I went out this AM, began opening gates, as it has recently been my practice to turn everybody out for a short while every morning,while I clean up and put their hay in their feeders (they volunteer to come back in in a short while, as the grass is all 'winter killed', so the green hay is more appealing!)
There are three in separate 'runs' at the barn, three 'outside' in large paddocks w/ run-in sheds. As I went down the line at the barn, I saw my 'second' Cowboy Del son, 12 YO "Roy', standing quietly right up next to the barn(instead of out at the end of the run, where the 'out' gate is, ready for me to open the gate)--and IMMEDIATELY knew something wasn't right. I opened the 'out gate', walked up to him, as he still stood completel quietly--to find that he was 'tethered' in his right NOSTRIL by the 'hook' on the end of a bungee! I had visions of it having penetrated his nostril(this is a horse that I found 'wearing' a bucket hanger through the side of his mouth--complete penetration!- one day several years ago, when I returned from a day in town--he allowed me to 'back it out' of the hole it made-called the vet, he told me it'd probably be fine w/o treatment--and it WAS! but it scared the bejeebers out of me--I do not use bucket hangers anymore!) AMAZINGLY--No, the 'hook' had NOT penetrated ANYTHING; as soon as I gingerly pulled down on the bungee cord, it came right out of the nostril--it just 'had' him, much as if he had a finger 'hooked' in his nostril. It was JUST taut enough that it would not 'drop out' of the nostril on its own with his head at a normal height (which it was).Once freed, he IMMEDIATELY marched right off, to join the other horses in turn out.
Thankfully, this bungee is the kind w/ a 'fat', plastic, and quite rounded, 'hook' on the end, instead of the thinner ones w/ a metal hook, thinly 'coated' in a plastic-y covering, but still having a 'sharp' end that easily pokes through that covering! It is a old one that has lost much of its elasticity; it is tied to the top rail (about 58") of the panels that my runs are made of, and I use it to help hold the top halves of the dutch doors partially open during the day. I 'wind it around' the top rail when not in use, but apparently didn't do a proper job of that last night (believe me, it WILL be well-secured from now on...I learn well from my mistakes!)
From the 'flattened' manure, and evidence of having peed, and a bit of hay remaining in Roy's feeder( I feed hay, in the winter, at about 5 PM and again at about 10 PM, just before I retire, so he'd have been 'at that point' in his 'late supper' by midnight or so--he'd been 'caught' this way for HOURS--probably 7 or more, as I went out at 7:30 this AM! He'd not fought or struggled(thank the Lord!)ONE BIT, it seems---there was just a spot of blood on the edge of his nostril, but NOTHING that could be considered a real injury of any sort.
This is a sensitive little horse; though he has MANY driving miles, under many circumstances, and I feel that I could drive him about anywhere, he is, still, leery and cautious of ANYTHING different or 'scarey'...and yet...he came through this experience as MANY would not! I raised him, trained him, and so am not REALLY surprised: yet still, I am also amazed at the 'presence of mind' it took for him to accept his situation and wait with such patience for help to arrive. He is my one who would 'go' until he dropped, NEVER quitting, giving his all with great heart...I have reflected, today, on how that 'connects' with this amazing response to the situation he found himself in!
I have owned and cared for horses since I got my first one OF MY OWN (before that, I rode, and occasionally, drove, someone else's, whenever I could!) when I was 9 years old--that's 58 years--yet I was still gloriously awed by this horse's wonderful good sense! (and extremely grateful!)
Never a dull moment when you have horses...!
Margo
There are three in separate 'runs' at the barn, three 'outside' in large paddocks w/ run-in sheds. As I went down the line at the barn, I saw my 'second' Cowboy Del son, 12 YO "Roy', standing quietly right up next to the barn(instead of out at the end of the run, where the 'out' gate is, ready for me to open the gate)--and IMMEDIATELY knew something wasn't right. I opened the 'out gate', walked up to him, as he still stood completel quietly--to find that he was 'tethered' in his right NOSTRIL by the 'hook' on the end of a bungee! I had visions of it having penetrated his nostril(this is a horse that I found 'wearing' a bucket hanger through the side of his mouth--complete penetration!- one day several years ago, when I returned from a day in town--he allowed me to 'back it out' of the hole it made-called the vet, he told me it'd probably be fine w/o treatment--and it WAS! but it scared the bejeebers out of me--I do not use bucket hangers anymore!) AMAZINGLY--No, the 'hook' had NOT penetrated ANYTHING; as soon as I gingerly pulled down on the bungee cord, it came right out of the nostril--it just 'had' him, much as if he had a finger 'hooked' in his nostril. It was JUST taut enough that it would not 'drop out' of the nostril on its own with his head at a normal height (which it was).Once freed, he IMMEDIATELY marched right off, to join the other horses in turn out.
Thankfully, this bungee is the kind w/ a 'fat', plastic, and quite rounded, 'hook' on the end, instead of the thinner ones w/ a metal hook, thinly 'coated' in a plastic-y covering, but still having a 'sharp' end that easily pokes through that covering! It is a old one that has lost much of its elasticity; it is tied to the top rail (about 58") of the panels that my runs are made of, and I use it to help hold the top halves of the dutch doors partially open during the day. I 'wind it around' the top rail when not in use, but apparently didn't do a proper job of that last night (believe me, it WILL be well-secured from now on...I learn well from my mistakes!)
From the 'flattened' manure, and evidence of having peed, and a bit of hay remaining in Roy's feeder( I feed hay, in the winter, at about 5 PM and again at about 10 PM, just before I retire, so he'd have been 'at that point' in his 'late supper' by midnight or so--he'd been 'caught' this way for HOURS--probably 7 or more, as I went out at 7:30 this AM! He'd not fought or struggled(thank the Lord!)ONE BIT, it seems---there was just a spot of blood on the edge of his nostril, but NOTHING that could be considered a real injury of any sort.
This is a sensitive little horse; though he has MANY driving miles, under many circumstances, and I feel that I could drive him about anywhere, he is, still, leery and cautious of ANYTHING different or 'scarey'...and yet...he came through this experience as MANY would not! I raised him, trained him, and so am not REALLY surprised: yet still, I am also amazed at the 'presence of mind' it took for him to accept his situation and wait with such patience for help to arrive. He is my one who would 'go' until he dropped, NEVER quitting, giving his all with great heart...I have reflected, today, on how that 'connects' with this amazing response to the situation he found himself in!
I have owned and cared for horses since I got my first one OF MY OWN (before that, I rode, and occasionally, drove, someone else's, whenever I could!) when I was 9 years old--that's 58 years--yet I was still gloriously awed by this horse's wonderful good sense! (and extremely grateful!)
Never a dull moment when you have horses...!
Margo
