Thank you everyone, for your well wishes for Houdini. This goes to
show that he isn't perfect nor is he infalliable. Me either. I'm
re-guessing everything and starting to worry if he can truly
continue to live as he does.
Yesterday when I went out to the farm to give him his meds (last day
of bute regimen), I found him by that white mare (Babe). He seemed
finally settled in the surroundings...first time all week! It was a
really nice day, so I wanted to remove his blanket and hood (good
time for a washing). Houdini hasn't come to me at all this past
week when I call him in the pasture which is totally unlike him
(unless its shortly after a time that I've had him out on the road
for a drill team function). The day before, I had to actually chase
him around the pasture before I could get my hands on him! Then
when I put the halter on and we head for the barn, he stopped in
refusal several times. I'm not sure if he was shaken that bad from
the incident or if its because I have been spending so much time
with school that he's lost some faith in me. Its also strange and
unlike Houdini to be so dependent upon one horse. He seems to be
alot jumpier when the other horses from the herd come to greet me in
the pasture as I lead him toward the barn. Its almost like we are
back to square one...the day that he went totally blind and we've
got to do everything all over again!!! Anyway, we've got a couple
of days of nice weather before I have to put that "green monster"
suit back on him. Naturally, that makes him an added target of
interest out in the pasture as well. I'm so glad that this happened
over Thanksgiving break when I could spend more time observing
him . There is only a couple more weeks left of the semester and
then I can do some more assessments of his living and coping
conditions. Christmas caroling is coming up and that will be a good
time to finally get back on him and see how he has changed in that
respect. If everything has truly changed for the worst with him
living in a herd situation, about the only other option is to see if
Steve Smith from the Rolling Dog Ranch will allow me to board
Houdini at his place....and that would make it real hard for me to
visit him in Montana! Well, maybe there are other options closer to
home, but I don't know of too many farms that have a herd of blind
horses so Houdini would be on a level playing field with the rest of
his herdmates. I'm afraid to have Houdini pulled in from the herd
and to keep him in a paddock with another horse, fearing that he
would run the fence line and possibly go through the fence to get
back to the herd. The longer I keep him from the herd, the harder
it is to re-assimilate him back into the herd. But time and prayers
will tell. I know that it is important for him to figure out a way
to survive...but its so hard to think that he is afraid, lonely, and
struggling in doing so!!! By controlling and limiting his
surroundings, I can very easily turn him into a dependent horse with
a lesser quality of life than what he is used to and I have to be
absolutely sure that its the only option before doing so.
Jean & Houdini

--- In DrillTeamsUSA@yahoogroups.com, julie levy <levyjdl2002@y...>
wrote:
>
> Poor Houdini! Hope he recovers and remembers himself next time!
He's such a good boy. Hope your doing OK with it all. Hugs to both
of you!
> Julie
> 4-Square Walking
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
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