Ok. So a little information about us. I bought Zeke soon to be 4 yrs ago when he was 6.
Zeke is 16.2 hands sorrel breeding stock gelding. He is now 10, soon to be 11. He has white hairs throughout his coat (just not enough to be ‘roan’). He has white on his legs too but you can just see the pictures for a better idea.
http://s282.photobucket.com/albums/kk277/gidupxc23/Zeke/
Now for his story.
I bought him in spring of ‘05 and did some showing. In October of ‘05 he went lame on his left hind. He was put on some stall rest (per vet) and before the vet came, I took him for a hand walk (per vet) and he went crazy, loud pop and the next day when she came he was a 4 out of a 5 on the lameness scale. She thought he had fractured his pelvis. So from October ‘05 to March ‘06 he was on stall rest. Finally around March 10 he was allowed short small turnout. I would take him to the neighbors small indoor and turn him out for 10-20 mins at a time… I think I did this twice. March 12 came and we had a tornado. It actually came about on our friends (where we kept my horses) property and picked the barn up and tossed it into the tree line. This barn was amazing, all wood and super strong (built by the amish I believe. People have offered tons of money for this barn). And yes, Zeke was in the barn. He was picked up with it, as there was no way he could of gotten to where he was on his own. He was in the middle of a tree line on top of some of the barn and other pieces surround him. Some way or another a tightly rolled up section of red-wire fencing, though still tightley rolled up was up his back legs. We had to cut it off of him.
There was another tornado warning out and we had guys pushing and pulling to get him to move he was in so much shock. He had, obviously, cuts up his legs, on his belly, above his eye, etc. Finally we got him moving to my other neighbors (the one with the indoor) Quickly bandaged him and waited for the vet to come the next day. He had puncture wounds, but the vet couldnt feel any fractures, etc. and found no reason to xray due to soo much swelling. He seriously looked like the Michellin man.
To encourage some movement to get swelling down we let him in the indoor (mind you it was small, 60 ft in diameter). He would hardly move… only to get to the water, then walk to the door to soak some sun.
He was doing great to the point he was running and bucking and playing. No more swelling until April, he was going downhill.
Vet came out, stuck a needle in the leg that had swelled back up and pus flew out. Took xrays and he had three bone fragments… one of which was attached to a ligament in his right stifle.
Took him for surgery on April 25… with the outcome of maybe being pasture sound.
In july of ‘06 I took him to the State fair for a halter class only ( at this point he was allowed turnout again and walk/trot work) He placed 4 of 20 or so. At the UofI in Champaign during a check up he was cleared for all work. He does have a grade one lameness on his left hind at the slow jog. But thats all he came out of all this with, I was estatic!
In October ‘06 we went to Youth Charity Horse show and did some classes (cant remember placings) and just had some fun. We didn’t do any canter work till the day of the first class.
In summer ‘07 I took him to a friends and tried a cross rail for fun. We haven’t shown since Oct. ‘07 at the YCHS. We haven’t jumped at any shows either. Since then I have taken him over some jumps up the 3 ft just for fun. Come summer ‘10, I want to do what I bought him for, eventing. I am going to start him back with some H/J shows first and get us going again before we do an event. Since its been so long since we’ve shown together, I was thinking of a new show name. In the past I just used his registered name, but I want something that really suites him.
His registered name is Zippos Party Zeke. Hes out of Zippos San Bar and Party Time.
Hes great, Hes more of a womans horse, he doesn’t like ‘real’ horse men. (we think he might of been hit on a little by a man). But he does great with non horse people (men included) I can put anyone on him and he just knows what to do. He hasnt ever tested beginners. The more experience you have, he knows, and will see if you can ‘handle’ him. Ive given lessons on him and had students jumping him.
He goes over anything (jumping wise). He trail rides great (his favorite). Hes goofy too and always seems to stick his tongue out in trail riding pictures.
(Additional info: my other horses where in the pasture so they jumped the fence and took off when the tornado hit. They came home the next day unharmed besides one bruised foot. My friends property had 5 outbuildings, none survived. The house was ok, but unliveable.
Please do not critique my riding in these photos, I am only asking for a name from his looks, personality, past, etc.
Thanks. So