Hip 686, 10-year-old Thoroughbred gelding "Grand Yule," came to auction Saturday with horrifically overgrown feet. So deformed, they had begun to curl under. He started off the day favoring his enlarged left front leg. By auction time, his right front became the leg he gingerly held up. He wasn't doing so well.
Grand Yule, a grandson of Holy Bull, had once sold at Fasig-Tipton for $110,000 as a yearling, then offered for $170,000 as a 2-year-old, and sold again for $100,000 to his final racing home. Yule never did much on the track. For all the excitement at the big Thoroughbred sales, in the end, he earned just shy of $20,000 on the track. A lot of money had been lost.
It's been 5 years since Grand Yule's, now named Dorian, last race. What he's been doing since then, is unknown. But by Saturday night, it was clear he was used up and done for. An enlarged left front, neglected feet, and a chopped off tail, spoke to a horse who no longer had any value to anyone.
So he came home. The farrier was immediately tasked with cleaning up his feet, and the vet's from West Coast Equine Hospital came to see what could be done for his overall well-being.
Although too sore-footed at this stage to do any sort of serious lameness exam, what is certain is Dorian has lost all flexion to both ankles. Whether that means he can be rehabilitated into a riding horse, or if a companion life will be for him, will have to wait to be decided once his feet have recovered further.
Dorian is a sweet horse, whose past you would not guess on "first pet." Horses have a way of quietly enduring, no matter what life has thrown their way.
Thank you to After the Finish Line for their help in ensuring Dorian could be rescued.
If you would like to donate toward Dorian/Grand Yule's rehabilitation and care, please donate to [email protected]
Grand Yule, a grandson of Holy Bull, had once sold at Fasig-Tipton for $110,000 as a yearling, then offered for $170,000 as a 2-year-old, and sold again for $100,000 to his final racing home. Yule never did much on the track. For all the excitement at the big Thoroughbred sales, in the end, he earned just shy of $20,000 on the track. A lot of money had been lost.
It's been 5 years since Grand Yule's, now named Dorian, last race. What he's been doing since then, is unknown. But by Saturday night, it was clear he was used up and done for. An enlarged left front, neglected feet, and a chopped off tail, spoke to a horse who no longer had any value to anyone.
So he came home. The farrier was immediately tasked with cleaning up his feet, and the vet's from West Coast Equine Hospital came to see what could be done for his overall well-being.
Although too sore-footed at this stage to do any sort of serious lameness exam, what is certain is Dorian has lost all flexion to both ankles. Whether that means he can be rehabilitated into a riding horse, or if a companion life will be for him, will have to wait to be decided once his feet have recovered further.
Dorian is a sweet horse, whose past you would not guess on "first pet." Horses have a way of quietly enduring, no matter what life has thrown their way.
Thank you to After the Finish Line for their help in ensuring Dorian could be rescued.
If you would like to donate toward Dorian/Grand Yule's rehabilitation and care, please donate to [email protected]
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