River
River was rescued in July 2025 to keep him from entering the slaughter pipeline. It was clear he was suffering from severe and long-time lameness along with malnourishment and other lack of proper care.
Veterinary exam provided more detailed information such as:
River is 4/5 lame on the left foreleg, with pronounced lateral and cranial swellings of the carpus that fluctuate from soft to hard to firm. The left carpus range of motion (ROM) is severely diminished to greater than a 90 degree angle, with a severe response from a very calm horse when ROM end is neared.
River’s resting heart rate is 55 bpm, with a relaxed body and half-closed eyes. There is a 2/6 right-sided heart murmur (HM). His heart rate may be elevated due to HM, however most horses do not have tachycardia in response to a low or high grade HM at rest.
The heart rate is the best indication we have of pain in horses. River is a calm and well-mannered horse, and a resting heart rate of 55 bpm is a common clinical colic pain or due to high orthopedic pain or soft tissue injury.
River has old scars over the lateral heel bulb of the right foreleg andover the left hind dorsal hock.
Xrays were also taken and revealed that:
River’s left carpus shows chronic, severe remodeling of the lateral and distal carpus. There is a significant radiolucency of the distal, palmar radial bone that may be causing instability of the medial carpus, instigating a crushing of the medial side and lateralization of the lateral size, bowing the limb outwards with time.
The lateral proliferation of the bone is in a buttressing form, also seen on the distal, palmar aspect. This carpus is “back at the knee” meaning the radial bone should normally conform slightly cranial to the dorsal surface of the canon bone, and not caudel to it. This knee is poorly built, and with time, has remodeled into a painful, even more poorly conformed bag of joints that can barely support body weight, transiently.
Due to his intense suffering and diminished quality of life with no chance of rehab or pain management, River was humanely euthanized. Again, an absolute disgrace that anyone who owned this horse refused to do the right thing for him.
More About River
- In Assessment
- Dark Bay
- Gelding
- 2010
- Thoroughbred
- Colorado