the makings of a wreck from the get go- all caps, terrible spelling, and just didn't make a whole lot of sense. The poster stated that she had MS and couldn't take care of her "rescues" any longer, and had them priced at $50.
I forwarded the ad to my friend along with a "you know you want them" note.
She responded, offering to help ME get them. Well. Hmm. I guess I could go look at 'em. The ad had some pics of the QH mare attached, and though they were lousy pics, she didn't seem to be in bad shape. So I emailed the owner, only to have it bounce back because the ad had been deleted.
End of story.
Nope. She relisted them, at $200 each, obo for the gelding. And she put some pics of him up. These pics.
Aw, crud.
So I emailed her through the new ad and arranged to go out and see him.
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Wednesday, August 18, 2010
blogging about Louvin
i decided to start a blog about this horse i aquired on august fourteenth because he's gotten quite the following over on hc and because im sure all of my nonhorsey fb friends are baffled and likely starting to lose interest in my excessive status updates about him.
however, im on my droid, and blogger does not want me to be able to use proper punctuation or capitalization for some reason, so ill keep it short today. ill get his whole story to date up soon, bombard you with pics, and keep you up to date as i get him back to where he should be.
whether you made it here because you caught the story on hc, or because youre my friend, or just because you love animals and hate folks who mistreat them, stick around and check back often, cus i think me and louvin are gonna make a pretty good story together.
however, im on my droid, and blogger does not want me to be able to use proper punctuation or capitalization for some reason, so ill keep it short today. ill get his whole story to date up soon, bombard you with pics, and keep you up to date as i get him back to where he should be.
whether you made it here because you caught the story on hc, or because youre my friend, or just because you love animals and hate folks who mistreat them, stick around and check back often, cus i think me and louvin are gonna make a pretty good story together.
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