A horse is recovering after a horrific accident that left it with half its forehead hanging off and its skull exposed.
Sorpresa, a four-year-old thoroughbred mare, scalped herself in stables near Kinross shortly after New Year.
Shocked grooms working for owner Thom Bell discovered the stricken polo pony with a 10in gash across her face and called in a specialist vet.
Equine expert Jenny Croft, of Loch Leven Equine Vets, repaired the wound by putting 14 stitches and 28 staples across Sorpresa’s head.
Following the trauma, the pony has returned to the playing field and it is expected she has an illustrious career ahead of her.
The circumstances of the accident are a mystery but it is believed Sorpresa may have hit her head on a wood barrier then very quickly pulled her head sideways.
The incident left her with a flap of skin hanging off her forehead and wood embedded in the wound.
The protective covering over the skull was also damaged and the bone exposed, leaving Jenny concerned that, if the bone dried out, further surgery could be required to remove it.
Jenny, who was aided in the stitching operation by vet nurses Lynsey McKay and Siobhan Caffrey, rushed Sorpresa to surgery to treat the wound after visiting the stable at North Kilduff, Kinross.
She said: “I was first called to see the horse on the yard. I wasn’t aware of the severity of the wound until I saw it. It certainly is one of the most dramatic wounds I have ever seen.
“I was shocked at first as the wound was very large. A large area of bone was exposed and severe damage and tearing to the protective surface of the bone was also noted.
“The major concern was the viability of the exposed bone that had desiccated following the accident.
“Dried bone dies very quickly and then needs to be removed usually surgically.
“We wanted to keep it moist to try our best to prevent this. Covering it up as soon as possible helps prevent that and the best cover is the skin itself.
“I immediately admitted the horse to the clinic as sterility was vital for closure if the wound.”
Sorpresa spent five days in the clinic’s care and the stitches and staples have since been removed.
Jenny, who has been an equine vet for nine years, said: “I was delighted with the healing process. None of my initial fears had occurred the skin flap had remained alive and the underlying bone was showing no signs of ongoing concern.
“The prognosis for the horse is excellent.”
Thom said: “Sorpresa is pretty fantastic she is a phenomenal personality. She’s going to something very special as she matures and becomes a proper polo pony.
“She’s just learning at the moment but she wants to learn all the time. She’s none the worse for the experience she enjoyed the attention.”