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DancerAren't I a pretty boy? |
Dancer is a brown tobiano APHA gelding placed with us in October 2001. He has one of those dispositions that you just don't come by every day! His owners had purchased him as a 3-year-old for a career as a barrel racing horse. He is very well bred for speed (Easy Jet bloodlines) and his owners went to great lengths in finding this prospect. Unfortunately, Dancer came up lame and x-rays showed a fracture of the extensor process of the distal phalanx (i.e.: bone chip). Without surgery he could not tolerate the physical demands being placed on him as a barrel racing horse. With the cost of surgery estimated at approximately $6,000 with a 65% chance of a 100% recovery (necessary for barrel racing) the owners where faced with a difficult decision. Not having surgery meant that Dancer would not be able to barrel race, yet he could still be utilized in ranch work and trail riding.
Not impressed with the odds with the surgery, his owners were truly beside themselves as to what to do. Their concerns surrounding the issue of "selling" him were for Dancer and his quality of life. Understanding that it was virtually impossible to guarantee this quality if they were to sell him, they turned him out to pasture.
Dancer was "pastured" for about a year when the owners heard about Ally's Haven. It was a situation where we (Ally's Haven) had purchased some hay from the owners ranch and had included a brochure with our payment. The next time we went out to buy hay, the owner asked about our program. We provided more information and received a call later indicating their desire to place Dancer with us.
Dancer was brought on site and re-evaluated as to his prognosis. Because Dancer can have quality of live without surgery, we looked at the possibility of placing him with a foster family that would utilize him based on his physical capabilities without having to put him through the surgery and the 10 month post-op recovery.
Current Status
Dancer was placed with a foster family for several years but has had to recently return to Ally's Haven due to his bone chip. His bone chip has gotten larger and he now will have to have surgery. We are working on the logistics of his surgery at this time; we will provide updates on Dancer's condition as they become available.
