Equine Therapy

Bearuno wrote:

I'm not a horse person. I'm wary - well, I'm bloody scared of some of them. Some of my old GFs herd are right ratbags /...

I'm not a horse person.

I'm wary - well, I'm bloody scared of some of them. Some of my old GFs herd are right ratbags / psychopaths' - she takes in  problem horse for re-hab, quite often

One of my first girlfriends from decades ago, who I'm still great friends with, is All Horse, All The Time. Has her own business with Horse Training and agistment, works for a Sheik's (incredible) Horse Facility only a few miles from her.

In all the time I've known her / her family, I've Never not seen at least one of them damaged by their Horse pastime. Seriously, the injury toll outstrips even what we Motorcyclists endure.

I'll go and visit her, usually get 'persuaded' to have a ride - I am, The Worst, Most Unnatural Horse Rider On Earth. It's something I just can't do with any grace or confidence. 

However, my friends biggest  passion is Shire Horse breeding and training. And those, I love, Huge, towering things that all seem to love me. Fug knows why? One especially, that I've known since his birth. I scrubbed him down in the birth stall, with his mum alternately licking him, and me - she wouldn't let others near him for some time.

So, he, Chieftain, grew up with me, despite my only being around perhaps once a week, and, at times, months away.  He now is, apparently, the largest Shire Horse in Australia, perhaps the World. My friend will have nothing to do with the Shire Horse association - or whatever they are called, so he's not listed.

Anyway, I can turn up, and he'll somehow sense I'm around, even from paddocks a few Ks away, and come charging up to me like a delirious puppy. Then, follow me around, once again, like a pup. He, apparently, goes all 'sooky' for quite some time after I've been. 

About a year or more back, I took him into his stall, making a non horse persons mistake of being on the closed wall / gate side. Everything was cool, though my friend ripped into me for not being on the open gate side, when Chief started to get stroppy. moving over onto me, and I was trapped between a mountainous horse, and a solid wall, with him leaning into me. I was bloody terrified. He then started stomping and rearing, I thought I was done for, and ended up under him.

Well, a dirty great big brown snake had come into the fresh stall bedding, and that's what Chief was reacting to. Turns out I was lucky I had made the mistake of being on his left, as the bastard snake was on the right of the stall. Chief stomped the hell out of the thing, then was snuffling and pulling at me from under him. He dragged me out of the stall by my jacket.

He got hit by the snake about 6 or 7 times, but it didn't affect him - though, we had the Vet out straight away to make sure he was going to be OK. I got a few broken ribs, and twisted both dodgy knees, but the alternative of multiple hits from a Brown Snake probably would have done for me.

Chief is the most wonderful animal I've ever met, who seems to adore me. Why?, buggered if I know. Most of  the other 'normal sized' horses, don't give a damn about me, well, other than them seeming to go to Chief "why TF do you bother with this old drongo?"

I love him, and, will get out to see him tomorrow, for the first time since my knee replacement. Might even get on his back - he always wants me to for some reason, and let's only his Boss, and I get on him. He's the most gentle , loving giant with me. I can't wait for tomorrow - as I said, I'm Not a Horse person, I'm not remotely comfortable with them, but he's my Buddy, who always knows when I'm a bit damaged. 

So, I'm up for a bit of Equine Therapy, tomorrow. Should be wonderful. I think I might stay for a few days with the Big Boofhead and his Boss Lady.

 

VL13 wrote:

I love this story, keep going back and rereading it.

JAFO92 wrote:

Horse people are nuts.  

Horse people are nuts.

 

JustMX wrote:

Now there is a horse that will "stand for farrier". It isn't even tied. and that exposed pvc pipe would last about 15 minutes at our...

Now there is a horse that will "stand for farrier".

It isn't even tied.

and that exposed pvc pipe would last about 15 minutes at our barn.

I am convinced teenage girls with horses are the most destructive force on earth and should be used to test military grade equipment.