in tears...

[1 is not enough]

Well first off let me say it was brave you to post on this topic. However let me say I hope that someone will learn from your mistake for those of you that leave halters on please check them! I can't even begin to imagine the pain the poor horse was in. A couple of years ago I rescued a stallion(now a gelding) who had a halter grow into him( I guess I should say him grow into the halter) you could not imagine the smell coming from the infection on his head and the pain he was in was intense. He is fine now but has scars on his head to show his past life experiences. It took a year before Pride would let me come up to him without using a treat as a bribe and another 6 months before I could walk up to him and " give him some loving". Horses know more than you think they do ...... he could associate you with the pain he was in. You need to think long and hard about what would be best for the horse.

Mistakes are learning experiences. Having animals in our lives carries great responsibility.

I wish you the best

Karen

 

[RENMACMINIS]

I dont see it as seeking sympathy..I see it as someone very upset as to what happened and came here looking for someone to talk to. We all have made mistakes and we have all learned from them. I dont see how anyone can be so down right mean and nasty to someone as some of you have. :no: If you pay attention to her post it said she had just had surgery and probably cant get around that good. And if she is living with Grandparents she probably is doing it all on her own with no help. I can see now why so many people have left this forum as nasty and mean spirited as alot of you have become. Instead of being so nasty and mean maybe you should try to do what I have seen most of you on here do and try to help and educate not put them down and be so negative.... I am sorry Mary Lou I love this forum but some people on here have really turned me off from it because of their holier than thou attitude they have on here. Ban me if you want I am done with this forum also.

Sherry

 

[Whitewave]

Please Please Please everyone STOP !!! All this poor girl wanted was to Talk....Yes I agree it could have been prevented if only the horse was checked on more....But and this is a big But ....Sometimes life comes at you fast and things go by so quick and before you know it you have a major problem....She knows she did wrong , she feels terrible about it already why keep knocking her down even more? I thought Most humans were a kind , loveing and understanding bunch ...I wonder if some would be so brave to tell on here the terrible things they may have done to and animal wether Horse or not...I don't know if I'd be that brave..I hate it when people Dish MY Family ....She only was trying to give us the whole picture as to the heck thats been going on for her...I feel sorry for her that her life has been so hard and I Pray that one day she'll find the light at the end of the tunnell that so many have kept dark. Amanda YOU GO and Be a Vet. , Learn from your mistake and make your place in this world what ever path you choose I truly wish YOU the best of luck....Raise Your Head and YOU walk ON Girl !!!!! this forum really is a great place to learn and you get Great advice from everyone , it's just sometimes we forget to be kind.....God Bless You Amanda !!!!

Jenn

PS if you need to talk more PM me I'll listen , really I will......

 

[Marty]

I am terribly sorry that this has happened to your horse. Yes people do make mistakes and this one was one of the worst.

This is a very hard lesson that you have learned and I am sorry that you and your horse have had to be put through such an ordeal by your inexperience.

In the future, use this bad experience to double and tripple check everything you do, or hear is right to do with your vet as your mentor. Then of course do your own research too and keep educating yourself so that bad things don't happen again caused by your own hand.

Your grandfather must be a very good man to have realized that changes have to be made at this time for your own good and the good of your horse. He must feel that you need to recover from your surgery and that the horse would be better off in more capable hands at this time.

Love the little horse enough to let him go to someone that can help him during his time of healing. There will be Angels around you to help you get through yours'.

Things will get brighter for you.

 

[mininik]

"It doesn't sound as though you are very experienced with horses, yet you have so many? You're around your late teens to early twenties, have had a stroke, and have a leg injury, don't know your father, don't get along with your stepfather, live with your grandparents, and don't like your mother? And are trying to go to college to be a vet? I think you've bitten off a little more than you can chew, not the mention that something sounds a little fishy to me...

:" -CvReAgZaYn

I'm glad someone else has caught on to this whole story just not adding up. :smileypuke:

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

Well I will say this.. there is plenty of people here who when the topic of leaving halters on 24/7 came up stated proudly this is something they do. many disagreed with them and talked about safety issues however.. some said it worked just fine for them.

I hope that bringing this topic up at least lets people think about the issue of leaving halters on and what can happen.

 

[js1arab]

ab_smf ,

I am sorry some have treated you poorly. If they feel this is a cry for attention or a case of something "fishy" then they can choose to ignore it or do us a favor and post elsewhere, but in the meantime, if you need to talk there are many members including myself who would be glad to offer encouragement. As for the horse, even though it is hard to do, maybe right now would be a good time to focus on healing yourself. If someone is willing to give your boy a loving home, then allow that to happen and keep in touch with the owners. That way you know your boy is well taken care of and you can focus on healing yourself. It is a hard thing to do, but many people have had to go through the same thing and could offer kind words on how positve it can be once the initial sting has worn off. feel free to e-mail me if you'd like and take care of yourself and your boy the best you can.

 

[Meshale]

How old are you Amanda?.....a senior this yr?

 

[Sun Runner Stables]

Well apparently my post and a few others have been removed somehow, (Which is auctally kinda neat, I didn't know that was possible)

All I know from personal experience in the rescues it takes a Good long time for a horses head to grow over a halter, and it takes some serious neglagance for this to occur. I also know people who leave halters on 24/7, but they at least Check the darn things. I agree with her Grandfather, he's making a good call.

Mistakes are made in life, very true, Heck my favorite big mare foundard because I didn't realize she had gotten accidently bred, and was about 4 months along in a pregancy. (She's inslulin resistant, and pregancy's make her body chemistry nuts) It's a honest mistake that I kick myself for every day, but not a matter of not noticing something growing into her.

I relate this to one of my rescue mares whose feet had grown over her shoes so badly we had to cut off half her feet, her owner was adament that "It just happened all the sudden"....

Life can hand your terrible curve balls, I am one who has been through most of the bigger nasty's in life, but My animals were Never in danger of poor care or harm at my own hands.

There are lots of people on this forum who have tremendous problems in their day to day living, but again, no animal neglect and damage there...

Furthermore, I know Darn Well that if I came on here, and told you all that I knew someone that had let their horses head grow around the halter, but they felt bad about it, as they hadn't noticed... You would be all over them like White on Rice.

I can apperciate the way other's have phrased it, (Marty and js1arab to name a few) but this person can speak for themselves, that horse could not, and That's what has gotten me so worked up. The horse couldn't tell us how his halter restricted how much he could chew, see, and all the discomfort and pain that was his day to day life... But she can tell us about hers, as is her god given right.

I find it childish to say that one is leaving this forum/upset with the other posters, because someone/they stood up for the horse and not the person.

Notice that the mention of her poor health and family problems were mentioned after the discussion about the horses halter issue had started to be picked at.

I found it a defensive comment made directly for the purpose of encourgaging the kinder hearted people on here (all the Wonderful kind heared people on here

: ) do/say exactly as they did. The mother Bear instinct is stong in many of you, (Marty!!

:

: ) but so is the ability to say that this was a completly inappropate thing to let happen....

Had she said I had all these awful circumstances in my life have happened, I had no control over my animals and this awful thing occured, I could understand.

...

A life calling such as a Vet means putting the animals before you, every day, all the time, not just when life makes it easier or better to do so.

I applaud all of you who truly care about this young person, and even more those who consider both.

Forgive me in that I only see the horses point of view, and therefore his plight, and not that of the adult/child. (Still not sure which, as the typing indicated a younger person, but the facts given state college.)

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

Sorry to read this. It isn't just youth's that do that - I had two horses come here that wore halters for years with the previous owner - she said she couldnt' catch them otherwise. Hate to say it they're still hard to catch, but I won't make them wear a halter 24/7 regardless - to many accidents waiting to happen!

No one can know you're personal situation, and so sorry you and your mini had to go through this. All of us, if we're honest, have things we regret in our lives and I know I'd like a few 'do-overs' if it were possible!

Get the Schreiners - it does work wonders and really leaves little or no scar. Listen to your Grand-father - you'll do better by your stallion putting him in capable hands than trying to care for him in your current condition.

 

[Mijke]

all i really wanted is to be honest to you all,when my folks didn't want me too. and i needed some prayers to help get styles trust and to heal. i couldn't keep lying,it wasn't right. and i hope winter goses away sooner than i can get out more and work my horses. and hope to get this darn leg brace off. i just wanted things right. and wish God didn't gave me the stroke i had, or just gave me a sick mother with no known father. my step dad and i never get along. my cusins bug me til i'm in tears. i live with my grandfolks to be with my horses. and now with college and all the mind bubbling of the future plans. all i ask for was a better life with animals. i hope you all forgive me. and maybe understand how i feel in my life.

amanda

Well...let's focus on the horses in stead of how many reasons someone has for things that happened...

It happened...you can't turn back time (although I think you would like and want to...), you didn't want this to happen and don't want this to happen again...and I think you were very brave to write it on a public forum.

I do not care about the reason you wrote it, because I think the positive thing is that a lot of people and horses are helped by this, people (young and old) become more aware and it might prevent getting other horses in the same situation.

But... I also think that EVERY horse deserves ánd needs a GOOD and RESPONSABLE owner.

Please, let the world see that you're a good and responsable owner from now on and give your horse the home and owner he/she DESERVES, even if that means it will not be yourself and not be your home in this time of your life...

 

[ab_smf]

thank you all who stood up for me. i been really thinking and i will give my boy a home, i love him dearly,like any of my babies. it'll be hard letting him go, but i know he needs to. but for now i'll spend as much time i can with him til than. i know a few people who would take him in.

:

 

[Meshale]

When do you start College Amanda?*S*

 

[mininik]

Well, that's good, Amanda. I'm sorry for what happened but I'm sure both you and the horse will be okay in time.

 

[Ashley]

Well I am not sure how you can leave a halter on for over a year and not notice it, did you not work with him? We bought a yearling colt that had a weanling halter on him. He did not need it cut off as I was able to get it off of him once we got him on our trailer, but the marks on his head took along time to heal and go away. He however is not head shy.

I feel sorry for your boy, and hope he gets better and does well in a new home.

 

[Marty]

The mother Bear instinct is stong in many of you, (Marty!! )

The Mother Bear instinct in me would have never had an animal given to a inexperienced kid unsupervised either :aktion033:

 

[firethorn]

I feel for your situation. I have never owned may own horse, but I can imagine that when I do I will never want to sell him/her. Over the years I have gotten very attached to horses that I just get to visit and baby-sit. But, that said here is the reality, a problem like this does not happen overnight. One of the first things I ever learned about horse care is that you do a full body check at least once a day on a horse. Don't trust someone else to do it. You should know your horse. If you do that you can usually catch any problem before it gets to the point that your horse's was. It can also be a nice bonding time for you and your horse because you have to touch them everywhere. I must say although I feel your pain about having to sell this problem was totally preventable! The fact that it happened shows some serious neglect on your part. But you are also very brave to tell other horse people about it. We all have made mistakes with our horses or a horse that we ride at one point or another. It is part of the learning process with horses. I am sure everyone on this forum has learned alot of lessons from the horses they have known. Some things we learn are more serious than others. This is one of the serious ones. You really really really need to pay attention to your horse(s) they cannot tell you what is wrong! You just need to spend some time with them. It sounds like you love them alot so this should be an easy thing for you to do even if it reaquires some creative schedualing (I do alot of this and other crazy things for horse time

)

I am very sorry that you are in this situation. I hope that the mistake has taught you to be more observant with your horses. I also hope that it doesnt' happen again because not only does it not have to but it shouldn't! Best of luck in the future with your horses.