fappani-iceman

Veterinarian Offers Updates On Horses Involved In Reining By The Bay Incident

fappani-icemanSG Frozen Enterprize and Andrea Fappani, pictured earlier this year after their win at the National Reining Breeders ClassicDr. John Newcomb, who treated the horses involved in the incident at Reining By The Bay, reported that there were two horses exhibiting very similar clinical signs, though SG Frozen Enterprise seemed a little more severe in his reaction. Both horses were treated aggressively for gastrointestinal-related abnormalities and both seem to be recovering well as of the afternoon of July 27.

The toxicology report taken to pinpoint the abnormalities will take five to seven days to come back with results, but Newcomb warned that the results might not pinpoint the exact cause.

“It’s a good reminder that there are a lot of things that you can give a horse that can cause problems that will not show up on toxicology reports,” he said. “Toxicology reports look for drugs or drug metabolizers, or a foreign chemical that was given to the horse. There are a lot of things that can be given to horses that won’t show up on a toxicology report anywhere, so we might not be fortunate enough to pinpoint the cause of the symptoms.”

Newcomb also pointed out that they aren’t assuming there was foul play involved in the incidents.

“But you have to consider that when there are two horses that are in very controlled environments, very controlled diets, and are monitored very closely, when they have similar symptoms like that,” he said.

SG Frozen Enterprize’s owner Michael Miola, of Silver Spurs Equine, stated that “Iceman” was recovering well as of the afternoon of July 27, and that with a week or stall rest and hand walking, he should be back to his old self.

“He is one tough hombre,” said Miola.

Miola has said that he will be retiring Iceman from the show pen, citing fear that something might happen to him like this again.

I love him too much for that,” he said. “I believe he was destined to become one of our greatest breeding sires. He doesn’t have to prove anything in the show pen that he hasn’t done over and over again.

“(It’s) funny how fate works. If Iceman didn’t have that bobble in the NRHA Derby and he won it like he was supposed to he would have been retired then and there,” he continues. “But Andrea wanted to show him one more time to prove how great he is. Now I am kicking myself for letting my ego get the better of me. I will never forgive myself for putting my precious Iceman in harms way.”

As for the horse with the nail driven in the hoof, believed to be Thebettertohearuwith, Newcomb says they are taking another set of radiographs today.