Buddy the Wonderhorse!  Or should I call him the Million Dollar Baby!  Either way Buddy was born November 4, 2003.  His mere existence is somewhat of an Oops!  His mother had failed to conceive the spring of 2002 so come Winter of 2002 I decided to turn her out with the stallion to hopefully get her cycling for an early 2003 breeding.  In April of 2003 Buddy's mother started some very peculiar behavior she had never shown before, she started acting like a stallion.  Being the google happy person that I am I searched online and found that one of the most common reason for that sort of behavior is a tumor on an ovary.  Thinking the worst I took her in to my vet to have her ovaries ultrasounded and MUCH to my surprise the vet said "She's pregnant... and with a very mature foal"!  I went home and looked at my breeding calendar and wouldn't you know it, that mare got in foal the FIRST WEEK she was out with the stallion when she had failed to conceive the whole prior spring!  Let's just say we don't do things that way anymore!

On November 4th, 2003 I was out to dinner with my husband (then boyfriend) and his family celebrating grandma's birthday and I get a call from my mom.  "Macy has foaled" she says, "its a solid colt". 

This is the beginning of Buddy's story....

Born in California, Buddy has been a sweetheart from the very start.  He ended up being a "Wedding Present" from my parents to my husband.  I'm still not sure if giving someone something that COSTS them money is actually a PRESENT but is was a wonderful gesture. 
 
Buddy at a month old                                       Buddy shortly after arriving in Hawaii

Buddy was shipped to Hawaii February of 2005 as a yearling along with 7 others to begin his life in Paradise.  He was saddled and lightly started by me as a two year old but he didn't begin his real training until he was three.  He was very tall and lanky so we took it easy on him.  He was a quick study and I soon realized his immense passion for cows, which was perfect because we wanted to make him into a roping horse eventually.  Mid way through his three year old year I started to notice some mild, infrequent lameness coming and going.  The lameness progressed over months in frequency and severity until it was just too much to ignore.  After a veterinary exam by our incredible vet, Dr. Scott Sims, we got the diagnosis... ringbone.  Until this time I had only heard of ringbone and I always associated it with an old, used up sort of horse.  I didn't really realize how serious it could be at first.  The vet recommended giving a cortisone shot in the joint during that visit, which we did.  He said many horses show marked improvement after the first shot.  Buddy did not.  We did another shot a few months later on the small chance it did not fully get into the joint the first time.  Still nothing.  So the year of 2008 we kicked him out to pasture and did absolutely nothing with him except to feed him and trim his feet.  I guess I was hoping some time off would help him.

Buddy's First Ride                                            In Training...

Fast-forward to Spring of 2009. Buddy is now 16 hands of gorgeous, grass eating pasture ornament.  After many consultations with our vet, We've finally come to the decision that Buddy either needs major surgery or he needs to be put down.  His lameness just got to the point in which it was inhumane to leave him how he was.  The decision was surprisingly difficult as there is absolutely no guarantee of success for the surgery.  We agonized over the decision.  One day the choice was made, Buddy was just too much a part of the family to let him go without a fight!


Buddy before surgery

In June of 2009 I called the vet and scheduled the date.  July 14th, my mother's birthday.  How appropriate, I thought.  So the countdown began and my anxiety grew.  On the morning of July 8th, we went to the pasture to find Buddy with a bullet hole in his face and his pasture mate, Earl, dead.  Devastation.  Who could do this?  We still don't know.  My hero, the vet, again saved the day and came out to remove the bullet from Buddy's cheek.  He said there would be no problem continuing on with the surgery the following week. 

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July 13, the vet calls, bad news, the x-ray machine is broken, we need to re-schedule surgery.  I'm bummed... more waiting.  By this time just watching Buddy walk in the pasture is agonizing.  His spirit is amazing though, he still tries to run and buck on occasion.  He still has a spark in his eye.  He is given a new pal named Jake, a weanling just off his mother, to baby sit.  Jake loves Buddy and sticks to him like glue.  Buddy is very kind to Jake, never biting or kicking the little guy.  I am happy they both have companionship.  It is going to be very important for Buddy to have a friend during his long recovery and Jake has nothing better to do.


Buddy and Jake Pre-surgery

August 22, 2009

After weeks of additional waiting, surgery was finally rescheduled for August 22, 2009 at 6pm. 

Let me preface you the best I can on the surgery game plan.  Let me remind you that I am in no way a veterinarian so these are by ALL MEANS layman's terms!  Buddy has what is known as "high ringbone" which is arthritis in the pastern joint.  As that joint moves, the calcification inside of it grinds and causes inflammation and PAIN.  The purpose of the surgery is to immobilize the joint by fusion so it won't grind and cause pain.  Makes sense.  This is done by an incision on the front of the leg just above the coronet band extending above the pastern joint which includes cutting through the tendon on the front of the leg.  Once the bone is exposed a "shelf" is literally chiseled out of the bone above the pastern joint to provide a flat surface for three stainless steel screws to be drilled down through the pastern joint, pulling it as tightly together as possible.  The joint will essentially be destroyed and will fill in with bone.  The tendon and skin are then stitched up and a cast is placed on the leg from just below the knee all the way covering the hoof and the stall rest begins.

Surgery day.  I gave Buddy the last bath he will be able to have for possibly months.  He was of course a perfect gentleman all the time reminding me we made the right choice in trying to save him.  We loaded him in the trailer and off we went.  Jake was very upset that we took his friend!

I am not a nervous or worrisome person but I must admit I was scared!  Mostly for the anesthesia.  I have heard some horror stories and seen the aftermath of what can happen when a 1000lb horse regains consciousness and stumbles and falls.  I do however have the utmost respect and trust in our vet, Dr. Scott Sims.  He is the most wonderful, knowledgeable, one-of-a-kind guys I have ever had the pleasure to know and I consider him not only my vet but a friend as well.  I also have an immense faith in GOD and I know he wouldn't have brought us this far just to have Buddy die in surgery, he certainly has a plan!

After arriving at the vet's we go over the procedures and expectations.  The thing I love the most about our vet is that we get to be hands-on the entire time.  In fact, he informs us that Ben will be scrubbing in on the surgery and I will be the tool handing girl and will be taking x-rays periodically during the surgery to ensure correct placement of the screws.  Very cool. 
Buddy is then taken into the room where he will be anesthetized, it is a room completely covered in rubber matting from floor to ceiling.  Buddy is sedated and led into the room, a tail rope is put on him and he is pushed against the wall where the lead rope and tail rope are threaded through rings on the wall to help support him while he is going under.  I have his head, Ben has his tail, our backs are braced against him while we hold the ropes.  The Vet then gives him the heavy drugs.  We are pushing Buddy against the wall as hard as we can so he can slink down to the ground on his belly and can then be let down to his side gently.  NO falling allowed.  It was textbook!  Then the cool part.  Buddy's legs are then "handcuffed" with heavy cotton hobbles and he is hoisted up by a wench mounted on the ceiling, rolled into the surgery room and put on the operating table.  Once there, he is hooked up to all the machines and IV's that will keep him alive during the surgery.  His leg is prepped and Ben and the Vet are put in their sterile gowns and gloves.  Ben must be reminded NOT TO TOUCH ANYTHING as he has had an issue with this in the past!  I am too, reminded of what I can and CANNOT touch.  Let the cutting begin....


Buddy on the table all hooked up to the machines.

Our anesthesiologist, Robin Kurtz, was incredible and deserves LOTS of credit for a JOB WELL DONE, THANK YOU ROBIN!

Ben's job is to help steady the leg as the vet is cutting, drilling and chiseling on it. He did a fantastic job and it was a long night!


Ben and Scott ready to go!


And We're In...


Separating the Tendon from the Bone (not an easy task in this case)




Drilling the first hole.  The water keeps the bit cool so the bone is not damaged by the heat.


Drilling the second hole.


All the screws are beautifully set.  Buddy will no longer be able to go through airport security!


Scott teaching Ben how to suture.  Way cool!  No way he's sewing me up though!

Once the sutures were in, Buddy's leg was casted. He was then hoisted back into the recovery room.  He woke up very easily with no incident.  Praise God!  We waited for probably close to an hour before loading him in the trailer and heading for home.  Horses are amazingly resilient creatures!  Once we got home it was into his stall and off to bed for us. I believe we got home around 1am.