We have had Noah ten months. His previous owner had bought him for his wife as a novice rider’s horse. They gave me Noah with great caution as he had bucked, reared and succeeded in getting them off. He refused to float for them. He acted like a monster lived in that float so it took me two hours to load him when I first got him.
Now loading was one area he has learnt to master since being with me but other behaviours stuck. Noah has always been a bucker, rearer, overexcited, spooky, tense, bolshy horse with a head flicker who always sweats excessively with little work. Over all unpredictable. All of this led us to think that Noah was naughty as no amount of training and desensitising worked. I had also spent big money on different calmer products, only to find they did not work.
We took Noah down to Waioku for a weekend of trekking at Wild West Adventures. What a disaster! He was on edge, dangerous to his horsy mates, not to mention his rider and himself. He nearly put himself down cliff faces, reared up for no apparent reason just missing a friend’s horse’s rump on the way down.
My friend riding the near miss was disgusted in Noah’s actions finding no reason for his lack of co-operation. Other friends that came on this trip grew to dislike Noah. “Shoot him”, “Dog tucker Him”, “He’s a psychopath” were just a handful of the comments passed our way.
My husband rode, who out on this trip saw all of Noah’s antics. Amongst him and friends, Noah’s fate was decided by weekends End.
I have trained, backed and gentled many horses. I was getting the message from Noah “sorry mum I want to be good but something is just not right.” As stated before, Noah has always sweated excessively. A new horse to our property started to have the same sweat problem after just four days of being with us. I thought it must be something they are eating or lacking in their diets.
Reading about Monkey started the penny dropping, Emma’s knowledge made the penny drop even further. Emma suggested Alleviate, Toxdefy and NZ Horse Minerals (SUPREME Australian Vit & Min). Loads of hay, salt and take him off the grass.
I have been around horses all my life, worked and trained in racing stables, in later years done my own breeding programme, all of which I was taught good grass and grain was what horses needed to be healthy calm athletes.
Talking to Emma sent me on a study mission. What is good for horses and what do horses like? To forage one ponders, wild horses will travel 30-50kms a day, then we give them acres of lush grass full of sugar and other nasty things blowing their whole natural existence out the window. Their minds and bodies can’t cope. Rye and clover are the grasses on my property. Lovely dairy pasture for cows, (lucky I have some). We are starting to over sow in coxfoot and timothy.
For six weeks now my herd of five have been on a track system, hay, two hours of grass, Alleviate, Toxdefy and NZ Horse Minerals (SUPREME Australian Vit & Min) all five have amazing changes. They have their feet trimmed by Peta Schiessel natural hoof trimmer. No more shoes for my guys they don’t need them. Their new diet and track have given a much healthier hoof, no cracks and very few complaints when ridden out on the road. I only expect their hooves to improve more.
My two foals cope nicely with the diet they are content, quiet and have no weight loss and their growth is still lovely.
Bartacus our Appy Quarter horse x has suffered from allergies since not long after birth. His glands have permanently been swollen. Not anymore can’t feel any bumps under that jaw he also will let you touch his head now all over.
Noah and I go for our first ride after him being on the diet for five weeks. I’m sure this is not my horse there is no head flicking, no spooking, no monsters behind every blade of grass or tree. No racey pacey, no buck and no rear. I was so sceptical about Noah’s new found behaviour I had to ride him again and again out on the road. He was still calm, relaxed and happy to oblige. Not moody or bolshy.
The excessive sweating has completely vanished. I lifted the saddle after an hours pleasant ride no sweat there only on the girth line. I’m in disbelief as Noah is normally dripping. My husband after these rides was impressed with my new angel but wanted to test him further. Our next challenge was the beach where Noah use to become a wreck. Not on this trip.
I’m smiling so is Noah, sun is shinning so is Noah.
I’m riding my best buddy in the whole world.
He is sane.
No jig jog, just a happy contented horse, rider and husband.
Noah truly is a re formed horse thanks to:
Alleviate, Tox-defy and NZ Horse Minerals (SUPREME Australian Vit & Min) and loads of (horse safe) hay. A big thanks to Emma for our long winded conversation on the phone that led me to hours of study and horsemanship. Thanks also to you all at Horsemanship that study and work hard to shed light on what is good for our horses. I only wished I had learnt about this years ago as I know I could have helped many a four legged friend sent to me for training with bad behaviour. I can see now this behaviour was due to diet. I can only hope that others that read Noah’s story will study and learn what is healthy and good for the horse.
Thanks heaps I’m so grateful that Noah is staying because I love this horse dearly.
From Nice Noah,
HAPPY HUSBAND
(Calm Healthy horses plan worked for his horse too)
and Naughty Nikki
