Winnie update!!
Check out this big, beautiful girl! Winnie is now 18 months old, pushing 15 hands, and thriving. She is looking for a partner in the Rising Star Division of the Dakota Showdown Horse Trainer Challenge this summer ... or would be looking for a home willing to continue her rehab process.
For now, she's doing very well. If you don't know Winnie, she came to us last May from auction with a horribly contracted front hoof. It was completely turned over and she had compensated by standing with her leg out to the side. She was one of those "no wrong answers" horses - we could have easily euthanized her, but after x-rays it was also "not wrong" to attempt surgery to fix her. At nine months old at time of surgery, she was pushing the boundaries of what is currently believed to be fixable in horses, but with vets who are having success with these types of corrections, and a willingness to try (and also to do what was right if it didn't work), along with your support, we went ahead with surgery.
Her surgery cut her deep digital flexor tendon as well as one branch of the superficial digital flexor tendon, followed by coffin joint injections, a splint and special shoes to help her learn to walk again. It was iffy for a bit, but ultimately she started walking better and now, 9 months later, it's hard to see that she ever had a problem. She will always have a club foot, and she still has some turnout in the front that concerns ME (but not her vets - they say as she grows and her chest broadens it will self-correct) but she runs, plays, is good for trims, and is unsupported by any kind of pain medication or even shoes.
This is what having the luxury of giving time and cutting edge, even experimental, treatments to a horse if it doesn't cause harm can do.
If interested in working with her for the Showdown, or to discuss giving her a home, please reach out. We're looking forward to seeing her thrive!