Sunday, December 28, 2008

Disaster! ? !

Friday 26 December.
Decided that as the wound had developed a bit of proud flesh despite my best bandaging efforts, and added to the fact that the bandaging had irritated the skin, I would dispence with bandaging altogether.
There was a little bit of a bobbly look to the front of the leg below the wound itself.

However, several hours later it was not the front of the leg that concerned me but the back!
It looked to all intents and purposes that the tendon had completely gone....very bowed at the bottom end and decidedly squidgy feeling, as well as being very hot and very very sore.

Spent the night berrating myself (and using up my body's store of salt water). Seems so much worse when it is your own fault, and he is such a nice horse.

Next morning the whole leg right up past the hock was VERY tight and very swollen. Gave it a bit of a hosing and applied salt to the proud flesh, which by now resembled a little cauliflower, along with ointment onto the irritated skin areas.

Swelling had reduced considerably by evening, and he now had a dark purply red cauliflower growing out of his leg.

Sunday morning, swelling up a little again, but not too bad. Another hosing, more salt, and more soothing ointment.

Sunday evening, repeat. Also felt down the back of the tendon itself....no discernable difference anywhere, and definitely no area when pinching down where the pony reacted at all, so starting to feel a little better.

Monday morning, swelling a little reduced, but probably still too early to determine if I have indeed damaged the tendon. After hosing and putting ointment on, left pony in front paddock to graze. Midday, watched while he played and reared and trotted and cantered along the fence line trying to get the others to join in.

Evening: Proud flesh GONE. It was lifting at the top this morning, and tonight it appears to have simply fallen off leaving a skin level wound that doesnt even look yukky. (I guess his playing helped it along).

The swelling has further reduced, and the back of his leg is itchy. I watched him back up to his feed dish and rub his leg on it, then use his other hind leg to flip the dinner dish up the right way when it turned over, before again itching himself on it. (Clever pony!)

Now feeling quite a bit better about his recovery, but not prepared to feel totally relieved till I see a straight tendon once swelling totally resolved.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

New Wound pics


Not taken from exactly the same angle as the last ones, but I think (hope) that the wound itself is smaller, with healing evident from the edges of the wound.

Unfortunately it does look like it has the lumpy bumpy cauliflower like appearance, and I am wondering if I should now be looking at perhaps using Debrisol or similar to address the proud flesh.


I think once healed it is going to leave a lumpy bumpy looking scar :(

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Mounting Practice

Well, since the pony is not in work at the moment due to his injury, yet he sees fit to gallop round and round the paddock flat out playing, I felt that some mounting training would not be too much to expect of him.

So, for the past three days, he has been learning (I hope) to stand still where-ever I tell him to. The first day was a wee bit of a battle, but I made it very unpleasant each time he moved forward or back without being asked to. I did not even get on him, settling for him standing still (on a loose rein) while I got on and off the mounting block.

Second day, again he was expected to stop and stand still until he was asked to move again. We did a lot of practice in random places as well as at the mounting block. We still had some battles at the mounting block itself, but I felt the we had achieved enough for me to get on at the end of the session: making a big fuss when he stood on a long rein, then got off again.

Today, more progress. No real battles, just the odd step forward or backward when I stood on the mounting block. I mounted several times, stood on a loose rein for a while before asking him to move forward. On the last attempt, he stood like a rock so I sat for a while then got off.

I really feel I am finally making progress. I also think that the fact that the only thing I am wanting to achieve is for him to stand still while being mounted, is helping. I have no worries about how long it takes, as it isnt eating into riding time.

We'll see how we get on again tomorrow, but feeling very positive that I will eventually have a horse that will stand still on a loose rein while I clamber aboard.

Should have taken pics of his wound too, as I can finally see some improvement and am sure that the edges are starting to heal with the wound itself looking smaller. I think I will feel comfortable starting him back in light work next week. YAY!

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Cross fingers

Redid the wee lad's bandage again today.
It's looking a bit bleuchy, with a yellow slimy covering, although the gashes have now filled over, so I guess it is doing what it is supposed to.
Seemed to be a bit sore today too - more so than when I last dressed it, although I guess the air getting to it will sting a little?
No just hoping and preying that it will heal without drama, and that there is no additional (bone) damage.
Today's pics: