For Dr. Melissa Kielty of Pioneer Equine Veterinary Services in California, horses are more than just her profession, they are her passion. Among them is Melissa’s ‘heart horse’, Ciao Bella, a cherished mare who had already given so much to her family. Before they acquired her, Ciao Bella had an extensive jumping career and under Melissa’s daughter, she successfully competed in the Children’s and 3’3” Junior Hunters. When Melissa was recovering from a serious shoulder injury, the mare gave her the confidence to start riding again.
In the Spring of 2023, Ciao Bella came up lame in her right hind leg. The diagnosis led to arthroscopy and multiple treatments with orthobiologics, all of which provided some improvement, but something was still missing. Her canter lacked quality, and she was reluctant in her work. Despite everything they had tried, retirement seemed inevitable.
“She already had a forever home, but I was devastated at the thought of having to retire her.” says Melissa.
Before making that difficult decision, Melissa decided to try one more approach: Arthramid. Melissa treated Ciao Bella in both stifles, hoping it would provide the relief and mobility.
“Before retiring her I decided to put Arthramid in her stifles. That was about five months ago. She now has a better canter and a more powerful jump than she did when we bought her in 2020”.
Over the following months, Ciao Bella’s canter becoming more balanced and powerful, her jump regained strength and she looked better than she had in years.
At the Sacramento International Horse Show just 5 months post treatment, she competed in the 3’3” Junior Hunters with Melissa’s daughter, gaining Reserve Champion, with scores of 80 in the classic round and 85 in the handy round of the National Hunter Derby.
“People keep stopping me to tell me how great she looks and I’m thrilled to tell them Arthramid has given my Princess a second show career. I will be forever grateful!”
What once seemed like the end of a career turned into an exciting new chapter. Thanks to Arthramid, Ciao Bella isn’t just sound. She’s thriving.
For a more technical insight into this case, head over to our Joint Spotlight: The Stifle blog
