Equine Medicine & Surgery

Who Are The Ancients?

Cupcake

Born in 1983
Owned by Kevin & Janet Marschner

Several years ago, Kevin and Janet Marschner made a trip to South Dakota to bring Cupcake, a retired roping horse for sale at Janet's brother's barn, to Cheyenne to live out his retirement years. At that time, the only thing the Marschners knew about Cupcake was that he was old and had ring bone.

Soon after arriving at the Paw n' Around Ranch, the Marschners watched as Cupcake quickly established himself as the patriarch of the herd. A dashing sorrel standing at 17 hands, Cupcake's strong features became prominent as he enjoyed life in the pasture, bossing around his pasture mates.

But in May 2009, Cupcake began to show signs of colic and was rushed to a veterinarian in Cheyenne, who suggested taking Cupcake to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Colorado State University. Without hesitation, Cupcake was transported to CSU where the equine veterinary team went to work immediately on his diagnosis. Diagnostics revealed that Cupcake had a mass the size of a fist that was strangulating his small intestine; and Kevin and Janet were faced with the decision between euthanasia and surgery. They opted for surgery.

The surgical team removed the mass and Cupcake spent two weeks at CSU recovering. When he came home he was fed a meek diet for a horse: soaked alfalfa cubes, glutamine supplements and small amounts of high quality hay. Cupcake lost almost 400 pounds during his illness! It took him about two months to regain all of that weight, but he persevered.

While Cupcake was recovering from his surgery, Janet decided to research just how old Cupcake really was. She contacted the American Quarter Horse Association who told her that Cupcake, originally known as Sporty Continental, was born on May 20, 1983.

Cupcake celebrated his 26th birthday and his third chance at life at CSU.

Help us celebrate!

Tell us the stories of your horse's own old soul, submit story and picture to: comments4equinehospital@colostate.edu