For the first time since I have been riding, I feel like I am finally starting to learn and be able to apply what I am learning. Since I bought America in August, I have taken a serious interest in making him the healthiest I possibly can. Physically, mentally, emotionally. I have been making little changes for the past two months and I am starting to see a difference. These are just a few of the changes I have done with him:
1. Gigantic Holes: There were significant holes in his training. He had been a trail barn horse for a number of years before coming to the barn he was at when I got him. His life consisted of standing saddled up for hours a day, going on trail rides, going back to where he started. He was one of 50 some odd horses on an acre lot. While he was in significantly better shape than he should have been in these conditions, he was still lacking a lot. When he got to our previous barn, he was put into lessons and he was awesome at it. You could put any little kid on him and he would pack them around, trying his darndest to keep them on. I have always admired that about him. He has a super kind soul. But it did nothing to teach him how to properly move his body. Or what different aides mean. Anything. He knew how to walk, trot and canter (if that's what you want to call it). He was never engaged. His head stayed up high.
Change: We started in September doing only walking and trotting. We learned how to properly bend/counterbend. How to use his hind end to propel himself instead of dragging along. We worked a lot on transitions from walk to trot and back to walk and halt. (still working on that halt) Going over ground poles. Basically, teaching him how to balance and carry himself through having proper muscling. He is starting to get butt muscles, his rearend is rounding more. He has always had a very sloped dock, because he never had the proper muscle build to keep it round. His neck is starting to get thicker on the top and thinner on the bottom. His entire body is changing. It's nice.
2. I'm a hippy: :) I use all natural products, as much as possible. For his feet, if he gets any issues I only use Zephyrs Garden products and a product called Hoof Alive. I used the HA because his previous farrier screwed his feet up so bad, it cracked his heel bulb and it ended up getting thrushy. The HA uses alive materials to quickly grow the hoof back to normal health. Since I started using these products, I only have to use the Hoof alive once a week (at most) and only since it is not back 100% and I spritz some Zephyrs Thrush and Hoof spray once a week as a preventative. I also spritz the zephyrs fungus spray once a week as a preventative to rain rot as well. But I have a feeling that he will not be needing a preventative soon. I need to take an updated picture of this.
This picture was the end of October, there has been much improvement since then.
3. Diet change: This goes along with being a hippy. I have quite a few friends who SWEAR by the Dynamite products. After a few years of watching their horse transform into healthier and happier animals. Dappled and even the shapes of their bodies improved. So I have changed him over to an unfortified plain oat diet with the Dynamite vitamins and minerals added in. The feed at my barn is actually very high quality so I know that he was not getting horrible food. This is mostly, to see if I can get a difference, and if I can, he will stay on it. What I am using is: Dynamite, Dynapro and MSM.
4. A good farrier: Oh, I cannot praise this man more. I really need to take update pictures of this as well. The previous farrier had him with very long toes and his angles were very incorrect. He never moved well, ever. Mostly because he was incapable. With his angles being incorrect, he was never able to build the correct muscles because he was never able to move correctly, or even stand correctly. It was uncomfortable for him. The new farrier gave him a much more upright angle, shorter toe and longer heel which matches his pasterns much better. He has had his feet done for 2 weeks now and the improvement is exponential. He isn't even ouchy on gravel anymore. He is able to really reach under himself to get that booty moving. I do realize that he does not have the most desirable of conformations, but I truly believe any conformation can be worked with and made into it's peak condition.
5. Next step: He is getting his teeth done Friday by a balanced equine dentist. I honestly have no clue when the last time he had his teeth done. I know it wasn't in the last three years.
6. Next Next step: I am going to have the chiro work on him. I would really prefer to have an osteopath work on him so I will be looking into that.
Here is a picture to show his changes. You can really see the difference in how he is standing and comfort. Please excuse his "specialness", he decided he would just lay his head in my friends hands. Silly boy:)
