Thursday, October 27, 2011

Titan

Story of Titan!  I bought Titan for Kylie this last spring.  She was really having a hard time riding Autumn, every time she got on she would lean forward, had a death grip on the reins and looked scared to death.  Much to my dismay I probably didn't handle it all that well as I would get very irritated (even though I myself have had these issues in the past).  Last summer our friend Teresa had brought her daughter out riding with Kylie and during that time Kylie had ridden Titan and really liked him.  When I heard Titan was for sale I sent Teresa a message and we worked out all the details, Titan came home with me!  Kylie started trail riding with me multiple times a week once it quit raining.  She built confidence with each ride.  We took the horse to a friends pasture for a couple weeks and I noticed Titans feet needed done so called my shoer.  It took my shoer almost four weeks to get out (which has never happened with this shoer) by then Titan had lost both front shoes and broken off his toe too short to reshoe.  He was not lame or anything but not enough toe to nail to, so he was out of commission.  Kylie then had to start riding Autumn but guess what after the first ride she was not afraid and I mean at all.  We have now gone riding quite a few times and even had Kylie work with Autumn in the arena a couple weeks ago.  Autumn was naughty and did a few crow hops and Kylie rode right thru it and kept her going. 

Unfortunately Titan also has ended up having surgery a couple weeks ago.  His tongue looked swollen and he could not put in the his mouth all the way.  I doctored him for a day and it just got worse so off to the vet we went.  After determining that it didn't look contagious we went into the vets office.  She couldn't feel anything so we decided to do xrays and "boop" there it was on the screen a thin line which turned out to be wire in his tongue along his jaw bone.  The only option surgery or he would slowly starve to death.  Well I guess according to Dwane there was another option but not after he saw the look on my face.  After a day of fluids they did surgery and the wire came out fairly easy, it did break but they got both pieces out.  We had a week of tubing a solution of betadine and water thru his chin and out his mouth.  His tongue is finally in his mouth and his chin is almost healed.  He did loose a corner of his tongue but he is eating very well.  Heavy on the senior feed and free choice hay and he gained his weight back very quickly.  Don't get me wrong he still needs to gain but he is not icky thin anymore.  Hopefully by next spring Titan and Willow will be our trail horses and Autumn and ? will be our gaming horses since Willow cannot game but that is another story......

3 comments:

Linda said...

Thanks for your kind words at my blog. Hopefully, I'll be on the other side of this funk soon with a couple of horses to ride--if I'm lucky.

I forgot Titan was Teresa's originally. He sounds like a good boy--a confidence builder--and they're worth their weight in gold. That was very good of you to get the surgery done for him--what a nightmare though. Hopefully, he'll be trail ready next year.

I think your idea about gaming will be fun for you and Kylie. It seems like the girls who game stick with horses forever. Kylie has always seemed to me like a natural horsewoman anyway--she has the touch with them and the desire to keep getting back up in the saddle...no matter what. That is a blessing and a half!

Anonymous said...

Just discovered you through Linda's blog.

Titan sounds like a great horse - that business with the wire and the surgery sounds scary - glad he's doing well.

Tina said...

Linda you are welcome, I have always meant to tell you that but never have. I am sure Titan will be fine by next year. Although with the corner of his tongue gone. He is doing really well. I hate to say there was a minute there I thought we may have to put him down.
Kate- thanks for visiting, Titan is a great horse and I feel lucky to have found him. Hopefully hea has many years left with us.