aka Retardo Montalban
He isn't perfect, but he's perfect for me.
I love my fluffy old buddy. He's in his late teens, he's constantly overweight no matter the season, and he's as furry as a Shetland pony.
He's not beginner safe, his hooves grow too fast and chip easily, and he's sensitive to a flaw ... it takes just the right combination of tack fitted just so to prevent tantrums.
He cost me much more than he's worth in today's market to relieve him of his left eyeball.
Why do I love this horsey?
so handsome in his new summer coat
Better predictable, than too complacent.
I want my horse to be alert.I want him to think on his feet and be aware of danger. But I don't want him to be afraid of his own shadow.
Beats just trudging along so methodically that he'd run into a tree if you didn't steer him around it.
I've seen horses that dumb -- or afraid of doing something without being cued to -- that didn't have the sense to preserve their own safety. I don't find those horses safe, especially not for beginners.
So he spooks at the occasional carnivorous chipmunk. I'm pretty much prepared for that, at any given moment -- he's not a horse to fall asleep on.
Much better than him not noticing the GIANT LOG across the path.
Newest Titan videos!
he's an Energizer Bunny horse
All Horses: Gaited Breeds
Titan keeps going, and going, and going ... pretty common for gaited horse breeds like the TWH.Visit the Gaited Breed HQ for more gaited horse related lenses.
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Tennessee Walking Horses | Gaited Horse Breeds | www.AllHorses.us
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A well bred and trained Tennessee Walking Horse does not trot under saddle. Instead, this breed has at least three speeds at which it can "walk" ... a very smooth four-beat gait with no bounce. You'll hear the terms flat walk, dog walk, and running...
Smooth gait versus proper gait.
Running walk, stepping pace ... what does it all mean?
Titan will probably never have a "show" gait.You can get him to perform a proper running walk. Neither of you will enjoy it a whole lot.
I'd rather go along with his preferred gait, an uneven rack or stepping pace -- that makes him by far the smoothest horse I've ever ridden -- than frustrate us both by trying to change over to a gait that would win us a ribbon at a show I'll never attend.
so glad my friend caught this moment
My greatest joy in life
(not including human family)
Titan - fast gait
just a short clip (sorry about the wind noise) of my horse gaiting at a faster speed. I really didn't have him collected like I should have so he is a bit pacey.
Runtime: 0:11
1792 views
6 Comments:
People still can't believe it.
Yeah.
And no, it was NOT cheap.
healing after surgery
All Horses: Health
Moonblindness can affect any horse. The sooner it is detected and treated, the longer you can preserve your horses' remaining eyesight.Visit the Health HQ for more horse health related lenses.
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Moon Blindness (Uveitis) in Horses
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Moon blindness is a major cause for concern with horses, as permanent vision loss may occur, and management of a blind horse can be very tricky. Watch for the warning signs of equine recurrent uveitis and consult a vet to begin treatment immediately...
Don't talk about his missing eye in front of him. He's kind of self-conscious about it. ;)
Help pay for his surgery.
my non-horsey kid likes him best
So, now what?
Pretty much everything I used to do.
We still trail ride and do a little bit of gymkhana. I have to be more alert of distance between horse and barrel than I used to, and allow for a bit more 'give' in my turns, but he seems to trust that I won't ram him into anything.
I figured trail riding would be more of a challenge, as he cannot see anything on his left side without turning his head 90 degrees to use his right eye. (Horses have a fairly large "blind spot" ahead of and behind them, even when both eyes function properly.) But he sees only half of the things-that-aren't-really-there now, so he's actually a bit better on the trails.
"his nose is sooooo soft!"
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Horse Profiles HQ at AllHorses.us ($1)
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Profiles of special horses: fiction, friends or famous ... plus jockeys, trainers, authors, etc. You can ADD your horse-related profile lenses to the Plexo and the ALL HORSES Squidoo Group. Find suggestions for new topics at /horseexpert.
he has "goat face" in winter
My first two horses:
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Fiery Spirit (1983-1989) | Profile | All Horses
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The story of my second horse, a foal to raise as an inexperienced horse-crazy girl, our close bond, mistakes we made, and a tragic end.
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A horse-crazy girl's Christmas wish come true: Sweet Surprize
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This is a tribute to my first horse -- one of those types that comes along once in a lifetime, and that's if you're lucky. Along with memories, I hope to share a little bit of helpful advice as well.
More Titan videos
A book or five.
scary white stuff on ground
Keyhole is pretty fun.
So what you do, is this here:Run as fast as you can.
Stop.
Turn around.
Run back.
Oh, did I mention you have a little circle drawn in chalk that you have to stop and turn around in, without stepping out of?
It's harder than it looks! That keyhole on the ground is mighty tiny at a gallop.
Keyhole Race
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All Horses | Gymkhana | Keyhole Race
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The Keyhole Race at a gymkhana show (also called a speed show or a fun show) is a test of not only speed, but stopping and turning as well. The horse races to a "keyhole" at the other end of the course, turns 180 degrees to the left or right, and ra...
Titan the speed demon.
I absolutely love riding Titan in fun speed shows. We don't usually place really well, but it is a lot of fun and we spend most of the time hanging out with friends I don't usually see outside of the gymkhana events.
Take a few minutes and vote your favorite "runs" to the top of the list!
All Horses: Gymkhana
Visit the Gymkhana HQ for more contesting related lenses.-
All Horses | Gymkhana | Pole Bending
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Pole bending is a timed horseback event requiring speed and agility for the horse, and a competent rider who can guide the horse quickly through a serpentine pattern of upright poles without knocking any down. This is my favorite gymkhana (speed sho...
Why do you race a Walker?
Why not?He loves to run.
I don't push him faster than he wants to go. No whips, no spurs.
I point him in the right direction, and allow him to run. I guide him through the pattern.
But the time I start thinking I need to MAKE him go faster, is the time I need to give up the speed shows. It is nothing but a hobby and a social event. I don't expect a TWH to compete seriously against horses bred and trained to chase barrels. I am pretty darn pleased with us both when we manage to luck out and place in friendly competition.
Flag Race
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All Horses | Gymkhana | Indiana Flag Race
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The flag race is a fun event for all ages. Combining horse speed and rider skill, it is a popular gymkhana (also called contesting or speed show) class. In this region, we run a pattern known as the Indiana Flag Race. More information below.
All Horses Group
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ALL HORSES Headquarters
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All horses, all the time. Riding disciplines. Horse breeds. Horse training. Raising a foal. Trail riding. Competitions. Jumping. Feeding. Hoof care. Breeding. Fencing. Equine vets. Horseback games. Horses as therapy. Ponies. Drafts. ALL horse-related t...
So anyway, Titan spooks at odd things.
One of the first times I rode him, I took him to the local party store. The comings and goings of customers and vehicles on any given day are enough to rattle most horses, even those that are road safe, trail safe ... pretty much all but the parade veterans and posse mounts are going to get a bit nervous entering this crowded parking lot.This particular day, however, what should greet us but a HUGE, STINKY, LOUD, running cement mixer truck.
Nothing. No spook, no concern at all, really. He was alert, of course, but showed no inclination that he believed that the beast was dangerous. Huh. Pretty darn nice horse I got here, I'm thinking. Bombproof, maybe, even.
No such luck.
Another ride, this time on one of the most beginner-friendly, easy enough for even the greenest young horses, quiet and well-maintained trails I've ever ridden on, same horse decides to shy, spook and attempt to run away. Balks, fusses, nearly rears, all to avoid passing this obstacle.
Was it a grizzly bear?
One of those handy trail latrines that smell like they haven't been emptied in years?
A Mexican slaughterhouse-bound double decker truck?
No.
The culprit -- a rock.
A pretty ordinary looking ROCK, of all things, and at least 10 feet from the trail -- not even crouched and ready to attack the next hapless victim to pass!
I laugh at such things, when I'm not in the middle of keeping my seat when my TRAIL HORSE suddenly finds himself confronted with something equally as dangerous, such as a STUMP.
Yet handles brightly decorated parade floats, fire truck sirens, and even bagpipes, without issue.
He ain't right. But I loves him.
horse-eating plastic fence, no longer scary
All Horses: Trails
Visit the Trails HQ for more trail riding related lenses.-
Horseback riding trails in Michigan
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Many public trails exist for equestrians of every age and level here in our scenic state. This guide will help you find a local trail network that fits your horse experience and riding ability.
Trust your horses' instincts!
The Day Titan SAVED our LIVES!!
or, Nearly Eated by a BEAR!
We got lost.
Really badly turned around so that we no longer knew east and west, north and south, which way we came from and which turn to take next.
Looking back, we were really foolish to leave the farm without a compass. We had a "map" ... little good it did us.
No hope of backtracking ... our tracks had been destroyed by the dirt bike treads of dozens of riders that also ventured out that weekend.
Sure, lots of trail intersections, stumps and rocks LOOKED familiar, but there was no relieving feeling of actually finding the RIGHT path -- just endless forks and hills and unfamiliar scenery.
Did I mention that on one of our trails that was unmarred by dirt bike tracks, where we had found our previous tracks that we knew led away from the ranch, we also discovered on the second time we passed through -- hoping desperately to not make the same wrong turn again the next time we were nearly back -- that within the past 20 minutes or so between our second and third sets of tracks on this trail, that a BEAR had crossed paths with us? We saw where it had followed our trail for a while and then left the sandy path, but had clearly been there within minutes of us.
After nearly SIX HOURS of riding, too many loops and double-backs to mention, without much of anything left to eat or drink, exhaustion and frustration I made a decision.
At the very next intersection, I let Titan choose which way to go. Really not so sure he was right, I rode him back to the intersection and tried to point him in the direction I thought we should go. Never a horse to balk at much of anything, he STOPPED. I turned him back toward the intersection, and again he chose the same unfamiliar looking path. But at this point, we had little to lose.
It wasn't immediately apparent that he knew well what he was doing. After the second unassisted turn, we started to feel like we were "on the right track" and after his third turn, we knew we were almost back at the farm.
We understand that animals like horses have a great "homing" instinct, but this ranch had only been "home" for less than two days. How he KNEW, half-blind and tired from a ride neither of us were in shape for, we cannot understand.
He got extra goodies that night. :)
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