Doctors at the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Equine Performance and Rehabilitation Center took on a special case this summer that has pushed them to think creatively to help give a young foal named Seven a chance at life.
Seven was born two months premature at 286 days gestation. While 340 days is considered full term, any horse born before 310 days is considered to be nonviable.
But Seven and his caregivers at the College of Veterinary Medicine are fighting daily to help him defy the odds.
Zoe Grace Stoloff, veterinary technician, and Lexie Blair, veterinary technician intern, adjust the leg braces on Seven at the UTCVM Equine Performance and Rehabilitation Center.
The foal was born underdeveloped with no bone in his knees or hocks— only cartilage that had not mineralized. But Seven’s heart, lungs, and brain were developed enough to sustain him.
Seven’s owner, Katie Van Slyke, says for the first three months of his life the foal was in casts and was encouraged to lie down as much as possible to prevent damage to his developing bones.
After the foal’s bones developed, he was brought to UTCVM to work with specialists.
Clinical Assistant Professor of Equine Rehabilitation Tena Ursini began working with Clinical Associate Professor of Small Animal Rehabilitation Marti Drum to acquire custom orthotics for Seven which allowed him to move and bend his legs but still have the support he needs while preventing motion that would cause further damage to his joints.
Lexie Blair, veterinary technician intern, comforts Seven.
In August, at six months old, Seven began taking walks outside to get some sun and learn how to do things a normal horse does, like eat grass. And portions of his orthotics began to be removed in areas that were developing well and didn’t need support any longer.
In the meantime, Seven has become a social media star. Van Slyke chronicles his progress as well as the other animals on her farm on TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram.
“We made the call to try for Seven at the very beginning,” Van Slyke said in an update video in September. “And Seven has done nothing but try for us ever since then. He wants so bad to be a normal horse, and we are trying our best to give him the chance to do that.”
Help horses like Seven by donating to the UTCVM Equine Rehabilitation Certification Fund.