Titus was an unknown blessing, the fourth horse that Griph and I rescued from slaughter in August of 2015. I saw him wandering around behind Orin in the largest pens. A compact ball of bunched up slightly perturbed horse. He looks like the quintessential Indian pony that you would see on top of some ridge with his mane blowing and two painted hands on his rump. He would eyeball me with a cautious glare out of the corner of his eye when I was in the pen with him. Usually he would use Orin as a buffer between us. I could tell that he wasn’t really sad to be there he was mad. I was curious about him but had already committed to three horses. I didn’t try to connect with him because I was sure that I couldn’t afford his fee out of this place. I did inquire about him and was wondering why he was there. The only information that I got from the proprietor was that Titus had been held down by a group of native boys and they twisted his ears. I guess that is a way to test if a horse will be a good bucking horse. He also had a brand other than that Titus was an unknown.
The gentleman that was running the feedlot asked what I was doing with all these horses. After telling him what my plan was for them, he just nodded and walked away. I went and said goodbye to all the other animals that Griph and I could not help that day, including Titus. I hated splitting him away from Orin but I could only rescue and give quality homes to so many. I just didn’t have the money that day to punch Titus’s ticket. I left the feedlot and went to the nearest bank to pull the required amount of money for the three horses. It’s sad to not be able to do more right now I thought as I was pulling the money out, but I already had stretched the finances as much as they could go. While driving back to the feedlot I received a call from a friend that works in the horse rescue business. She said, “man I hear that you have a full trailer, that’s really neat Daniel”. I replied, ” what do you mean full I could only get three horses”. After talking with her I found out that there was some money that had been donated to help Titus find a home. The amount that wasn’t covered by donations was covered by the man who owned the feedlot that asked me what I was doing with the horses earlier. When I pulled up to loading area where the horses were. There was Titus standing proud, ready for his new life. I was so thankful to all that helped that moment culminate. Titus was the unknown fourth horse, a blessing.
Titus folded right into the herd and made himself at home. He was, as expected, a very sensitive teddy bear that walked around with a rightfully earned chip on his shoulder. We had some big walls to break through. Titus never carried anyone before and wouldn’t for some time. He was so mistrusting of humans that he would react in an explosive manner in the beginning of our relationship. Touching his ears was a very big trigger obviously. So I went for that first. After much time and exchange of energy we have made headway in the form of leaps and bounds. He’s been out in the field working with us numerous times. He will just follow me without a lead in the mountains now. I think that he is now eager to try and work with a human in the saddle. He is planned on starting work in 2017 as a full time rang riding horse. I look forward with spending time with him in that capacity, for I know that our bound will only improve.
D.O.B: approximately 2008 Breed: Quarter Horse Sex: Male