Last summer, an owner contacted CHR to re-home her Quarter Horse gelding named Romeo. Her beloved Romeo had been diagnosed with arthritis from an old injury in one of his front legs. With no guarantee of Romeo’s return to soundness, his previous owner was not in a financial position to pursue the necessary veterinary care. CHR was glad to give this little, friendly roan horse his second chance. X-rays confirmed that Romeo had suffered an old pastern bone fracture which led to arthritis. As this joint had not yet fused, Romeo’s day-to-day life was a painful one, as he showed obvious lameness when he arrived. Initially, we were unsure if Romeo would be able to achieve an adequate quality of life, even as a non-riding companion horse. Overall, our vet was cautiously optimistic that Coffin joint treatment would improve Romeo’s situation. If successful, Romeo would still have an asymmetric gait, but he would no longer be in pain. Thanks to the support of the Wags and Menace Make a Difference Foundation, we were able to say ‘yes’ to trying to find a safe solution for Romeo. Over the next five months, we watched Romeo slowly but surely improve. Come December, our vet happily gave Romeo the green light to enter into riding training. Romeo is now thriving pain-free and we are thrilled to see him running and playing out in the pasture like the jokester he is. With the temperament to be a fun-loving partner for confident youth riders, Romeo’s unpredictable rehabilitation paid off. At only 5 years old, this 14-hand quirky Quarter Horse has so much potential thanks to supporters like the Wags and Menace Make a Difference Foundation!
Romeo
