Love & Heartbreak

It was a rough summer. Flora's injury did not respond to stem cell therapy. After four months of stall rest, IRAP, and stem cell injections, there was zero progress in her lameness. At her check up at the end of July, her lameness was still rated a 4 out of 5 and UGA recommended euthanasia. They were confident inflammation was not causing the pain & lameness but that is was discomfort from the cartilage loss itself and deep bone bruising in the coffin bone. 

The lack of progress indicated to them that the injury was too significant to overcome and she would need need pain management for the rest of her life. They also did not believe a life as a broodmare would be a viable option because the extra weight would put increase stress on her hoof. This was consistent with all of the vet consults Waylon and I did when we got the original diagnosis. No one we talked to was optimistic about the outcome. 

Through the process, I've learned a lot about cartilage. Unlike tissue or bone, your body can't produce more of it. You make it once and that's it. At best, the body grows fibrocartilage in areas where articular cartilage has been lost. This is essentially scar tissue. It is not as strong or elastic as articular cartilage. In areas like ankles and knees, which are surgically accessible, cartilage injuries are cleaned and with fibrocartilage growth, horses return to competition. In the coffin joint, which is not surgically accessible and bears the full weight of the horse, the role of fibrocartilage seems less effective. The size of Flora's injury was also a hurdle we just couldn't seem to get over.  

It's been a wild ride of emotions. From total despair at that original diagnosis. To hope when UGA stem cell specialists said they have seen horses with similar injuries return to competition. To daily worry with every lame step taken during a hand graze. To hope again if there was a good day thrown in where I didn't notice a lame step. Then the heartache of a long good bye as I coordinated between UGA and the insurance company. It was simply shocking that within 6 months of owning her, she suffered a devastating injury and in less than a year of owning her, I would ultimately lose her.

Flora was literally the perfect horse for me. Incredibly kind, intelligent, bold. Impeccably trained. I still can't believe she is gone and gone with her are my dreams of riding at the FEI level. She was not insured for her full value and I cannot replace her. But desires for what was or what was supposed to be, can't stop new experiences from taking shape. The question is, can I be open to them? 

Waylon, Jenny and Shauna Spurlock (Kaitlin Clasing's mom) all encouraged me to consider an embryo transfer so Flora's legacy could continue. Honestly, I wasn't really sure I wanted to pursue it. I'll be 50 before a foal will be ready to begin a career. On the flip side, Flora had an amazing combination of temperament and talent. She had one foal when she was a 4 year old, who competes as a 1.35m show jumper in Sweden so we know she produces offspring of high quality. I took the leap. 

Before her euthanasia, I worked with UGA's repro team to bring her into heat so that I could breed her and retrieve an embryo. It was a complete rush and I didn't have time to shop around for the perfect stallion. Breeding season comes to a close at the end of July and UGA said I needed to get fresh sperm to insure the highest percent of success since I had a one-time shot. I picked a stallion Jenny select for a mare of her's, Imothep. He's a 1.60m show jumper who went to the Rio Olympics and stands at stud in Virginia. Flora is out of a 1.60m show jumper, Fighting Alpha, who finished 4th in 2003 World Cup Finals, so I figured I would continue the trend and select a sire who reached the highest level of sport. 

In an amazing turn of events, Flora had a double ovulation and they were able to retrieve 2 embryos. These embryos were translated into surrogate mares: Sue and Poppy. Both embryos made it to the heartbeat milestone and continue to grow. In another 30 days, we will know their genders. Fingers cross both of these embryos make it to term and carry on Flora's tremendous traits and talent!