Around-the-clock care is being provided at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga to horses injured in a stable fire in Leeton early Tuesday 21 August. Five horses died in the blaze in one of four stable blocks at the Leeton Showground. Specialist in Equine Surgery Dr Gareth Trope, from the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at CSU said, “Four horses were initially transported to our Veterinary Clinical Centre but only two were admitted to the large animal hospital with burns and smoke inhalation.” A fifth horse, deemed too ill to move immediately after the fire, was examined on Wednesday 22 this afternoon. “The horses are being regularly monitored in their stalls and are receiving intravenous fluids and drugs for pain relief. The protein loss associated with burns is a major concern,” said Dr Trope, who is being supported by Dr Sharanne Raidal, a specialist in Equine Medicine. “The level of care being afforded these injured animals is a credit to our veterinary science students. The final year students on clinical duties at the Veterinary Clinical Centre are involved in the treatment of the horses. However, other veterinary science students volunteered to return to Charles Sturt University from their holidays when the call went out for assistance.”