|
There Was
a Beautiful Thoroughbred
Who Broke His Leg...
Riley's Recovery Story
 |
 |
Riley At Work | May 1998
| June 1998 | With
Sue Cliff | July 1998
Once Upon a Time
May 1998 - It was a year ago
this month that Riley, Cornish Brother - a registered Thoroughbred - was injured
during a hunter lesson at a local training facility in Reno, Nevada. It was one of
those accidents that "just happened."
There were things that people could have done different, but it simply happened
while he was being "turned out and warmed-up" before his lesson.
- The owner of the barn said, "He'll
be fine with just some time off."
- Our Vet, Dr. Joe Coli, said it wasn't
Tying-up, and started the slow diagnostic process. After months of tests and we made
the decision to send Riley to US Davis for a complete scan of his entire leg.
- Next was the preparation for the five hour
trip to California. He had to have a brand inspection and his AGID test results
before leaving the state.
Nevada Transport Laws
- It was August 29th, my birthday.
My husband, Jessika, my 13-year-old-daughter, and I drove to the
stables to pick him up. We asked the trainer load him up while we unpacked his
locker and stall. That was to be his last day at the training facility - the day we
left for US Davis' Veterinary Facility.
- There he was diagnosed with a broken
sesamoid bone. Sesamoid Injury
- We made the decision to operate - knowing
(or at least in our minds knowing) that he would have at least 9 months to a year in
rehab.
- The surgery was successful and he remained
at UC Davis until the staples were removed.
Gina Romaggi riding Donald
- Next was his adjustment to a new kind of
barn and being confined to a 14' x 19' stall - only allowed to venture out for his daily
walks. His walks started with 5 minutes a day increasing to 45 minutes. I made
the decision to hire Gina Romaggi - a talented equestrian, 16, who had worked at the
training facility where Riley had been boared. Her job was to help me hand walk him
and help with changing bandages and wraps. We both knew we had to keep him on track
and on schedule every day or he would not heal.
- The months passed and the Nevada weather
cooperated and somehow we kept him on schedule.
- One of the happiest day's of my life was
when we took him in to the vets for a scan and Dr. Coli said he looked "great!"
We had done our job!
- Now we are begining his training and
conditioning back to the stage where he can start going back to work.
Our goal is one show one time during the 1998 show season on the flat. We know it
will be at least another year before he starts over small fences.
Riley's Recovery
"I want to see him show again!"
- The next pages are about his training and
the teacher, Lynn Heller, who we've hired to work with our daughter Diana, 16. Diana
has always been Riley's show buddy and wants to show him again.
|
To Lynn's First Month of
Training.....
May
1998
To Top
|