When a Quarter Horse colt born with a severely deformed right hind limb arrived at the University of Florida's (UF) Large Animal Hospital last May, equine veterinarians recognized that traditional methods used for straightening abnormal legs in foals would not work. But five months, three surgeries, and one small animal surgeon later, the foal is living the good life at home in Palmetto, Fla., running and training on four good legs.

"Traditionally, when you perform an acute correction, you break the leg and then plate it, all at once," said Ali Morton, DVM, an assistant professor of large animal surgery at UF. "In this case, the amount of correction needed would have probably compromised the blood supply and the lower part of the limb likely would have died. There also is a significant risk of infection, which is why these types of procedures often fail in horses, even in the best circumstances."