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Post by Zuzan on Dec 30, 2009 1:20:30 GMT 1
poor Martin Clunes... maybe he should try working with elephants.. I have a theory that horses don't equate their body language with us but learn "human" ... they read us differently from "standard predators" .... I'm convinced I am the subject of considerable thought by Nita... She reads humans so well.. inc non horsey non IH humans... quite scary really... paranoia ... have theory that Nita is plotting to take over the world and I will be her slave for the rest of my life......
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Post by welly on Dec 30, 2009 11:07:32 GMT 1
Not off topic at all - I have been fascinated to watch the Wallace and Gromit films over Christmas, and how the slightest change in expression or ears or eyes can convey Gromit's mood and thinking. Some very clever and observant model makers!
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Post by portiabuzz on Dec 30, 2009 13:49:17 GMT 1
amazing isnt it!!
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Post by blacktent on Dec 30, 2009 17:47:14 GMT 1
What great replies! I don't think horses misread our ears either - as several people said in their replies, 'ears back' is part of a sequence of behaviour and body language that has to be read together rather than in separate 'bits'.
FYI, in the photo Brian is topless because it was a very hot summer's day. In fact, it was the day we thought was to be Nivalis's last - his laminitis had taken a turn for the worse, with the pedal bone in one foot rotated and exposed, as the sole had split - and the attending vet insisted that euthanasia was the only option. Fortunately Brian insisted on a second opinion, and after a horrible weekend waiting (and all day on the day the pic was taken), the senior practice vet (a real horse vet if ever there was one) came to see our boy. He looked at N's feet and said that the pedal bone was facing the right way, and if we kept on with the treatment (feet kept dry & clean and sprayed with strong iodine solution) and trimmed by our brilliant farrier (Neil Jackson from Bishop Auckland - Neil, we love you!) with Neil's patent plastic shoes for support, there was no reason why N shouldn't recover. The vet came back to see him 4 weeks later & said his feet were 'grand' (mucho replief all round) and that Nivalis would survive now. Since then, with Neil's help and his fantastic shoes, (and daily treatment with iodine) Nivalis has gone from strength to strength. We're not quite there yet, and he'll need very careful management for the rest of his life, but all the signs are that he'll make a full recovery.
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Post by ashleigh on Dec 30, 2009 17:55:02 GMT 1
I can wiggle my ears! Bit difficult to see them under the woolly hat though!
Thing is, an aggressive horsey face is more than just ears back isn't it? It's also about tight lips, facial muscles, hard eyes and of course a focus of energy and intent.
I'm also a huge fan of your work Lesley.
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Post by portiabuzz on Dec 30, 2009 18:30:09 GMT 1
just added some of your books to my amazon basket! Look forwards to reading them!
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Post by donnalex on Dec 30, 2009 19:25:10 GMT 1
Best person to ask may well be Martin Clunes! ;D I LOVE Martin Clunes! Whaatever his is in I will watch I think he is great!
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Post by mandal on Dec 30, 2009 21:28:47 GMT 1
In fact, it was the day we thought was to be Nivalis's last - his laminitis had taken a turn for the worse, with the pedal bone in one foot rotated and exposed, as the sole had split - and the attending vet insisted that euthanasia was the only option. Oh what a great recovery story. May I say it just shows how little horses show pain and discomfort, I wouldn't have dreamed Nivalis had an exposed pedal bone from that pic, what a magnificent horse. Horses really are the most gentle, magnanimous, wonderful beings aren't they.
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Post by cbc on Dec 30, 2009 22:15:52 GMT 1
I would say fron my own experiences that there is a lot more of us that a horse reads, as others on here have found. Would be interested to see an experiment with pricked ears though (can we ask Martin Clunes to do it? ;D) Inside your Horses Mind is one of my all time favourite books.
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Post by SarahW on Dec 31, 2009 17:31:27 GMT 1
I think they are far more observant of our eyes and our energy than our ears. I do wonder if they search around our faces because it isn't immediately obvious where our breath comes out of - sort of the opposite of why the long face?
I was riding along today thinking about what you can read from a predator's ears - I suppose in the more mobile ones they indicate where the animal's attention is.
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Post by Kelly Marks on Dec 31, 2009 17:54:07 GMT 1
Martin Clunes is coming to do a Join Up with his horse for the members at The Hand demo. He's lovely! (That's him and his horse).
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Post by blacktent on Jan 1, 2010 16:21:00 GMT 1
Thanks for all the lovely comments about Nivalis - he is indeed a wonderful horse and we'd have been heartbroken to lose him! We still don't know what caused his laminitis, but whatever it was, his feet are coming on fantastically - there is no trace left of the split in his sole which exposed the pedal bone, and the section of his front feet that were taken out (dorsal wall resection) to relieve pressure in his feet have grown out as well, so his feet look almost normal now. Neil, our farrier, has been fantastic, and we're convinced that his expert trimming, as well as his plastic shoes, which supported the frog and hoof walls, saved Nivalis's life. N. has been a wonderful patient, so kind and gentle, in spite of all the nasty things he's had done to him over the last 9 months. This year I hope to be abe to take some photos of him in his full Arab ceremonial regalia - hopefully with his young jockey, Abbie, on board in her Bedouin sheikh's outfit - we're confident that by the summer he'll be rideable again, even if only lightly - and in any case I don't think he'd mind Abbie sitting on him for a few minutes!
BTW I love Martin Clunes as well, especially as Doc Martin - now there's a character who could do with a bit of join-up! Great to hear that Martin himself is coming to The Hand demo ;D
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