SURGERY
‘Nose Job’ Gives Young Filly New Lease on Life B y
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sport, are borne with a severe deformity, they are euthanized, but the spark and determination of a Standardbred born in May with wry nose tugged at the heart strings of the owner and his daughter. It was clear the filly would require a major medical intervention, and even if that went well, it was extremely unlikely she would live up to her potential as an equine athlete. Shortly after her arrival into the world, the veterinarian who assisted in Coco Chanel 23’s foaling contacted Matt Morrison of Morrison Racing, to alert him about the filly’s extreme deformity. Most owners would have put the foal down because her future was so dim, but Mr. Morrison didn’t want to euthanize the filly. His teenage daughter agreed, saying they had to at least give the foal a chance. “There was a fight in her,” Mr. Morrison said. “She didn’t know she was abnormal. She just knew she needed to feed and was persistent. Without that fighting spirit, she probably wouldn’t have survived that first weekend.” Her condition and attitude sparked a nick name: Wry Not.
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Issue 12/2023 | ModernEquineVet.com
Images courtesy of New Bolton Center
Often, when horses, especially those meant for
