Tizmas
Tizmas is a retired 17 year old Kentucky-born Off-the-Track Thoroughbred. He had a successful racing career with wins that included the 2015 Tell No More Stakes and career earnings of nearly $300,000. When Tizmas arrived at MMFS in 2024, his condition was heartbreaking. He was underweight and struggling with severe health issues including a coffin bone infection and laminitis. Our veterinarians were called to assess whether care was still possible.
After 18 months, Tizmas’s condition has mostly stabilized, but his care will continue to be extensive. Despite all of his struggles, his gentle nature never waivers and we are committed to helping him regain his health and comfort.
Racing Career
Tizmas was born on April 14, 2009 at Lochlow Farm in Kentucky. He began racing in 2011 and was retired in 2018. Over the course of his career, he ran at tracks across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, including Saratoga, Belmont Park, Aqueduct, Gulfstream Park, Monmouth Park, Parx Racing, Penn National, Finger Lakes, and Mahoning Valley Race Course. He made 62 starts, with 11 wins, 10 seconds, and 7 thirds, and earned $293,474. His racing career included a stakes win in the 2015 More To Tell Stakes.
After he was retired from racing, Tizmas was sold and retrained as a Hunter/Jumper until an accident derailed that next chapter. He later faced a series of hardships and was eventually surrendered to MMFS when his owner could not manage his care. By that point, he had not been properly cared for in quite some time, and our veterinarians were called to assess whether treatment was still possible.
Retirement
Stabilization and Rehabilitation
Tizmas came to Merrymac in November 2024 with a body score of just 2. He was underweight and malnourished, battling a coffin bone infection, a laminitis flare-up, severe thrush, and he was being treated for ulcers, EPM, and West Nile Virus. He spent most of his first six months on stall rest with visits from his care team at Vermont Large Animal Clinic, daily foot wraps, multiple rounds of antibiotics, x-rays for monitoring, specialized boots, ulcer support, and pain management. He began to regain weight and stabilize.
Tizmas’s daily care includes a specialized diet, medication, supplements, and frequent check-ins. He gets specialty glue-on shoes every six weeks and receives Biotin, Farriers Formula, liquid vitamin E, flax oil, and ProTek in his grain each day.
More recently, Tizmas has been dealing with significant pain and hypersensitivity to his skin. He once liked to be groomed, but now cannot tolerate being touched or brushed. Results from blood work and other monitoring point to a flare up associated with long-term effects of EPM. His new treatment plan includes Protazil, which we hope will bring him some relief.
Lifelong Care
For many Off-the-track Thoroughbreds, retirement does not lead neatly into safety or stability. Injury, chronic illness, and the cost of care can change the course of a horse’s life very quickly. Tizmas’s story reflects that reality. Aftercare can mean years of hands-on management, veterinary treatment, and financial commitment. For example, part of his current treatment plan includes Protazil, which costs $900 for a 30-day supply at full dose., and his monthly care can easily exceed $2,000.
All donations to the Tizmas Fund support his veterinary care, farrier work, medication, special feed, supplements, and ongoing treatment. We appreciate your support.