Once all the organs were back in their proper places, Krueger closed the incision, and as the sedation wore off, Nantucket gradually became more alert. It was clear he was no longer in pain.

Whether this retroflexion was the cause or a result of the entrapment was unclear, but at this point, it didn’t matter. Krueger began the careful and difficult work of repositioning the colon. “You are working with only one arm, deep within the horse, and you can’t see anything,” she says. “You have to move the colon very carefully, inch by inch. It’s physically very demanding, and we generally take turns working because it’s very exhausting.” The entire surgery took about an hour, and Nantucket stood quietly throughout.

Once all the organs were back in their proper places, Krueger closed the