Your Drive Day

[Cayuse]

Northwolf, real live leeches?? I missed this when I read your post the first time! I think I have heard leeches release an enzyme or something that stimulates tissue healing, is that right?

Have you used leeches before? I am interested in hearing more about this.

We had a huge NorthEaster here and lost power for about a day and a half. We had nothing to do so we took Cappy out for a spin in the sled yesterday and today. My arthritis was kicking up so we just did a lot of walking, the sled jounces quite a bit. We took that (as well as the deeper snow) as an opportunity to work on the "stopping and standing quietly" issue. And walk/halt/walk. Lots of that.

Here is a nice boring picture of him standing. And another one just for fun. Ignore the breeching set up, I forgot to take it off, lol. My bad. I don't use it when we haul the manure tubs and that is what we started off doing.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Northwolf, real live leeches?? I missed this when I read your post the first time! I think I have heard leeches release an enzyme or something that stimulates tissue healing, is that right?

Have you used leeches before? I am interested in hearing more about this.

We had a huge NorthEaster here and lost power for about a day and a half. We had nothing to do so we took Cappy out for a spin in the sled yesterday and today. My arthritis was kicking up so we just did a lot of walking, the sled jounces quite a bit. We took that (as well as the deeper snow) as an opportunity to work on the "stopping and standing quietly" issue. And walk/halt/walk. Lots of that.

Here is a nice boring picture of him standing. And another one just for fun. Ignore the breeching set up, I forgot to take it off, lol. My bad. I don't use it when we haul the manure tubs and that is what we started off doing.

Look at all that snow! We were almost 80 degrees today. Buckly worked up a sweat just ground driving.

 

[Cayuse]

Marsha I wish we had some of your warm weather. We are supposed to get another Nor'easter and a foot of snow on Tuesday. It was 40 here today, but I am ready for warmer days.

My paddocks were trashed from the first storm, you can see some of the downed branches behind my head in the picture of Cappy standing.

On the bright side, I saw a flock of red-winged blackbirds today A sure and happy sign of Spring!

This is what Peanut thinks of the snow.

 

[Northwolf]

Looks great! I would like to have snow again too. This winter, we'd only two times some snow, and it doesn't last more than a few days

But I think, spring is now arriving here, I like it too

@Cayuse: yes, living leeches! You're right, they release something like an enzyme that helps to heal several problems. I never did this before on one of my horses. The most popular and successful cause to use leeches on horses is laminitis, it's approved that this kind of therapy can help a lot when laminitis is acute. I hope the leeches help a little bit for Teddys injury. His movements are not as good as before yet.

Moony is now back to normal life

I took him together with Massai to a run yesterday. The boys were incredible... I had to stop several times as they were too fast. I think I'll hitch Moony on saturday. He's recovered well and seems strong enough, and he's maybe a bit bored from doing nothing...

My two oldies are very motivated now. I drove Domino together with Massai and on sunday I added Prince for a three-horse hitch, who is my sisters pony (36 y/o) to the hitch. Boy... that was not easy to drive. The oldies always wanted to run, but I'm carefully with them because they have both problems with their joints and the road was very muddy. It was hard for them to understand to walk. If they stay in good condition (I take them for walk every day), we'll drive them more this year. It was so lovely to see how motivated they were!

I'm looking for a new carriage now. We had a mobile horse scale here and after we weighted all horses, I asked to weigh the carriages and carts too. They were all way heavier than expected (the carts, not the horses ).

 

[Cayuse]

Northwolf, you can have ALL of my snow ! As much as you want!! We are in the midst of year another blizzard/Nor'easter right now. Heavy snow and winds. We are forecasted!to get 12-18 inches.

Thanks!for explaining about the leeches. That is interesting and cool.

It is nice to hear that you keep the older minis busy. I have a particular soft spot in my heart for old horses. I'd love to see a picture of both your older ones driving together.

Cappy had a reaction to his vaccination last week so I don't know when I will be able to work him again as he is quite sore in his neck. Maybe I will get Peanut out to play in the snow tomorrow. I have been working on his ground manners every day for the last two/three weeks and it is beginning to!show. He is one that needs constant reminding not to crowd/nip/rub/push. I have found that moving him quietly out of my space and making him stand away from me works well when he has a "moment". He is learning that I want him about 18 inches away from me and not "in my pocket" all the time. He actually seems happier when we keep our mutual distance from one another.

I have lots of ! today. They remain a mystery.

ETA: Northwolf, do the reuse the leeches or can the only be used for one treatment?

 

[Northwolf]

My therapist reuses the leeches, but only on the same horse. She have to store the leeches one year before they are willing to bite again. Treatment will be next week!

I have a photo from the drive on sunday

it's a little bit blurred....

This is the most funny team I've EVER had



But it worked well. My husband told me this is kind of a suicide squad.

I've sold my carriage yesterday... the new one will be ordered soon, I'm in contact with a german carriage builder who will produce a nice marathon carriage especially for my purposes. I'm so excited!

Still not sure about the colour of the carriage. Any suggestions?

 

[jeanniecogan]

i vote for navy blue

 

[Cayuse]

That is pretty awesome!

When you turn left, does the littlest guy on the right have to really move out to keep up?

Your sister's pony looks great ☺!

 

[MajorClementine]

My therapist reuses the leeches, but only on the same horse. She have to store the leeches one year before they are willing to bite again. Treatment will be next week!

I have a photo from the drive on sunday

it's a little bit blurred....

This is the most funny team I've EVER had

20180313_081148.jpg

But it worked well. My husband told me this is kind of a suicide squad.

I've sold my carriage yesterday... the new one will be ordered soon, I'm in contact with a german carriage builder who will produce a nice marathon carriage especially for my purposes. I'm so excited!

Still not sure about the colour of the carriage. Any suggestions?

The fact that you have the ability and knowledge to hitch these 3 horses together and make it work is very impressive. I think this may be my favorite team I've ever seen !

 

[Northwolf]

Thanks a lot you two I think it's a big benefit that the horses know each other since many years... we bought the two big ones in 1999 and 2000. Massai came in 2005.

My biggest dream is to drive all of the 5 horses together in an 5-hitch... not sure if this is possible. The time is running for the older ones, they won't live forever, sadly. Maybe a 4-in-hand will possible, we will see.

@Cayuse: yes, Massai, the smallest one, has to move faster when we turn left. But he's the one with the fastest stride, curiously

so it doesn't matter.

@jeannie: navy blue is one of my favorite colours... I ordered the carriage today, but still not decided about the colour. My favorites are dark green, navy or dark blue or silver grey. I think it will be silver grey, because this will match to every horses colour and it's not as boring as black.

I drove with Massai and Moony yesterday. The first time after Moony was gelded and the second time ever he was driven in a team. It was wonderful! I really not expected that he's doing so great, he's such an amazing horse! And they both were very motivated to pull.

 

[Cayuse]

Northwolf, I showed my husband a picture of your team of three, he said he agrees with your husband! He also said I can't try it with my three boys, lol. Not that I ever could as they are all enemies.

What is your new cart going to be like?

Silver is a nice choice, especially if the fittings on the harnesses are silver colored. Blue is nice too.

I have not been able to drive at all, it is too muddy for the sled, too snowy for the cart and just too sloppy to feel like ground driving. We are supposed to get another snow storm on Wednesday. And another next weekend.

I was hoping to take Peanut to a pleasure show at the end of April and go in the pleasure driving class. I have my doubts about it now. I have to have cataract surgery in three weeks, between that and the weather I think my plan to show in harness was overly ambitious. I feel like I will never get to meet that goal. But you never know.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Northwolf, I showed my husband a picture of your team of three, he said he agrees with your husband! He also said I can't try it with my three boys, lol. Not that I ever could as they are all enemies.

What is your new cart going to be like?

Silver is a nice choice, especially if the fittings on the harnesses are silver colored. Blue is nice too.

I have not been able to drive at all, it is too muddy for the sled, too snowy for the cart and just too sloppy to feel like ground driving. We are supposed to get another snow storm on Wednesday. And another next weekend.

I was hoping to take Peanut to a pleasure show at the end of April and go in the pleasure driving class. I have my doubts about it now. I have to have cataract surgery in three weeks, between that and the weather I think my plan to show in harness was overly ambitious. I feel like I will never get to meet that goal. But you never know.

I cannot imagine team driving Dapper Dan either. He is not a team player.

I wish we could have some of your mud. It isn't officially spring here yet as the mesquite trees have not budded out. But I think our freezes are over. I'm thinking of clipping next week. When I took DD out today, it wasn't that warm but he was sweaty when we got back from all his hair. They are not shedding much yet. I don't know what regulates that. My sister's miniature is shedding like crazy. I can always throw the blanket on them if we get a late cold spell.

I hope you get to do the April show. Can you postpone the cataract surgery?

 

[Northwolf]

@Cayuse: Massai is not a team player too

He always try to bite the team mates, but I think this is kind of playing. I've tried to use blinkers to avoid biting, but that makes him angry. So I have to accept this tic; usually the team mates strike back. When I drive correctly and focused, they don't fight each other. At home in their barn and paddock, they like each other and all make a lot of social grooming.

Still not chosen the colour of my new cart. But it be silver for 90%... It's this model: http://www.maier-sulky.de/schlitten-und-kutschen/102-pony-marathon.html

I'm very, very excited and impatient! It will be built expecially for me. Every weel has an independent suspension, so I hope it will be more comfortable to drive in our terrain. Delivery time is about 12 weeks and I have to import it from Germany.

@Marsha: The only one of mine who started to shed is Moony... The others want to keep their fur. I've clipped Massai and Teddy half because of the sweating, but I think I'll clip them in the next weeks fully. We have an onset of winter again...

 

[Cayuse]

Marsha, I had been thinking about postponing the surgery. It took so long to get the appointment just to see the eye doctor (6 weeks) that it pushed everything forward into Spring. Today I went for a physical and now have yet another issue to address :-(. Only posting about all of it because it's fouling up all my driving plans. GRRRR.

DD probably will be happy to get rid of his coat, I clipped my welshie a!couple of weeks ago. We had some warm days and he!was hot. You are right about the blankets, just throw one on. I have Oatie bundled up and he is happy as a clam.

Northwolf, Peanut bites too although he is so much better than he used to be. It seems to be a nervous habit and "tic" does describe it well. He is trying overcome it but sometimes, when excited or stressed, he forgets himself. But I love him anyway and wouldn't trade him for the world.

The cart is gorgeous! I would be excited and impatient too!

Will it be for both a team and single?

I fell in love with the red one on their website

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I am embarrassed. I was getting all ready to give Dapper Dan a birthday party for his 21st birthday next month. Checked his papers to make sure of the date and got a shock. He was not foaled in April of 1997, as I have had in my brain all these years. His foal date is August of 1996! I think the seller told me that 4/97 information and I fixed it in my brain. Haven't looked at his papers in all these years.

He is a year old than I thought, and will have to wait for his party.

 

[Northwolf]

Northwolf, Peanut bites too although he is so much better than he used to be. It seems to be a nervous habit and "tic" does describe it well. He is trying overcome it but sometimes, when excited or stressed, he forgets himself. But I love him anyway and wouldn't trade him for the world.

The cart is gorgeous! I would be excited and impatient too!

Will it be for both a team and single?

I fell in love with the red one on their website

I wouldn't give them away for no money of the world, too! They are part of the family

Yes, the red one (the buggy?) is cool too... I thought about it, but the marathon fits better for our terrain and the big benefit is that my husband can drive with me. He preferres to stand on the back of the carriage and doesn't like to seat. The cart will have a team and a three-in-hand shaft, because for single driving it's too heavy.

Marsha, exactly the same happened to me years ago when I registered my old shetland gelding we bought in 1999 without identification documents. I miscounted and registered a wrong birth year. I noticed later that I registered him one year younger... so, in his papers, his birth year is 1988, but in fact, it's 1987... but no worries, the older they are, the less one single year counts

and they get better every year!

 

[Cayuse]

I am embarrassed. I was getting all ready to give Dapper Dan a birthday party for his 21st birthday next month. Checked his papers to make sure of the date and got a shock. He was not foaled in April of 1997, as I have had in my brain all these years. His foal date is August of 1996! I think the seller told me that 4/97 information and I fixed it in my brain. Haven't looked at his papers in all these years.

He is a year old than I thought, and will have to wait for his party.

Have a party anyway! Good reason to eat cake ?

 

[Marsha Cassada]

A guy driving by today called on the phone upset because Dapper Dan was out in the pasture with blinders on. My husband explained it was a fly mask...

 

[Northwolf]

Folks sometimes...

do you have already flies and other insects that early? We don't have, not just yet.

Teddy has his leech-treatment yesterday. It was very interesting to see these curious animals "at work". I made pictures (caution: it's a little bloody!)

http://horse-art.ch/shettyforum/2018/03/20180322_192053.jpg

http://horse-art.ch/shettyforum/2018/03/20180322_194917.jpg

The leeches sucked more than an hour (when it's cold outside, it takes more time until they bite and they are a bit slower) before they let go. Teddys shoulder was soaked in blood afterwards, but this is normal because the leech enzyme is anticoagulant. It's anti-inflammatory and anitbiotic too, so I hope it helps on his shoulder strain trauma. Today in the morning, the bleeding on the bite wounds was stopped (in normal case, it can bleed up to 24 hours), but his blanket was soaked. He looks well. I'm exciting if it works. Maybe, we'll give a try with the leeches on Dominos ankle joints, which are osteoarthritic. Leeches can help a lot with arthritis, the therapist said.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Most interesting! How soon will you know if it helps?