AERI Founder's Tragedy Furthers Research

PROVIDENCE, R.I., November 10, 2008 -- Wendy Drumm, Founder and President of Advanced Equine Research Institute, a non-profit corporation (AERI), recently lost her own horse to a catastrophic pastern injury. Despite her own sadness over the loss, Drumm made the difficult decision to donate Gio's limbs to the AERI research focus on the prevention of lower limb ligament, tendon and bone injury.

Gio with rider
Gio with rider Pam Goodrich
Photo by Diana Hadsall © 2008

Drumm purchased 8 year old Gio from former Danish Olympic Team member Lars Peterson via Pam Goodrich in February 2008. "Gio became a wonderful friend to me. Plus, I looked forward to many fun years learning upper level Dressage," said Drumm. In Gio's first season of showing, he qualified for NEDA PSG Championship and placed 6th. Judges commented on his beautiful natural talent for FEI Dressage.

 



This CT-derived reconstruction of Gio's lower limb reveals the multiply comminuted short pastern fracture. Gio sustained his injury while playing at pasture, shortly after being turned out. A pre-existing stress fracture (microscopic crack) likely predisposed him to this catastrophic event. The multiple fragments of bone we see (and the damage to the surrounding soft tissues that remains largely unseen here) reflect the sudden and uncontrolled release of energy that accompanied the injury.

In October, in his pasture, he gave a little happy buck and immediately came up lame. He was x-rayed at the barn and it was determined he had a fracture. He was then taken to Tufts Cummings Large Animal Hospital. Dr. Carl Kirker-Head, who ironically is Director of Science for AERI, and his world class team attended Gio and concluded that the 2nd phalanx comminuted fracture was catastrophic.

Gio's limbs are now being studied with the new XROMM system located at Brown University. "For the first time, the actual skeletal motion of the distal limb can be visualized and precisely measured while in motion," Joseph J. Crisco III, Ph.D., Professor and Director, Bioengineering Laboratory, Brown University.

"I founded Advanced Equine Research Institute in February 2008 with my promise: I, along with my dedicated team, will personally use every resource possible to find a way to help horses stay safe and sound," said Drumm.

Gio and Wendy
Wendy and Gio share their last hug together