Hi Sam: He still is a good endurance horse and I think that you made a
excellent decision for both of you and the rest of us as well. I have a similar
situation with a older mare that has been unrideable for the last ten years and
still run's the pasture she is a excellent teacher and babysitter. Yes I still
love her ever though she can't be ridden.
For those of you who know Redhaven's Ezekial (Zeke) I just want to let
you know that his endurance career has come to an unfortunate end.
Instead of having to tell everyone I see individually, I am writing a long
message to fill in all the details at once.
Zeke had a month off after obtaining his COC at Fairhill in october
(coming in tied with Patti Pizzo in 11th and 12th place on a very rainy,
muddy day) Zeke had reached his 1,000 mile marker and he was third in the
nation in 100 mile points last year behind Valerie and Steve. After six
years of building him up for international competition, he seemed to be in his
best shape ever. He was getting ready for spring competition and we
nominated for the North American Challenge and were getting ready for the
Sandhills and the Pinetree. I had been taking him to the Middleburg, Va
track for weekly workouts in the sand and riding dressage (one of Zeke's many
talents) in the indoor arena during the winter. I stopped
fox-hunting him (another talent as well as four foot jumping-although I had
stopped jumping him a couple years ago to save him for endurance) as my
vet thought the stop and go and mud at a gallop was not good for his
career. (He had shown some early signs of ringbone, but th e vet
thought he had another three years of competition.).
About one month ago, I rode him on sunday, monday, and tuesday in
the indoor arena practicing our dressage. He felt awesome and powerful
and completely sound. On tuesday night he went into his stall and
nothing eventful happened. However, wednesday morning he was off and by
thursday he was three legged lame. The vet came immediately and we
thought he may have had an abcess, so we took off his shoe and wrapped
him. His pastern was swollen, but we were hoping that the hopping was
from the abcess. In two days he was still three legged and his pastern
area was more swollen. My vet told me to take him to have an ultrasound
and I went to SpurlocK's in Virginia and had an ultrsound and a bone density
test completed. Zeke had lost the cartiledge in his pastern joint
and his bone was scrapping bone. The vets said it was highly unuasual
for this to develop overnight (fine one night and then three legged lame), but
th at's how it happened. Zeke came home for stall rest and bute and
actually started walking fine within a week, but then went downhill again the
next week and was once again three legged.
I then took Zeke for an MRI to make sure I knew what we were dealing
with. The MRI confirmed the other results and I was told I had three
options: (1) euthenasia, (2) stall rest to see what happens (but he could
founder and have to be put down as soon as a couple weeks if he stayed three
legged, (3) or fusion surgery which would stabilize his leg with screws and he
would wear a cast for months, but then should be pasture sound and possibly
able to do light trail riding down the road. I took the news of Zeke not
competing ever again very well, but when the doctor said he would have to be
put down in the first two options, I lost it and I knew Zeke deserved a life
of enjoying the sun while grazing and playing in the field (which he loves to
do). The choice was easy for me and Zeke is now recovering with
his cast on in a stall and he is walking well and happy for now (knock on
wood). He is actually being very quiet and more friendly then in the
past as well as eating well for the first time in years (I am being careful
not to feed him to much).
For those of you who knew Zeke is is an amazing animal. I bought
him as a one year old for $650.00 and I never found anything that he couldn't
do. I enjoyed riding him no matter what type of ride it was because he
gave it his all and never complained. When he was only four years
old, someone told me he was my "once in a lifetime" horse and they were
right. I still can hug him, talk to him, and give him
treats everyday and for that I am Grateful. Thanks for everybody
who helped us through rides when I had no crew and thanks for reading this
long message. Please remember Zeke as a great endurance horse, because
he was. Sam