Imported gelding shines on the Eventing circuit after life-saving colic surgery at Virginia Tech equine hospital

Anthony Forrest was looking for a horse just like Big Joe.

“Right from the start, Joe was one of the most majestic and impressive horses I had ever seen," said Forrest, of Purcellville. “After a quick ride, I knew he was perfect. His attitude, presence, and talent were everything I was looking for and more.”  

Hjoab Quantum Leap, a big bay warmblood gelding on the Eventing circuit known at home as ‘Big Joe,’ visited the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center, in February 2024 for an emergency colic evaluation. 

The gelding was imported from the United Kingdom three weeks before his treatment and had been doing well, except for a brief episode of colic that resolved with medication on the farm. But then one day, Big Joe was found down and cast in his stall, and was repeatedly getting up, then lying down and rolling.

The Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center in Leesburg is one of three animal healthcare facilities and teaching hospitals of the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, which is based on the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg.

When Big Joe arrived at the EMC for emergency treatment, Emily Schaefer, clinical assistant professor of equine emergency and critical care found him to be abnormally quiet and mildly uncomfortable. He was in good body condition, and his vital parameters were within a normal range, but he had a lack of gut sounds and was becoming increasingly more painful as the initial evaluation progressed.

Abdominal ultrasound found only a distended abdominal blood vessel and the gelding was too painful to safely perform a “belly tap” (a procedure to collect fluid from around the intestines to evaluate). Based on his degree of pain, surgery was recommended, and after careful consideration Forrest agreed that Schaefer should go ahead. 

“Making the decision to go to colic surgery is not always easy,” Schaefer said. “I will never forget that conversation that day with Anthony and Muriel Forrest – they had experienced a previous poor outcome from colic surgery and did not want to go through that again, understandably. Big Joe’s story is a testament to their commitment to him and that every horse’s case should be treated individually.”

Finding Big Joe

Forrest connected with Big Joe after a chance meeting at the opening meet of the Piedmont Fox Hounds, a historic hunt based in Middleburg, Virginia, with beautiful territory and great sport, which attracts riders from all over the country. 

Piedmont Fox Hounds is recognized as the oldest hunt in the U.S., founded by Col. Richard Henry Dulany (1820-1906), who incidentally also founded the oldest horse show in America: The Upperville Colt & Horse Show.

This chance meeting occurred as the exceptionally large field of around 125 horses and riders set off, and Forrest was next to a rider that he had never met before. The rider, a British native, was at that time working for a Texas man, who decided that his entire barn of horses should make the trek to Virginia to attend Piedmont Fox Hounds opening meet.

During the hunt, conversations turned towards Forrest’s goal of finding a young Event horse with potential in the coming months. This equine discipline has three distinct phases, dressage, cross-country, and show jumping, requiring a horse that is talented in all three. The horse would need to be 17.2 hands (70 inches) or better due to Forrest’s height. The rider connected Forrest with a family friend in the United Kingdom who sent him a picture and videos of a stunning young, gangly horse, which was all Forrest needed to be persuaded to board a plane to England.

“Big Joe is one of the most impressive young horses I have ever ridden but also one of the more challenging horses to ride. He has taught me to have a sense of humor through his ‘baby warmblood moments’,” said Forrest.

Emergency surgery

Big Joe was prepped for emergency colic surgery at the Equine Medical Center. Medication was administered to anesthetize him, and he was pre-treated with antibiotics to reduce the risk of infection. 

On exploration, the surgical team led by Schaefer discovered slightly firm, backed-up material in sections of the small intestine. The blood vessels feeding the ileum were distended, indicating obstruction in that area, and were likely the vessel seen on ultrasound. Additionally, a loop of intestine was wrapped around part of the mesentery (a fan-shaped structure of tissue that connects the intestines to the abdominal wall), restricting normal movement and making full examination difficult. This abnormality was manually corrected to restore proper intestinal positioning. 

The large colon was examined and found to be in its normal position, with a healthy overall appearance, but it did contain some firm ingesta. To relieve this, Schaefer performed a pelvic flexure enterotomy in which a small incision is made in the colon to remove the offending contents.

Recovery

After surgery, Big Joe was moved to the recovery stall where he awoke from anesthesia without complications. 

“Being a client at [the EMC] for many years prior, I knew how exceptional each of their team members are from state-of-the-art technology to expert veterinarians, it was a relief to have such a facility so close to our farm,” said Forrest. 

During his recovery in the hospital, Big Joe needed intravenous fluids and was kept comfortable post-operatively with anti-inflammatories. On the first night of hospitalization after his morning surgery, Equine Medical Center staff began to give Big Joe small handfuls of fresh grass, which he tolerated well. The following day, he started to pass manure. 

Over the next several days, Big Joe recovered well apart from one transient fever and was kept on antibiotics for slightly longer. On day six, Big Joe travelled home into the capable hands of Forrest and was quarantined at home pending diagnostic testing for the fever, which were all negative. 

“I am so incredibly thankful to Dr. Schaefer who performed the surgery, Dr. [Sarah] Dukti who helped will all Big Joe’s post-op care, and to all the veterinary technicians who gave him around-the-clock-care! 

“Big Joe and I are forever grateful to the entire team at [EMC] for not only saving his life, but for going the extra mile in ensuring that I was informed on every step of his procedure and post-operative care!” said Forrest.

Big Joe has fully recovered after his ordeal but still likes to give Forrest a little bit of a tough time. When asked to do lateral movements on the flat he loves to give a big squeal and kick above his head at whichever leg Forrest is applying. Forrest will smile to himself and convey to Big Joe “that’s not quite it, try again,” and eventually will get what he is asking for. 

Forrest describes Big Joe as acrobatic and a little dramatic and has a running joke with Schaefer and Dukti that during his antics he is just ‘re-arranging his intestines.’

“It has been an honor and a joy to get updates from Forrest with pictures of Big Joe beautifully overjumping his fences – I usually ask him not to try so hard to show off his former belly incision to the crowd. I am so grateful they gave him the chance,” said Schaefer.

“I always tell people that when I ride big Joe, “If I ‘ask’ him, the answer is always yes; but if I ‘tell’ him, the answer is always no!” said Forrest.

Big Joe’s story is a powerful reminder that with the right team in place, even the biggest setbacks can lead to remarkable comebacks. Look out for Forrest and Big Joe – together they are a force to be reckoned with!