I still don't know what to write about Skuggi. We are still in a process of getting to know each other. Well, he is a gelding, born in Germany '99. But I don't think that is very interesting.
Last weekend I was finally able to put Olga and Skuggi together, Olgas laminitis made a comeback on January and her recovery has been slow but now she is moving better.
I think Skuggi has some issues both mentally and physically. I will do my best in helping him get rid of all those things making him uncomfortable! He was very grumpy yesterday when I went to see them. I think he might have bellyache because they only get hay 4 times a day. I will have to find hay with less sugar so I can give more! In summer it might be easier when they will have 3 hectares of forest, he will always find something to eat.
He is also starting to find the joy in moving, I think. He hated to go to the arena at first, but now he is beginning to believe I won't force him to move, I only give carrots when he does :) last time he actually felt good enough to roll! That has not happened once and we've been there many times in past 2 months. Also he does not get so agitated anymore, when we started to go to the arena, he used to poop at least two times.
Skuggi was given to me for free, because he has had 10 colics last year. Yes, ten. He also does not like to carry riders and is very good at getting rid of them. So far, no colics this year and no falls, not that I would've spent there more than about the time it takes to give a piece of carrot for him :)
He will be so good at teaching me, maybe others too. But first I will have to fix his life so he can live it to the fullest.
He looks bigger than Olga - is he?
VastaaPoista10 colics! You're brave - I assume you have an idea that you can keep him differently, in a way that will help prevent these problems happening over and over?
Yes, he is somewhat bigger. Higher and fatter :D
VastaaPoistaMost of the colics he got while at grass, he won't be getting any pasture time next summer. He is also very sensitive, to the point of being vulnerable. I actually believe that some of his colics were of "mental origin", due to being somewhat unwanted and "muted" (=expressing opinions was prohibited). So nowadays he has the right to express his feelings, which he certainly does. But he is getting softer already.
I do look forward to hearing more about Skuggi. How fascinating your journey together should be, as he obviously has built up quite a lot of distrust about humans.
VastaaPoistaI am amazed at how much snow you still have.
I just remembered that our off-track thoroughbred was given to us for free in part because he'd had at least two colics in the previous year. In the years we had him, he never colicked once. One big change which helped, I think, was that he went from just a couple hours a day turnout to all-day (at first) and then 24/7 turnout with us. The other difference (apart from mental differences) was that we fed him mostly forage. I think he had been getting a higher proportion of concentrated feed before.
VastaaPoista