.... for Fleur today:
After she had broken her right front hoof last year in March 2016, not quite three years old, she had been in treatment and not allowed outside at all.
Three months in a cast and a further six months in her box with special shoes, only taken out every six weeks for x-rays sedated when the doctor visited, then five months careful special training to rebuild muscles and strengthen softened tendons. The first days we were allowed to "walk for one minute up and down the aisle" , then two, then five - can you imagine any young horse that would controllably walk after long stretches of standing for one minute? After a few weeks she was allowed a controlled trot at the lead rope -
Not a single veterinarian that we had asked for advice gave much hope for such a young horse with such a complicated slightly dislocated fracture and most recommended putting her on the "heavenly eternal pastures" - not worth the effort, not worth the money, she would not hold out, she would go mad standing in her box all day long, often alone indoors when all other horses went out for the day, or - in the best case scenario - she would develop arthrosis.
Here she is - a few weeks ago - on one of her first trips to the hall to run free:
Today, we felt very lucky and very very super happy - I led her outdoors for her first grazing in over a year, a bit anxious: what would she do when she saw the open fields, other horses, wind and sun? Would she explode and take off on her own, ruining all the efforts, overexerting her legs, running into some ditch or worse, tractors, bicycles, what not?
Horses have very long memories - she remembered the path to the paddock, took up all her surroundings a little anxiously but carefully and followed me trustingly to her plot, where she was received by her neighbour friends in what seemed to be a whinnying choir.
She is of such wonderful relaxed disposition. During the past 15 months she took each long day in a super friendly, patient, but still inquisitive manner, partaking in all what was going on around her, and did not develop any bad habits. We have never seen such a delightful behaviour in such a high-bred horse.
After she had broken her right front hoof last year in March 2016, not quite three years old, she had been in treatment and not allowed outside at all.
Three months in a cast and a further six months in her box with special shoes, only taken out every six weeks for x-rays sedated when the doctor visited, then five months careful special training to rebuild muscles and strengthen softened tendons. The first days we were allowed to "walk for one minute up and down the aisle" , then two, then five - can you imagine any young horse that would controllably walk after long stretches of standing for one minute? After a few weeks she was allowed a controlled trot at the lead rope -
Not a single veterinarian that we had asked for advice gave much hope for such a young horse with such a complicated slightly dislocated fracture and most recommended putting her on the "heavenly eternal pastures" - not worth the effort, not worth the money, she would not hold out, she would go mad standing in her box all day long, often alone indoors when all other horses went out for the day, or - in the best case scenario - she would develop arthrosis.
Here she is - a few weeks ago - on one of her first trips to the hall to run free:
Isn't she absolutely beautiful?
Today, we felt very lucky and very very super happy - I led her outdoors for her first grazing in over a year, a bit anxious: what would she do when she saw the open fields, other horses, wind and sun? Would she explode and take off on her own, ruining all the efforts, overexerting her legs, running into some ditch or worse, tractors, bicycles, what not?
Horses have very long memories - she remembered the path to the paddock, took up all her surroundings a little anxiously but carefully and followed me trustingly to her plot, where she was received by her neighbour friends in what seemed to be a whinnying choir.
She is of such wonderful relaxed disposition. During the past 15 months she took each long day in a super friendly, patient, but still inquisitive manner, partaking in all what was going on around her, and did not develop any bad habits. We have never seen such a delightful behaviour in such a high-bred horse.
Her friend Franzi, same age, is one year ahead in training, though she still often looks at me as if she was a baby :
Here on one of our relaxed walks through the fields around the farm, where they both live.
