Yearling colt recovers after 'playing rough' results in serious injury

Ex-professional carriage driver Debbie Wicks (née Cowdery) lives in rural north Cumbria and these days has just three horses, which she enjoys in her leisure time alongside a busy career as an online marketing consultant.

Overwater Kestrel is an eyecatching, athletic yearling colt, part bred Hanoverian and currently standing at 15.2hh, although he is expected to mature at an imposing 16.2hh-17.0hh. Debbie bought him from his Cumbrian breeder in early spring and he has been happily enjoying the company of her 7-year-old sport horse stallion Prince of Durness out in the paddock, whilst getting on with the serious business of growing up.

Kestrel on the day of
injury, May 6th, 2017

However boys do play rough, sometimes too rough and it’s nearly always the little fella’ who comes off worst. So when Debbie went out to check her horses on May 6^th, all looked fine from a distance, but as she got closer, she could see blood running down Kestrel’s neck and that he had sustained a puncture wound on one side of it. “It was probably caused by his field companion, my stallion Prince, as they do get hold of each other’s necks when they play, but Kestrel has so little muscle as yet, hence the injury.”

Debbie brought him into a stable for a closer look, then called out her vet, who flushed the wound and removed some muscle that had been bitten through, before stitching the tissues together very neatly. “He had to stay in his stable, on box rest”, explains Debbie, “so I immediately started to use my ArcEquine microcurrent unit on him for a three hour daily treatment.”

The day the wound burst open
May 12th, 2017

“For a few days, things looked good, but on May 12^th, the wound burst open due to necrotic muscle tissue. My vet came out again and at that point, there were two significant holes into which the vet could put his fingers! This time, he rinsed out the wound with an iodine solution and left it open to drain, without any further stitches. I was left to flush it four times a day with a weak iodine solution in a squeezy bottle.

“He told me that it was going to take months to heal and warned that it could develop into a case of fistulous withers, which didn’t sound good. However I’ve had very significant success with microcurrent therapy and continued his daily treatments with my ArcEquine unit, as Kestrel still had to be kept inside. I also started using Manuka honey, but that was all.

Kestrel on May 26th, 2017
with trouble-free healing
well advanced

“Initially Kestrel had been on antibiotics, because of the chance of infection, along with an anti-inflammatory, but I know the ArcEquine is also very good at relieving pain and he didn’t even have to finish the course of ‘bute prescribed. However I did have to give him feed and water at a raised level, as he wouldn’t bend his neck down to the floor in the early stages of healing.”

Debbie kept in touch with her vet by email and text, sending regular photographs of Kestrel’s neck,, but it wasn’t until June 7^th that the vet visited again, for the purpose of routine vaccinations. “He couldn’t believe how well it had healed”, remembers Debbie with a smile. “He said – oh it has to be eight weeks since it happened - but I said no, it’s only been a month!”

June 23rd, 2017 and Kestrel is back
out in the field having forgotten all
about his injury

Explaining about her use of the ArcEquine microcurrent unit, Debbie said; “I’ve been involved with a lot of horses all of my life and I have never encountered a piece of equipment like the ArcEquine. It achieves such amazing healing results with the wide variety of injuries and traumatic accidents that happen all too regularly to horses and ponies. Anyone considering buying one needs to just evaluate the purchase cost against potential savings in ongoing equine healthcare costs – and the amazingly positive effect it has on wellbeing. I think it’s an essential piece of kit for every horse owner to have in their arsenal.”

Debbie Wicks and Overwater Kestrel,
now back to full health

As for Kestrel, well he’s already forgotten all about it and is back out again grazing in the paddock and just being a healthy, happy yearling colt again.

To find out more about ArcEquine microcurrent technology, visit www.arcequine.com or contact 01580 755504.

Find out more about microcurrent technology for human use at www.arc4health.com and www.arc4sports.com

Coffee break with Andrew Hoy

Introduce yourself

I am a kid who grew up on a farm in the Australian countryside who just loves horses and riding. I am lucky to be able to do for a living what I enjoy most – riding horses. In 39 years of international competition the horses have taken me around the world to the most outstanding places and I have been fortunate to meet the most wonderful people.

Where are you based? Tell us a little about your yard location and facilities.

I’m based at Somerby Stables, Somerby in Leicestershire. I run my own training facility with the capacity for up to 28 horses – some of them are my competition horses and some of them are ridden by students who are training with me. We are lucky to have fantastic facilities, including indoor and outdoor arenas.

What is your main competition discipline and at which level(s) are you involved?

Eventing, at Top International Level and I’ve competed at seven Olympic Games.

Tell us a little about your top horses

Rutherglen is a fantastic athlete and at the same time one of my best friends. I bought him as a 4 year old stallion in Germany, so we have come a long way together and got to know one another very well. Within my team of horses he is the absolute perfectionist; he loves to be out and busy and wants to do everything right. He is a real overachiever and at the same time a very sensitive character. He is a ‘people´s person‘ –very observant, loves attention, is a very kind personality and enjoys his competitions. Just  a real pleasure to have around!

The Blue Frontier joined the Hoy Team in March 2015, coming from World Champion Sandra Auffarth´s yard in Ganderkesee, Germany.
Blue is a real character and a wonderful horse and I since starting to work with him I have grown very fond of him! His ability to move and jump is enormous and after getting to know one another, we can´t wait to get out there and compete!

Cheeky Calimbo is Cheeky by name and by nature. He has been with me since 2009 and I am convinced he can read and write! He is one of the most extraordinary and talented horses I have ever ridden, a huge character, enormously intelligent and ‘secret favourite‘ of my girlfriend. Although one of the smallest horses on the yard, he is the most dominant in a very clever way – and clearly  ‘The Boss‘ at Somerby Stables.

When I saw Composer for the first time at the Holsteiner Elite auction in Germany in 2008 he immediately caught my eye - he is such a beautiful and elegant tall horse with outstanding movements and a jaw-dropping scope in his jump. Although one of the tallest horses on the yard he is also one of the shy characters – but a true competitor. He is enormously talented so has found it easy to come up through the grades – I believe he is going to be a ‘big time‘ horse and I am very much looking forward to this season with him!

What have been the highlights of the current season so far?  

They are still to come, hopefully!

What other major successes have you enjoyed in your equine career to date?

Three Olympic Team Gold Medals, one Olympic Individual Silver Medal and wins of CCI4*s at Burghley, Badminton, Kentucky & Luhmühlen

With whom do you train regularly?

Gareth Hughes & Beatrice Bürchler-Keller (former Olympic Judge) in the Dressage and Ros Morgan in the Showjumping

Which three tasks do you carry out EVERY day on the yard?

Briefing for the day with my team, checking all my horses’ legs and entering all details of the training of the horses into a diary

How do your horses benefit from the use of ArcEquine’s microcurrent technology and why you feel it is an important element in your success?

 “If you are standing still – you are moving backwards. I have been competing at international level for 39 years and continually strive to improve not only the horses’  training but all daily measurements around the management of my horses. They are top athletes and it is imperative to me that no stone is left unturned to support their health and wellbeing. Since experiencing positive results during a trial period, all of the horses in my care receive treatments with ArcEquine – whether it is in a period of recovery after hard work, coming back from an injury or just to maintain their wellbeing. I believe in the product and am proud to stand for it as an Ambassador.”

What happens next?

The World Equestrian Games (WEG) in 2018 and theTokyo Olympics in 2020.

What is your favourite meal?

Grilled seabass and salad

What are your most worn items of clothing?

Jeans

Snow or beach holiday?

Snow

Cats or Dogs?

Both – We have a cat, Garfield and two dogs, Isaac Newton and  Ivanhoe

And finally – Tea or Coffee?

Coffee