St. Nicholas Abbey

merrymeasure

merrymeasure

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Coolmore have annouinced St. Nicholas Abbey suffered a career threatening injury at Ballydoyle today. They are trying to save him for stud, so shows how serious it is,. Hoping and praying the vets can save him.Such a wonderful racehorse.
 
St. Nicholas Abbey is reported to have come through surgery, and is comfortable. A long way to go yet, but wishing this lovely horse all the very best, and hope he gets well soon. Well done to all the team at Fethard Equine Hospital, and best wishes to all at Coolmore, and Ballydoyle .
 
So far so good. There's a long way to go but he's in the best possible hands. With best wishes to all at Coolmore and Ballydoyle and the team looking after him but most of all to SNA.
 
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Coolmore have tweeted this::
"Unfortunately St Nicholas Abbey had a major setback in his recovery during the night, suffering from a bad colic."
"He underwent emergency colic surgery at Fethard Equine Hospital this morning and the prognosis is very guarded at the moment."

Have everything crossed for him. Thoughts with all his connections.
 
caramel said:
Coolmore have tweeted this::
"Unfortunately St Nicholas Abbey had a major setback in his recovery during the night, suffering from a bad colic."
"He underwent emergency colic surgery at Fethard Equine Hospital this morning and the prognosis is very guarded at the moment."

Have everything crossed for him. Thoughts with all his connections.
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An unbelievably sad setback for the horse, the veterinary staff and his connections.

Hope he pulls through, even though the odds seem increasingly against him.
 
Am sure Coolmore will tweet if anything new happens. So sad. He's in the best possible hands now. Fingers crossed for him.
 
Channel 4 morning line just done report from the colts box. Very interesting to see how they operated on the leg.

I think the programme is aired again on More 4 this morning.
 
I wonder why they continue to refer to the damage as a "fracture". The bone was shattered, and as the Vet on the vid said, as there were pieces of bone which had lost their supply of blood, and bone sections were taken from his hip as a form of graft, the break, to me (and NO I'm not a Vet), seems to be irreparable, considering that he's a colt and that the plans for him are to stand at stud. To restore such damage to a strength which will stand up to the stresses of his natural high spirits, seems to me to be quite unrealistic.

That's the negative side of things, on the positive side, he's incredibly bright, he's apparently eating well and in the vid he seemed to be pain free.

One day, when technological progress allows, then specifically pasterns could perhaps be replaced, as a whole, with an artificial bone in its entirety, almost like a hip replacement for humans or dogs. At least it would never break again!

I hope that I'm wrong in my gloomy view, and that the horse, a remarkable animal in his own right, makes a full recovery, and goes on to his stud duties.

Alec.
 
My thoughts entirely Alec, but I didn't want to admit it. That was quite some repair job and I hope it holds, but as you say it is realistic to hope it will hold 500kg + of high spirited racehorse antics in his paddock. Lets hope so.

No one can say his connections are not trying and he looked remarkably well given what he has been through. Few owners could have afforded or provided such care.
 
Poor horse. At what point does the value of his semen overcome his rights not to be abused in this way. He has now had two major surgeries, he muct hurt all over.
 
Clodagh said:
Poor horse. At what point does the value of his semen overcome his rights not to be abused in this way. He has now had two major surgeries, he muct hurt all over.
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I doubt his connections would have continued to try to save him without adhering to veterinary advice. His pain will be totally controlled and he will be monitored 24/7 by dedicated staff. As the clip shows he is being fed by IV and he is taking hand fed grass. His skin was in good fettle and he was relaxed in the box.

I think, as does Alec the real challenge will be some months down the line when he is moving about and commencing stud duties. The best vets in the world are being used and if they didn't think the horse had any chance he would have been let go before now.
 
It’s because the of the good work from vets like these and the money that coolmore has that we as horse owners will benefit from in the future. And hopefully one day broken bones in horse will be fixed as easily as humans. I think they have done a fantastic job on this horse, yes he has a long road to go but he seems in good spirit I wish him well. But if it all starts to go wrong I hope they let him go to sleep peacefully
 
Welly said:
It’s because the of the good work from vets like these and the money that coolmore has that we as horse owners will benefit from in the future. And hopefully one day broken bones in horse will be fixed as easily as humans. I think they have done a fantastic job on this horse, yes he has a long road to go but he seems in good spirit I wish him well. But if it all starts to go wrong I hope they let him go to sleep peacefully
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Good post, there won't be any advances unless vets try and Coolmore has all the money and expertise needed to attempt fixing his leg. I can't understand why anyone would think he was better off dead than undergoing an operation.
 
I don't very often post on here but I feel that I have to say that my pony was in the same situation last year although his original injury was different. I am sure that St Nicholas Abbey will be having plenty of pain relief and will be looking forward to his next pick of grass! I am really hoping for the best for him.
 
I have to say I struggle ethically with this. The horse had, in my unqualified view, a catastrophic break, the bone was shattered. I can't help but think the horse is being kept alive, and had such a radical repair, for money, as opposed for the stallions welfare. Even for that, I wonder about the longevity of the joint as his weight will be crashing back down on that joint 200+ times a season as a stallion covering only, never mind being out etc. One of the screws appeared to impinge on the joint surface, which I worry about. I have a number of pins in my pelvis/hip and the pain has never left me. I hope he recovers well, but on the other hand, I wonder about the comfort of his future. I have no doubt he will get the very very best care money can buy, but I also believe there comes a point where you have to say enough is enough, it is not in the animals best interest to continue treatment. I wish him all the best, and I hope he will rally and live a long and happy life, I would be delighted to be proved wrong.
I sadly believe the horse is being kept alive for monetary interests, as opposed to his own welfare :(
 
gadetra said:
I have to say I struggle ethically with this. The horse had, in my unqualified view, a catastrophic break, the bone was shattered. I can't help but think the horse is being kept alive, and had such a radical repair, for money, as opposed for the stallions welfare. Even for that, I wonder about the longevity of the joint as his weight will be crashing back down on that joint 200+ times a season as a stallion covering only, never mind being out etc. One of the screws appeared to impinge on the joint surface, which I worry about. I have a number of pins in my pelvis/hip and the pain has never left me. I hope he recovers well, but on the other hand, I wonder about the comfort of his future. I have no doubt he will get the very very best care money can buy, but I also believe there comes a point where you have to say enough is enough, it is not in the animals best interest to continue treatment. I wish him all the best, and I hope he will rally and live a long and happy life, I would be delighted to be proved wrong.
I sadly believe the horse is being kept alive for monetary interests, as opposed to his own welfare :(
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You don't think that everyone connected with the horse has enough money for that not to be the overriding consideration ?
 
bonny said:
You don't think that everyone connected with the horse has enough money for that not to be the overriding consideration ?
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I think they run a business, and like any business people, want to protect a valuable asset, and future generator of considerable income. I think that is the main concern with an operation of that size. It is not run on heart, it is run by the coolest of business heads. They did not pet their way to the top!

ETA: In my opinion, the horse is being treated for their interests, not his own. I could be wrong, I hope I am, but the cost and suffering he has gone through to get to this point is not inconsiderable and there is a quality of life issue. I would be so proud if an Irish vet practice could succeed in treating such a catastrophic injury.

The Barbaro case springs to mind.
 
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gadetra said:
I think they run a business, and like any business people, want to protect a valuable asset, and future generator of considerable income. I think that is the main concern with an operation of that size. It is not run on heart, it is run by the coolest of business heads. They did not pet their way to the top!
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I never imagined they did ! They have alot of the best bloodlines in the world and alot of the best stallions already. I'm sure they can manage perfectly well without St Nicholas Abbey and that he is easily replaced. They obviously do hold him in high regard and their vets must think he has a chance of being saved for stud duties to have come this far in treating him. I really can't imagine why anyone would think the horse is better off dead....
 
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