Charlie is a larger than life 16yo TB gelding. He suffered from a bout of acute laminitis in August 2005 after what was most likely a flare up of chronic low grade laminitis; cause unknown, but probably a combination of mechanical stresses, diet and abscessing at various times from previous laminitic damage.
He failed to respond to a variety of traditional treatments and was deteriorating when he came to us in November.
Unfortunately his float trip to Mayfield turned into the float trip to hell when his ride broke down in the notorious "big dipper" on the Western Ring Road in peak hour on the busiest truck arterial in Melbourne.
The resulting stress from trucks thundering past the float before it could be moved off the freeway tipped him further into acute laminitis.
He arrived at Mayfield in a perilous state, but was hauled back from the edge and began on the long road to recovery. He had to start all over and grow a new laminar attachment in his feet; a long process.
Over the next few weeks, as the pain began to subside and his health began to return, Charlie's magnificent personality began to reveal itself.
What a horse!
He has a rare exuberance for a been there done that guy; a spark that is most often wasted on the young.
Charlie will never be 100% sound. The laminitis is under control but he wears the legs of an old race horse - gammy knees and dodgy tendons (the same old story - too much, too soon).
But believe me Charlie is very much alive and well !
