01 October 2021

Phoenix Fights: Week Six

While we may have basked in the last warm days of summer over the weekend, spare a thought for little foals wrapped in layers of bandages!

Keeping Phoenix cool and comfortable is a priority and our vets and nurses monitor the ever-changing weather carefully.

So, last weekend, Phoenix made a short trip back inside the Horse Hospital where he could relax in the shade and the cooling air of a couple of fans. Talk about five-star service!

While in the Hospital, our vets took the opportunity to carry out some more blood tests and an ultrasound scan of his lungs to assess his overall health.

Such checks can be challenging, and even more so in Phoenix’s case. We can only conduct scans on one side of his body because it would be too distressing for Phoenix to run the scanning equipment over his burns.

Nonetheless, his latest results show no real cause for concern, and we’ve been further encouraged by the fact he has gained 4kg in weight this week.

After a previous slight dip in appetite (as mentioned last week), it’s fantastic to see him loving his milk once again. Our nurses say they spend most of their days covered in milk as Phoenix greedily gulps it down and ensures to splash everyone in the process! It’s hard not to forgive that adorable face though!

As well as his milk, Phoenix continues to enjoy grazing with his foster mum Mildred and, as the weather cooled towards the start of this week, he was placed back in his outdoor stable and had the chance to stretch his legs in his special care paddock once again.

We’re slowly increasing the time he spends outdoors, which he absolutely loves!

And once again, our nurses have been excelling themselves with their colourful vet wrap designs (see top image), which continue to keep everyone smiling. We know you’ve been enjoying the photos on our social media too and thank you for all the lovely comments you continue to leave online and all your letters and cards for our hard-working teams.

While things may look rosy on the outside, it’s worth being aware that underneath the bandages and dressings Phoenix’s skin is healing very, very slowly. We have resisted sharing images of his wounds as they remain very distressing to look at, but it’s fair to say that he is likely to require intensive treatment for many months to come.

Happily, Phoenix is a bright and affectionate foal who desperately wants to live the life of a normal pony his age, and this inspires us to continue doing all we can to help him heal and we are currently exploring all the options - with the help of burns experts - to ensure he has the best quality of life going forward.

This is why your support means so much! Your donations and gifts purchased through his Amazon Wishlist have enabled us to carry out the vital care he needs so far.

Once again, this week’s Wishlist sold out very quickly – thank you! This will be the last Wishlist we publish for now, but you can continue to support Phoenix and other horses in desperate need at our Horse Hospital by making a donation by calling 01508 481000 or clicking here.

A show of support, that has really made us all smile this week, is that we hear some of you have been nominating Phoenix for Horse & Hound’s Horse of the Year Award. This recognition is usually reserved for top sports horses - the Valegros and Big Stars of the equestrian world - so it’s wonderful to think that Phoenix may be rubbing withers with some of these rock star names!

Nominations are now closed but we will keep you updated as to how he gets on!

Thank you #RedwingsAngels

Click here to read last week’s Phoenix Fights blog.