Kim Lundin
Stallion Sir Donnerhall II by Sandro Hit /Donnerhall was on the entry lists for the 7-year-old championships at Falsterbo Horse Show with his new owner Spanish Olympic rider Morgan Barbançon Mestre. The stallion has has competed a lot, third in the WBYCH in Verden last year with Thomas Sightenbjerggaard, and is a smooth traveller, says Andreas Helgstrand, trainer for Morgan and Sir Donnerhall II has been in his stable since 2011/2012.
The stallion had been checked on by his groom for the night and was calm and tranquil in his stall but half an hour later the owner got a call that it was an emergency in the stable. It is assumed that Sir Donnerhall II has lied down and got stuck with three legs under the walls of the temporary mobile stalls standing on soft sand and grass. The stallion fought violently to get up and escape the grip from the wall causing skin and flesh to rip from the bone on three legs, especially one hind leg where the skeletal parts are showing.
He was shipped to Helsingborg Animal Hospital for emergency care, surgery and a cast on the worst injured hindleg. The first days after surgery has been very critical incase infection would take a grip. Dir Donnerhall II can now with much caution move around in walk and shows no sign of fever and infection. How he will recover, how much damage is still to be defined, it is very uncertain for the moment.
For the new owners this is very frustrating to say the least to have this horrible experience with the amazing stallion and future competition partner to Morgan. It is once again confirmed that competition stalls without a good firm ground to build on is a considerable risk for the horses staying in these stalls. Sir Donnerhall II's fight for release caused the whole wall of the stall to fall out and break.
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