I used to write a lot, for work, for myself, I really enjoyed it. Over the past few years I've pretty much stopped completely but my "new" horse has inspired me. Hopefully this journal will motivate me to keep writing in one form or another.
This horse in particular is quite special to me. He is a 9-year-old Missouri Fox Trotter gelding with a curly coat. My better half calls him a "mutton". I'm not sure if it's the French in him that makes it so funny, but the nickname has stuck. Our friends and family call this horse "Curly" but I call him Magnus.
I first saw him for sale online in December of 2019. The universe has a funny way of working out because I wasn't in a position to buy him even though I really, really wanted too. He is very striking, having been a stallion for 8 years of his life, he has those big jowls and very much a commanding presence. Anyways the ad was taken down after a couple weeks and I assumed he had sold.
The next time his ad popped up it was in January and I was ready, after having sold a couple mares and was looking for prospects. After meeting the woman who purchased him in December, it almost seemed like he had been put on "hold" for me until I was in a position to buy him.
Once Magnus was home, it only took a few days for another person to reach out to me over FB messenger. She had been involved with the rescue of Magnus and 8 other stallions from the breeder. They had been skin and bones with toes so long they were curling up on some. As it turns out, two other MFT mares that I had bought in the fall were from the same situation and had been just as neglected as Magnus. This whole thing had happened I believe in the spring of 2019. The mares had already put weight on when I bought them, and Magnus had been gelded for quite some time.
Unfortunately that wasn't the end of the revelations. This person told me there was a rumour that the sire of Magnus had PSSM. Now this was something new to me. Obviously as a long time lurker on this horse forum, I have come across posts about PSSM so I had a vague idea of what it was. Having dealt with Tennessee Walkers for pretty much my whole career, I have never come across even the mention of PSSM in the breed. After doing some research it does seem to have some prevalence in the MFT breed.
I'm sure it was the very next day I marched out to Magnus's paddock and took a hair sample to send to Animal Genetics. Two weeks later I had the results: n/p1. My heart sank.
Keep in mind at this point although I wanted to keep Magnus long term, the plan had always been to train him and resell him eventually. Now even this didn't seem really possible with the diagnosis, it really was bittersweet.
Despite the diagnosis Magnus always seemed very healthy. One thing he did during the start of his training was biting while being cinched up, but that has gone away overtime. My husband and I have tried to be very careful about his diet and exercise. We are very blessed to have a large amount of pasture so this has been a bit of a struggle in regards to his diet. Our other horses have so much room to roam in the summer while Magnus is cooped up in a dry lot.
I think another part of this whole story that is really important to understand is what was going on with me. Internally I was really struggling with enjoying to ride. I was really looking for a connection with my personal riding horses and wasn't getting it. The last time I truly felt connected to a horse was the very one who brought me to the horse forum to begin with ten years ago (my user name is his registered name). He was diagnosed by multiple vets with Wobblers. It was a brutal decline and it broke my heart. Boe was a horse that gave me the feels. One time, right before the end, I took him into the arena and let him loose to play. At this point he was kept in a small enclosure for his own safety. I let him loose and he stayed beside me so I started walking, and then jogging. He kept right up with me, even gave his head a playful toss and a little buck. That was all he could muster before the wobbly legs took over and we came to a stop. I'll never forget that moment. Even now it brings tears to my eyes. I rode him alone when I had no right to ride a green broke three year old out alone. He was absolutely terrified of cows. He would meet me at the gate everyday. He was gentle with my mom, who is terrified of horses.
One time I was riding him in a cutback saddle along a narrow river where a beaver was swimming. It slapped its tail right beside us and it spooked Boe so bad. I lost my seat almost landed on my feet, but ended up breaking one ankle. Boe came right back to me and stood like a statue for me to climb back on. It was a long ride back home and he was a saint. Man I loved that horse.
In August, someone came along who really, really wanted to buy Magnus who wasn't even advertised for sale. The money came at the right time, it was something we needed and couldn't say no to, even though both of us at this point were in love with Magnus. I'm sure you've already figured out that Magnus comes back. I don't really believe in coincidences, but something very similar to the events of when I originally purchased Magnus, occurred. This buyer was a placeholder.
After the sale of Magnus, I was pretty disillusioned about my other riding horse. I was looking for a connection, it had never seemed so important as it did now. If I didn't have it, then I might as well sell her to someone else who could enjoy her. I was resigned to solely riding the sales horses and not keep any for myself. This particular mare ended up selling really fast, and not long after her sale, the opportunity to buy Magnus back arrived. Blessed with the funds from the mare's sale, it was feasible to buy my boy back.
I have been riding him almost everyday since his return and it has been amazing. He is so chill, never spooks, rides alone, rides in a group, smooth as silk, I really could go on. He is like having Boe back, except Magnus isn't scared of cows.
I am hoping that we are able to manage the PSSM 1 and use Magnus as my go-to riding horse. He will be used to help train colts, move cows, competitive trail and mountain riding.
If any of you reading this have any comments or experiences or suggestions in regards to PSSM 1 horses, I would love to read them. I've done my own research so I can keep Magnus healthy but there is nothing like personal anecdotes.
Thank you for taking the time to read our intro!
This horse in particular is quite special to me. He is a 9-year-old Missouri Fox Trotter gelding with a curly coat. My better half calls him a "mutton". I'm not sure if it's the French in him that makes it so funny, but the nickname has stuck. Our friends and family call this horse "Curly" but I call him Magnus.
I first saw him for sale online in December of 2019. The universe has a funny way of working out because I wasn't in a position to buy him even though I really, really wanted too. He is very striking, having been a stallion for 8 years of his life, he has those big jowls and very much a commanding presence. Anyways the ad was taken down after a couple weeks and I assumed he had sold.
The next time his ad popped up it was in January and I was ready, after having sold a couple mares and was looking for prospects. After meeting the woman who purchased him in December, it almost seemed like he had been put on "hold" for me until I was in a position to buy him.
Once Magnus was home, it only took a few days for another person to reach out to me over FB messenger. She had been involved with the rescue of Magnus and 8 other stallions from the breeder. They had been skin and bones with toes so long they were curling up on some. As it turns out, two other MFT mares that I had bought in the fall were from the same situation and had been just as neglected as Magnus. This whole thing had happened I believe in the spring of 2019. The mares had already put weight on when I bought them, and Magnus had been gelded for quite some time.
Unfortunately that wasn't the end of the revelations. This person told me there was a rumour that the sire of Magnus had PSSM. Now this was something new to me. Obviously as a long time lurker on this horse forum, I have come across posts about PSSM so I had a vague idea of what it was. Having dealt with Tennessee Walkers for pretty much my whole career, I have never come across even the mention of PSSM in the breed. After doing some research it does seem to have some prevalence in the MFT breed.
I'm sure it was the very next day I marched out to Magnus's paddock and took a hair sample to send to Animal Genetics. Two weeks later I had the results: n/p1. My heart sank.
Keep in mind at this point although I wanted to keep Magnus long term, the plan had always been to train him and resell him eventually. Now even this didn't seem really possible with the diagnosis, it really was bittersweet.
Despite the diagnosis Magnus always seemed very healthy. One thing he did during the start of his training was biting while being cinched up, but that has gone away overtime. My husband and I have tried to be very careful about his diet and exercise. We are very blessed to have a large amount of pasture so this has been a bit of a struggle in regards to his diet. Our other horses have so much room to roam in the summer while Magnus is cooped up in a dry lot.
I think another part of this whole story that is really important to understand is what was going on with me. Internally I was really struggling with enjoying to ride. I was really looking for a connection with my personal riding horses and wasn't getting it. The last time I truly felt connected to a horse was the very one who brought me to the horse forum to begin with ten years ago (my user name is his registered name). He was diagnosed by multiple vets with Wobblers. It was a brutal decline and it broke my heart. Boe was a horse that gave me the feels. One time, right before the end, I took him into the arena and let him loose to play. At this point he was kept in a small enclosure for his own safety. I let him loose and he stayed beside me so I started walking, and then jogging. He kept right up with me, even gave his head a playful toss and a little buck. That was all he could muster before the wobbly legs took over and we came to a stop. I'll never forget that moment. Even now it brings tears to my eyes. I rode him alone when I had no right to ride a green broke three year old out alone. He was absolutely terrified of cows. He would meet me at the gate everyday. He was gentle with my mom, who is terrified of horses.
One time I was riding him in a cutback saddle along a narrow river where a beaver was swimming. It slapped its tail right beside us and it spooked Boe so bad. I lost my seat almost landed on my feet, but ended up breaking one ankle. Boe came right back to me and stood like a statue for me to climb back on. It was a long ride back home and he was a saint. Man I loved that horse.
In August, someone came along who really, really wanted to buy Magnus who wasn't even advertised for sale. The money came at the right time, it was something we needed and couldn't say no to, even though both of us at this point were in love with Magnus. I'm sure you've already figured out that Magnus comes back. I don't really believe in coincidences, but something very similar to the events of when I originally purchased Magnus, occurred. This buyer was a placeholder.
After the sale of Magnus, I was pretty disillusioned about my other riding horse. I was looking for a connection, it had never seemed so important as it did now. If I didn't have it, then I might as well sell her to someone else who could enjoy her. I was resigned to solely riding the sales horses and not keep any for myself. This particular mare ended up selling really fast, and not long after her sale, the opportunity to buy Magnus back arrived. Blessed with the funds from the mare's sale, it was feasible to buy my boy back.
I have been riding him almost everyday since his return and it has been amazing. He is so chill, never spooks, rides alone, rides in a group, smooth as silk, I really could go on. He is like having Boe back, except Magnus isn't scared of cows.
I am hoping that we are able to manage the PSSM 1 and use Magnus as my go-to riding horse. He will be used to help train colts, move cows, competitive trail and mountain riding.
If any of you reading this have any comments or experiences or suggestions in regards to PSSM 1 horses, I would love to read them. I've done my own research so I can keep Magnus healthy but there is nothing like personal anecdotes.
Thank you for taking the time to read our intro!