TM Pepper McGoo was recently Diagnosed with Dorsal Spinous Process Inpingement AKA: Kissing Spine
This damage was done to him by Robert and Lorraine Aichele LAST year before they sold him to me as 100% sound. The pictures and videos they have posted on the internet of him in perfect health right after they bought him and the pictures that I have on the day of his arrival to me proves that he was abused. This disease is caused by being ridden too young, with a heavy rider, an ill fitting saddle, and being ridden too often. The Aicheles recently posted a video of Lorraine Aichele riding McGoo when he had just arrived at their farm. He was 3 years old - ready to turn 4. The video shows an extremely overweight woman bouncing up and down HARD over and over again on McGoos back. His back legs are moving faster at the trot than his front legs because of his back pain and to compensate for the extra weight. His slideshow pictures also prove that he lost a significant amount of muscle mass while in their care. The Aicheles also show McGoo - underweight - being ridden to death in lessons. I also have a picture of McGoo being ridden on their farm with a swollen knee courtesy of one of their former employees. The large animal hospital that did his diagnostic tests have SEEN all of the videos and slideshows. They have also seen all of my evidence and am standing behind me and this horse 1000% - and NOT in the Aicheles favor.
The Aicheles both admitted to me in 2 separate occasions that McGoo had been bucking and that he had a bulge in his spine and a chiropractor stated he had rolled on shale rock and he fixed McGoo right up. FYI: Chiropractors don't touch horses with Kissing Spines because SURGERY is needed for this condition.
McGoo has been bucking for almost one year straight - AFTER 10 months of training. He went into a bucking frenzy out of the blue 2 weeks ago, I managed to stay on but got off him immediately. He had a huge knot in his spine and his back was having multiple spasms. I called my Vet down on an ER basis to help him. Further tests were recommended.
Diagnostic Tests revealed extensive DSP Impingement aka: Kissing Spine, scar tissue and vertabrae that overlapped each other to include an old back injury (crack in his spine). His left knee is still enlarged, his feet have turned outwards even more, and with upper limb problems. He can never be ridden again and he is only FIVE years old. He needs very expensive spinal surgery done at a large animal hospital.
I have a choice - to either have him humanely euthanized OR to surrender him to the ASPCA - exactly what I should have done last year when Robert Aichele delivered McGoo to me in such deplorable condition.
I have chosen to surrender him to the ASPCA so that he is protected from animal abusers like Lorraine and Robert Aichele who buy young underweight horses at auctions and ride them into the ground while their backs and growth plates are still developing.
The ASPCA knows everything - will have all of my evidence - and this horse will get the care he needs or put out of his misery. I certainly don't have the heart to see him euthanized.
McGoo is a very brave little horse who is gentle and kind. He is trained to police horse standards and took care of of me even while his back must have been killing him. I only rode him at a walk 3x a week on grass for 3o minutes at a time with an 8lb Treeless Saddle. His back finally gave out.
Lucky for him - and hopefully unlucky for the Aicheles.
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