May 18, 2013
Her name is lucky, but her story didn't start off on the right hoof.
Lori Woodham, CEO of Seal Cares and Animal Rescue, said, “Lucky had never been out of a stall and was standing in feces about 3 feet deep.”
But lucky was suffering from more than just bad luck.
Severe bone tendons had crippled both her front hooves.
Ronnie Graves, Prosthetic Expert, said, “That basically means her feet are folded way backwards and they're fixed. They can't straighten out. It would be similar to you walking on the front part of your ankle with your feet sticking backwards.”
Lucky's three and it's too late for surgery.
But Woodham and Graves were determined to find a way to turn her bad luck around.
Graves said, “I made her a pair of front leg braces…it gives her some support and it gives her comfort.”
Comfort he knows can make or break a spirit, horse or human.
Graves said, “Years ago, I got hit by the wheel of a train and I had to pull my own leg off to get away from it. I needed a leg to stand on and the state of Florida rehab got me involved in prosthetics.”
Prosthetics that brought him to this arena and a little luck to Lucky's side.
Woodham said, “We will have to be on a schedule. She'll have them on for two hours, off for two hours for a week, then we'll switch. It is going to take a lot of work on our part, but this is something we wanted to do.”
Hard work so a lucky horse can start over on the right hooves.
