Registered name: Donnervogel (German translation: Thunderbird)
Barn name: Bruderchen (German Translation: Baby Brother)
Breed: Anglo Trakehner
DOB: April 23, 1993
Height: 15.3hh
Color: light golden bay
Markings: white hairs
on forehead (not quite a star), sock on right hind.
I bought Bru in the summer of 99 from Bay-View Farm In Sidney
BC. I had been riding him for almost 7 months prior to me purchasing him becuase I was waiting for the mare I owned at the
time to sell. Bringing him home was a big shocker because he turned from the lovable 6 year old I was riding to a scared out
of him mind freak in all of a couple of days. No one could have predicted that Bru would have reacted quite so bad to the
move from the home he had known all his life and it took 6 long months before I was able to start working with him without
him getting all wound up. Unfortunately the trainer I found to help me was a little too into competetion and rushed him through
alot of training. After I decided that the trainer wasn't what I wanted for Bru it took another 6 months to get him working
in a relaxed manner instead of being all uptight.
I enjoyed a pretty relaxed fall and then when it started to get
colder Bru started getting full of himself again. He was spooking at everything and was payign very little attention to me
on the ground or on his back. I finally asked another trainer, Jodi Morrison, for a little help and got just what I needed.
After 2 lessons I had him focued on me and things were great....and then...two days later Bru hurt his back.
I worked
for 11 months bring him back from his injury. I have the help of an equine Chiropractor and an Equine Sports Massage therapist
and I took lessons to learn how to long line(double lunge). I worked him every other day, alternating between lunging, free
lunging, longlining and eventually bareback riding. Then I got my Ansur saddle and was able to ride him for almost 3 months
straight without much problem.
Unfortunately with the wet weather and a load or new boarders at the barn usign the ring we couldn't work as much and
Bru's back started to get sore again.
I finally decided to try another vets opinion on the problem and wondered if maybe there was a problem in his legs that
was causing his back problem to be reoccurant. The vet took x-rays of his hind legs and found some abnormalities in
his right fetlock. After blocking the joint it was determined that the joint was causing him discomfort and was making him
move incorrectly which could possibly be causing some of the soreness in his back. So his fetlock was injected with cortizone
and his movement and comfort with that leg has improved. BUT his back still did not improve.
I had a fe wmore ups and downs the fall of 2002 with him improving and then falling back again. I eventually had the
help of a accupuncturist this past winter, but even that didn't help, and he seemed to be getting worse. He was getting very
defensive of anyone touching him, even me at times so I decided enough is enough and he is on a break at the moment. The cause
of his back problems is still arguable, and whether or not he will ever be ridable is unknown. I just hope he isn't in much
discomfort doing regular horsey things... poor guy. He may be starting a new life this summer with new owners who can teach
him to drive but nothing has really been decided with that yet. I'll just be crossing my fingers as it would be a great home
for him.
