“Dr. Chad Davis recommended that we use the Pro-Stride APS device to support CR’s joints, given the high level of work and impact that he sustains for training as well as competition,” shares Colleen Rutledge, whose horse Covert Rights – called CR – is a retired 5-star eventer. The 2006 gelding now competes in PSG dressage. CR has been on other treatments in the past but has now been on Pro-Stride APS for three years. “As most horse sports are a game of millimeters and seconds, anything that we can do to maximize comfort and minimize damage is always welcome. CR has always been very demonstrative when he doesn’t feel his best, and the Pro-Stride APS device helps him maintain his comfort.”

What is Pro-Stride APS and How Does it Help Horses with Joint Pain?

Pro-Stride APS – autologous protein solution – is a device that produces an all-natural concentrated injectable solution that uses your horse’s blood to help counteract the effects of osteoarthritis and musculoskeletal injuries. “The Pro-Stride device utilizes a combination of concentrated anti-inflammatory proteins, white blood cells and growth factors from platelets derived from the horse’s own blood,” explains Dr. Holly Helbig. “It works primarily by blocking interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) from binding to the cartilage surface. These are two major pro-inflammatory proteins that lead to degeneration of the joints.”

Your veterinarian can administer Pro-Stride APS stall-side in about 20-30 minutes. They will draw your horse’s blood and run it through a centrifuge in a two-step process. This creates a concentrated cell solution that contains your horse’s own anti-inflammatory cytokines and growth factors. When injected back into your horse, it helps to reduce inflammation and pain. “Not only does this therapy address inflammation, but it also promotes healing of the joint space,” explains Helbig. “Biological therapies continue to gain the attention of veterinarians and horse owners for corticosteroid-free management of osteoarthritis.”

In a 2014 study published in the American Journal of Veterinary Research, client-owned horses who were evaluated for lameness and then treated with Pro-Stride APS showed significant improvement in lameness grade up to a year later, and in some cases longer, after just one injection.¹

How long effects last will vary from horse to horse, depending on many factors including type of injury or condition being treated. Helbig explains that after one treatment, your veterinarian will assess your horse’s response and create a plan from there. In her experience, Helbig says, “We evaluate the horse’s response to see if the Pro-Stride device improved lameness approximately 4-6 weeks post injection.”

An Alternative Treatment to Steroids for Horses with Joint Pain

While corticosteroids are the norm for treating osteoarthritis and musculoskeletal injuries, Pro-Stride APS may be a better alternative. Steroids are known for being fairly fast-acting, reducing pain quickly, but does not address the healing process like Pro-Stried does. Additionally, there are potential negative side effects to repeated and long-term use. “High doses of corticosteroids as well as repeated use has more recently been associated with degradation of articular cartilage, leading to potential further damage to a horse’s joints,” explains Helbig. This means that the treatment you are using may eventually make the problem you are trying to solve worse.

While all injections have a small risk of complication including localized pain, swelling or infection at the injection site, Pro-Stride APS will not degenerate the joint further like steroids. “The Pro-Stride APS device has safety and efficacy studies showing a strong safety profile and efficacy up to 12 months post-injection,” she adds.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – NSAIDS – are also common systemic treatment for pain in horses with osteoarthritis and musculoskeletal injuries. However, NSAIDS have negative side effects from prolonged use as well, including papillary necrosis, equine gastric ulcer syndrome and right dorsal colitis, according to “Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs and Associated Toxicities in Horses” published in 2022.

With Pro-Strides APS, you may be able to ditch the NSAIDS too. “It depends on the condition that we’re treating or managing,” explains Dr. Chad Davis, when asked about stopping NSAIDS with regenerative therapy like Pro-Stride APS. “In our practice, it’s uncommon to keep horses on chronic NSAID therapy or treatment. Rather, we would look to medical devices like Pro-Stride APS to allow for a more comprehensive response and better outcome than using NSAID therapy alone. Our thought process when using orthobiologic devices and therapies is to condition and train the injured location and associated cells to be less inflammatory in response to an injury or disease, and more reparative and regenerative in nature. Inflammation control is key, but how you address inflammation is the science behind the treatments and therapies.”

Can I Compete with Pro-Strides APS on Board My Horse?

A big question with any treatment we use on our horses is whether it’s legal for competition. So can you use Pro-Stride APS before a competition? “There are no drugs, medicines or additives in a Pro-Stride device since it’s a byproduct of the horse’s own blood,” answers Helbig. “Speak with your veterinarian to ensure that your horse is fit for competition, and if lame, has an appropriate diagnosis and plan to ensure timing of the injection. Most equine organizations have a minimum number of days between injection and competition times. Check with your veterinarian or governing body for appropriate rules and regulations.”

“As for using the Pro-Stride APS device before a big event, the short answer is yes,” adds Davis. “The extended answer is to ensure you have enough recovery time after the therapy to achieve the maximal responses. We see many orthobiologic therapies and devices, not only as point-of-care medicine but also as preventive medicine. Preventive medicine ensures optimal performance and predictable outcomes and is a focus at our practice with the Virginia Equine Rehabilitation and Performance Center.”

We all want to keep our horses happy, healthy and pain-free. Pro-Stride APS uses your horse’s amazing power of self-healing to ease discomfort and possibly regenerate the joints. Learn more about Pro-Stride APS at the Zoetis website and ask your vet if it may be right for your horse.

¹ Bertone AL, Ishihara A, Zekas LJ, et al. Evaluation of a single intra-articular injection of autologous protein solution for treatment of osteoarthritis in horses. Am J Vet Res. 2014;75(2):141-151. doi: 10.2460/ajvr.75.2.141.

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The post Manage Your Horse’s Joint Pain with Pro-Stride APS, a Non-steroidal Treatment for Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Injuries appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

“In my experience, horses almost never say no,” says Steve Allday, DVM, an equine lameness specialist with more than 35 years’ experience caring for an impressive list of equine athletes. “Horses can talk, and it is our job to learn how to speak their language and above all, to listen and be their advocate.”

Allday has been the lameness specialist for equine legends that include Triple Crown race winners, 29 Breeders’ Cup race winners, and five Thoroughbred Horses of the Year—including legendary racehorses A.P. Indy and Cigar—among other elites, such as World Equestrian Games jumpers. In addition to being a top sport horse veterinarian, Allday has also founded and developed a line of joint supplements.

1. What is equine osteoarthritis?

Sometimes hidden and other times obvious, equine osteoarthritis (OA) is a condition that impacts horses regardless of age, breed or discipline. It’s estimated that OA is responsible for up to 60 percent of all lameness in horses, according to the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP).

Also referred to as equine degenerative joint disease, OA is a chronic disease-causing degeneration of the joints and resulting in pain, inflammation and reduced flexibility and range of motion. To understand OA, it’s important to understand the three different types of joints horses have:

1. Synovial joints: These allow different degrees of movement and rotation, acting as a hinge for the primary mode of flexion and extension. Examples include fetlocks, knees and hocks.

2. Fibrous joints: These do not allow for movement between the bones, such as the joints between bones of the skull.

3. Cartilaginous joints: These connect bones with cartilage, allowing limited movement and shock absorption, like the joints between the vertebrae of your horse’s spine.

Osteoarthritis can occur in synovial and cartilaginous joints, and it’s a common condition horses can experience.

“Osteoarthritis is ubiquitous in all mammals, and progressive as a rule,” says Allday. “It can occur anywhere on the horse: in their hips, hocks, stifles, knees, fetlocks and other joints.”

2. What causes equine osteoarthritis?

You may have wondered if different equine sports affect specific joints. Although any horse in any discipline can be affected by OA, there are common themes and joint problems that occur in the varying equine sports.

For instance, cutting and reining have greater impact on the hocks and stifles, causing horses to have heightened OA risk to these joints. And jumpers are more likely to have front-limb lameness in the coffin or fetlock joints. The bottom line is that any joint that is more significantly used on a horse increases its likelihood for developing OA.

3. Can osteoarthritis be prevented?

To help avoid joint health problems, you need to get ahead of what problems can—and unfortunately, likely will—arise due to a horse’s conformation flaws, stabling or training environments and everyday injury risks.

“Whether a racehorse, dressage horse, cutting horse or a barrel horse, by maintaining things preventatively and staying a step ahead of potential problems before they become a major issue, you can help ensure your equine partner’s performance,” says Allday.

You can help prevent equine joint health problems by:
◆ Offering quality nutrition for strong bones and healthy cartilage.
◆ Prioritizing hoof care and keeping horses on a regular trim schedule.
◆ Keeping horses at optimum weight and avoiding obesity, which stresses the joints.
◆ Riding on softer footing and limiting work on hard surfaces.
◆ Incorporating joint supplements to help maintain their joints and cartilage.

4. How is osteoarthritis diagnosed?

Allday assures us that as the No. 1 human in your horse’s life, you are the best diagnostician of any changes in your horse’s joint health.

“This is simply because you know your horse,” he says. “I don’t have a crystal ball. When I go look at a horse, I’m taking a snapshot of that moment, while you have known the horse for days and years—sometimes, his entire life—before I got there that day.”

Every time you’re grooming or tacking up for a ride, check your horse for symmetry: If you fear one side is larger than the other, you can just compare it to his opposite side.

Give your horse a proper once-over: Rub his back and palpate it, checking for soreness.

When you pick up his hind leg, check the hock for any fluid. This daily interaction with your horse, coupled with knowledge of his particular history, will be invaluable to your veterinarian when diagnosing any joint problems.

Should your veterinarian suspect joint problems, it’s likely he or she will perform a routine lameness evaluation. According to the American Association of Equine Practitioners, this includes summarizing the horse’s medical history; a visual appraisal of the horse at rest; a thorough, hands-on examination, including palpating the horse’s muscles, joints, bones and tendons for any heat or swelling; an evaluation of your horse’s three gaits in motion; and a joint flexion test.

“Every horse deserves a full and thorough veterinary examination,” says Allday. “It’s not just a choice—it’s a necessity to help maintain these equine athletes and keep them at their best.”

In addition to lameness evaluations, diagnosis of OA can also involve diagnostics such as:
◆ Radiographs
◆ Fluoroscopy
◆ Nuclear scintigraphy
◆ CT
◆ MRI
◆ Nerve and joint blocks
◆ Ultrasound
◆ Thermography

5. Is equine osteoarthritis curable?

While there is, unfortunately, no definitive cure for OA in horses, the pain and inflammation associated with it can be treated. Prevention, along with early diagnosis and treatment, is critical to keep the condition from progressing.

“OA isn’t the end of their career, but it’s certainly something you have to be on top of, address rapidly and maintain routinely,” says Allday. “You have to remember that osteoarthritis is progressive, and as it gets worse as the horse gets older, you’ll need to be very proactive. You may even have to go to anti-inflammatories to maintain a horse’s athletic career.”

6. What are treatment options?

Treatment for equine OA focuses on alleviating pain and inflammation in the joint, allowing horses to have improved mobility. For horses diagnosed with osteoarthritis, veterinarians may recommend prescription medications, like Equioxx, Adequan I.M., Legend or Surpass Topical.

Should OA be diagnosed, your veterinarian will work closely with you on joint health supplements to prevent further progression of joint damage, as well as anti-inflammatory treatments available to manage the pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis.

Allday recalls a conversation he had with Allen Paulson, founder of Gulfstream Aerospace and renowned owner of more than 100 graded stakes race winners. Paulson’s horse was the favorite for the Kentucky Derby, but due to a joint injury, he was scratched.

“I told him, ‘A horse isn’t like the planes you build—you have to go with the original equipment.’ And it’s true—you can’t put a horse up on a rack and switch in a new part. Taking care of their original equipment is the epitome of how you can preventatively maintain your horse throughout his career.”

The post Answering 6 Questions About Equine Osteoarthritis appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

The landscape for equine supplements is constantly evolving, and SmartPak is committed to staying on top of the latest trends and ingredients. One category of supplements that has seen increased use of novel ingredients — such as turmeric, resveratrol, and collagen — is joint support for horses.

Your horse’s body is designed to manage the normal “wear and tear” to joints that comes with being a horse in its natural state. However, the increased demands of riding, training, and competing can put additional stress on your horse’s joint tissues.

Joint supplements help ensure your horse’s body has a consistent, ready supply of the ingredients it needs to cope with the stress of exercise and maintain healthy joints. And because joint supplements are designed to support normal, healthy joint tissues, the best time to start supplementing is BEFORE your horse starts displaying signs of joint problems.

◆ Turmeric is a plant in the ginger family whose root has been prized for its health benefits for thousands of years. It’s been wildly popular in human supplements in recent years, and that popularity has started to transition over into the equine supplement space. The compound of interest in turmeric is called curcumin, and the ingredient is most typically used to help manage a normal response to inflammation and to support comfortable movement.

◆ Resveratrol is an antioxidant that naturally occurs in red grapes, Japanese knotweed, and a few other plants. Similar to turmeric, resveratrol is well known for its ability to manage a normal inflammatory response in the body, and therefore can support a variety of body systems, from joints to skin and more. Resveratrol is starting to be used more in more in horse supplements for joint health and comfortable movement.

◆ Collagen is the main structural protein in the body’s connective tissue. It can be found in cartilage, tendons, ligaments, hooves, skin, the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and other tissues. In recent years, collagen has become popular as an ingredient in equine supplements, particularly for supporting the integrity of joints, tendons and ligaments, as well as gastric tissue.

SmartPak’s revolutionary supplement SmartStride Ultra Pellets combines these three novel ingredients with others to provide the next generation of joint support. SmartStride Ultra is a smart choice for hard-working horses in need of joint, tendon and ligament support. It is also a great option for horses experiencing stiffness and discomfort, or those who have not responded to other joint supplements.

This supplement provides those revolutionary and new ingredients, including turmeric and resveratrol for supporting a normal response to inflammation, and boron for maintaining bone health. It also includes collagen and silica for resilient tendons and ligaments. Finally, it combines “tried and true” ingredients, such as glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, and hyaluronic acid for joint support in horses.

In a recent university study, SmartStride Ultra was shown to support joint health in horses by demonstrating a significantly increased range of motion of the hock at the walk and a tendency toward increased range of motion in the hock at the trot.

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There are three main categories of joint supplements. The first is simply joint support, which, as the name implies, provides ingredients for joint health. The other two categories include joint health ingredients along with other areas of focus. Senior support includes ingredients to help address discomfort, while recovery support has an emphasis on helping the normal rehabilitation process.

Joint Support

Joint supplements in this category offer ingredients to help maintain joint health and, at higher levels of support, often include ingredients for bone, tendon and ligament health as well. These products are generally ideal for horses in work where the goal is to help keep them healthy and going strong for years to come. When considering what product to provide for your horse, it will be helpful to know what workload he is in.

Key Ingredients to Look For

Glucosamine is the building block of chondroitin sulfate, a specific type of polysulfated glycosaminoglycan (GAG). Current research suggests glucosamine plays several roles within joints. Not only does it help support the production of new GAGs and therefore new cartilage, glucosamine has also been shown to inhibit the free radicals and enzymes that break down cartilage. For horses in light to moderate work, 2,000 to 7,500 mg is generally considered an appropriate amount of glucosamine to provide, while this may increase to up to 12,000 mg for horses in very heavy work.

Chondroitin is not only the building block of the much larger molecules hyaluronic acid (HA) and proteoglycan (PG), but it also inhibits the effects of various enzymes that degrade cartilage, similarly to glucosamine. Research suggests that chondroitin sulfate is bioavailable in the horse and that it appears to work synergistically with glucosamine to support new cartilage and inhibition of cartilage breakdown. You’ll most often see 1,000 to 2,000 mg of chondroitin in joint supplements regardless of the support being provided as research has shown that, while providing chondroitin may be helpful for joint health, providing higher levels of it may not mean providing additional support.

Hyaluronic Acid, or HA, is an integral component of joint cartilage and joint fluid, providing both lubrication and shock absorption. Hyaluronic acid is what makes joint fluid “sticky.” Because it has been shown through research to maintain cells in the joint, providing HA orally may be particularly useful during times of joint stress. Joint supplements that offer support to horses in moderate work and above generally offer HA, with the amount ranging from 25 mg for horses in moderate work to around 150 mg for horses that may benefit from more support.

MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) is a source of organic sulfur which is required for a number of functions in the body. MSM has been shown to help support a normal response to inflammation as well as healthy joints, a strong immune system, and resilient skin, coat, and hooves. MSM is an economical way to offer joint support. You can purchase it on its own for horses in light to no work, or you can find it as a component of more comprehensive joint support supplements for horses in moderate to very heavy work. Typically, you’ll see it in amounts ranging from around 5,000 mg to 12,000 mg, depending on how much support the supplement is designed to provide.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a plant in the ginger family that has been used to flavor food, add color, and provide health benefits for thousands of years. Its main active substance, curcumin, has been found to exert beneficial effects on many areas of the body, such as joints, the respiratory system, immunity, and the GI tract, but it is perhaps most valued for supporting a normal response to inflammation. Researchers are seeking to understand its antioxidant properties and other activities on cells and pathways in the body. It can be purchased on its own for antioxidant support, or it can be found in certain joint support formulas designed for horses in moderate to very heavy work. You’ll generally find 5,000 to 10,000 mg of turmeric powder in joint supplements that include this ingredient.

Resveratrol is the potent antioxidant found in the skin of red grapes. A type of natural phenol, it is part of a plant’s defense system against disease. Resveratrol research is in the early stages, but results are promising not only for protection against free radical damage, but also for its effects on the cardiovascular system, blood sugar levels, brain cells, and musculoskeletal health. About 300 to 1,000 mg of resveratrol is common for joint support.

Collagen is the primary structural protein that makes up connective tissue throughout your horse’s body. You may see this listed on a supplement label as “hydrolyzed” collagen, or gelatin which means it has been broken down into smaller pieces that are more readily available for absorption. In addition to aiding joints, tendons, ligaments, and bones, collagen is great for supporting the health of muscles, the gastrointestinal tract, hooves, haircoat, and even the mane and tail! 1,000 mg of collagen offers basic support while higher levels, from 4,000 to 15,000 mg, may be a better choice if your horse is dealing with particular issues.

Silica is the second-most plentiful element on earth, yet horses may not receive adequate levels from their diets because not all forms of silica are bioavailable, and it is easily destroyed in processing. Research over the last 30 years has shown that silica supports normal bone growth and density, maintains the strength of connective tissue such as tendons and ligaments, has a positive effect on wound healing, is required in cartilage formation, and maintains the quality and appearance of skin, hair and hooves. You’ll generally find between 250 to 300 mg of silica in joint and tendon and ligament products.

Senior Support

While this category implies that it is only for senior horses, this type of support may be ideal for adult horses of any age that are dealing with discomfort from exercise or aging. In addition to frequently providing the ingredients mentioned in the Joint Support category to maintain healthy joints, these supplements will focus on ingredients to maintain comfort and support a normal response to inflammation, such as:

Boswellia is a type of tree or shrub that grows in tropical regions of Asia and Africa. It produces a gum or sap-like substance that contains many biologically active agents known to have therapeutic value in the body. Some of these naturally occurring compounds are said to interfere with the enzymes that contribute to inflammation and discomfort. Keep an eye out for 100 mg to 1,000 mg of Boswellia if your horse may benefit from this ingredient’s support.

Devil’s Claw is a South African herb (Harpagophytum procumbens) that is used to help maintain comfort in bone, joints, and other tissues. Data from 14 clinical trials in people conducted over the last 40 years suggest devil’s claw has beneficial properties in the musculoskeletal system. Because it contains “bitters” as an active ingredient, which encourages appetite but also stimulates the secretion of stomach acids, it should be used with caution in horses at risk for gastric (stomach) issues. It is also listed on the US Equestrian Prohibited Substance list, so we do not recommend selecting a supplement with this ingredient if you plan to show your horse at rated shows. You’ll generally find 1,000 mg to 2,500 mg of devil’s claw in senior support products.

Turmeric and resveratrol, which are mentioned in detail above, may also be particularly helpful for horses dealing with discomfort from aging or exercise.

Recovery Support

For horses who are rehabbing from injury, there are particular ingredients to keep an eye out for to help support the normal recovery process. Products in this category tend to provide a lower level of joint support since these horses are most often not in work, and instead will be chock-full of antioxidants and tendon and ligament support. If your horse is actively recovering from an injury, it’s important to work closely with your veterinarian to determine the ideal supplement program. Therefore, we’d recommend that you talk to your vet about what you learn here before choosing a supplement for your recovering horse.

Ingredients to Look For

Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body, especially in muscle tissue. Although it is not an essential amino acid, there is such great demand for its use in the body that production may not be able to keep up with consumption, so supplementing may be necessary. Glutamine plays an important role in the recovery and repair of many types of tissues, and supplementing 1,000 mg to 2,000 mg of glutamine can be a good choice for supporting this normal recovery process.

Tendon and ligament support can also be important in this category if your horse is dealing with issues in this area. As mentioned in more detail above, collagen and silica can be ideal ingredients to keep an eye out for to help maintain soft tissue health.

Antioxidants like turmeric, resveratrol and MSM mentioned above, can also play a vital role in supporting a healthy recovery as they help to address cell stress and support normal cell health.

Herbs like devil’s claw and Boswellia are also very common in this category, as they can help support a normal response to inflammation and address excess discomfort.

What to Expect from Joint Support Supplements

While you can’t see inside your horse’s joints, providing an appropriate equine joint supplement is a great way to ensure he’s getting a steady supply of the ingredients his body needs to help keep up with the demands of his workload. If your horse generally looks and feels good, supplementing with key joint ingredients can help you feel confident that you’ve got one of the cornerstones of long-term joint health and comfort covered! If you are looking for more comprehensive joint and comfort support, you may notice your horse acting and moving like his usual self within the first few months of supplementing. It’s always important to work with your veterinarian for horses that are persistently not moving freely, more so when your horse is in the recovery process.

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It didn’t look like very much equipment, I thought, as I watched the representative from the company unpack the few boxes that had arrived. A large centrifuge was parked on the counter and a small container of cartridges sat nearby. A box full of glass vials rested on top of the centrifuge. Was this high-tech healing technology?

“Is that it?” my tech asked incredulously, and I silently agreed. For the high cost of the set-up, we’d both expected, well, something a little more impressive. 

I’d been recommending regenerative medicine for quite some time—essentially using the horse’s own cells and proteins to promote healing in injured joints and tendons. There were different types of high-tech healing options in regenerative joint therapies, commonly known as IRAP (interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein) and PRP (platelet rich plasma).

This particular company that we were working with offered both in the same sample. It seemed like a no-brainer, and after studying the available research, we’d concluded that this was what we wanted to go with. 

Latest and Greatest
I tended to be reluctant about embracing new technologies until their value had been conclusively established, as I’d seen a lot of so-called “miracle cures” come and go over the years—some with disastrous consequences for the patient. 

But this technology was gaining respect, and now there were field kits that did the sample processing right on the farm, rather than having to send it to a lab. In a burst of rare progressive thinking, I’d joined forces with another vet and a generous client and here we were, ready to learn how to process the blood to extract the healing cells and proteins!

The company rep was thorough and professional, and soon we felt confident enough to try it out on a few patients, one being a middle-aged Hanoverian gelding named Frankie. He had a chronic injury to his pastern joint, and I’d kept him relatively sound over the years with joint injections, but their efficacy had become shorter and shorter lived, and it was clearly time to try something else. The owner wanted to keep riding Frankie, who’d been athletic in his day, and we all hoped that the new therapy would be the solution.

High-Tech Healing Test Case
The sample processing went smoothly, and it seemed anticlimactic to inject the joint with the unimpressive several milliliters of reddish fluid obtained after processing Frankie’s blood. As I bandaged his leg, I wondered what the outcome would be. 

The rep had warned us that it might take several weeks to see results, and after waiting impatiently, we all regrouped at the barn to assess Frankie’s improvement. He’d been on a hand-walking and turnout regimen, but no longeing or riding.

He jittered along as his trainer, Lindsay, led him to the arena, and he pranced impatiently as the longeline was snapped onto his halter. She waved an arm at him to send him out on the circle, and Frankie shook his head as hard as he could, ran sideways, reared, sped furiously in three or four tight circles, skidded to a halt, snorted, planted his feet and refused to move. 

Lindsay shook a longe whip gently at his rear, and he tucked his tail and pinned his ears but didn’t take a step. She popped it loudly behind him and he kicked out viciously but still didn’t move. 

No one said anything, and Lindsay walked up to his head and firmly sent him away again. He rattled a breath sharply, head high in the air, then took off again, this time in the other direction running as fast as he possibly could on the longeline, twisting and kicking out periodically. 

I lost count of how many circles he’d completed at a gallop, and he was starting to wear a deep track in the soft arena footing. Lindsay didn’t try to intervene and just let him run until the furious pace slowed and he finally settled into an athletic extended trot, each forelimb seeming to hover for a beautifully suspended moment before landing softly in the dirt. 

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly as I watched him, his movements flawless. We were all ecstatic, and there was much high-fiving and hugging as Frankie paraded grandly around the arena.

Miracle Cure?
After his high-tech healing treatment, I cleared him to gradually return to work, and over the next few weeks, Lindsay and the owner slowly brought Frankie back up to speed. Lindsay gave me frequent updates and I was thrilled after receiving each one. Lameness is so challenging for veterinarians, and to have a new, successful weapon in the arsenal to bring an injured patient back to soundness was nothing short of miraculous. 

I was still floating on cloud nine when Frankie’s owner, an abrupt woman named Mavis, called one day and brought me back to earth with a thud.

“Dr. Diehl!” she barked into the phone. “I’m very upset and I have a complaint about Frankie.”

My heart sank. Mavis could be formidable, and this was probably not going to go well.

“I’m sorry to hear that, Mavis,” I said, sounding more calm than I felt. “What seems to be the problem? Lindsay has been giving me such positive …”

Mavis cut me off sharply. “Lindsay, Lindsay! Never mind Lindsay. That damned horse threw me yesterday!” 

“Oh, er, I’m terribly sorry to hear that,” I said blankly, wondering how on earth this could possibly be my fault.

“This is precisely what happens when you have a great veterinarian who fixes your horse!” she snapped. Then her voice caught, “And he’s his old self again. I don’t know how to thank you, Dr. Diehl.” 

I didn’t know that getting bucked off could generate such a sweet response, but I went with it. I was stammering a reply, when Mavis briskly interrupted me again.

“Why in the hell didn’t you do this six months ago?!” 

COURTNEY S. DIEHL, DVM, has been an equine veterinarian since 2000. She is the author of Horse Vet: Chronicles of a Mobile Veterinarian and Stories of Eric the Fox, first-place winner of the CIA EVVY award. She is currently working on her third book.

This article about high-tech healing originally appeared in the July 2019 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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