Final update of the day on Helen

[backwoodsnanny]

I finally got tired of waiting for the vet to call me so I called them. The IGG for little Helen was the best one we have had this year. So for now she is here to stay until she says she doesnt want to be. I am on my way to go get a bell shortly for her mum to wear so that we can do a paddock for them outside. We have to fix the edges on the ground with something for different footing than the paddock has and pad the rail that she might run into. I have metal pipe fence designed for minis so it should not be too hard to do. We also will put tinfoil at intervals so she can hear it before she gets to it. That was suggested by my vet. Then we have to lead her mum and her around the perimeter so that she can start mapping as she has done in her stall. I hope I will have a pic of her outside soon. Again thank you for your continued interest and support for little Helen.

 

[HGFarm]

Wow, it is amazing how their other senses take over!! Keep us posted on your sweet little thing!

 

[Reble]

Sounds like she came into life, with someone who can love and care for her

:

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I've been following her story and wish you all the best!

You might want to think about the tin foil--I put orange tape on an electric fence as I was told this helps the horses to see it. My yearling ate it and it could have been tragic.

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Nita, rather than tinfoil, I used little jingle bells on this cording I got at the craft store, wrapped loosely around your piping when she gets near enough it will jingle. Worked for my sighted babies when they first go out and do not see well. Perhaps aluminum pie plates w/ jingle bells! instead of tin foil as I too would worry about accidental nibbling.

You are my heroine, as is Helen! What a wonderful baby you have Anita, may I be the first to "congratulate" you on a beautiful filly! :aktion033: :aktion033: :aktion033:

 

[Miniv]

Just from how you described Helen, I had no doubt that the IGG would be good.

And I have no doubt she was was born at your farm for a reason! She is going (and IS) one awesome little Spriit.

MA

 

[Marnie]

I was just thinking too how lucky it is that she was born into your loving care. I'll bet she is just precious. I have found too that when a foal is a special needs baby, the mare seems to know it. The very best of luck with her, coming straight from the heart.

 

[shortymisty]

Hip Hip Hooray for Little miss helen, she's going to definitely grow up to be something special for you YEa!!!!!!!!! :aktion033:

 

[Gena]

:aktion033: Thanks for the update! So glad that she is doing so well!

There have been some fantastic ideas posted!

Give that sweet little girl an extra hug from us

:

 

[backwoodsnanny]

Thank you all of you. You will be hearing updates as we venture into this new experience. There are very few horses out there who were born blind most have lost their sight over time. For Helen this is not a fearful thing since she has never known anything else. What is fearful for her are all the new sounds and touches and unfortunately she experienced her first pain today with the IGG needle. She is now somewhat fearful of me I assume because she could smell me when this was done. She is fine with my husband but does become fearful when I get near. I will shower tonight and put on a new scent and see if I can win back her trust. I am working now everytime I go to the stall or anyone else for that matter to call her name so that she will eventually associate the sound of her name with scratches. She does know where the door to the stall is and if she hears someone in the barn she does find her way to the door as it has come to mean someone is going to love on her already. Her mother will have a bell sometime tomorrow so instead ofjust by smell she will learn to listen for the bell to know where mom is. This will allow her to be in a bigger area. Again thank you all so much for the kind wishes and prayers.

 

[Miniv]

I think you could give us a daily update on little Helen at this point, and I wouldn't be tired of it! Please keep them coming!

Please don't worry about her fear of you..... She'll forget all about that sting of the needle in a day or so. And between you following up with lots of POSITIVE reinforcement, plus all the new stuff she is learning and thinking about, she'll forget the negative stuff very quickly!

Nita, you are in for a whole new life with Helen.......A life of some tears, but mostly a life filled with wonder as you watch how she discovers the world from HER perspective. I suspect it's going to be an amazing experience.

MA

 

[yankee_minis]

Awwww! I can't wait to see her in person!

I wouldn't put bells on the fencing if you're going to put bells on mom. Could be too confusing.

My foal ate part of Sarah's blue ribbon last weekend, so they'll eat anything just because it's there.

If the purpose of the tinfoil was to provide a different texture on the fence... perhaps s "bump" of duct tape would be good. My son played hockey for years and on the end of his stick he would tape it and create a bump that would help keep the stick from slipping out of his glove. You can get this cloth sports tape at a sporting goods store or get some of that white cloth-like medical tape you can find at Rite Aid. Electrical tape might work too or even thin duct tape. It has to have some sort of bulk to it.

Roll the tape into a thin line and spiral it over a 4 inch part of the fence. (Hockey players also do this up the side of the stick for better grip.) Then put a layer of duct tape over that. It provides a nice bump that is easy to create. She won't be able to chew off the duct tape...well at least in any size that would cause digestive problems anyway.

If you want noise at the corners... I'm not sure there is really anything safe that would also stand up to Maine weather. Everything that is coming to mind is chewable or would get ruined quickly in the wind and snow/ice.

Maybe she would learn quickly like dogs with an underground electric fence. They remember where the flags are long after they're removed. Perhaps you won't need anything long term. She's pretty smart. A few bumps at the beginning and she'll figure out the perimeter on her own and remember it.

Your fence is great to begin with anyway. Soft edges are already there. I don't think I could bring a blind horse into my paddocks the way they are now.

 

[kdtexas]

You may already have this web site but it looks like it may have some helpful information for you.

http://www.blindhorses.org/care.html

 

[tiny zebra]

What about hanging wind chimes at intervals along the fence? You could hang them high enough that she couldn't reach them to try to chew on them. Just a thought. Good luck and bless you for taking care of this little soul. :aktion033:

 

[backwoodsnanny]

I also thought of the wind chime idea and I think I can eliminate square corners with a tire which is what was recommended for any trees in the paddock area by a blind horse site I went to. My fences are all like round pen sections with no hard surfaces except for the pipes themselves. none of the connections are low enough for her to hurt herself I dont think. And Im sure mama will ride herd on her but they also suggested gravel or a different surface just before the fence for roughly a foot inside the fence so that she will know when she steps on it that it is different. Since she has never had sight she is mapping her area for herself by bumping with her nose in her stall. Today she has hardly bumped at all she skirts the water bucket and the support for the door already. And yes it is amazing. She starts with small circles around mom and then walking widens them once she gets a feel for that she is actually trotting around mama tonight and the only thing that messes her up is when mama changes ends of the stall and she has to start her mapping all over again with mom as a reference point. I am in awe as I know I couldnt do this as well as she is. She makes me dizzy with her circles. And to think she is doing all of this in the dark. Sorry to have posted so many times but it seems some are interested in hearing about her.

 

[outlawridge]

You could never post too many times about this sweet spirit so please do not feel you need to apologize. Helen is a beautiful wonder and I for one will not tire of hearing about her.

 

[Vicky Texas]

Nita

I too, want to hear all about Helen. She is just amazing. Please keep posting. I came on this AM just

to see if you had posted anything on her. Please keep updating us. We have none been through this,

and this is amazing how well she is handling it. She is just very special to all of us.

I will post more later, I think you have a lot of great ideals. I can't wait to see more pictures of her.

Vicky

 

[MyLittlePita]

Just as others have said, you could never post too many times about this sweet little girl! I love reading about her exploits as she learns her way around.

 

[Hosscrazy]

Okay, I was looking for an update, too!!! :aktion033: :aktion033:

Liz R.

 

[Scoopiedoo]

Hi Everyone,

It's Jodi, not Nita, but I can give you a pretty good Helen update

She is starting to come to people when we give her a certain whistle. It seems to be working better than snapping or kissing did, and she is getting less leary all the time. She knows her stall well, and has mapped it well enough that when her mom moves out of the way, she checks to see how much room she has so she can BUCK AND RUN!! She is a beautiful little lady, full of life and love, and she has a little fire in there as well! When you do something she doesn't like, she half heartedly will lift both back feet, she's VERY CUTE!! I will take some new pictures soon. She continues to thrive and surprise us EVERY DAY! Thank you all for your prayers and well wishes, it has helped her tremedously, I know it! I will post an update again tomorrow again with pictures, I promise! Thank you all, again, for being SO wonderful!

Jodi