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Adventures with Danny (Hawk Eye)

5K views 93 replies 10 participants last post by  DannyBoysGrace 
#1 ·
I'm picking up a horse in two weeks and it's huge for me!
I thought that I would make this journal to keep track of our achievements.

Hawk Eye is a Connemara x (presumably) Irish Draught.
He's 14.2hh and his barn name is Danny Boy.
Back story.
I got Danny as a three and a half year old for Christmas when I was about 13. My sister and I shared him. We had taken lessons at a stable for years and were amazed at how different riding him was.
He tried every trick in the book to get away from us, whether it was bolting, purposely banging our knees on fences or teeny tiny rears. He became quite dangerous for us to ride. Being a proud child, I hid how afraid I was of him from my dad and we ended up developing quite a bond because I would just hang out with him in the arena.

Looking back, for some reason I never had serious problems riding him when I was alone. Maybe I was more nervous around my dad.

Things changed when he kicked a woman so hard that she was surprised he hadn't broken her leg. She decided to take us under her wing. She had been a jockey until she started having shoulder problems. She taught us a lot and instead of crying after rides, I was smiling. I became confident around him.

Danny started to reveal his true personality, a true pony! He loves chewing anything and everything, he sees every fence as a challenge to upgrade his escaping skills, buckets are for playing with and if the human gives you a bucket of water and no food, pick it up and tip it on her.

I got quite depressed (I suffer with my mental physical health) to the point that I was skipping school, hurting myself at least once a day and to be blunt, wanted to die. My parents had been called into the school to take me home after I broke down and told my art teacher everything. Mom took me straight to the doctor. A month later mom and dad sat me down and said they were selling Danny because I wasn't interested enough in him, I reminded them that I was ill but dad had none of it, said I wasn't a good enough rider and they couldn't afford him anymore. All of my pleas were ignored, I asked about leasing, putting him in a stable in exchange for them using him in lessons. All were ignored.
Two weeks after Christmas he was gone. As you can imagine, my depression hit its lowest point.

A year and 8 months later, I'm bringing my baby home! He's now 11! I can't believe how long I have had him.
 

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#2 ·
Wow, that's quite a back story. I am glad in the end it all worked out for you. I'm sure you were heartbroken when he was gone. :( Thank goodness everything turned around. Mental illness is very difficult to deal with. I have anxiety issues, and when I'm at the barn they all fade away. So glad you are reunited with him! He is so cute! You two make a great match. :) Looking forward to seeing what adventures you guys get into!
 
#3 ·
I was, it threw me over the edge. I went to live with my bio dad in England for a few months to recover because he suffers with anxiety, stress and depression.
Thank you so much. I'm really happy to know that my boy is coming home. I have been in contact with the owner about buying him for 8 months.
My anxiety disappears around horses too. They're the best therapy you could wish for!

Our first few weeks will be boring. He gets fat smelling grass and they haven't really used him since they got him! I'll probably just be lunging for at least the first week.
My aim is to be competition ready by Christmas. :)
 
#4 ·
I have my shopping list ready (not in order of priority).
Saddle bag (for portable first aid)
Plastic Box

Pliers
Plasters
Bandages
Tape
Sun cream
Sanitary pads (large cuts)
Nappies (Hoof injuries)
Cotton Wool
Disinfectant
Thermometer
Sponges
Syringes
Sterile Water


Saddle
Head Collar (not essential as I ride bitless so can use the bridle).
Buckets
Curry Comb
Grooming bag
Helmet
Longe Rope


I have jodhpurs, hoof picks, dandy brushes, mane comb, lead rope and a bridle.
 
#7 ·
I went to a stable, 30 minute walk from me on a good day. 55eu a week for DIY, includes walker, large sand arena, tack room, turn out and toilet. Not sure if I'll have access to the kitchen or not..... didn't think to ask. She said if I need her to turn him out or feed him in the morning she will. I told her if she ever needs me, I can help out. If I give her the petrol money, she'll get her husband to collect him. Seems to be going well!
 
#11 ·
I'm meeting a man on Saturday who has 90 acres, 25 euro a week, 20 a week if I have two. I have a free field once I pass my driving test.
Should I get that yearling? I need a companion for him once we move fields so I may as well get that beauty!
 
#13 ·
Sorry what yearling? I missed that. I don't understand why you would lease a yearling, usually you lease a horse you can ride, not a baby. It is a great idea to have comapny for your horse, speaking from experience though, it is also great to have comapny for you, so boarding where there are already other horses and people is a great idea.

If you are going to place on your own, then offer free grazing to someone else to come and join you...
Save
 
#18 ·
What kind of lease though? Unless it is a free lease, you are going to be paying a person to keep their youngster, and they can take it away any time....I'm sorry as I say I haven't seen anything about this, so trying to understand.

When I needed a companion for my retired mare I bought a $200 mini Donkey, worked great, and I have someone lined up who would take them on if I lose my land...it is good to think of the future and have a plan.
 
#19 ·
You're completely right. Dammit I'm thinking with my heart.
If I can have somebody lined up, it would be great but people move on and buy new horses. If I had to, I suppose I could surrender to a shelter and give donations. Lots of stables will board horses for free in exchange for their use in lessons now that I think about it!
He's flashy and I would hope to have well trained, to reach 14 hands so suitable for adults and children so he would stand out.
 
#23 ·
Look, I don't want to appear rude, and I know that is a clear hint that I think I might be....

You have been very honest here in that you suffer from depression, many of us fight that all our lives, but yours sounds quite severe at times? On another post you speak about all over pain that you constantly fight with...do you REALLY want to take on a big, but very cute yearling?

I'm asking, because I realized after my major accident, that I was no longer strong enough either mentally or physically to work with my beautiful baby that I had bred, waited so long for and had such high hopes for. To be an effective horse trainer you need to have many things, skill, experience, great timing, but also reserves of both physical and mental strength. If you don't have that, then a young horse really is not for you, it is not fair on either of you. I get that your heart says YES YES YES, but sometimes that is not enough.......believe me I know
 
#24 ·
I completely understand and see where you're coming from. :)
My mental health has improved drastically (I was being influenced by very controlling people and I got some help from professionals). Honestly, my depression only got to the point of me actually trying to take my life when my horse was taken away from. I had to repeat my final year because I didn't get the points to get into Equine Science, I broke up with my boyfriend, then the con man we were renting a yard from got the papers for our rescue horse and had him slaughtered while trying to sublet the yard without telling us, we lost the yard and then my parents told me we were selling Danny. I was a little depressed (self harming only occasionally) until I had to repeat, then it was shock wave after shock wave with no time to fight back and not a soul knew. I haven't self harmed in like 3 months and that was only minor so it's more like 6. I'm much more able to handle things when I have horses.
As for my physical health, I'm only going to get worse, I want to get a youngster and at least partly fulfill a dream before it's way too late. Time is of the essence. I'll be in pain but for now, I'm mobile. I want to do these things while I still can. :)
 
#26 ·
OK, something doesn't add up, but then I'm not great at maths....how long did you own him?

You got him as a 3 1/2 year old, when you were 13 yes?

He was gone for year and 8 months, and now he is 11.....but he went when you were having trouble at school, so that sounds like you were very young, but now you must be 20 or 21 right?

Just checking because my brain won't make it work
 
#27 ·
I stayed back a year to learn Irish and then had to repeat because I didn't get into college. I'm 21 in September. I was 18 nearly 19 when the serious depression came on and lasted months and months so didn't really get better until I was 20. By school I meant secondary. I forget that other countries systems are so different in comparison to Irelands.
 
#29 · (Edited)
I used the method @Gold enHorse did to figure it.

And yes, it does add up. I think. LOL

All in all, I recommend sticking with 1 horse*, Danny Boy, for now.



PS * That is if you are keeping your horse at a boarding facility, or place where there are other horses. IF you will be keeping him alone and on your own property, then I change my vote to getting them both. :)
 
#30 ·
The land owner buys and sells horses, sometimes there will be companions, sometimes there won't be. I'll be getting insurance but I want to prevent an injury in the first place and I know that he will escape and potentially injure himself to get a companion.

I have contacted a rescue center about fostering instead of the colt as the owner wouldn't lease. If they don't have any suitable ponies, I'll get a friends horse to come down until I can get a companion.
 
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