It's gone below freezing here, and yesterday morning
Woody walked out of the barn as if
his feet were all falling off. But I rode on my arena and he was
completely sound being led out to it up a short stony bit of path, and while
ridden.
Last night, I was moving them from their stables back into the barn and he was
walking as if he has abscesses in both back feet. So I went and fetched a
headcollar and rope and led him around to assess it, and he didn't do
it!
I led him over frozen lumps of mud, limestone chippings and broken up tarmac. No problems.
This morning he completely refused to leave the barn. So I fetched a rope (OK be pedantic then, it was a haynet! :-) and put it round his neck and led him out. He walked absolutely fine. But without me, he again walked like his feet were burning on the icy ground.
What on earth is going on!?!?!?!
I can only surmise that when it froze last year, and he was newly out of front shoes, his feet hurt him badly on the points of mud when it froze for several weeks before Christmas. That memory appears to be making him think his feet will hurt and walk very , very oddly. But if I lead him, he trusts me that it will not hurt and walks normally. If that's true then bless his little cotton socks for his faith in humans not to ask him to do anything that will hurt. What a sweetie he is.
C
Very interesting behavior. Certainly curious that he's fine when you are leading him and it well could be you are right in thinking it's his trust in you. It is a lovely thought, that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteWhen I used to ride my PJ out in the winter, whenever we got to a spot I thought might be slippery/icy, I would say, "Careful, careful," and he'd shorten up his stride to baby steps until I told him it was OK. Kind of the opposite, but a definite reaction to my concerns.
Horses are incredibly sensitive animals with deep feelings and deep attachments to each other and to us. We must never underestimate these connections.
It certainly gives me a lovely warm feeling that he expects things not to hurt if I am with Jean :-)
ReplyDeleteHe walked in much better tonight. As if he was saying "this should hurt ...but it doesn't .... how odd".
It will be interesting to see how he copes with an icy road tomorrow!
C
That IS weird.
ReplyDeleteThey can certainly change their stride when you are with them.Like Jean I say " careful icey "
ReplyDeleteThis morning as I led Flash to his field over the first real ice of the year he , as usual , followed my command and tiptoed with baby steps.
Normally he jogs and leaps !
You have the same in reverse.
Guess what! Temperature above zero this morning and he walked out of the barn by himself and was completely happy on his feet. I don't think I have ever come across a horse with such strong memory-related behaviours before.
ReplyDeleteHe also pulled out a new trick today - may be if I go hopping lame we can go home. I'll blog about it later.
C