We Never Looked Back
Suki’s Story of Survival By Frances Wade-Whittaker
A DRESSAGE RIDER SHARES THE INSPIRATIONAL STORY OF HOW HER OLDENBURG MARE RECOVERED FROM BURNS ON OVER SEVENTY PERCENT OF HER BODY.
Shortly before midnight on July 9, 2009, I was awakened by the ring of my cell phone.
The caller was my friend Bobbi, who boarded her horse Whisby with Suki, my nine-year-old Oldenburg dressage mare, at Pink Star Equestrian in Oley, Pennsylvania. “Fran!” she shouted. “The barn is on fire and they can’t find our horses!” Fearing the worst, Bobbi was able to join volunteers to
search for the horses. With my husband away on business and my then three-year-old son asleep in the next room, I was left to wait for news as I paced in my home, listening to the continuous blare of sirens. I would learn later that it took 120 firefighters from 30 fire companies to get the blaze under control. By 3:00 a.m. the horses had been found in a field
several miles away and were being evaluated by a local veterinarian. Suki was badly injured and in distress. “Does Suki need to be put down?” I frantically asked the veterinarian. “Please tell me.” My main concern was to make sure she didn’t suffer unnecessarily. The vet recommended that she be taken to the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School’s New Bolton Center large animal hospital in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, over an hour away. I was unable to transport her myself, so Bobbi and her husband borrowed a trailer and made the drive.
How do you ever adequately thank someone who left
her own injured horse at a strange farm to transport yours in the middle of the night? I am eternally grateful for their kindness. At 5:00 a.m. I spoke to the admitting veterinarian, Kelly
Kalf, asking the same question: “Does Suki need to be put down?” Dr. Kalf advised that although Suki was critically injured, she was currently stable and comfortable — giving everyone reason to hope. Two hours later, after taking my son Isaiah to
preschool, I made my way to New Bolton with fear in my heart. Donning a protective gown and booties, I stepped into the hospital where my beloved girl stood in a stall surrounded by physicians. Eyes swollen shut and body slathered in silver sulfadiazine ointment to protect and treat the burns, she appeared almost ghostly. Bags of ice were tied on her fetlocks to cover her feet and protect them from developing laminitis. I was devastated but tried to remain calm. “Suki,” I called. She nickered in response and I knew in my heart that we would get through it.
Finding Suki About seven years prior to the fire, my older dressage mare Jenny was getting close to retirement, so I began to search for my next dressage prospect. This task proved to be
Warmbloods Today 13
Jennifer Curry Bandura
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