AN elderly horse has made an "amazing" recovery after suffering two major injuries in separate incidents ten months apart.

Summer Day, a 23-year-old former competition horse, has twice been nursed back to health with the help of Seadown Veterinary Services at Hythe.

The first incident occurred when she tried to jump over a stationary tractor and trailer and injured her stifle.

Often described as the equine equivalent of the human knee, the stifle is the largest and most complex joint in a horse's body.

Summer Day's owner, Lindsey Templeman, was warned that the animal had suffered serious ligament damage and might not recover.

Seadown vet Karolina Kalka said the mare needed to rest in her box or stay in a severely restricted paddock area.

When Summer Day failed to make satisfactory progress she underwent a relatively new treatment involving the use of polyacrylamide gel - and displayed definite signs of improvement.

A strict rehabilitation programme and a slow return to normal work was prescribed.

Karolina said: "During the final re-evaluation the movement pattern was better than expected and the horse could return to her training routine for the first time in eight months."

But Summer Day, who is almost 70 in human years, suffered another injury and had to beat the odds again.

Lindsey said: "After an examination and ultrasound, Karolina was dismayed to see she had serious lesions in her suspensory ligament in her off fore.

"The best chance of a good enough recovery was for stem cells to be injected into the ligament.

"I felt I just had to give it a go, Summer Day is my one-in-a-million horse and deserved every possible chance - even a slim one."

Problems with the transport of stem cells resulted in Summer Day receiving an alternative treatment involving a mixture of anti-inflammatory and regenerative proteins from her blood.

Karolina said: "The ligament healed remarkably well, to the point of it being almost impossible to see there had been an issue."

Lindsey added: "Summer Day's recovery after two serious injuries, especially at the age of 23, is amazing.

"There are no guarantees, of course, but having twice thought our riding partnership was over, to be back on and enjoying riding her again is just wonderful.

"I will be forever grateful for the care and dedication shown by Karolina, with the support of Seadown, to arrive at where we are now.

"I’m looking forward to a quiet hack out in our wonderful New Forest again.”