| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Vera |
Posted - 21 Jun 2010 : 2:24:25 PM
What do you all think of this?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1288098/Maddison-Biddlecombe-bid-raise-4-000-operation-disfigured-foal.html
I am really uncomfortable when people fundraise for this sort of thing. Fair enough if they had the money and wanted the operation - fine but I don't think its ok to ask other people to pay for it. |
| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| precious |
Posted - 25 Jun 2010 : 11:03:43 AM
welcome to AL Rosinante :)
Pimpa is lovely and so nice to hear a horse with a wry nose living a happy horse life :) well done for taking on this lad.
Hope you can get in touch with Diegos owner and can help her with her hard decision ahead x |
| Tzarina |
Posted - 24 Jun 2010 : 6:31:44 PM
Rosinante welcome to ArabianLines  . What a fabulous name
Well done you for adopting the chestnut gelding (name not mentioned). I'm sure he is extra special and he looks so happy and contented. The picture with the sheet and the other pony shows how contented he is despite his condition. |
| Rosinante |
Posted - 24 Jun 2010 : 2:07:51 PM
Thanks for all of you for the warm welcome! (: Goldenmane, the more I'll write, the more mistakes I make.
My wry nosed horse (his name is Pimpa) is not an Arabian but a Gidrán (Hungarian Anglo-Arab, what an international mix...) Here are some pictures of him playing with one of his friends: http://www.zakuszkatanya.hu/blog/read/831 (we have a homepage, but sadly the English part is under construction.) And some videos to show the terrible life of a wry nosed horse:
(on these videos he was about 2 years old.)
Could somebody write me the email address of Diego's owner? Maybe I can help her to make a decision. |
| alethea |
Posted - 24 Jun 2010 : 1:18:48 PM
Rosinante to arabian lines and thanks for sharing pictures of your lovely boy.
Alethea
Aristotle Arabians
********** |
| Eeyore |
Posted - 24 Jun 2010 : 1:15:15 PM
Your boy looks very happy Rosinate
He is a lovely colour and has such a beautiful kind eye 
Welcome to Arabianlines |
| alison |
Posted - 24 Jun 2010 : 1:09:21 PM
Rosinante, what a super looking boy he is and such a wonderful colour. He does look happy and content, well done you for adopting him and welcome to AL.
Ali |
| taranstorm |
Posted - 24 Jun 2010 : 12:19:25 PM
He is beautiful boy |
| Goldenmane |
Posted - 24 Jun 2010 : 12:00:47 PM
Rosinante, welcome to Arabianlines. Your gelding is lovely(in fact, I would love him more because of his looks if he was mine). Your English is excellent! |
| Rosinante |
Posted - 23 Jun 2010 : 11:10:43 PM
Hi everybody, a friend sent me the article about Diego. I'm a Hungarian woman (so sorry for my English, it's far from being perfect ), I have a horse asylum for ill and aged horses, and among them I have a 6 years old gelding with severe Wry Nose Syndrome. I adopted him from a stud when he was 5 months old. He wasn't operated, and of course he can't be ridden as he would have difficulties with breathing, but he has an absolutely happy life with his friends; ha can play, graze, etc.
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| Rui |
Posted - 22 Jun 2010 : 12:30:08 PM
This is your original topic and there are two links I think are the ones you mentioned: http://www.arabianlines.com/forum1/topic_new.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=34589
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| kimzi |
Posted - 22 Jun 2010 : 12:11:25 PM
I spoke with diego's owner jane last night as i understood that her initial wish was to glean as much information about the condition as possible just as i did when daisy was born, there is so much that hasnt been said publicly and wont be said publicly, she is trueley not to blame for anything that has happened. When daisy was born some loveley people on here posted links about other foals in other parts of the world who were affected maybe they can post these links again?
She did not choose to breed a foal. Enough said. |
| Callisto |
Posted - 22 Jun 2010 : 11:54:50 AM
Poor woman, what a nightmare, thank you for setting us straight Esther. I wish her all the best with the poor foal, and that the media give her a break. |
| Esther |
Posted - 22 Jun 2010 : 11:37:58 AM
If you've got time, it's worth reading the full thread on the NFED.
My understanding as to what has happened from reading that thread is thus:
- Deformed foal is born, but seems to be a plucky little critter so owner decides to investigate whether anything can be done with him.
- Owner posts on website to ask if anyone has had a similar experience that she can learn from. In that first post she says she's fully aware his could be a hopeless case, but she wants to investigate her options first before calling it a day. She also says she's had the RSPCA check him over and they have no immediate welfare concerns.
- Someone on the website suggests she goes to the press to see if anyone can offer any help or advice as there may be a vet out there with experience of these things, and/or he may be an interesting case study for a vet hospital.
- Someone from the local paper contacts her through the website and offers to run the story.
- The national media pick up on it and it then takes on a life of its own, with a load of mis-quotes and with the emphasis on fundraising rather than a search for advice.
- The moderator closes the thread, confirming that there are no plans for an operation, no-one even knows if there is an operation that would work, and the owner has never requested money from the general public.
Having witnessed a similar run in with the media with someone I know, where a story took on a life of its own and she ended up too scared to leave the house, I have some sympathy with the woman. All she wanted to do was investigate her options before making a final decision.
I know when I worked on a large stud farm, the odd deformed one we had we would run on till weaning if they were viable and then make a decision then, as it meant that the mares got to use their milk, were less traumatised by the foal going as they'd be about ready to say goodbye anyway at weaning time, and the foals got a chance at life - sometimes they do surprise you and legs straighten up or heads don't look so bad. This is no different from what I can see. |
| Pauline |
Posted - 22 Jun 2010 : 10:52:07 AM
Vera
As you have bought up the subject of this poor little fellow What has happened to the little pony you have as a livery. The one with the deformed face.
I send my good luck to the owners of the little foal and what ever they decide to do for the best I'm with them.
After three years of desperately wanting a foal from my mare I can see why they want to save the little chap.
Pauline |
| littlearabians |
Posted - 22 Jun 2010 : 10:49:53 AM
I do agree with you to a certain point... as yes every life does deserve a chance... however if the filly I showed pictures of needed 2 of these very expensive operations to be capable of eating, how many do you thing this poor boy will need??? ... we will not just be looking at collecting £4000 it would more likely be £4000 times 3 or 4.... and still after all that you cant gaurantee that he will be capable of eating solids... is it fair to let him go through all this pain and suffering?? can you honestly feel good about donating all that money... when perfectly healthy horses are starved or PTS/ slaugther, and you with gaurantee could save many healthy souls for the same money??
Also in my world a 6 year old girl does not have any thing to say in a question of quality of life... and keeping him alive because he is the friend of a 6 year old girl is again in my view very selfish... and just trying to avoid hurting the girl... well sorry, but even a young girl will have to learn that sometimes you just cant save every soul you meet.
I do belive that all the trouble of getting him to suckle was natures way of trying to put him to sleep, however humans are very skilled at keeping things alive even though it might have been better off dead. |
| carrots |
Posted - 22 Jun 2010 : 10:34:04 AM
I dont often post on AL, but I have seen this story all over the internet.
I have had to have a foal PTS and its heartbreaking, totaly, but do these foals ask to be born, no. We breed them, we decide on the stallion to put the mare to, and at that very point we are entering into an unwritten contract with the foal. Our side states that we will do everything within our power to give that foal a long healthy life full of love and kindness, never to see it sad, sorry or hurt in any way, to ensure that should we need to find it a new home, that home be caring, loving and understanding, we agree to tend to its every need, including all medical, never to raise our hands or voice to that foal....the foals side states nothing.....it didnt ask to be born.
I feel that personally I would have had to have this little chap PTS, to put him through the pain and uncertainty of what could be a number of serious operations, would be cruel, its very sad but mother nature can be a very cruel friend, born in the wild this chap would not live. Even if he survived the operations, he would possibly never lead a truely healthy life, unable to gallop with joy (breathing problems) and there is the posibilty that he would never be able to graze as nature intended..............he is not my foal and what ever the owners decide to do will, in their opinion be the right thing, and I wish them all the luck in the world if they decide to help him, if not them my prayers are with them. |
| taranstorm |
Posted - 22 Jun 2010 : 10:06:51 AM
Ditto what precious have said as he is happy loving foal who just need help to raise money to lead better quality life!  |
| precious |
Posted - 22 Jun 2010 : 09:41:41 AM
I WOULD donate if the quality of life was there for the little boy!
Sadly i think this world and alot of the horse world is all about looks! If the foal can eat and have a decent quality of life even non ridden thats great.
There is lots of situations i have donated into ie Buffy where there was no definate answer that they will survive. But isnt every horse life worth a chance. (i know the two cases are totally different but there is still a life there)
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| s.jade |
Posted - 22 Jun 2010 : 09:15:11 AM
Poor thing 
Much as I would want to do everything to save him if he were mine, I also think of the hundreds of foals and youngsters going for meat, terrified and straight off the hills/forest etc, who have no issues...and think that would affect my decision too....?
And before anyone pounces on me YES we have had to make the decision to put down a very young foal who would not have had a viable future, so know how hard a decision it is to make |
| maromito |
Posted - 22 Jun 2010 : 08:04:10 AM
I feel for this lady and her little girl BUT would have euthanaised the foal soon after birth,it is quite badly affected and I agree will only have increased difficulty as it grows,its not a kindness to put it through painful surgery that may not improve its long term future .
I would have explained to my Daughter that its quality of life wouldnt be very good and it would be better to let him go than to let him suffer,we cant totally protect our children from the realities of life nor should we try ,they have to learn that every story doesnt always have a happy ending ,that the reality of life |
| Esther |
Posted - 22 Jun 2010 : 07:16:59 AM
This from the moderators at NFED where the 'story' first broke:
Ive just had a chat with Janey, Diegos owner who is very upset about the way things have gone.
The original post on here was asking for advice from anyone that had found themselves in a similar situation. The story has now been picked up by the national papers & is getting twisted out of all proportion with constant calls from the press & distorted stories & comments now appearing on several national paper websites.
Janey has spoken to a vet, but there are no plans for an operation or a fund set up to pay for such an operation. There is no certainty that the operation could be performed or would be successful if attempted.
She did ask if the original post could be removed, but I have explained that as the story is now out in the public domain, it would be better to leave the post locked with an explanation.
Whatever her decision I sure that NFED users wish her & Diego the best. |
| Goldenmane |
Posted - 22 Jun 2010 : 06:46:56 AM
Oh, poor little baby and poor little girl, it must be so hard for them. However, perfectly healthy foals are being slaughtered for meat, here and abroad, and I would rather donate to stop that. It is an individual choice and should be funded by the individual. |
| littlearabians |
Posted - 21 Jun 2010 : 10:47:16 PM
karen d:
I do believe you misunderstood me, I posted the pictures of the filly to show that even though she wasn't half as deformed as the foal in the article, she still needed 2 of these very expensive operations to be able to eat.
as cold as it might sound (and I know its easier said then done) should I ever have a foal born like this it will be PTS as quick as the vet could come out.
I have friends in Denmark who last year got a lovely warm blood colt foal, his back was deformed, and they left him alive until weanling time, this was very traumatic for them, as they got to love the little boy... in spite of everybody, except the chiropractor, telling them it would never be right, they choose to go for the tiny chance that the chiropractor was right and would be able to help... well she never did any difference, the foal was hardly able to walk... very happy little boy though... but what quality of life would he have if they let him live!!
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| LYNDILOU |
Posted - 21 Jun 2010 : 10:05:59 PM
we who own horses , know just how much they cost to keep and if things go wrong and vets bill's occur that is our responsibility no one else's.
If we cant afford them WE shouldn't have them.
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| Callisto |
Posted - 21 Jun 2010 : 8:13:53 PM
A terribly sad case, and I believe there is a young child involved who loves the poor foal, but it is going to grow up and its problems will continue. It is obviously the owner's decision if they go ahead with the operation, and any future treatment it will need, but I do feel it is up to them to fund it. On the other hand, if people feel that they wish to contribute to the costs that is entirely up to them. I just worry about the foal's future quality of life, particularly if the owner is going to have difficulty in funding the care it will need. |
