Always check lumps and bumps, show veteran warns
MARGIE Whyte is one of the Australian show world’s most familiar faces.
For more than 50 years she has shown some of the most beautiful and classic Australian Ponies, under saddle and in hand.
In recent times, age has meant Margie is no longer capable of running ponies out in hand, or to spend the considerable effort in presenting them to the standard required in the highly competitive showring, so her ponies have been shown for her by Stewie Robinson, from Suburban Lodge.
In early November, one of the stars of the show team, Koora-Lyn Enchanting (Lexi) (co-owned by Stewie and Kym Robinson) presented with a dry looking cut/knock on her offside hind pastern; simple enough but suspicious in a snow-white pony.
Two weeks later it had grown, treatment was started and it was found she had Fibrosarcoma, a form of horse cancer.
“Eight weeks later we had luck and the leg was healing,” Stewie said.
"Unfortunately by February it had returned as there was some of the tumour still there.
“After intensive treatment, the tumour lifted off entirely in early May and was bandaged and treated until healed.”
Lexi is now in full show prep and her people are looking forward to her return to the ring in the not-to-distant future.
Margie says their experience is a warning to other horse owners to take lumps and bumps seriously.
“If you find lumps, bumps or cuts knocks that are abnormal contact your equine vets with your concerns,” she said.
“We are very fortunate to have noticed this and have had a fantastic outcome.
"It was a scary road with some days very ordinary but we are absolutely entirely grateful to our veterinarian (Dr Cameron Hinkley) for his care, knowledge and never-give-up attitude.”
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