Post by dowedoit on Nov 8, 2005 0:22:23 GMT -5
I adopted Duey last November (2004) from New Stride in Abbotsford BC. I don't know much of his history other than the fact that he came off the track with a nasty bow. He was 7 when I got him. After I got him home I was able to locate him through the Jockey Club and learned that he had last raced as a 3 year. Although he didn't win much money (under $10K), he had a record of 4 starts with 2 firsts and 2 seconds. I suspect his bowed tendon is what took him out of the running as a 3 year old. He was on the track last year until Sept. but he didn't race last year. I suspect his leg wouldn't hold up. I often wonder what happened between years 3 and 7. Did they try to race him each of those years or 
Did he have a more substantial injury he was recovering from? I'll probably never know. I've tried to get vet info through New Stride but they reported they couldn't get it for me.
Anyway, he was a basket case when I first got him. He used to have what the rescue people called "melt downs." When I drove to BC to meet him for the first time he happened to touch the electric fence and demonstrated a melt down for me. Basically, they would have to tie him in his stall so he could calm down. Otherwise, he'd run circles in his stall, working himself into a frenzy. I stayed in his stall that first day for about an hour and a half, just quietly, calmly talking to him, but ended up having to leave to head back home before he calmed down. Thankfully, just allowing him to take some time off, spending lots of time talking, brushing, just hanging out with him, has allowed him to relax and learn to be a horse. He can still go off, but it's now the exception rather than the rule. And he rarely has melt downs anymore unless I take Duke (his only horse companion) away.
Although I've yet to ride him, I've saddled him and have actually sat on his back (although he was neither saddled nor bridled). I started ground breaking a little bit this summer but ulcers have gotten in the way. I first learned he had ulcers (although he was never scoped) in March of this year. Gastrogard wasn't in the budget so I used Ranitidine. 3 months of that and moving him from a stable environment to pasture and he seemed to be doing well. At least he did well for a couple months. Sometime in August he started having symptoms again so we are now back on the Ranitidine and I suspect he'll probably have to stay on it for some length of time.
Duey has been a challenge for me every step of the way. He's my first TB (although I had a TB/appy growing up); he's my first OT horse; I'm learning more about equine ulcers than I ever wanted to know (in fact, up until this spring I didn't know horses got ulcers); and I'm learning so much about how wonderfully sentitive, personable and affectionate TBs are. I love my boy. He's the best.
And here's the horse who was having regular melt downs barely 6 months before this photo was taken (ignore the mane):
And he adores my son:
Did he have a more substantial injury he was recovering from? I'll probably never know. I've tried to get vet info through New Stride but they reported they couldn't get it for me. Anyway, he was a basket case when I first got him. He used to have what the rescue people called "melt downs." When I drove to BC to meet him for the first time he happened to touch the electric fence and demonstrated a melt down for me. Basically, they would have to tie him in his stall so he could calm down. Otherwise, he'd run circles in his stall, working himself into a frenzy. I stayed in his stall that first day for about an hour and a half, just quietly, calmly talking to him, but ended up having to leave to head back home before he calmed down. Thankfully, just allowing him to take some time off, spending lots of time talking, brushing, just hanging out with him, has allowed him to relax and learn to be a horse. He can still go off, but it's now the exception rather than the rule. And he rarely has melt downs anymore unless I take Duke (his only horse companion) away.
Although I've yet to ride him, I've saddled him and have actually sat on his back (although he was neither saddled nor bridled). I started ground breaking a little bit this summer but ulcers have gotten in the way. I first learned he had ulcers (although he was never scoped) in March of this year. Gastrogard wasn't in the budget so I used Ranitidine. 3 months of that and moving him from a stable environment to pasture and he seemed to be doing well. At least he did well for a couple months. Sometime in August he started having symptoms again so we are now back on the Ranitidine and I suspect he'll probably have to stay on it for some length of time.
Duey has been a challenge for me every step of the way. He's my first TB (although I had a TB/appy growing up); he's my first OT horse; I'm learning more about equine ulcers than I ever wanted to know (in fact, up until this spring I didn't know horses got ulcers); and I'm learning so much about how wonderfully sentitive, personable and affectionate TBs are. I love my boy. He's the best.
And here's the horse who was having regular melt downs barely 6 months before this photo was taken (ignore the mane):
And he adores my son:
I've got an OTTB too, whom I love dearly. I am a HUGE TB fan - love their minds, athleticism, and work ethic. I hope Duey's ulcer problems resolve, and I'm glad you stuck with him!