In <199510231654.JAA21545@moscow.com>, Lari Shea wrote:
>>To: endurance digest
>>From: larishea@mcn.org (Lari Shea)
>>Subject: Prince Asheem survived colic surgery
>>
>>I'm very thankful to report to the many concerned and loving folks who have
>inquired that Prince Asheem has survived, and is looking great, 60 days
>after colic surgery. Half way through the Swanton Pacific 100 this August,
>Asheem vetted through with a 48 pulse and terrific metabolics, with my 17
>year old daughter, Kyala, riding him. He ate and drank voraciously, as
>always. However, at about 60 miles out on the trail, he started being
>happy to tag along in third position after my horse, Caradeno, and our
>friend Delia on Chardonney. We were concerned. Then he started to want to
>walk the uphills....not at all normal for him at this stage in a ride. We
>humored him, and rode into a crossroads where Lud McCrary, husband of ride
>manager, Barbara, had a water truck and a CB. When we jumped off, Asheem's
>pulse was relatively normal at 60, but he did not drink. I knew this was
>extremely unusual for him.
>>
>>Listening for gut sounds, I heard none. I asked Lud to call for help
>immediately. Within seconds, Asheem wanted to go down. Kyala started
>walking him, and he was quite willing to do so, even looking a bit
>interested in grass intermittently. However, gut sounds were zilch, and he
>looked shakey every time we let him stop walking. Pulse remained in the
>60's.....not normal for this horse. I became frantic when I saw gastric
>reflux drip from his nostrils. I was pretty certain we were looking at a
>surgical situation.
>>
>>I won't go into details about how long the wait was, or about the trailer
>which finally arrived with the back door fallen off, or how my daughter rode
>in the back with Asheem against my wishes because that was the only way the
>trailer driver would take him, but the hardest part was not going with her.
>I told her to do whatever was necessary to save him. At Kyala's insistance,
>Delia and I rode on.
>>
>>At the 70 mile vet check, I borrowed a cellular phone to try to find out
>what was happening. THe nearest surgery facility had no word.....good news
>for me. But I didn't want to leave the check until I knew what was
>happening. My out time had long gone when Barbara, the ride manager,
>arrived with the news that Kyala had taken my truck, unhitched our 6 horse
>trailer, borrowed Barbara's two horse, and had driven Asheem 90 miles to
>Russ Peterson's Palo Alto vet clinic for surgery. By coincidence, Russ had
>been the vet to evaluate and treat Asheem at the race site, and his own
>facility is set up for abdominal surgery.
>>
>>I jumped off Caradeno and said I was pulling to be with my daughter during
>the surgery. But Barbara McCrarey and Cynthia Stroud, fellow endurance
>riding mothers, berated me for lack of trust in my daughter's ability to do
>what was necessary without me. Additionally, Barbara pointed out that Ky
>had my truck... what did I envision doing.....hitch hiking up highway one
>for 90 miles to catch up with her?
>>
>>Let me tell you, that was the hardest to leave vet check I've ever ridden
>out of. My heart was definately not out there on the trail. Luckily for
>me, Caradeno was ready to roll after nearly two hours of additional rest
>while dealing with Asheem's situation. He picked up the pace, picked up my
>spirits, and cantered on into the darkness.
>>
>>And thirty miles later, Kyala was waiting for me at the finish line,
>bursting with relief to tell me that Asheem had come through the operation,
>and was already on his feet. His displaced intestine was replaced. He had
>a shakey few days post-surgery, but came home within the week. He's been
>confined to a box stall with hand walking three times a day, but is now up
>to being ponied for an hour at a time, and has a small paddock to boot. In
>another month, we can ride him bareback. Within five months, the vets say
>he should be a totally recovered and reconditioned horse. (Big Ben, the
>CAnadian show jumping phenominon, has had multiple surgeries)
>Interestingly, Asheem twisted at the North American Championships in Bamph,
>Canada, two years ago, but untwisted during the three hour trailer ride to
>the surgery. Some vets hypothicise that in an older horse, the liver
>shrinks a bit in size, leaving room for the intestine to displace. Perhaps
>Asheem's habit of eating and drinking with great gusto actually placed a
>burdon on his gut during the stress of competition, although his metabolic
>recoveries were exemplory both times up until the moment of "colic". I've
>always thought I only had to worry if my horse DIDN'T eat and drink....now
>I'm concerned if they DO!
>>
>>My 17 year old dressage horse, Tzar, survived a double twist surgery ten
>years ago, and is stronger than ever. Asheem, however, is 15 years old at
>present. I don't plan to ever compete on him again. But I'm curious, ...I
>read in Endurance News that at least two other west coast endurance horses
>have had colic surgery this summer. Has anyone ever brought a younger horse
>back to serious endurance competitiveness after abdominal surgery?
>>
>>I want to thank Lud and Barbara McCrary for all the emotional and physical
>assistance they gave Kyala and me during the Swanton 100. Russ Peterson's
>partners and hospital were terrific. Thanks to all my fellow competitors
>who bolstered my spirits during the ordeal, and the days afterwards.
>>
>>And thanks to Caradeno, for exciting me about the future!
>>
>>Lari Shea
>>
>Lari Shea
>Ricochet Ridge Ranch
>24201 N. Hwy One
>Fort Bragg, CA 95437
>ph707-964-7669/fax 707-964-9669
>