Snowcap Update

An update on Snowcap's recent surgery and
recovery and how you can help

Many, many thanks to Country View Veterinary Service and Wisconsin Equine Clinic for the excellent care that they have offered to Snowcap, one of Three Gaits school horses for the program.  We can’t begin to express how much we appreciate their kindness to Three Gaits horses and humans!

Snowcap has several injuries in his left hind leg.  He had an extremely sore left hind ‘ankle’ (fetlock/pastern). He was diagnosed with injuries to his lateral oblique sesamoidean ligament, his superficial digital flexor tendon and his volar annular ligament.

Basically Snowcap has the horse version of carpal tunnel. His volar annular ligament, for an unknown reason, was three times thicker than it should have been. This was causing pressure and damage to the surrounding soft tissue, because the other tendons and ligaments must pass through this restricted area.

So, on Wednesday April 2, 2008, Snowcap had a volar annular ligament resection. He was anesthetized, the surgery was performed, and Snowcap woke up with a really big bandage on his hind leg and foot. The vet clinic said that he was a model patient. He woke up from the anesthesia, looked around, put his head back down and napped for a bit longer. After his nap, he decided he was hungry…he stood up (one of the most dangerous parts of surgery for horses is the period of time when they are coming out of the anesthesia…horses can panic and cause themselves injury) and began searching for his breakfast. By 1:00pm that afternoon, Snowcap was back at Three Gaits!

For the next couple of weeks Snowcap has to stay in his stall…Sandra, Missy and Dena have been diligently changing Snowcap’s bandages and spending time making sure that Snowcap is comfortable and happy. His stitches will be removed on April 15. Once his stitches are out we have to begin his rehabilitation. He will need to be walked twice a day for 10 minutes…each week we will be able to increase his walking time by 5 minutes. If you are interested in helping with Snowcap’s walking program please contact either Dena or Sandra.

If you are interested in making a donation to assist in offsetting the cost of Snowcap’s diagnosis, surgery and recovery please contact Dena or Chris in the Three Gaits office.