Hospital for Large Animals Gives Colt Second Chance at Life

On March 1, 2015, Carina Nistico welcomed “Prince” into the world. From the moment the Thoroughbred colt was born, Carina knew he was going to be a special horse. “He had such a silly, curious attitude about him and loved any kind of attention,” she says.

Prince had a bit of a rough start, however. At just two weeks old, he was kicked by another mare while out in a field. X-rays revealed a fracture near his stifle, and Carina was faced with the decision of either humane euthanasia or taking him for surgery.

“After a roller coaster of emotions and a whole day of phone calls to different equine surgeons in the Northeast, I finally spoke with Dr. José Garcia-Lopez at Tufts Hospital for Large Animals, and his kindness and confidence gave me hope,” says Carina. “Even though Tufts was three hours away, I knew it was the right place for us.”

Prince had a successful surgery, which required plates and screws to heal the fracture. Carina was given a plan for rehabilitation at home, and six weeks later they were back at the hospital to have the hardware removed. A few weeks later, Prince was back to frolicking in a field with his mom.

“This little guy has inspired me so much to not give up when it seems the odds are against you,” Carina says. “Prince now has a second chance and will grow up to be a happy, healthy horse no matter what career path he chooses for himself.”