A colt born at Redwings Horse Sanctuary after his mother was neglected can now enjoy a pain-free life thanks to specialist surgery and rehab at the charity’s Horse Hospital.
Now yearling Echo was born to mare Electra, one of 10 thoroughbred-types given a forever home at the charity after their owner was prosecuted by the RSPCA.
Electra was one of four mares the man from Suffolk was convicted of welfare offences in respect of, three of whom were in foal.
Echo was the only foal who survived after one dam died due to severe parasitic worm disease and the other foal was born with several health issues and tragically didn’t make it.
The group arrived at Redwings in March last year, and Echo was born in June. A further six horses arrived in February this year, after the case concluded and the owner was banned from keeping animals for life.
“Unfortunately Echo developed a flexural deformity of the coffin joint, known as a ‘club foot’, which meant his tendon didn’t have enough flexibility to allow his heel to drop,” said Nicky Jarvis, Head of Veterinary and Care at Redwings.
“Following an episode of lameness, we then diagnosed sesamoiditis [inflammation of the proximal sesamoid bones that lie behind the fetlock joint] which caused pain and further discouraged him from dropping his heel to the ground.
“We gave him pain relief and moved him onto woodchips at our Horse Hospital to rest, along with his mum Electra, where our brilliant farriers also gave him specialist trims to try to help, but unfortunately it didn’t improve matters enough.
“We sent X-rays to our colleagues at specialist equine hospital Rossdales for some additional advice and they recommended that Echo needed surgical intervention.”
Usually an operation like this would involve a horse having to be travelled, but as Redwings has a dedicated Horse Hospital and theatre, the charity was able to have one of their expert vets come to them instead, which meant Echo and his dam could stay in the comfort of familiar surroundings.
“The surgery, which involved cutting and releasing the inferior check ligament, went well, and our dedicated horse care team followed it with a rehab programme including physio, timed walks and picking up his other legs to encourage the heel to drop on the affected limb, over several months,” continued Nicky.
“Finally, I’m happy to say, Echo has a spring in his step! He’s doing so well that he can now run around pain-free. His progress is wonderful to see.”
Richard Payne, Clinical Director at Rossdales, who carried out the surgery, shared Nicky’s happiness at the successful outcome.
“We’ve had a fantastic relationship with the team at Redwings for many years and are delighted to have played a part in achieving success in this case,” he said.
“They’re lovely people dealing with tough situations with limited resources and we’re happy when we’re able to help.”
The group of 10 horses associated with the prosecution case have needed extensive treatment since arriving at Redwings, including surgeries, plasma infusions and dental care.
“If you’re able to make a donation towards Echo and his friends’ continued care, and to help Redwings be Ready to Rescue, we’d be so grateful, and to everyone who already has, thank you so much,” added Nicky.
“As a charity reliant on donations, the treatment that Echo and his friends have received in our care wouldn’t have been possible without you.”
