It's About The Horse

PasoBaby_CarolU · Site Admin Joined: 31 Jan 2009 Posts: 9031

I am starting this from a post I made on an Allure thread. We can start it with a discussion on horses that do a longitudinal stretch on their own, when moving. This is what I wrote there...

CoolsLadyInRed · Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 5:35 pm Post subject:

Kind of hard to take your eyes off of Bruiser LOL
In some of Buddy's take offs with Bruiser it looked like he was doing the snake neck thing and playing with Bruiser

I sure believe you when you say he was in pain, though.
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beth

thelmanelle · Member Joined: 20 Sep 2009 Posts: 3248

I have to agree with Beth's assessment. But, Buddy sure stood his own. He was hauling butt at times!

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A Good Apple Pie. II Corinthians 4:16-18

learningthedance · Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 8:17 pm Post subject:

Mandy'sMarty · Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 8:47 pm Post subject:

I've watched this video a couple of times and I have yet to 'feel' any physical pain issues with Buddy. As I watched, I followed the same process that I use for assessing horses with some unknown issues. I usually first check energetically to identify whether the primary issue is physical, emotional or mental. Instead of following this protocol exactly during my first viewing of this video, I first checked if Buddy was uncomfortable...and got a definite "yes".

Aware of Carol's comments about Buddy's history, I next checked if Buddy's discomfort was emotionally based...and got another definite "yes". But as I continued to watch, evaluate and ask questions, I began to realize that Buddy's 'emotional discomfort' was simply aggravation over Bruiser's antics. Particularly Bruiser's lack of respect for his elder.

I believe that what I saw was Buddy babysitting Bruiser and dialing back his dominant posturing slightly in deference to Bruiser being just a baby. Otherwise, I believe Buddy would have shown more snakey head & neck stuff.

It appears to me that Buddy was simply working to shape Bruiser's behavior...and acting like the dominant horse. That one buck he made as he was running suggests to me that he was not in physical pain. I think he was showing dominance with his lowered head.
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Marty

We must be willing to let go of
The life that we planned
So as to have the life
That is waiting for us.

~Author Unknown

Chris · Member Joined: 05 Feb 2009 Posts: 648 Location: Maine

Unfortunately, the video was taking forever to load and I just gave up on it.

From the PNH vid with Allure, it didn't look to me like he was being playful in the slightest. When the girl who was riding him (Lindsey?), said she expected him to maybe buck and play up, I was surprised, because I thought Allure looked as bored (listless?) with proceedings as Remmer often does.

I've often wondered why some horses travel with their noses in the ground as he does. Karen Rohlf has her horses go in a long, low frame, they are doing lovely stretching with their backs yet carrying themselves well....I've not seen them trip while doing this, especially not as often as Allure did in the video.

I know Linda commented on this in the vid, and she categorized it as purely a stubborn, willfulness thing---in other words Allure was doing this because he didn't want to do what he was being asked to do and had no interest, period.

It does seem there is an underlying reason---pain/stiffness/soreness---for that, and not simply "I just don't wanna."
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Chris

Mandy'sMarty · Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 11:14 pm Post subject:

Chris · Member Joined: 05 Feb 2009 Posts: 648 Location: Maine

Yes, I was referring to Carol's video---thanks Marty, I will try that.

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Chris

PasoBaby_CarolU · Site Admin Joined: 31 Jan 2009 Posts: 9031

I should probably add more to Buddy's video. He moves off like this in a trot, and always has. So much so that he gets his front foot over the rope continually. I know in his case, it is never an "I don't want to" because he is probably the most impulsive horse I've ever seen, a Forward-aholic if ever there was one. I never understood why he moved like this until Bien got laminitis badly and as she recovered, she'd move like this on harder surfaces, but gait OK when in soft sand.

I put up this video mostly to show that he's always done this and to demonstrate what I'm talking about. Chris, I think there is a difference when you ask the horse to move in longitudinal stretch like this and when they do it on their own. I think there is reason, just like a lame horse bobbing its head or dragging a foot.

My reason for starting this thread is that often times pain is a hard thing to see and recognize. If Allure was moving like this on his own, not asked for the stretch, then I'd suspect pain, something I never would have done before.
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Carol Nudell
Corazon de Oro Paso Finos

"The path to your horse's heart lies through your own."

Rumors are carried by haters, spread by fools, and accepted by idiots. - Words of Wisdom - Mhar

‎"Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss activities; Small minds discuss people." - Eleanor Roosevelt

Chris · Member Joined: 05 Feb 2009 Posts: 648 Location: Maine