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Horseytalk.net Special Interview
Molly the Pony, Meet Riley the Mare.
Now hear this: Horses can and do survive on three
legs. Most will survive amputation surgery. Prosthetic
limbs can be built and fitted for a horse's leg.
Owners and caretakers are capable of removing and
re-attaching the device.
But it's not something you hear about every day.
If Dr. Ted Vlahos has his way, that's all about to change.
Following the success of the #1 best-selling children's
book, Molly
the Pony, this summer, many people shook their
heads in wonderment and said, "Amazing!" "A
miracle!" "What a breakthrough!"
But to a group of hard-working veterinarians who have been
perfecting the procedure of equine limb amputation and prosthetic
therapy, Molly wasn't as much a miracle as she was the poster
child that they needed to make the veterinary world take
a second look at amputation as a viable alternative for salvaging
injured horses who might otherwise be euthanized.
Molly the Pony isn't alone in the spotlight anymore. This week,
the well-known Best
Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah unveiled their
new resident, a three-legged buckskin Quarter horse mare named
Riley. When Riley hobbled into Best Friends last spring, she
was knuckling over on one hind leg, and the shelter opted for
fusion surgery. Unfortunately, the surgery was not successful
and the mare suffered from infection.
Enter Dr. Ted Vlahos of Sheridan Equine Hospital in Wyoming.
For years, he has been working on amputation cases with Dr. Barrie
Grant in California and Dr. Ric Redden in Kentucky. Together,
they could fill a stable with their successful cases. Vlahos
had the mare sent to Wyoming, where he performed the amputation
surgery and tended to the mare's recovery.
Riley returned to the Best Friends horse facility with her
new leg and her new outlook on life. Dr. Vlahos instructed the
staff on how to care for her and the prosthetic limb.
Riley will live out the rest of her days at the Sanctuary,
where she will be treated, for the most part, like any other
horse, albeit one who requires a few extra steps in her stable
routine. The Sanctuary hopes that Riley's good health and
mobility will be a feather in Vlahos's cap, and encourage
more veterinarians to seek amputation options for horses
who might otherwise have only one option.
Note: If the name of Best
Friends sounds familiar, there's a reason.
They are certainly a high-profile animal sanctuary organization
in their own right, but they were in the news this summer
for successfully rehabilitating 22 of the pit bulls confiscated
in a dog fighting raid at the home of football star Michael
Vick.
Be Inspired by Molly, the 3 legged horse - she has a purpose!
Meet Molly. She’s a gray speckled pony who was abandoned
by her owners when Katrina hit southern Louisiana, USA.
She spent weeks on her own before finally being rescued
and taken to a farm where abandoned animals were stockpiled.
While there, she was attacked by a pit bull terrier, and
almost died. Her gnawed right front leg became infected and
her vet went to LSU for help. But LSU was overwhelmed, and
this pony was a welfare case. You know how that goes.
But after surgeon Rustin Moore met Molly, he changed his
mind. He saw how the pony was careful to lie down on diff-
erent sides so she didn’t seem to get sores, and how
she allowed people to handle her. She protected her injured
leg. She constantly shifted her weight, and didn’t
overload her good leg. She was a smart pony with a serious
survival ethic.
Moore agreed to remove her leg below the knee and a temporary
artificial limb was built. Molly walked out of the clinic
and her story really begins there.
“This was the right horse and the right owner,” Moore
insists. Molly happened to be a one-in-a-million patient.
She’s tough as nails, but sweet, and she was willing
to cope with pain. She made it obvious she understood (that)
she was in trouble. The other important factor, according
to Moore, is having a truly committed and compliant owner
who is dedicated to providing the daily care required over
the lifetime of the horse.
Molly’s story turns into a parable for life in post-Katrina
Louisiana. The little pony gained weight, her mane felt a
comb. A human prosthesis designer built her a leg.
The prosthetic has given Molly a whole new life, Allison
Barca DVM, Molly’s regular vet, reports. And she asks
for it! She will put her little limb out, and come to you
and let you know that she wants you to put it on. Sometimes
she wants you to take it off too.” And sometimes,
Molly gets away from Barca. “It can be pretty bad when
you can’t catch a three-legged horse,” she laughs.
Most important of all, Molly has a job now.
Kay, the rescue farm owner, started taking Molly to shelters,
hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers. Anywhere she
thought that people needed hope.
Wherever Molly went, she showed people her pluck. She inspired
people. And she had a good time doing it.
“It’s obvious to me that Molly had a bigger
role to play in life”, Moore said, “She survived
the hurricane, she survived a horrible injury, and now she
is giving hope to others.” “She’s not back
to normal,” Barca concluded, “but she’s
going to be better. To me, she could be a symbol for New
Orleans itself.”
This is Molly’s most recent prosthesis. The left
side photo shows the ground surface that she stands on, which
a smiley face has embossed in it. Wherever Molly goes, she
leaves a smiley hoof print behind!
Molly with her cast
at home after surgery
As you can see by the
picture Molly is doing exceptionally well.The prosthesis
is now being worn by Molly daily. She is able to move quite
easily and has accepted her new leg with pride
A book about Molly is available
now. Written by By Pam Kaster Published April 2008 "Molly
the Pony - a True Story" is a laminated
hard cover book perfect for children. Molly's story has a
message of courage and hope. Great for people facing amputation
challenges, or just a good lesson in life for everyone.
For more information and to order this book - click
here.
