Wooky returns to competition success following surgery
Posted: 9th May 2017
Category: Equine Health
We recently received some great news from Stella Cattermole and her daughter Georgia about their 14-year-old pony, Wise Dennis (aka Wooky), who came to the hospital last August for diagnosis of intermittent forelimb lameness.
A comprehensive lameness investigation including x-rays and ultrasound scans, revealed that new bone formation (callus) had developed at the site of an old ‘splint’ (see image 1). This irregular new bone (callus) was impinging on the adjacent suspensory ligament. Senior surgeon Richard Payne operated to remove part of the splint bone (image 2). Wooky recovered well from his operation. A period of enforced rest followed. At review in late September Wooky was making excellent progress, and was almost sound again, even at this relatively early stage.
Until Wooky’s lameness, he and Georgia had been successfully contesting Junior British Showjumping (BS) classes. After bringing him slowly back into work in October, Wooky returned to taking part in unaffiliated competitions just before Christmas, winning two classes. Between Christmas and New Year, he went to Keysoe for a three-day BS show, where he competed in 4 classes varying from 80cm to 1.10m, achieving two 2nd places, a 5th and 9th out of large classes. This was Georgia’s last BS show as a Junior rider. In January, Wooky, who measures at just over 14hh, was registered as a Grade C horse with BS and in his first horse class he won the 80cm open. He has since qualified for the 95cm Open class at the prestigious BS Scope Festival in August.
Wooky is now jumping 1m classes again and recently he and Georgia competed at the British Riding Clubs (BRC) Intermediate Showjumping National Championships, where they helped the Beccles & Bungay Riding Club Junior team to finish in 3rd place. They will also be part of the Beccles & Bungay Riding Club Junior 100 team that has qualified for the BRC Eventer Challenge National Championships at Aston Le Walls in two weeks time.
Stella said: “We are so pleased to have Wooky back to full fitness and out competing successfully again. He is enjoying life, is slightly mollycoddled and exercised very carefully on various surfaces to help him stay sound. Thank you to the team at Rossdales for all you did for him - he seems to have come back just as good, if not better, than before.”
Image of Georgia Cattermole and Wise Dennis (Wooky) courtesy of Molly Smith Photography.
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