I visited a potential pasture mate for Baasha today. The lady who owns him is a riding instructor nearby and I was curious to both see her place, her pony, and her teaching style. I showed up during a lesson.Two teenage girls rode big shining Fresians around a tiny indoor. By tiny I mean this could not have been 20 meters across, and it could not have been 40 meters long. Imagine trying to work in such a place! There were cavaletti out and the girls were schooled over them. I kept hearing her (her name is Karin) use phrases I was unfamiliar with (the German word for two-point (half/forward seat)). And what is the difference between a Volte and a Zirkel? Aha, meters. A Volte is a 10 meter circle, and a Zirkel is a 20 meter one. So, sometimes it's true, the Germans have words for things we don't: ) (But often the reverse is true!)
I had the impression that Fresians were coldbloods - but these two were firey and one even bolted for no apparent reason. You cannot bolt far in an arena that small, though.
This lady on the rail with me (the mother of the riders??) was helpful, answering my questions. I find that as cold as Germans are, they will not turn down helping even a stranger if you ask nicely.
There were these annoying ill-mannered dogs everywhere, barking and sniffing me and really distracting me from the lesson. I am no dog hater, I just appreciate good dogs: ) These dogs kept up this non-stop barking during the entire lesson, and the people around kept saying "Shush" but they wouldn't stop and it was echoey in there and ear-ringing loud. A big dog knocked my water bottle right into the arena. I was so embarrassed that Karin would think I did that, those Fresians didn't need any more excuses to misbehave, I said "It was the dog!!"
I loved her teaching style in that the horses got lots, lots of breaks for good effort. Every leg yield that was well executed got a long rein and lots of praise and a break. The lesson was filled with mini-breaks.
However, I did not approve of the cavaletti spacing. At first I thought "Oh, they're Fresians and have short strides" but then I saw the horses feet knocking against them, plainly showing they needed more space, and could have benefitted from the gymnastics of the spacing.
I admit I was enchanted with those shiny sleek black horses with flowing forelocks! The kids rode with simple snaffles and one kid did not even have a saddle. She kept encouraging her mare verbally, "Canter Laika!" and the mare gave her best in such a cramped space.
Finally Karin's friend showed me the pony Mogli. Except I really don't think he's a pony, he's almost as big as Baasha and Baasha is 15.1. But he has a delicate look - long legs, long face, long thin neck, a horse you feel like you could push over accidentally. Baasha looks robust by comparison. Not that Mogli is thin, just very fine.
He was shaved bald, and badly. Someone needs clipping lessons. (Not from me, I'm just sayin!) His entire body was badly clipped to the skin with razor burn everywhere, and his mane was roached as well.
Why? Poor Mogli is covered in lice and their eggs. What is it with our search for a companion pony and skin/crud issues!?
Karin assured me she would not send him to us until he's free of this infestation. I'd never seen a lice infestation before so I asked her to show me the actual lice. They say you can see them - 1 mm in length. Well, she'd been shampooing poor Mogli this winter to kill them, and there were no living adults, only eggs.
I'd never seen anything like that - his entire coat was flecked with white lice eggs. I did not touch him, don't worry: )
Suddenly I'm remembering how when we first got Baasha, we thought that lice dusting was a normal part of horse care. We bought de-lice powder regularly, and used it with every grooming.
Later I learned that you really don't have to do that! *lol*
But a tube of that stuff would be nice to have on hand right now.
Regarding the herd dynamics, I did see another senior horse push Mogli around, and Mogli hid behind him when I first visited the paddock. Karin says he's not a friendly horse with strangers, and she blames it on his status as a meat-horse on his way to France before he was rescued.
My heart is going out to this old guy ---he's 36. But I have my priorities straight. He and Baasha have to be friends, good friends, for him to live here. Anything less is not worth it.
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The photo was taken from Aarene of Haiku Farm's backyard - it has nothing to do with the post but I wanted to share it because I love the way the mist rolls constantly between her house and that mountain.
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12 comments:
The irritating dogs and lice would have been enough to make me go home right away. Poor Mogli. Sounds like the old guy could use an upgrade.
aww poor pony, he sounds like a good match after his lice is cleared up.
Im with you, I hate barking dogs, I can only imagine how loud it was in that arena.
My moms horses had lice once. We treated it with simple fly spray,which kills them just fine. The trick is in the timing you have to make sure and apply it at two week intervals, at the very least, that is the incubation time.
Do I remember you saying that fly spray wasnt readily available there?
Sounds promising, actually. If the horses get a loose rein as a reward, she's got some fundamental principles that align with yours. He might be worth a shot when he's de-lousy... but not before! Ick.
At 36, does he still have teeth? If he has to gum mush 24/7, can he even be turned out with Baasha? That would be my second concern, after the lice.
Dom, Going from a muddy small paddock to unlimited year-round pasture would indeed be an upgrade, although the stall he has now is lovely, open, and deep with straw - what we cannot offer. But of course seeing a pony with such an infestation made the nurturing side of me want to "rescue" him! But not at Baasha's expense. So I'll visit him again in a month or more to see.
Crystal, there were just so many dogs I couldn't count them!
Reddunappy, Really? That sounds encouraging! I have flysect 7 concentrate *and* equispot from America. I find it odd that a horse can be covered in insects in the middle of such a cold snowy winter! The fleas, flies, gnats and ticks have the good sense to stay away until spring: )
Funder, you brought up important issues. Karin says he still has all his teeth, but of course at his age they are not meeting during chewing as well (like Baasha, he only has 2/3 of his teeth functioning well). But she did say he lives on hay, amazingly (not silage). Actually these are the only people I've met in Germany so far besides myself who refuse to feed haylage/silage. So I had to ask, why and they said "Oh, the protein is too high, silage should really only be used for cattle" and I couldn't help but think of how I've heard that numerous times back home, but about alfalfa! I said, "Well I don't feed it because if your hay is bad, you can usually see or smell it or even if you don't, your horse won't drop dead, like it would eating bad silage (botulism)."
Oh, I adore Friesians!! They do seem to be one of the "hotter" draft breeds. I think they are being bred to be hotter nowadays too.
Lice, in the dead of winter! I never knew it could happen. Hope they get it resolved.
Does your man ever want to ride? Maybe you should look for a good steady mount for him instead of a pony that won't be used.
If not poor Mogli, then I hope you find Baasha a buddy soon. Every horse deserves a friend.
We don't have any of that pretty mist here today--the wind is actually blowing the in the valley!
I think you're right to be cautious about the pony--the situation MIGHT work, but you are totally correct in making Baasha your priority!
I hope it works out sounds like your place would be a better life.
Hopefully Mogli's lice clears up and he & Baasha develope a friendship
Rude dogs are not my thing either, although Delilah and Sugar were rude when you were here, we were all over them teaching them to mind. I'd be turned out by someone barking orders and not following through. That's really only teaching them they can do as the please. Not good.
I am not good at conversions from metric to feet so have no idea how big the arena is but if you think a Friesian can't canter well in there it must be small. I thought that Fresians were warmbloods. Their regional championships here are at the one show I manage. From what I see there's plenty of hot blood flowing in those Fresian veins. LOL
36 is really getting up there for a horse. Have you considered Baasha might just get attached and that horse could pass?? How would he or you handle that?? I feel for the old guy. He's sure had a tough go but is your heart ready for that? I don't know if I could set myself up for that or not??
Speaking of old horses passing, did you hear that Cytosk died? This weekend, he was 28. I spoke to Tague, it was definitely old age. Poor guy, he's sure left his mark on our area and probably throughout the states. Very sad.
Wow I have never actually seen lice on a horse either! Poor boy! I hope the lice go away so you can spoil him a little bit. Sounds like he needs someone to spoil him - but you're right, and you're looking out for your Baasha first and that's what you need to do .
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