Vivian
Vivian was rescued in July 2026 along with several other horses in need. She’s an older chestnut mare with obvious past injury and disability to her front knees, along with suspected compensating conditions and arthritis.
Some findings from her veterinary exam and evaluation are:
Vivian is a stout, square-headed horse with a solid build, almost more like a gelding than a mare. She is a dark red sorrel with roaning on the face, rostral cervical and lateral thoracic regions.
Vivian has several white-haired saddle scars on the lateral whither region. Both carpi (knees) are grossly misshapen and knobby in appearance, with palpable firm swellings on both dorsal surfaces. Range of motion is decreased in the left carpus by 30% and the right by at least 60%, indicating she may not be able to comfortably lay down or roll.
There is a firm bony enlargement over the right hind lateral splint bone “button,” indicating a possible fracture. Her right hind leg also has swelling.
Xray findings:
Both carpi were radiographically examined with DP and lateral views. All three carpal joints of both forelimbs show global osteoarthritic changes, both proliferative and lytic. These knees can be painful and experience decreased range of motion especially with the involvement of the upper, most mobile carpal joint.
There is evidence of joint space loss on all views, indicating chronic inflammatory destruction of articular cartilage and possibly joint fusion “spot welds.” The left distal carpal joint shows the greatest bony proliferation on the DP view, extending into the proximal third metacarpal bone on the medial aspect.
Because of the extent of damage to various joints and poor quality of life resulting from past injury(ies) and likely hard use, Vivan was humanely euthanized as no treatments are available to manage or improve upon her pain and deterioration of joint structures.
More About Vivian
- In Assessment
- Sorrel
- Mare
- 1996
- QH Cross
- Colorado