WHY DESTROY THEM?

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 278, 23 August 1945, Page 9

WHY DESTROY THEM?

Thoroughbreds Who Break

Legs SPECIALIST’S THEORIES I By bi. Simon. > In the opinion of a Christchurch orthopaedic specialist it should be possible for horses with broken legs to be treated in the same manner that human beings are treated. During my visit to the Grand National meeting I was privileged to hear this professional man expound his theories. If they could be proved by practical experiment veterinary science in this conn try would make a worth-while step in progress. Whether horses in training could be saved for further raciujr is problematical, but if it means that breeding stock could be preserved a valuable contribution would be made to the thoroughbred breeding industry. For obvious reasons the specialist desires to remain anonymous. For some time be has held the view that what is possible with human beings should also bo possible with horses. It was a fact, lie said, that a man could break a leg today and because of the advance made in modern orthopaedy the limb could be set. up in plaster and he could bo walking on It tomorrow. Nature provided the horse with a tougher akin and more hair on thrt limbs than human beings and thus there was a stronger foundation for the surgeon to work on and he saw no reason why, with due care and skill, the broken Jimi) of a horse could not be set and cradled and given the chance to re-knit. There were difficulties to be overcome tn performing the operation, but these were not insurmountable.

Veterinary science has progressed if* England and on the Continent to the point where bone fractures arc now being treated, but what results have been obtained are not known at present. I have been told that cases arc known In France where horses in training have had brok on leg#; repaired and have resinned racing. As far as New Zealand is concerned, a broken leg means a quick dispatch witn a gun. Every season there is a large mortality r«ite both on I lie race track and in the breeding studs due to racing and paddock accidents and a substantial list could he compiled of stallions and brood mares who have been destroyed because of broken legs. , . The most recent case is 4 that oi salmagundi who was kicked by a marc and had a leg broken. This stallion was destroyed at a time when he was at the peak of his career as a *irc and his loss was a severe one tn his owner and to the breeding industry as a whole.. If horses of this type can be saved the experiment Is well worth a trial. Owners ami breeders who care to interest themselves in this subject, are invitou to communicate with the writer.