(I see) Dead Things
Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2019 12:09 am
Well, my horse is reactive anyway, but what has your experience been vis-a-vis your horse and dead or badly injured animals? My horse has been relatively calm, even lazy, in the arena, which is a good thing, since he's permanently on restricted exercise. Today, he was calm while being groomed, but kept staring at the creek/trees on the far side of the covered arena. He was initially quiet when I mounted, but as I approached the end of the arena on the creek side, he kept freezing, then became agitated, and I had to repeatedly bend him to the side and "disengage the hindquarters." He would settle a bit, but get upset again at that end of the arena. It was a bit cooler and windier than it has been, but this has not really been an issue. After about 20 minutes, he was becoming more and more upset so I dismounted, put on his halter and thought I would lead him for another 15-20 minutes. He went airborne and whirling in circles - not good for his leg - so I called it a day.
After I put him away, I walked over to the creek and found vultures perched on the trees and ground, and a deer down, but still alive, with what looked like her ear half torn off and festering and deep deep gashes on her head and neck (cougar attack? hit by car?) She got up and moved, but not far, when she saw me. I called animal control, but they said if she was alive and moving, they would not come. Was my horse, whose sense of smell is certainly better than mine, smelling her infected wounds? I don't think it was the vultures that upset him since they were not visible from the arena, and he's used to the wild turkeys that are always around. After I fed, I checked again, but the deer was gone.
After I put him away, I walked over to the creek and found vultures perched on the trees and ground, and a deer down, but still alive, with what looked like her ear half torn off and festering and deep deep gashes on her head and neck (cougar attack? hit by car?) She got up and moved, but not far, when she saw me. I called animal control, but they said if she was alive and moving, they would not come. Was my horse, whose sense of smell is certainly better than mine, smelling her infected wounds? I don't think it was the vultures that upset him since they were not visible from the arena, and he's used to the wild turkeys that are always around. After I fed, I checked again, but the deer was gone.