About this Blog

Meet my very 1st horse, Lazarus.
I couldn't wait for Santa anymore or ask one more time for a pony for my bday (after age 30 it got embarrassing). I took matters in my own hands and I finally decided to pick a pony that needed a new home. Laz found me as I contemplated with this idea. He was sweet yet very sassy, fresh off the track, Thoroughbred (OTTB).
Join us for our re-training, rehabbing from laminitis and testing all parts of mixed up horsemanship and partnership, and luck...

Friday, May 25, 2012

Baby birds and bastard bar


RH May 2012 (last Sat)
Bar getting removed slowly-instant relief from Laz
LOTS of licking/chewing, standing on foot.
OK, this is something....
I tried leaving the bar, but since that hoof is not 100% normal, he was sending sheets of bar to protect and that make sole sooo bruised/thin/not growing correctly.
So, now, we are trying removal-slowly, every few days as needed-CAREFULLLY.
I am armed with a knife, and it's freaky.
I take a bit, wait and watch Laz for signs...good? bad? Keeping moving and working in.
Trust me, my free time is spent emailing all hoof nerds I know!
Getting lots of good advice, hmms, ummms and try it?!
ZOOM of same foot
See the difference between bar material and sole???
I can-FINALLY
 
Laz says, yeahhhh as he stands and weights his normally ouchie RH
Lots of bar removed from his Left Front too!
With some of his bar removed, we are triple padded/booted on RH and are doing our road walking again.
One, for helping toughen up and wear naturally his sound hooves while protecting RH which is still sensitive/thin sole. I need to allow more sole tubules to develop.
Two, do you see his Royal Chunkness?!
SirFatty thinks he's retired.
Um, no.
"I likez grassszzzzmmmmm!"

Shine on lovely boy!


Random but OH so sweet!
Last Saturday, I got to the barn early, Laz was still eating his feed.
S.L.O.W.L.Y., piece by piece.
I thought "is he choking??! WTF?" 
He never eats that crack feed slowly...
I back him up, check his mouth and then watch him eat.
I notice he's moving very carefully...
I peek in his feeder and ..
Three baby sparrows are sitting in the two corners, on top of his feed!
Here's a zoom of the two huddled in corner!
I quickly scooped them out, and AMAZINGLY, they were totally fine.
I saw a nest right above his feeder, and they must have been learning to fly, and fell into the feed tub. 
How Laz didn't smoosh them, ate them or crippled them is beyond me
Because he has the kindest soul.
Just is a sweet boy, sensitive.
Wow...
After getting the birds to safety, I gave Laz such a hug.
He makes me proud everyday.
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15 comments:

  1. KarenMay 25, 2012 at 2:39 PM

    The baby bird incident is the sweetest thing ever!! What a sweet boy Laz is! Maybe a proud papa?

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  2. FrizzleMay 25, 2012 at 2:45 PM

    Aaawwwww, Laz has some little rescue animal pets of his very own! How flipping adorable is that?!

    The thing I hated about our indoor arena in Chi-town was when the baby birds would start falling in the spring, and they would be too little to survive. Can't tell you how many times I saw them dead--it was heartbreaking. So glad Laz Is a gentle giant mam-ing his little friends. :-)

    Bars are SO the devil! Well, when they're overlaid or causing pressure. Good on ya for being brave enough to wield a hoof knife--I'm still a huge weenie!

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  3. Calm, Forward, StraightMay 25, 2012 at 2:51 PM

    Extra careful eating was a dead giveaway! How totally cute is your horse.

    Well done on the bar removal. Ordering a hoof knife asap. :)

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  4. Kristen Eleni ShellenbargerMay 25, 2012 at 5:46 PM

    I'm STILL a huge weenie too TRUST ME, I think I'm going to kill him every time, yet I find myself making progress so it's encouraging. I go SLOW, like pick at bars once a weekish and then see what changes.
    CFS-if u get a knife, better to invest in a F.Dick, stays sharper than the bs $8 knife I bought. Although she does the trick ;)
    The bird breakfast-I swear, my heart swelled with pride that Laz isn't a bird murderer. Maybe he was scared of them? LOL!

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  5. julietteMay 25, 2012 at 9:55 PM

    YOU are amazing with your hoof knife and bar removal. What a good mommy to learn about this and help him. Also, LAZ is amazing and loving and kind. He is the sweetest horse in the world - shiny and sweet and kind to baby birds. Oh, you should be proud of both of you!

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  6. WolfieMay 25, 2012 at 10:45 PM

    Baby birds??? How sweet is your boy!!? Love it.

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  7. lmelMay 26, 2012 at 7:00 AM

    Aren't you brave with the hoof knife! You go girl!
    Laz--you're so gentle with the baby birds--what a good boy.

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    1. Kristen Eleni ShellenbargerMay 27, 2012 at 9:12 PM

      Brave, no..determined-YES! I'm scared as hell to lame him up BUT I can't just do nothing...I think I have a great trimmer to help me through it as I attempt myself-THANKFULLY!

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  8. ValMay 26, 2012 at 9:58 AM

    Laz is so sweet. What a good soul he is for not disturbing the baby birds.

    Are you removing excess bar on the medial and lateral sides of each foot? I am assuming that you just posted photos of the process midway. I left Harley's bars for a long time until I read about how they can put pressure on the internal structures of the foot. Then I slowly started lowering them. They kept popping back up for months, but have finally stopped, so I think that I did the right thing for him. Good for you to take the plunge. No one could be gentler with your horse than you.

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    1. Kristen Eleni ShellenbargerMay 27, 2012 at 9:13 PM

      Hi, YES, midway shots, sorry I should have indicated that. I take away what I feel I can, in my comfort, slowly, and reassess daily to see changes.
      I think you are 100% right, they will pop or descend down?? and that hoof is always moving! I didn't know you did some trimming yourself-soooo scary in beginning but also AMAZING

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  9. jenjMay 26, 2012 at 1:13 PM

    So cool about the bar! I hope that's the trick to that ouchy RH.

    And the baby sparrows! How adorable! I'm so glad they were OK - Laz is such a good boy to be so careful with them!

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    1. Kristen Eleni ShellenbargerMay 27, 2012 at 9:14 PM

      I hope so too..I hope it's the key to generate a better, thicker, healthy sole! The bars seem to be crushing sole tubules so if they are backed into where they should be, I hope for a positive change! I hate 'removing' what nature provides, but I think in Laz's case, it really needs to be done to get him to better it himself in the future. I HOPE!

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  10. AnonymousMay 27, 2012 at 4:36 PM

    What a SWEETHEART! I could squeeeeze him for being such a good boy!

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