Maz - A History
- Emily Cristofich
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
From Maz's early owner:
"Maz came to me as a 2.5 year old. He was rescued from an overwhelmed [Arabian] breeder who did not register him or his brother. The woman I got him from gave him to me, but after about 8 months decided she needed money for him. When I said I couldn't afford it, she came and got him. But when she realized how much work I had put into him and how good he was doing she gave him back. I kept him until about 2014 when I moved to Bandera, I had too many horses, so I offered him back to her. She took him but then placed him with someone else.
His melanoma appeared when he was about 3. I had it removed and warned her to keep an eye on it so they could have it removed again before it got too big. After about two years of him being gone, Maz was taken back by the lady I got him from and she called to ask if I wanted him. I said absolutely.
His tumor was huge by then. No one had kept up with it. I had it removed again although my vet was reluctant. It healed well and we'll keep our fingers crossed it doesn't come back.
He was such a joy to train and get started under saddle. So easy going and so lovable. I cannot tell you how proud I am of him and how happy it makes me to see how loved he is."
It was several years after the tumor removal that Maz's owner and I met at the hunter/jumper barn in Comfort, TX. Maz was then sold to a friend of mine that didn't really know what she was getting into. My friend was a good horse mom and bought him all the things he needed, but didn't have the time for him, and mostly I was the one riding Maz. He is an extremely sensitive horse. He taught me about feel and how quiet you could be with your hands. I enjoyed trail riding him alone in the hay field by the barn. Most of the other horses wouldn't do that unless you went with another horse.
He wasn't paid much attention to at the hunter/jumper barn since he's not a show horse. He could never pick up his right lead canter under saddle. Maz and Sancho were the misfits that went in turnout together there and have been best buddies since 2020.
In December 2021 Maz and Sancho were the first horses I brought to the Bandera property. My friend was paying to board Maz.
Maz & Sancho arrive in Bandera!
In mid 2022 my friend stopped coming around and paying board. Instead of worrying about the money, I sent her a Bill of Sale and Maz became mine. Shortly after that I tried moving Maz and Sancho into a pasture with other horses, but at some point in the night Maz ran straight into and busted open a gate to get back to their old pasture. I didn't get it treated by a Veterinarian like I should have, but I did keep it clean until it healed and now he has a small bump on his nose.
When his teeth were done in 2022 the vet showed me he has a spot of melanoma on the tip of his penis. He gets Cimetidine but there's nothing else we can do but keep an eye on it. He also now has some small growths around his rectum.
When I was first learning to trim, Maz was one of the horses I practiced on and he's still the absolute best at standing for trims. In so many ways Maz has been a huge blessing for me.
He is such a willing horse and I found out I could put anyone on him. He was great with kids and could also hold an adult. In hindsight I probably asked him for too much and didn't support his body the way I should have. But I didn't have that knowledge yet.
He's been on all kinds of adventures with me, trail riding, clinics, horsemanship presentations, and every parade we've ever done. The one time he bucked me off was at an obstacle course when I pushed him towards something scary. He backed into a rope, (he really dislikes ropes touching his back legs) and that was what set him off. I should have let him pause to evaluate the scary object, not force it and cause him to react. Maz is a horse you can trust with your life, but he is sensitive and I learned to respect him that day.
Mid 2023 is when I started to notice a change in Maz. He became tense and nervous. I think putting so many beginners on him started to hurt his confidence and trust in his rider. He was bracing against inconsistent and unclear contact. Being a sensitive and insecure horse, Maz needs a clear and confident leader. While he boosted the confidence of his riders, his body paid the price. I started working on Pilar 1 with him from Balance Through Movement Method and doing supportive groundwork I learned from Tarrin Warren. But I haven't been consistent enough to really see a difference.
December 2023 he must have gotten kicked in the neck. It was swollen and left a mark for a while, but it didn't seem to bother him. In 2024 I got Maz bodywork, started using surefoot pads and was more careful about who I let ride him.
July 2024 was the first time Maz ever bit someone. It's happened only a few times since and I can see it coming. In the photo below you can see the start of it. It happens only with beginner kids when they are leading him out of the pasture and they're not even aware he's coming behind them with pinned ears. I would not call him a biter, I think all horses have the ability to communicate in that way and we need to do our best to hear them before they get to that point. For Maz, I believe he's showing a lack of respect and aggression to the little ones he knows he can intimidate. He's just under Sancho for being the herd leader and he will push every other horse around except Sancho. It looks exactly like when I see Maz pushing other horses around.
I didn't like seeing that behavior in him and wanted to rule out other issues, like pain, that might be causing it. I took him to Texas Equine in January 2025 when I took Atlas. I got his back X-rayed and we ruled out kissing spine. They did a lameness evaluation and he got steroid injections in his hocks and SI. I also started him on Adequan and Equioxx after that visit. Recently he had some potentially negative side effects from the Equioxx and a very scary episode of colic you can read about here. Currently he's no longer taking the Equioxx.
Maz is now 15 and since his colic scare seems to be doing well. Currently I'm treating him for ulcers, revisiting the Balance Through Movement Method and practicing connection to help him regulate his nervous system and relax. He's still a favorite for the Basic Horsemanship Lessons. He really is the best boy, a true unicorn and we love him so much!
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