Some people wait a lifetime to breed a filly like this one! Shambala Top This (aka Flirt) is a chestnut overo filly by
Shambala Top Hat n Tails out of the TB mare, Spotlights.
As many of our regular visitors to the web site and members
of our newsletter list well know, Flirt has had quite a struggle. She injured her off side foreleg, fracturing
the bone at the elbow on March 8th, 2004. Following confinement and TLC for the leg, she turned the fracture into a break
at easter (see first x-ray photo below). Faced with only two options, euthansia or surgery, we decided to give this little
beauty every chance and opted to go ahead with the surgery to place a metal plate (see second x-ray) in her leg to aid with
the healing of the bone. She coped well with the surgery and healed well.
She had a long road to recovery
ahead of her, but little Flirt is took it all in her stride. As of June 6th, she was weaned and her "wonder" leg
held together under some pretty tough exercise as despite being confined to her stable, she was NOT happy about the weaning
process. Her dam, though, seemed happy to finally be released from the monotony of the barn. Flirt's stable confinement
continued for quite some time. She had a procession of visitors, both human and constant equine companions, to make sure she was never lonely.
Flirt underwent surgery in August to remove one of the screws from the plate and she recovered well from
surgery. Over the following weeks, her exercise regime and physiotherapy stepped up a notch and she started walking in our
horse walker daily to strengthen the muscles. She was now able to go out into a paddock everyday with one of the broodmares
and she was showing little sign of lameness!
Update: Christmas 2004 What a long year it has been. Flirt is recovering
beautifully, despite a few little hiccups along the way. She is still the most gorgeous thing on four legs (well at least
I'll always think so!). She is confined again to the barn, due to a bony lump on her knee, but never fear, she will be gracing
our paddocks again soon enough! Thank you to everyone who has shown such interest and support in her. The volume of emails
has, at times, been overwhelming, so I apologise to anyone who I may have missed - I do endeavour to reply to every one of
them.
Update: January 2005 Flirt's next round of x-rays, taken Jan 7, revealed that the break has completely healed.
Knee x-rays show some epiphysitis in the off side knee, however, this appears to be under control. The next step? The plate
and seven remaining screws are to be removed at the end of January!
Update: January 2006
It is hard to believe that Flirt's injury occured nearly 2 years ago now! The plate was removed in March 2005 with very
few complications and now you can barely even find the scar where her leg was operated on three times! She was started
lightly under saddle in November 2005 and proved to be a very sweet, easy going filly. She is turned out in the paddock full
time now and since the plate was removed has shown absolutely NO sign of the injury that nearly cost her life!
Click below for footage of Flirt under saddle!
Flirt has been shown three times at halter and debuted under saddle in May 2007. Her results to date include:
*****3rd Place - Paint Mare or Filly WDQHA May 2006*****
*****1st Place - Paint Mare or Filly BDQHA Novmeber 2006*****
*****CHAMPION PAINT EXHIBIT BDQHA November 2006*****
*****Reserve Champion Paint WDQHA May 2007***** *****Junior Horse Hunter Under Saddle - 2nd Place WDQHA May 2007*****
