This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Answer some Questions you have:
One, she appears to be a cross breed, probably with Quarter Horse. This is a common cross at PMU farms -- is that where you got her? ~NO. I got her from horse camp. They purchased her with a foal at her side, then sold the foal. I think they said the camp had her for about 4 years. Two, her feet look horrid. If you haven't had them trimmed by now, make an appointment. They look like they've been neglected for some time. I had the farrier out today! I saw that the last farrier (who was a student from a local school) did a horrible job. That's how they get so many horses done so cheaply, is have students do them. I know, you get what you pay for, and they get just that. Now, with her feet trimmed she looks like all her feet belong to the same horse. Although he didn't want to take too much off too fast, she looks much better. We left her barefoot, to see if she will handle that, she is a little ouchy yet. But I hope she gets over that. Three, she is overweight. Notice the lump on her neck -- that's fat. The neglected feet and excess weight no doubt contributed to her founder. I thought she was overweight. Some say she isn't, but she does have rolls of fat under her tail, I don't think that's normal! And on her crest that one part is very thick and hard. She is on NO grain, and only grass hay. At the camp, they don't like to single out special needs and care for them differently. Even if it is just a little different. With your good care, it probably won't happen again. I hope with everybody's suggestions, I can make Bonnie into a much more healthier horse. Four, it may be a trick of the light but she appears to have patches of white hair on either side of her wither. If this is the case, she's been ridden hard in an ill-fitting saddle. When you start riding her, take it slow and easy to avoid problems; she may have developed bad habits from the discomfort. Yes, she does have some old saddle sores on her withers and under belly. There is white patches there. At camps with low spending for programs, tack is not always high on the list. So you do with what you have. I know my saddle does NOT fit her, and in time I hope to find one that will fit her better. I prefer western. But when I do ride, I have been riding bareback! So, how did you come to be a Fjord owner? What are your plans for Bonnie? Tell us more! How I became a Fjord owner: Well, I used to work at that camp. And always held a special place in my heart for Bonnie. She was so good, and fun to ride. Then after a year or so of not working there, I went back to help out one day. I had seen that a lot of the horses had been sold and new ones in. I asked if Bonnie was still there, and they said yes. I asked jokingly if she was for sale, and they said YES! My heart sank. I asked how much. They said $500. This was too good to pass up, it seemed. But my problems were I rent the house I live in. My in-laws own it. Gramma owns the land around the house. So I asked everybody if I could have a horse here. It took them 4 months to tell me it was ok. So I went back to the camp, put a deposit down on her. They gave me a month to get the fence up and all. So I started working on that. With the fact in mind that she had foundered in the past. Well a week later she came up lame. They said they couldn't sell her in this condition. I didn't know what to do. So I finished the fence and sadly started to look at other horses. Then finally catching up with the boss to get my deposit back. She told that Bonnie still needed a home, after not being sold, and lame. So I offered her the home anyway. And That's how I got her. But I think that last trim was more to blame for her latest lameness than the founder, as she has had no heat in her feet, or much of any other symptoms. My plans? Well I have a 5 year old daughter that LOVES horses. I wanted a nice gentle horse for her to learn on. And that is what Bonnie is. She'd let you do anything on her, and she just stands there. I enjoy trail riding. We live on a family plot of land, 50+ acres, so there's plenty of trails here. Also a lake, if I could ever get her to step in it. Its there if she wants it. For this summer we are just going to get her back into shape and see how things go. In time we will see if we will do more with her. The guy across the road said I should show her on the Buckskin Circuit, that she'd win ribbons. But I have never been in a horse show. Maybe we will join the local 4-h or youth club, so my daughter can do all those things that I never did. (still need a trailer to do those things.) I will get more pictures up tomorrow. After her trim today, I think she looks much better. Maybe try a bath? I know she hasn't had one in a few years! Jennie http://fjordbonnie.tripod.com [demime 1.01d removed an attachment of type image/jpeg which had a name of Winter .jpg]
