OklahomaHorses Magazine March 2021

10 OklahomaHorses • March/April 2021 2625 I-35 Frontage Rd. Edmond, Oklahoma 73013 Hours of operation: M-F 8-5 Sat. 8-12 24/7 Emergencies Follow us on Facebook at: Equine Medical Associates, Inc. of Oklahoma Optimizing Health And Performance of Sport Horses Since 1978 Visit our online store at: equinemedicalassociates.vetsfirstchoice.com very still and could not jerk his leg while the pulley was detached, and Lindsay was tending the wound. Every bandage change required Lindsay’s husband Jeff and often another assistant to keep Bubby steady while Lindsay worked. These bandage changes went on without fail for 18 months. Wallace made routine visits to assess the wound and perform any additional treatment necessary. Bubby’s front feet had to be trimmed by Pittman every four weeks—a process that would need to continue for the life of the horse to control damage done by neglect. And with the focus on all of Bubby’s physical issues, Lindsay also had to address the horse’s mental well-being. “When we first met, Bubby was an incredibly sweet horse, never offering to lash out despite everything he had been through, but he was also very nervous,” she explained. “If you approached him in his stall, he would immediately move to the farthest corner away from you, and he was terrified of having his head touched, flinching and shutting his eyes if you simply reached up to pet him.” It took months of patient work to teach Bubby that he would be handled gently, without force or fear. Slowly, as his body healed, so did his mind. Instead of moving away as Lindsay called out to him upon arriving at the barn, he started nickering in anticipation. After 10 months of complete stall rest, he was able to go for short walks on lead beside Lindsay to the end of the barn aisle and back to his stall. After 18 months of continuous bandage changes, the wound on Bubby’s leg finally closed completely, and the horse was able to gradually enjoy more exercise and freedom. Over the course of the last four months, Lindsay has been able to start retraining the horse who was previously so scared to be handled. “You could tell he had always been treated roughly and ridden hard, likely in small rodeo events. He was not fully trained; he just knew that a rider and an arena meant he should run full out from one end to the other.” With patience, a lot of groundwork and a gentle hand, Lindsay is turning Bubby into a calm, happy pleasure horse. “I don’t think he has ever been mothered,” she said with a laugh. Now, Bubby can be ridden, is learning good manners and is no longer afraid to have Lindsay reach up to slip a halter over his head or smooth his forelock. Bubby is thriving. When asked what the future holds for the horse, Lindsay is quick to smile and reply, “He’s a Henry for life.” He will nev- er again be mistreated. He will always receive the best of care. He has his own paddock and shelter that he now shares with a special friend, Skylar the Nubian goat. Skylar needed a place to call home, and Bubby needed a calm friend. It is a perfect match. Bubby’s training will continue, and he is, after more than two years of recovery, sound to go for rides. He will never again be asked to be a rodeo horse. All that will be required of him is to be his sweet, happy self and to enjoy his life. A job that suits him perfectly. Bubby when he was picked up by TAW