Before and After Photos of Rio's Injuries

I wanted you to see just how bad Rio's knee was right after the accident and how far he had come. In the first photo, you can see the bones of the knee and just below the bones, the streds of damaged ligaments that cross over the face of the knee.


Before:






After 60 days, the tissue has granulated in, the joint is no longer exposed and new hair is growing:






I am having problems posting more photos but I think you get the idea of what I have been doctoring for the past couple of months. The wound over his whithers was the size of a football, now it is the size of my forefinger. The wound on the right hip was the size of a melon, now is the size of an egg. Lots of scrapes but over time, the wounds will heal and the hair will grow back.

It sure could have been alot worse. I am amazed at all the stories I have been told about horses getting drug along side a trailer or a horse falling through the floor. It is truly a gift that Rio is still with me.

Rio's Remarkable Recovery

It has been 60 days since Rio's trailer accident. Everyone is stunned at how fast Rio is healing. This week for the first time, Rio was trotting around the paddock, completely sound! It was just a few steps at first as if to test his leg. Then little by little each day, he takes more and more steps, even bucking and cantering. You can tell he is being cautious but he is taking the steps all on his own.

Since Rio returned home in July, I wanted to give him every possible chance to heal. I have taken Rio to a chiropracter to adjust his right hip. It was 1.5 inches lower than the left side. The corrections that were made two weeks ago are holding just fine. We do flexing and stretching excersises daily. Rio hates this part but tolerates my yanking and pulling on his leg. In a two week period, his range of motion increased by 50%! He still has a bit of a problem when he wants to roll. He will try to go down about three times before he really bends that knee underneath him. He knows best what hurts and what doesn't, so I don't want to push him too much.

I also had Rio to the Animal Theraputic Center of the Rockies for cold saltwater therapy, icy cold 58 degree water over his knee for 20 minutes for 10 days. This stimulates the blood flow to the wound, increasing the healing and decreasing the swelling. This therapy is well-known in Europe and just becoming more popular around the racetracks here in the states. It really helps soft tissue injuries. I would really like to swim Rio for a month over the winter to get those tendons across his knee re-attached. The tendons probably will not re-grow across the face of his knee but the swimming will strenghten the surrounding tendons and ligaments enough to stabilize and support the joint.

For now, I will continue to pony Rio around the pasture on Hank. Then taking him along on trail ride so Rio has to go up and down hills. Realistically, I think by spring, Rio could be back under saddle again, as a green 6 yr old! I have to keep from rushing things which is hard to do when I see so much progress in his recovery. I will just rely on Rio to tell me what he needs to do. And so far, all looks good.

It will still be a long road to full recovery but he has made it this far. I never used antibiotics or steriods since Rio left the vet clinic. I have used only all natural products from Total Health Enhancement. I used MyBeau Equine vitamins to keep his immune system strong and stomach ulcer free. There are alternatives to chemicals, injections, pills and steriods. If anyone wants to contact me for more information on what I have been treating Rio with, I will be glad to share the details.

There is a bright light at the end of the tunnel. I keep thinking that there is a reason I didn't have to put him down, that he didn't have a broken knee or leg. Maybe his big brother, Maverick, has been looking out for him from above.