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TOUGH Twister, the nation’s favourite show jumping horse who suffered horrific burns in a freak accident, continues to defy the odds as he slowly makes strides to recovery.
He is being treated by one of the Royal Stables most skilled veterinarians and is also now wearing a pair of state-of-the-heart shoe heels created by a leading farrier to help him cope with a crippling laminitis condition.
Owner Jerri Taylor said: “Twister has had a bit of run for the worse by getting laminitis in both front legs. He sleeps a lot which is good as it takes the pressure off and he seems to still be in good spirits. He is defiantly a tough horse and has a strong will to survive.”
As reported in GulfWeekly, Twister is slowly recovering under the care of Dr Lidia Bizhenka, one of the Royal Family’s top vets … with the support of the whole equine community and other animal-lovers.
The stunning Dutch Warmblood, standing 18.2hands tall, is proving to be a wonder horse after making incredible strides against the odds after sustaining 65 per cent burns.
A fund-raising event was recently staged to help cover the cost of his treatment at Bahrain Rugby Football Club. Supporters wore Help Save Twister T-shirts and manned stalls containing a variety of goodies on sale.
Since GulfWeekly highlighted the community’s involvement, the campaign has continued to grow in strength … just like Twister.
“The response has been FANTASTIC!” said Jerri, stable manager and horse riding instructor at Al Maha Stables. “Everyone was out looking to buy the paper. I received another BD330 donation dropped off to the clinic by other supporters. I have to say it again how much your support means to all of us. Everyone was very excited.”
Calamity struck 18-year-old Twister when he got loose from his groom and ran into a smouldering pile of manure. A dry pile had recently been placed on top of the burning waste and when he ran into it, flames suddenly shot up his legs. It spooked him and he fell over on to his side.
In similar circumstances in Bahrain, the horse would likely have been euthanised, but horse lover Jerri and a friend convinced his owner to allow them to purchase him in an attempt to save his life.
Twister will stay with Dr Lidia at the clinic in the Endurance Village in Zallaq until his stance has stabled and his wounds healed, which will probably take between four to seven months, although full recovery could take as long as two years.
His legs are also suffering from pastern dermatitis, a skin reaction that affects the horse’s lower legs, but being diagnosed and treated early, there’s a good chance of full recovery in around a month.
Dr Lidia was born in Brest, Belarus, and for most of her life lived in the Russian port city on the Baltic Sea of St Petersburg before moving to work in Moscow. She first came to the kingdom three years ago to deliver a horse to His Majesty King Hamad, a gift from Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Photographs showing before and after treatment of Twister’s back legs show how badly they had swelled up and now they are back to normal. “A huge ‘thank you’ to Dr Lidia, she has done an amazing job. Her hard work and commitment to Twister had been amazing, we are so lucky to have her,” added Jerri.
As well as care, the vet is giving twister plenty of cuddles too and calling on friends for support. It has been suggested in equine circles that farriers are around because ‘even vets need heroes’.
Responsible for the trimming, shoeing, health and overall well-being of all feet in their charge, a farrier works specifically with horses, although they need training as a blacksmith to learn techniques for shaping the shoes. In short, all farriers are blacksmiths, but not all blacksmiths are farriers.
Stephane Perennes, a farrier at the Royal Stables, has stepped in to help. Twister was suffering from great pressure on the coronary band, the special cell structure at the top of the hoof that generates the hoof wall.
Bandages and a silicone pad are providing support. “Thank goodness we have a farrier that knows how to use silicone!” said Jerri, “also, if you notice, the shoes have been put on backwards, providing more support to the back of the hoof and allowing pressure to be released in the front.
“I’d like to thank everyone so much on Twister’s behalf for their prayers, good vibes and love. It gives him the strength to keep on fighting.”
