one lucky hores

[Powder River Walker]

Here is a picture of one of our mares. I was out checking horses last fall and found her on the far bank of the river. She was laying there and her colt was standing beside her. I got down to her and saw that her hoof was about cut off. So I led her across the river and up the other side it took me about two hours. I loaded her and went to town.
A friend of mine is one of the top horse vets in the country so I took her to him. When I got her there she was about 2 days from dieing due to all the infection in her body. We had to either put her down or go for a fake leg. Just thought some of you might want to see what a three legged hores looks like.

[Brady Davis]

What happened to her? How did it get cut?

[Powder River Walker]

In the river banks along time ago they burried old car bodies to keep the bank from washing out. I think that she fell through one and cut it. It cut the tendend that connects the hoof to the leg. that is why we couldn't save her leg. She cut it right above the hoof bulbs.
PRW

[Patrick]

I am surely way too practicle, but a couple of questions are eating at me.

I assume you aren't planning on using her as a riding animal, am I correct? I can't picture myself trusting my neck to a cripple horse.
Can she carry more foals? Is there something special about her that makes these foals worth it?
How often do you have to fool with that fake leg?, and how long does it take?
How much did this whole surgury, prothesesis, rehab, etc cost?

All I see are negatives and not one positive, other than my wife would probably say "awww, isn't that special".

Pat

[Powder River Walker]

Pat to answer your questions, she has no weight restrictions. Our 11 year old daughter is going to show her for 4h. and she can be turned out in the pasture. the vet that did this said let her be a horse don't restrict her. She is bred very well she is King bred and has proven offspring. We got the mare because a friend of ours was moving and couldn't take the horses with her so she gave us this mare. We had no money into her to start with. The surgery was less then two colic surgerys. I have to change her wool sock that is under her leg every 2 or 3 days. Any one in the right mind would have shot her on the spot and I don't know what made me want to do it. All the wife said was that she wants to write a childrens book over the whole thing.

[Patrick]

Now that would be something.
I wish you the best and the best of luck.
Let us know if it works out, or if it doesn't. Sounds like a making for a good childrens' book either way.
Pat

[LCK]

Good deal.

[pegleg]

BEING A AMPUTEE MYSELF I HAVE SOME SERIOUS THOUGHTS ON THIS SUBJECT AND SOME INSIGHT AS WELL. I WOULD HAVE TO ADMIT I WOULD PUT HER DOWN NO SECOND THOUGHTS REGARDLESS OF BREEDING... SINCE ONE OF THOSE THOUGHTS HAS TO DO WITH YOUR DAUGHTERS SAFETY I HAD TO ADD IT. A STUMP IS FOREVER CHANGING SHAPE AND DIMENSION DUE TO CLIMATE ,HYDRATION, ACTIVITY, WEIGHT LOSS OR GAIN AND A MULTITUDE OF OTHER FACTORS. THIS LEADS TO CHANGE IN THE PRESSURE ON THE STUMP AND THE NEURO ACTIVITY AND FREQUENCY. NOW IF YOU'VE EVER HAD A EXHAUSTED HORSE BALK OR ONE SUFFERING SADDLE SORES OR A TOOTH/BIT PROBLEM REACT BADLY, THE PAIN THEY ARE GOING THROUGH IS NOTHING COMPARED TO THE POSSIBLE PAIN THIS HORSE MAY EXPERIENCE AT ANY GIVEN TIME DUE TO THIS PROSTHESIS/AMPUTATION. AND THE NEGATIVE REACTION WILL MOST LIKELY BE ON PAR WITH THE PAIN. AS WE ALL KNOW EVEN THE GENTLEST/CALMEST ANIMALS CAN STRIKE OUT IN PAIN I WOULD RECOMMEND NOT ALLOWING YOUR CHILDREN TO HANDLE HER. JUST MY TWO CENTS AND I AM SURE THERE ARE PLENTY OF ARGUMENTS TO THE CONTRARY.

[Powder River Walker]

It is good to hear your consernce about the kids. While I can't imagin the pain that a person or horse goes through when loosing a limb, We have nerved her from about the knee down. We aren't going to go move cows on her or anything we have 30 head of other horses to do that. She will end up just being a brood mare producing good colts. Disposition is something that people pay alot of money for and she has about the best I have seen. We have been watching and just moved her wool sock thinkness up to make the leg fit tighte, the place that makes the legs are just up the road about an hour so it wont be much to get some more padding added if need be.
Our daughter is set on becoming a large animal vet specializing in horses. we saw this as a learning oppertunity for her.