From Pasture Accident to Rodeo Finals: How a Devastating Carpal Joint Wound Became a UC Davis Equine Win
When Brandon and Lisa Bacon set out to buy a horse for their 12 year old son Jackson, their goal was simple. They wanted a safe, seasoned partner who could help their son chase his big competitive roping dreams. Through their connections as owners of a horse supply company in Northern California, they found Ricky, a 13 year old American Quarter Horse gelding with experience in the roping pen and a temperament that immediately inspired confidence. Jackson bonded with Ricky right away. The horse was steady, reliable, and clearly understood his job. For the Bacon family, it felt like the perfect match. A year later, everything changed in a matter of moments.
A Fluke Fall With Serious Consequences
After an unwitnessed fall during turnout, Ricky was found with abrasions on his head and injuries to both front knees. The right front leg was clearly the most severe. What initially looked like a bad scrape quickly revealed itself to be something far more concerning. There was a large open wound over the right knee with direct communication into the carpal joint. The family contacted their primary veterinarian, Dr. Hannah Case of Cotati Large Animal, a UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine alumna. After flushing the area and identifying joint fluid in the wound, Dr. Case advised immediate referral to UC Davis.
When Ricky arrived at the UC Davis Large Animal Hospital, the equine emergency team was already prepared. Radiographs showed no fractures but did reveal mild gas in the surrounding soft tissues. Further diagnostics confirmed what the team feared. The wound communicated directly with the middle carpal joint. For equine practitioners, the implications were clear. Synovial structure involvement significantly raises the risk of septic arthritis and long term performance loss. The carpal joint capsule, lined with synovial membrane, plays a critical role in lubrication, cartilage nutrition, and smooth joint motion. Once compromised, rapid and aggressive intervention is essential.
Standard management of synovial wounds often includes arthroscopic lavage to thoroughly flush the joint and remove contamination. In Ricky’s case, extensive tissue damage and contamination over the front of the joint made arthroscopy impossible.
Instead, faculty surgeon Dr. Julie Dechant and equine surgery residents Dr. David Orozco Lopez and Dr. Laurel Saldinger performed a standing procedure. The team lavaged the joint using a needle and pressure bag system while simultaneously debriding contaminated tissue with multiple techniques, including high pressure surgical lavage. A drain was placed to prevent fluid accumulation beneath the skin flap, and the wound was closed with tension relieving sutures to seal the communication with the joint. This approach balanced aggressive infection control with preservation of surrounding tissues.
Ricky remained hospitalized for 19 days. His treatment plan included systemic, regional, and local antibiotics, along with daily bandage changes. Synovial fluid from the middle carpal joint was sampled multiple times to monitor for infection. Because the carpus is a high motion joint, immobilization was critical. A full length leg splint was used to minimize movement and allow the joint capsule and overlying tissues to seal properly. For many equine cases, this period of enforced immobility is one of the biggest challenges, both medically and emotionally for owners.
Ricky was discharged in August 2024 with a detailed and gradual rehabilitation plan designed by Dr. Orozco Lopez. At home, the Bacons worked closely with their performance veterinarian, Dr. James Myers of Gold Coast Equine, another UC Davis alum, and farrier Brian Graham to support Ricky’s recovery. The goal was ambitious but realistic. With careful management, the team believed Ricky could return to training by January 2025.
That projection proved accurate. By February 2025, Ricky and Jackson were back in junior high school rodeo competition, starting with goat roping. Soon after, Ricky returned to team roping with steers. By June, the pair were competing at the state finals. Over the spring and summer of 2025, Ricky and Jackson completed ten American Cowboy Team Roping Association preliminary competitions, qualifying for the ACTRA National Finals in October 2025.
Why This Case Matters to Equine Veterinarians
This case highlights several key takeaways for veterinary professionals. First, early recognition and referral of synovial wounds can be the difference between career ending injury and full return to performance. Second, when standard arthroscopic approaches are not feasible, creative surgical planning and meticulous wound management can still yield excellent outcomes. Finally, long term success often depends on collaboration between referral hospitals, primary care veterinarians, performance specialists, and farriers.
Today, Ricky is back to doing the job he loves, carrying a young rider with big goals and a renewed appreciation for the power of veterinary medicine done right.
