This, again and again in so many circumstances, we get carried away with what possibly we can do, without ever considering the cost. There is only one death to be had, and we all pray for ourselves and others that it is a merciful one. There are many kinds of living hell to be endured, when we think we know better.
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In the newest video she comments under it that he’s “Currently on NO pain meds!” with a hand clap emoji. Like it’s a good thing… Stating that he’s ‘learning to lead’ - which means that someone is standing behind him poking his butt while someone tugs at his halter or physically places the unsplinted leg forward to encourage the splinted leg to move forward to balance.
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The franken-foal needs to be euthanized. He does not deserve to be the star of a science experiment.
The benefit of misfortune the owner continues to thrive off of on social media is disgusting.
A cruel future awaits that foal, he deserves freedom from pain, now.
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I’ve always loved the difference between veterinary medicine and human medicine in that it’s so much easier to ease the suffering and realize your limitations with animals. In humans we don’t have that gift. We have made strides towards assauging pain for people facing dying but we are still largely constrained by allowing a natural death. In animals we can see the forest for the trees and euthanize. Euthanasia. A good death. The essential meaning. WTF are these people doing?
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I believe the proper answer is this:
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I watched it.
He looks better but very far from having a normal life without drastic management. He can walk down a flat aisle way at a very slow pace.
I hope the vets are learning a lot of able to drastically improve how they care for premature foals, cause this baby has been through the wringer.
His respiration rate, whenever they pause on his face, is so high for a horse just standing. That guy is in pain. There’s absolutely zero way he can’t be.
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I think the hardest thing for me with this one, beyond the foal himself, is that a whole generation of vets are in school now watching their mentors do this and learning that this is the most ethical thing to do. They’re going to go into the world and when real world constraints happen, they’ll experience a lot of stress from feeling they’re being asked to compromise what they believe to be best practices. Dr Ursini comments that they are learning a lot about what can be done in cases like this and I cringe a little, honestly. Even if he does end up somewhat pasture sound, then that’s a success now? And it’s the new standard of practice?
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Apparently, success is being alive. Let’s not get into if it can walk, run, enjoy anything… just being alive is the success, I guess.
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How does the foal lay down and then get back up again? Is he assisted or can he do it on his own?
Good question. I thought that the ability to lie down and get back up unassisted was a key factor in determining QOL and whether it’s time to euth. Same with being able to stand and walk comfortably.
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I see Seven’s soft eyes and love a foal’s face but Seven is a catastrophe from the throat latch back.
Frankly, at this point it seems like the study is “how much weight will he gain before his limbs completely collapse?”
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The way his joints look, I can’t imagine he won’t quickly become REALLY uncomfortable once he grows more, even if his growth is stunted. I can appreciate that there is a lot to be learned medically from his case, but the poor guy just does not look happy.
Our colt has some scars from his splints and supports that were necessary in early days, so I understand some sores can be part of it, but Seven has been going through this for SO long, and with no hope of any sort of normal life. I feel for them because no matter what, they will have people mad at their decisions, plus I understand wanting to have hope for a life you bred. It would be tough.
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I think you are both correct. The bones where there, but they were just cartilage.
KVS vids pop up on my FB page frequently.
Yesterday there was a fairly recent one with yet another foal at the vet hospital.
This one - IIRC - is less than a month old, has bandaged front legs, hoof to elbow & is unable/unwilling to stand to nurse without an assist.
Poor thing is trying to suckle on her fingers as she sits with his head in her lap, saying “He’s so hungry!”
And she states no money will be spared in this case either.
It gave me an odd feeling & made me wonder what kind of breeding program they’ve got there.
& Where the unending Fount of $$ comes from.
Seven is one thing, but this makes 2.
Are there more?
Munchausen-ish vibes 
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Hold up. She has another premature foal?
Does anyone know this person IRL? Are they doing something strange here? I think someone mentioned in vitro and or embryo transfer. Are they using older quality sperm from a deceased stallion? Are they just picking up random auction mares to be recipients? Where is the weak link?
If none of those issues are going on here, than this breeder is starting to sound like that crazy woman in Virginia that destroyed her horse’s hooves.
As far as I know, there is no other foal of hers at the hospital. Maybe that was an older video of this same foal?
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Well, that benchmark has yet to be reached. He looks almost non-weight bearing on the left front, the lumpy one without any brace or cast. Yet the right front, the leg with the most hardware, buckles backward each time he puts weight on it regardless of the apparatus.
I think it’s all a giant case study with lots of papers being written on poor Seven’s travails from a variety of veterinary specialties. As long as the money keeps flowing in, Seven will continue to get experimented on. I mean “treated.” At least that’s how I feel about it.
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I don’t think there are two. She has weaned all the others from this year. I think everything else has unloaded (given birth) successfully (the minis, goats and the mini donkey). I have noticed some pretty old stuff pops up on my FB. I look at the date…if it is old, I don’t even bother to look. The description sounds like Seven. They tried to get him nursing but that never worked and they took the mare home pretty early on.
I think maybe some of the issue is KVS doesn’t see him much other than the vet hospitals’ video reports. I don’t know…Seven is way past the point where I think he could have any quality of life. I don’t know why they (Katie and the vets) can’t see that too. I guess they just see the $$$. Katie that can dole them out and the vet hospital going whoopee…blank check?
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