Post by dizzy on Aug 17, 2007 7:51:40 GMT 1
Time for Libby to have her own thread I think.
For various reasons collecting her was somewhat delayed but we set off on the 400 mile round trip to Oxford on Tuesday morning this week. It wouldn't have been my choice way to spend my birthday but needs must as the transporters could not bring her any further North.
Unfortunately someone messed up with the timing and traffic didn't help so we ended up sitting in the car for 5 1/2 hours! We couldn't really go anywhere as we couldn't leave the trailer. Did manange a stroll round B&Q though!!
When they finally arrived and opened the door a very frightened black face peered out. We backed the trailer so the ramps were together and the driver and his mate more or less lifted her over!! Not easy with 16hh of solid heavy horse! She hadn't ever had a headcollar on let alone been led anywhere, she didn't have a clue what was expected.
The driver told me that the farmer had chased her into the lorry in France with a stick, they were behind her and thought he was hitting the wall to encourage her in, turned out he was belting her across the bridge of her nose. I felt so sick and angry when I heard that especially as there was no spark of life in her at all.
Well we hauled her home arriving in pouring rain at gone 11pm. Opened the trailer doors but couldn't persuade her to move. We tried pushing from behind (good job she's kind!) to no avail. In the end we manged to persuade her to go backwards one step at a time. It took 45minutes to get her from the trailer to the stable and we were all drenched as well as exhausted and filled with sadness.
She drank her bucket dry so we filled it again and left her with a pile of hay which she was munching on as if she'd never been fed.
In the morning when we went in to her she retreated to the back of the stable and hid her head in the corner. It was so sad.
She's been here 2 full days now and last night I groomed her all over and took off as many of the bot eggs as I could. She will let me touch her anywhere apart from the front of her face, nose, mouth, round her eyes. She is unbelievably trusting.
I did try to put the headcollar back on but she got scared so I left. I am hoping I am going to have some help very soon, Sarah Dent has given me names of a couple of students and my friend Kayti is coming next week.
I can't turn her out as I can't lead her and I need to be sure I can catch her again so for now she is having to stay in. She doesn't seem distressed and last night for the first time she ate a tiny bit out of her bucket.
My heart is filled with sorrow for what this filly has been through in her short life but also filled with joy that we are going to give her the chance of a new and useful life. It is going to take time but we have got time and there is no rush.
Thanks for reading.
Pics taken first morning but you can't see how filthy, mangy she is nor all the horrendous crab flies she was covered in!
For various reasons collecting her was somewhat delayed but we set off on the 400 mile round trip to Oxford on Tuesday morning this week. It wouldn't have been my choice way to spend my birthday but needs must as the transporters could not bring her any further North.
Unfortunately someone messed up with the timing and traffic didn't help so we ended up sitting in the car for 5 1/2 hours! We couldn't really go anywhere as we couldn't leave the trailer. Did manange a stroll round B&Q though!!
When they finally arrived and opened the door a very frightened black face peered out. We backed the trailer so the ramps were together and the driver and his mate more or less lifted her over!! Not easy with 16hh of solid heavy horse! She hadn't ever had a headcollar on let alone been led anywhere, she didn't have a clue what was expected.
The driver told me that the farmer had chased her into the lorry in France with a stick, they were behind her and thought he was hitting the wall to encourage her in, turned out he was belting her across the bridge of her nose. I felt so sick and angry when I heard that especially as there was no spark of life in her at all.
Well we hauled her home arriving in pouring rain at gone 11pm. Opened the trailer doors but couldn't persuade her to move. We tried pushing from behind (good job she's kind!) to no avail. In the end we manged to persuade her to go backwards one step at a time. It took 45minutes to get her from the trailer to the stable and we were all drenched as well as exhausted and filled with sadness.
She drank her bucket dry so we filled it again and left her with a pile of hay which she was munching on as if she'd never been fed.
In the morning when we went in to her she retreated to the back of the stable and hid her head in the corner. It was so sad.
She's been here 2 full days now and last night I groomed her all over and took off as many of the bot eggs as I could. She will let me touch her anywhere apart from the front of her face, nose, mouth, round her eyes. She is unbelievably trusting.
I did try to put the headcollar back on but she got scared so I left. I am hoping I am going to have some help very soon, Sarah Dent has given me names of a couple of students and my friend Kayti is coming next week.
I can't turn her out as I can't lead her and I need to be sure I can catch her again so for now she is having to stay in. She doesn't seem distressed and last night for the first time she ate a tiny bit out of her bucket.
My heart is filled with sorrow for what this filly has been through in her short life but also filled with joy that we are going to give her the chance of a new and useful life. It is going to take time but we have got time and there is no rush.
Thanks for reading.
Pics taken first morning but you can't see how filthy, mangy she is nor all the horrendous crab flies she was covered in!