Loosing a young horse like this sux...(NOT Comet)...

Well, OK, loosing *any* horse sux...but this is really sad...

My friend has a young, OTTB, named Luke. She got him last year *right* off
the track. Directly from the track to the barn. Luke is a cutie. Long,
lean, full of him self, even as a gelding. He was barely five then I think.
He's five now.

He's had some issues as most OTTB do. But she'd been riding him in a
western saddle and also a 16 yr old boy was riding him too. Luke really
calmed down and was doing so well. W/T/C both indoors and out...relaxed and
happy under saddle. Really turning into a nice ride.

He's a bit of a stinker in the pasture though. Likes to play a little hard
sometimes. So, there were, of course, the usual boo-boos and cuts. But
nothing too bad. He also had a good case of allergies and would "swell-up"
but his feed was changed...and changed again...and he was tested and after
all that, was doing quite well.

Until...he got kicked in the hind leg. Not a big deal at first. He was
actually sound on it. But it didn't heal and xrays found a small chip
floating around in there. It would have to come out. Again, not a big
deal. Fairly common surgery...

He left on a Sunday night and had surgery on a Monday I think. He came back
to the barn Tuesday night. Wednesday morning, his front right knee was huge
and he was three legged lame on it. He was fine on the hind leg that had
the surgery though. :-\

There was no sign of a struggle in the stall and I think the knee might have
had some swelling earlier but don't know all the details...

It seems that he had (and I may not get this right), "radial nerve
paralysis", a temporary condition caused by the anesthesia. He couldn't
feel his feet or front legs very well. He shattered his right knee.
Probably at the hospital, probably while waking up after surgery. But he
was numb and didn't show any signs of lameness when he was discharged.

That didn't show till the next day...

Vets came, more xrays...he's shattered two bones in his knee. Surgery is
really not an option. According to the her vet, 90% of the horses that go
through that type of surgery are put down shortly after. Not real good
odds. Even if it was "successful"...that would mean a life of some pain, a
fused (immobile) knee and gimping around a pasture. For a five yr old TB
that's so full of spunk - that's not a life he will tolerate. Nor his
owner.

We all feel SO badly for her. She just lost her two, very aged, horses
pretty much back-to-back before getting Luke. She's had a very hard last
couple of years.

So...Luke is to be put down. He's on meds now to keep him comfortable until
arrangements can be made but it will be very soon.

Just had to share this...it's so sad and shows how fragile our critters can
be sometimes...

Give your critters a hug...I look at Comet, now 26, also an OTTB, and see
what Luke could have become in 20 years himself. All that time...It's not
to be. Very sad. Take care all, JJ


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