Elsa
Elsa is one of several high risk and severely neglected horses rescued during October 2025. This obviously crippled mare was sent through a low end auction only to end up in a worse situation.
Her veterinary exam made note of the following:
Elsa is a big late teens QH with significant bony enlargements that are visible and palpable in the right front fetlock and left front carpus. The right front fetlock is 100% fused with zero range of motion (ROM) and she is 5/5 lame on this leg, and severely limps on the fused limb if attempting to move at a trot.
X-rays confirmed global fetlock and carpal remodeling and fusion. Osteoarthritis of the fetlock when mild is debilitating, but this degree of neglect and fulmination is extremely neglectful.
Elsa’s right front fetlock X-ray views showed severe proliferative lesions and loss of articular cartilage leading to a fused fetlock joint, the highest working flexion and range of motion (ROM) joint in the body. There are severe changes to the pastern joint also.
Note that there were numerous other negative impacts due to compensating for this significant debilitation which was not new, not even by a few months. This poor mare suffered greatly for a long time! The degree of radiographic changes found shows years of degradation whether or not it was from osteoarthritis caused by inflammation or from a wound-induced septic joint.
Quality of life is horrific! Elsa was humanely euthanized for an unbearable high degree of pain that nothing could improve upon.
How many more horses have been used up and broken down by those who once owned this lovely mare?!
More About Elsa
- In Assessment
- Chestnut
- Mare
- 2007
- QH
- Colorado