Oct 07, 2020

Overcoming All Odds with Parker Equine Insurance

By Jimmie Schramm - Athletux Equine
Frankie Thieriot Stutes and Chatwin at the 2018 Fair Hill International. USEA/Jessica Duffy Photo.

For any of you that do not know Frankie Thieriot Stutes and Chatwin, they share the quintessential horse-and-rider relationship that everyone wants. Thieriot Stutes has owned Chatwin since he was a young horse and has brought him along to the top level of the sport herself, which is no small feat considering she also has two young boys and two thriving businesses. Chatwin is part of the family, not your typical five-star horse that is in a rigorous program with a professional and 15 other horses. He lives at home and he can often be seen giving bareback rides to her boys. That is what makes Thieriot Stutes and Chatwin’s relationship so special - he is their family pet, but he is also a fierce competitor and together they are in the elite group for the sport.

For a horse to get sick, it is always difficult and heartbreaking, but when the horse is also such a huge part of the family it hits that much harder. In August of 2019, Thieriot Stutes and Chatwin were getting ready to head to Kentucky for the USEA American Eventing Championships when their plan fell apart. After coming home from a jumper show, it became evident to Thieriot Stutes that Chatwin was not feeling himself and might be having a bout of colic.

Her veterinarian, James Meyers, DVM, came to look at Chatwin and decided to run fluids as he also thought that he was having an episode of colic. Thieriot Stutes said, “Over the course of that hour of running fluids, he started to develop horrific reflux out of his nose. It became clear he needed to be transported with a tube in his nose, and we rushed him to [the UC Davis William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital in Davis, California], which is about two hours away from me. When we got there, there were two giant muck buckets full of red and brown fluid coming out of him. The prognosis wasn’t very good.” For Thieriot Stutes, this was a terrible situation and the one relief she had in all of it was that Chatwin was insured with Parker Equine Insurance and she would be able to give him all the treatment that he needed to survive.

USEA/Jessica Duffy Photo.

Once at UC Davis, the veterinarians diagnosed Chatwin with enteritis – inflammation of the small intestine. The team was doing everything they could to help him. He needed a belly tap to test the abdominal fluid, but because his spleen was so enlarged this made it difficult and unfortunately the spleen was hit twice, which then led to internal bleeding. The vets were trying to do everything for him before having to do surgery, as with surgery there are a lot of risks. Chatwin was treated in the ICU at the veterinary hospital for seven days and fought for his life. By day four, he began to feel a bit better and show some of his personality again. Having Chatwin insured made it possible for Thieriot Stutes to give him the care he needed to stay alive. “The team at Parker Equine Insurance helped me get a claim going right away. They assured me through the process, followed up, and made me feel confident in my ability to spare no expense and go above and beyond to do every test and procedure needed thanks to my coverage,” said Thieriot Stutes.

After a week in the ICU, Chatwin was able to head home to Occidental, California. The road to recovery took a long time for Thieriot Stutes and Chatwin, but Parker Equine Insurance was there the whole way to support them in whatever they needed. “We feel that every client deserves prompt, personal and professional service,” said Donna Parker, Owner of Parker Equine Insurance.

Thieriot Stutes was able to give Chatwin some time out in the field over the winter to let his system recover completely from all the trauma. “Because of Parker Equine Insurance, I never had to worry how I would pay the insanely expensive bills that resulted from his stay in the hospital. I cannot imagine the situation I would have been in if I had not had their help and guidance,” said Thieriot Stutes.

Chatwin overcame the odds and was able to get supreme care with no expense spared thanks to his coverage. He kicked things off in superior form to start off the 2020 season. Chatwin successfully completed a Preliminary level event in early February and finished off the month with a win at the Advanced level at the Twin Rivers Horse Trials. It is safe to say that Chatwin has returned to his winning ways and will have many more runs to come!

To learn more about Parker Equine Insurance, please visit www.equine-ins.com and be sure to follow Parker Equine Insurance on Facebook and @equine.insurance on Instagram.

Jul 03, 2024 AEC

Two Months Until the 2024 USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds

The countdown to the 2024 United States Eventing Association (USEA) American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena Feeds is getting shorter and the tentative schedule is officially set! For the second year in a row, the AEC returns to the iconic Kentucky Horse Park from August 27 through September 1 and will offer 26 divisions, including brand new Starter divisions and all levels of recognized evening up through the $60,000 Adequan USEA Advanced Final.

Jul 02, 2024 Educational Activities

USEA Educational Activity Highlight: Sherwood Forest Hunter Pace | Sherwood Oregon | July 13, 2024

What’s a Hunter Pace? The Sherwood Forest Equestrian Center's Hunter Pace is a cross-country-style course around Sherwood Forest over various natural obstacles/terrain. The course ends with a final treat for riders to take in stunning views of Mt. Hood with a loop through the old Far Hill Farms field. The beginning of the course will first start with a warm-up loop around show jumping obstacles in the outdoor ring at Sherwood Forest and then riders will continue directly onto the course. Sign up as a solo rider, pair, or team.

Jul 02, 2024 Profile

No Longer Dreaming: Claire Allen's Goal of Qualifying for USEF Eventing Young Rider Championship is Now Reality

Claire Allen remembers when she was 11 years old, having just made the switch from the hunter/jumper ring to three-day eventing. She told her new eventing trainer that her goal was to one day compete in the United States Equestrian Federation’s Eventing Young Rider Championships.

Jul 01, 2024 Competitions

Alliston’s Busy Weekend, Braitling’s Reuniting with Five-Star Mount, & Kalkman’s Advanced Victory Highlight Twin Rivers Summer H.T.

As he was finishing tacking up his horse in preparation to navigate the cross-country course at the 2024 Twin Rivers Summer Horse Trials, James Alliston expressed concern about navigating the 101 Freeway. That’s because as soon as he crossed the finish line aboard Intermediate level winner Addyson (Ampere x Nickerbocker) at 10:38 a.m. on Saturday—his fifth cross-country round of the morning with three at Preliminary and two at Intermediate—the West Coast-based five-star rider had to drive 185 miles on the 101 Freeway from Twin Rivers Ranch in Paso Robles, California, to San Francisco International Airport to catch a 4:35 p.m. flight to Frankfurt, Germany.

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