4 days post op

The team was very attentive with aftercare. The plugs adhere quickly from coagulation, but these are not strong connections. Post-op care is crucial, and rubbing and rolling needs to be prevented to allow the skin plugs to adhere securely. Bandages were applied to the area and Suki wore the sleazy with a sheet on top of that. She was also only allowed hand walks and grazing during this time. Once again, the team monitored Suki carefully and the spoiled girl loved the attention!

Every day someone would either text or call me to give me updates and tell Suki stories. Sometimes Suki would walk quietly, taking in the sights and sounds of the busy equestrian center. Other times she would passage or piaffe along side of whomever was leading her! A sharp growl usually brings her to her senses! Whenever Suki does this she puffs herself up, raising her head and arching her neck. It is an impressive sight indeed, and the students handled her beautifully.

Inside the barn, the daily activities kept Suki entertained, and she in turn entertained everyone in the barn. Horses crosstied in the aisle being groomed would prompt Suki to demand attention from the student or owner working with those horses! And of course, everyone indulged her! That's a diva for you! Suki received a lot of visitors as more and more students learned that she was staying there.

Four days post op

Four days after the graft procedure the site looks healthy and the plugs are adhering nicely. In the beginning the bandage was changed daily.

Site of plug removal was also healing well.


At this point Dr. Fugaro was unsure when Suki would be ready to go home. The after care and observation would be extensive for awhile, and we all wanted to ensure its success. Initially we thought that Suki would stay at Centenary for about a month, but because the procedure could not be performed immediately, we knew that Centenary would be her home at least through the beginning of April.

Many rumors surrounded the reason for Suki's presence at the college. Some heard that she had been donated to the riding program.....while Suki would love the attention, she is not an easy ride, and tests a person the first time they get on her. Well, I guess that would certainly be challenging at an intercollegiate show, where the students ride horses by lottery! But no, my beloved girl would always be mine!

I couldn't wait for the weekend to see my girls! It was difficult to have both of the girls away at the same time, and seeing them on the weekends was a nice respite from the work week and family obligations. A day that was completely mine! Nikki was progressing well, but would be staying at Heather's until the end of April.

This time they would be returning to two different barns. Suki would go back to the farm that was 5 minutes from my house, but I really needed a barn with an indoor for Nikki. As a 4 year old her work would increase, and the schedule needed to be more consistent than it had been the year before. The area where I live has many horse farms but not a lot with indoor arenas, that were in easy driving distance. The barn needed to be in close proximity to the circle that I drove between work, Isaiah's school, home and Suki's barn. The only candidates were hunter barns, and they routinely did not accept dressage riders because they do not generate income. I totally understand this from a business perspective. Training and show stables make money through lessons, training and showing. Heather suggested that I go to one of the hunter barns. She said that the cross training would be good for Nikki, and there would be someone to ride Nikki on the days when I would not be able to.

So the search was on.....