# New colt!



## Brynne (Nov 27, 2014)

Gorgeous baby!!


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## Kay Armstrong (Jun 28, 2015)

Yay! I have a Rotspon filly a couple of weeks older....fun. Best of luck with your new boy.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

very cute lil' guy!


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## Tigo (Feb 25, 2012)

Thanks very much guys!!


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

I sense trouble behind those perky little ears!!!

Black Beauty for sure! He will be STUNNING!!


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## Rain Shadow (May 1, 2014)

Gorgeous. Are you gelding him or keeping him as a stud prospect?


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## Tigo (Feb 25, 2012)

Yogiwick said:


> I sense trouble behind those perky little ears!!!
> 
> Black Beauty for sure! He will be STUNNING!!


Haha I think you might be right about that!! He's already proving to be too smart for his own good :wink: . Thank you  



Rain Shadow said:


> Gorgeous. Are you gelding him or keeping him as a stud prospect?


Thank you! I've had that question a few times! Knowing that a good stallion makes a great gelding I'll likely geld him. The only way i would consider keeping him a stallion would be for him to turn out as an exceptional specimen of his breed with an especially exceptional attitude. I want to take him out to the Hanoverian inspections should they end up having one within the province to see what they have to say about him. If they found him to be exceptional then I may consider it. I plan on keeping him intact a bit longer anyways. We will see how he matures  All in all though I like the idea of him just being able to be out in a herd and be a happy horse!!


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## Chaz80 (Sep 29, 2015)

He is beautiful good luck too you,I will be back to see how he is growing up!!!
He looks like a cheeky chappie to me lol!!


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

Beautiful! Good pick!! The Rotspon x Danciers are VERY popular and for good reason, it is proving to be a very successful cross. 
I look forward to seeing him mature


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## LindyPhoebeRuby (Aug 29, 2013)

He is beautiful! I LOVE black horses.  

Is that your barn? Gorgeous!


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## Tigo (Feb 25, 2012)

Chaz80 said:


> He is beautiful good luck too you,I will be back to see how he is growing up!!!
> He looks like a cheeky chappie to me lol!!


 Thank you! He's definitely on the cheeky side which I kind of like! (as long as his minds his manners lol)



Kayty said:


> Beautiful! Good pick!! The Rotspon x Danciers are VERY popular and for good reason, it is proving to be a very successful cross.
> I look forward to seeing him mature


 Thank you! I'm glad to hear that from someone else as that's what my reading has pointed towards. Dancier seems to be relatively unknown in my neck of the woods from everyone I've spoken with so I haven't had much input on the bloodline side of things. Thanks! I can't wait to update as he matures.



LindyPhoebeRuby said:


> He is beautiful! I LOVE black horses.
> 
> Is that your barn? Gorgeous!


Thank you! Haha me too!! I've always wanted a black horse with the white "bling" so I am so excited to finally have my own. Yes, that is my barn - thank you


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## Tazzie (Nov 8, 2011)

My trainer has a GORGEOUS mare by Dancier, so I've heard of him! I don't know the dam's side though. I just looked it up and she's out of a mare by Ravallo.

I love your colt though! Will love to see him grow up!


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

Dancier and Finest are very 'in' with Australian breeding at the moment, I have loved what I've seen so far!


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## Tigo (Feb 25, 2012)

Kayty said:


> Dancier and Finest are very 'in' with Australian breeding at the moment, I have loved what I've seen so far!


That's really good to hear! Had this guy not worked out the next foal I was going to have my eye on was a Finest foal due early this year. That's a gorgeous stallion!!

We had the farrier out yesterday. The little guy stood like an old pro! I am so thrilled with his wonderful little attitude.


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## Tigo (Feb 25, 2012)

Hey guys. Coming back here with a devastating update. My beautiful boy Dimitri is now just over a year old and is becoming the most stunning little creature. I couldn't be any more thrilled with his development both physically and personality wise. 

Over the course of a few weeks I have seen him take a few tumbles, thinking he was just an uncoordinated baby. He fell Saturday night and had a hard time getting up. I thought he was just in pain and gave it a day but booked in to go to the vet to check him out because he was still not moving normally. Fast forward to yesterday afternoon and he was too unstable to transport. Vet came to my barn to x-ray and couldn't find abnormalities in the clear x-rays but he couldn't get a clear look at the very top of his neck or the bottom and wouldn't risk tranquillizing him because he was so unstable. The vet suspects a cervical compression. Currently treating with high doses of Dex and confinement in a heavily bedded stall. He has also drawn blood to rule out any type of viral infections etc. Not likely to be the case as he is bright and happy, all his cognitive functions are there though. Hoping to see improvements, I see some small improvements already as he isn't wringing his tail off to the side now, and hopefully we will be able to transport to find out precisely what is happening. 

Obviously he will no longer have an athletic career. Right now I'm just hoping so hard that we will be able to keep him as a pasture puff who can live a semi-normal life. 

He is my heart horse, the one I've always dreamt of and the one I chose myself. I love him more than anything and I just can't bear the thought of losing him. Though ultimately I understand that letting him go may be a very real reality. 

Just absolutely devastated, heartbroken, angry.....this is just so incompressible. If you guys could keep us in your thoughts, we could use all the positive energy we can get.


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## 3rdTimestheCharm (Jan 18, 2015)

I'm so sorry that you and your boy are going through this. Will definitely keep you guys in my thoughts and prayers.


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

Oh no!! I'm so sorry to hear that! I'm sending all the good vibes I can muster in your direction!


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

What? Oh no, I am so sorry to hear this. Poor baby, my thought are with you guys for a good recovery. Please keep us updated.


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## If Wishes (Feb 27, 2015)

So sorry Tigo, this must be scary for both you and little Dimitri. Sending best wishes for a quick and complete recovery.


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## GMA100 (Apr 8, 2016)

So sorry. I'll keep yall in my thoughts.


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

I'm really really sorry to hear that. That is so sad. 
You both are in my thoughts!


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## Tigo (Feb 25, 2012)

Thank you all for your kind words and well wishes. Me and the little mister appreciate it more than words can express! We haven't had any regression yet so that a positive sign. The vet said that was the most important this last time we spoke. I am seeing small improvements in his balance and ability to turn and I think that any small improvements must be a good thing. Waiting to hear back from the vet today so I can give him an update on the progress and see what his opinion is. I'll post some new pictures of the little man so you guys can see what a handsome young lad he's growing up to be!


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

So sorry to read this update and hoping that things aren't as grim as you are thinking right now......


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## 3Horses2DogsandaCat (Apr 19, 2016)

I'm so sorry you are going through this. I hope he continues to get better.


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

What a sweetie! Congrats on your new horse!


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## Tigo (Feb 25, 2012)

Thanks again everyone. Thought I would pop in with another update and some pictures to follow (it's late here and my internet is slow, so those may follow tomorrow). I'm no professional photographer but I'm so glad to have been able to catch so many memories up to now. 

I'm apologizing now for the novel...it helps to think "out loud" and get it all out....

The vet came out on Wednesday and sadly we did not get the best news. He's still not stable enough to transport as he's somewhere around a 4/5 on the neurological scale. Until he stabilizes we can't move him to do further tests, which, unless we do surgery really don't do much for us anyways. There isn't much treatment available for these types of injuries...Steroids, rest, surgery.... The steroids is apparently a fairly unproven treatment with questionable effectiveness but that's all they have for medical treatment right now. Rest is our next step. The vet told me there are 3 groups of horses with injuries like this, 1) you have the group which improves greatly in 1-2 weeks, 2) the group which improves in 4-6 weeks, 3) the group which doesn't improve at all. We are passing the 2 weeks and moving into that second group now. Fingers crossed, every fibre of my being crossed, for lots of progress in the next month. 

Surgery is sadly not looking like a realistic option. We would have to be able to transport for a CT or myelogram first. CT is more effective in telling us where the injury is, less invasive but the nearest is 5 hours away. Myelogram will give answers but is highly invasive, painful recovery, infection risk etc. Then comes surgery if the injury is operable. We would need to find and fly in a surgical specialist to start. Further, research papers indicate a 1-2 grade improvement with surgery which, when starting with a grade 4 horse, does not bode well. Even with the absolute best recovery we can hope for, I'm looking at a grade 2 which could possibly lead to a nice pasture life. Realistically though, according to my vet, I am looking at 1 grade or no improvement at all. So starting with a grade 4, realistically surgery will land me with a grade 3 horse that will still walk like he is tranquillized, probably be unable to trot safely, canter at all, possibly not safe to be around due to the risk of him falling. Or, he does not improve at all and has gone through excruciating pain and months of recovery. I'm also looking at over $10,000 for surgical costs. Even with the best surgeon in North America and all the money in the world the surgery could do absolutely nothing for him or be minimally effective.

Obviously I cannot keep him locked in a stall his whole life if he does not improve. That is not a life. I am okay with him living with one quiet friend with the ability to be in a pasture, walk and trot, safe to handle (low risk of falling as one day he will be a 1300 + lb animal...) as I have to be able to care for him properly - farrier etc. But that's my minimum acceptable standard of living. I refuse to break his beautiful mind and soul for my own selfish needs. Right now, it does not look promising to rehab him to that quality of life level. I am heartbroken to have to even consider euthanasia but sadly we are not looking good. I mean miracles happen and holy am I praying to anyone that will listen to grace me with one, but this is definitely a prepare for the worst and hope for the best situation. 

All I can say right now is thank goodness he has such a beautiful mind and old soul. He is just content in his stall, hanging out. No banging or chewing or screaming. Just being a good boy playing with his ball and annoying anyone who walks by  

Please keep the thoughts/prayers/jingles/positive energy heading this way. We appreciate it more than words can say and need it more than ever.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Sorry for the lousy update, but thank you for keeping us in the loop.

He is VERY lucky to have such a fantastic owner.

I'll be thinking of you two.

As far as trailering perhaps a sling would come in handy, but sounds like that is the least of your worries.


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