Jenny and Jig

Tag: horse ownership

  • Almost Spring 2025

    *I wrote this in 2025 and never published, so the perspective is from 2025.)

    Spring is this Thursday and it’s so rainy here in the Bay Area. I was hoping to take the kids out to look for four leaf clovers on this lovely St. Patrick’s day but it looks like it will have to be tomorrow. Jig is wearing his neon green though! This weather was just too yucky not to blanket him, but thankfully he seems to appreciate it.

    Last week the horseshoe guy came to trim and shoe Jig. It was the first time without our beloved farrier and Jig was a little grumpy but he adjusted and stood well. Horseshoe guy did a great job and further explained what was going on with Jig’s hoof. He showed me where the dishing is on the right foot and the dried blood you could see deep in the hoof after he trimmed. He said it was healing well and should be hopefully back to normal in a few trims. He thinks it shows that he possibly foundered 6 months ago and that it didn’t look nearly as bad as some horses, in fact one of the better. So that gives me hope! He said light work was still good.

    I have still been lunging him to the right because he seems to enjoy it and just a little to the left to see how he feels on that foot. I noticed it isn’t bothering him as much, especially if I sent him on a longer line and not such a tight circle.

    Since my in laws are here and my husband took them with the kids for a Costco run over the weekend, I took the time to groom Jig and warm him up and try for a short ride in the pasture. I put up a net to make a makeshift round pen. I say round but that area is actually square. He tried to walk off when I tried to mount from the left, but stayed still from the right, like usual. Once I got on he immediately tried to walk me into the fence and tried to toss his head near the netting and refused to be steered either with neck reining, direct rein, and leg cues. I took it as a sign he wasn’t up for it and got off. I truly don’t know if it’s the foot, saddle fit, age, or behavior, but he definitely still doesn’t seem to enjoy being ridden. Many will tell me I need to “get after him”but I don’t really have the skill or bravery to do that right now. Any advice is welcome!

  • What happened next

    In the days after Jig got his new home, it was a mix of challenge and fun. I immediately had a blast getting to know him by grooming and walking him around the pasture. I gave him treats and tried to just spend time with him. He seemed to enjoy the grooming and even let my kids pet him as well. He was eating well, but the worrisome thing was his pacing. He would spend most of the day pacing up and down the fence. From what I could gather, that was normal for a horse in a new environment. One day, he eventually stopped pacing and I was glad for that! He did create a nice path for water to flow down the hill in a big rain storm, though. Silver lining!

    One thing to note was that Jig came to me a bit skinny. I also had chosen to forego a vet check before I bought him because a few were not available to go to see him and I felt comfortable letting it go considering he had been living with our farrier. I had a vet come out about a month after he had been with us. He checked Jig out and said he seemed in good health and gave him his annual shots. I also wormed him. He did say he (and I) could use some training and said he felt that Jig had gotten away with quite a lot, but seemed like a good horse. He also asked how much I paid for him and said I got what I paid for..hmm..I don’t think that was a compliment because I didn’t pay that much in the world of horse buying! For full transparency in case it helps anyone, I paid 1200 and that included the transport to my house which was about an hour and half. He said he seemed like he might be a little lame and had a trainer that could confirm or deny and that I should reach out. That in itself will be another post! Overall, he said I should ride him and enjoy and see him next year.

    Here is Jig within the month that I got him:

    For feeding the vet said he was a bit thin and suggested a feeding regimen of alfalfa, senior stable mix, and wet cobb.

    Here is Jig 9 months later after that diet:

    At that time he got 2 to 3 flakes of alfalfa a day, a low starch/sugar stable mix with glucosamine and chondritin, wet cob, and sometimes I added Bute-less or MSM if the mix didn’t have it.

    9 months later and not without our share of issues along the way, but I do believe we have forged a bond and I’m very thankful for this horse. In many ways he is a dream come true!