Bond, James Bond is this fella's registered name. We call him Bond. He is a 7YO black American Saddlebred gelding and one of the friendliest and engaging horses we have had at the rescue. He has had lesson and show horse training but it is doubtful that he will ever be ridden again. He is recovering from a shoulder injury that occurred March 2006. The medical report from CSU indicates that he has some arthritis in that shoulder along with some large bone cysts caused by trauma. He stands at just over 15.3H and weighs about 1000 lbs. He is a friendly, respectful horse who seeks our attention and is very calm and easy to be around.
Update: September 15, 2007: Bond's shoulder will be injected again in the morning. Although he remains friendly and out of pain, he has not chosen to move around much in the past two weeks. Another medical consultation revealed that there is no surgical correction that can be made. It's a "wait and see" situation.
Update: November 7, 2007. Bond is showing us that his life is worth living even though he is not usable as a riding horse. He continues to be Mr. Personality. He will need a steroid injection periodically to resolve pain issues as well as bute paste to help with inflammation. Bond is developing an interesting 3-legged lope and has learned to buck and rear to release energy without involving that right shoulder. He has a girlfriend and is playing "uncle" to the two weanlings. He is an inventive horse and one that has told us he's not done yet.
Update: March 8, 2008. Bond is still with us. He has survived the coldest part of the winter and continues to gimp around, happily head-boxing with the other horses over the fenceline, or racing along with his odd-looking three-legged canter. He does not show us that he is in pain and in fact, only shows us engaging behaviors with his equine buddies as well as his human buddies. So far, he is an absolute keeper!