Symphony's Legacy

Symphony, a little Welsh Pony who came to us in August of 2008 has left our Lockwood ranch for UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. After a long life as a friend and teacher to children, then a teacher to Redwings visitors, she now fulfills one last duty: to help other horses suffering from an unusual disease.

Symphony came to Redwings in unusual circumstances for us. She had never been abused or neglected; not in the least. She started her working life as a child’s hunter/jumper show pony, and then became a much-loved gentle lesson pony for fifteen years where she was a favorite of ranch boarders and students alike.

Unfortunately for her and the many children who learned from her and loved her, she was then diagnosed with an unusual degenerative bone condition called silicosis osteoporosis. This condition causes her bones to become brittle and easily broken. Her days of being ridden were over. Her owners could not afford to board a non-working horse, and came to Redwings to help.

Symphony presented an unusual situation for Redwings. We normally only rescue horses who have been abused or neglected and cannot find another home, and Symphony certainly did not fit that profile. However, part of our mission is to help educate people about horses, and Symphony’s condition would help us have a discussion about this disease with our supporters. Additionally, her friendliness and gentleness would bring a great deal of enjoyment to our staff and visitors. She arrived, full of life, at her permanent home at the Redwings ranch in Lockwood on August 14, 2008. However, we knew her time with us would likely be too short.

Symphony was everything we expected her to be: perky and obviously enjoying being in the grass turnouts. We carefully chose a stall for her because dust is very harmful to horses suffering silicosis. Veterinarians suggested putting Symphony on a low dose of bute, a painkiller, to help keep her comfortable.

Horses with silicosis typically live a year past the diagnosis before the pain becomes unbearable. Just shy of a year past Symphony’s diagnosis date, she was showing signs of discomfort. Her right shoulder began to deform and was sticking out of her shoulder joints, causing her more pain. Our farriers trimmed her feet so that she stood more on her heels; veterinarians changed her medicine to Banamine, a stronger anti-inflammatory, and the staff kept her out of the grass turnout for fear that her running and playing could cause her to break a bone. She clearly would soon be in more pain than anyone could ease, and our staff and veterinarians began to discuss her options, including euthanasia.

Our staff had been in contact with Dr. Murray from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine to see whether her condition could provide valuable research for them. We also chose a date for her to be euthanized if she was not accepted into their program. Fortunately for everyone, Dr. Murray called our ranch to say that Symphony was accepted, and to begin her preparations.

To prepare Symphony for the program, Dr. Baker from Monterey County Equine gave her medicines to help the researchers analyze her bones more easily. During her last fifteen days at our Lockwood ranch, she received extra attention from visitors and her friends, with extra groomings and horse cookies as a bittersweet sendoff.

On August 3, Redwings staff brought Symphony to UC Davis where their staff showed us where she would live. The veterinary staff at UC Davis will use various diagnostic tools such as ultrasound and bone scans to test their effectiveness in diagnosing this disease, as well as doing a detailed analysis of her blood to see how blood tests might help in early diagnosis of the disease in other horses. During these tests, she will be sedated to minimize her discomfort. Their staff will then humanely euthanize her, and veterinarians and veterinary students will examine her bones and other tissue to help with the research of this disease, and will preserve them for future research.

Symphony has had a magnificently full life. She was the pride of a child for showing, a gentle riding teacher for many other children, and now she provides crucial research data needed to prevent suffering in other horses that share this disease.

To Symphony, a pony who touched so many lives:

SOMEWHERE

Author: Unknown

Somewhere, somewhere, in God's own space,

there must besome sweet, pastured place

Where creeks sing on, and tall trees grow; some paradise where horses go.

For by the love that guides my pen, I know great horses live again.

Thank you, Symphony

From all of those you have touched.