A week on

Unfortunately the wound edges are breaking down and between yesterday morning and evening, a lot of stitches gave out leaving a gaping wound.

The 'V' down his leg, although some stitches are still holding, I anticipate opening up also. With that, and the '<' up higher which is now starting to curl back, there is going to be an almighty gaping open wound.

I can see that the 'V' and '<' will probably have to be totally cut off at some stage :(

The pictures really dont do the wound justice...it is very deep and meaty and looks just yuk!

Given that I am really not happy to be away this weekend and trust others to look after him, I am going to have to scratch from Hunua; and in reality I probably wouldnt really have my mind on the job and really be able to enjoy it anyway. However, I can toddle to Hopuhopu and do some show jumping either Saturday or Sunday.

Dratt - 15.02.09 (and other such expletives)

Pony has managed to burst a couple of stitches!

The was an open wound area through which the injuries have continued to drain since he did it on Wednesday. Today, he managed to burst a couple of stitches above that area on that line of injury. When he walks, all you can see if watching it, is a gaping area opening up.

Vet back again tomorrow to check on him.

I think in general most of the wound looks pretty good. There are a few areas where the stitches look a bit tenuous, but on the whole seems to be healing ok (touch wood). Some fill down his leg, and then he has a fat knee and fill from there to the fetlock...he may even have knocked his knee at the time of the accident, or of course it could be from the wound itself.

He is fed up with being inside and has basically been box walking (yard walking)...however that said he seems quite happy, doesnt appear to be in pain, and is quite relaxed - just stir crazy.
I have been giving them several periods of grazing outside each day which they appreciate.

It gets pretty hot in the yards and the flies are driving him nuts as well.

picture = 1000 words

Had a wonderful ride this morning on the wee boy.
No napping, no naughty moments - and I totally discount from that
his leaping moments upon spotting the overnight arrival in the middle of the paddock, of a horse eating darlec (Dave's incinerator).
Despite being genuinely anxious about it, he actually did nothing wrong at all. He did some lovely soft work, and although the right canter lead was still a bit stiff and his head up and wrong bend etc it is improving. THe left canter was absolutely lovely!


So imagine my horror a couple of hours later to find this:


and after stitching...meet Mr Frankenhorse!

Lesson - 04.02.09

Had a dressage lesson today, and boy did she make me work (and the wee pony too of course).
He did some absolutely LOVELY trot work; soft, round but incredibly pingy.
I really want to see someone ride him, so I can see just what he looks like properly going.

I must be getting fitter though, as I didnt run out of puff, and I also managed to stay with him without feeling too unco.

However, when given the option of choosing between the dressage whip (he becomes much lighter and more responsive and works really well) , or the short whip (great for when he naps, to remind him to behave himself), I decided to chance it and went for the dressage whip.

Yes, some lovely lovely work was achieved, BUT, towards the end of the lesson he just couldnt resist and we had quite a few napping sessions, which I then had to work through without the aid of a whip.

The fulmer bit is such a big help when he is trying to skidaddle in his own direction, but I was also very proud of myself as again I just got annoyed, rather than scared. Not once did he succeed, and not once did I allow him to turn the way he wanted....YAY! After each nap I also immediately resumed what we had been doing.

There were a couple of wee moments earlier however, when I heard him doing his groany whistle under the saddle, and sure enough they preceded a couple of eruptions!

I need to simply learn to go with him when he goes more forward, and I am also working on trying not to tilt forward if I get a little anxious.

It was also interesting to note, that the snorting and waving his head about, only really happened when he was annoyed at me....no signs of it when he was working and trying to please.

However, all in all, I feel a lot was achieved, and I look forward to the time he cans the napping shenanigans and I can ditch the short whip.

Manuka Honey rocks!

As the wound has shrunk, the dousing with Manuka honey has formed a skin over it, hardened and fallen off with increasing regularity. Only a couple of days last time before the top fell off revealing a smaller flat sore. It has almost completely healed, and will leave just a bit of a lump visible mainly from the side (pretty much as the vet had predicted).
The wound really does look tiny now!


On the riding front, he has continued to have a wee thought of napping most days, but generally a little tap on the bulging shoulder is enough to remind him to behave. So at this point he is not really scaring me; and hopefully he won't push it any further!

Although we did have a bit of a moment where he got away on me several days ago, and with both of us pulling in different directions, I was quite disconcerted to look down and see that I had pulled the bit right through his mouth -oooops.... started him today in a fulmer so we shouldn't have that wee problem again.

However, each little victory gives me more confidence just riding him in general, and that belief in myself that I can indeed cope should he 'do' anything.

I am a little disappointed in the quality of his flatwork at present as he hasnt really got back to where I felt he was pre injury. However, although I havent had the moments of brilliance I guess he is more consistent in his frame - nice to know though that he is capable of so much more. He is moving away from the leg better, and is much more understanding of the aids.

I feel that I need to go back to the dressage whip, which was of great help in lightening him off my leg aids, but still feel I need my short whip to enable me to give him a quick one should he think of napping. At this stage the short whip wins out as I think the naughty behaviour is the one to be dealt with first.

And in terms of the snorting wheezing head flick, he has been back on grass now for a week, and apart from the odd snort, no real problems (madly touching wood). He is still on the herbal mix, and the grass is 'old' grass without seed heads. I have also not pushed him yet, so I may find when I heat him up a little more in his ridden work, we could still have a problem - we will see.

Nine more days of healing

It looks to me like the wound continues to reduce in size. However, it is definitely not bothering him at all.

Have this morning put him back on the grass with his friends, and will monitor snorting etc.

Rode him midday, and apart from two snorts at the trot he was fine (and EVERY horse has reason to snort occasionally), so will keep him on the grass (and the herbal remedy) and see what happens. If it transpires I need to keep him off the grass periodically, then I guess I will have to manage that.

Riding wise, NO napping AT ALL....had one wee 'think', but I gave him one quick reminder and the idea failed to take root in his wee brain....now I just need to keep my own psyche in the right place and keep on top of it.

He went very nicely - soft and round at trot, although still hard work at canter. But all good :)

The fall and rise

Two days ago, Sampson decided he would try the napping thing...so we got the sideways, the no go anywhere and the running backwards; all of which worried the old wuss on him! To the point where I actually got off him four times...(of course it was simply a good reason to do more mounting practice).

Finished that day settling for one tiny weeny circle just inside the paddock gate without a nap, and feeling quite upset at the turn we had taken. He was obviously getting a little too attached to his mates (at one stage he broke away from me and galloped to the corner where he stood and stared at his paddock mates). So.....into solitary confinement.

Yesterday, he again napped quite badly, although I am pleased to say I didnt get frightened. Eventually (and I am VERY slow to anger normally) I did get angry, clouted him one, and he was immediately back on good behaviour. Had been hesitant to use the whip, not really knowing how he would react.

Had a lesson today, and apart from one nap going through a paddock, whereupon I immediately clouted him twice, he couldnt have been better behaved.

Instructor loved him and thought he also had a lovely temperament, (despite the napping) saying it was just a little idea he had that we would work through.

Also pleased to say that there seemed to be no head shaking at all today (Friday last week he was nigh on impossible to ride it got so bad).....so....is it that he is in solitary on NO grass just hay, or is it the herbal medicine he started on at the same time he went into solitary confinement?

The big problem is of course that he is a huge horse and he is also fence walking while separated from his mates, so has already lost weight despite the copious amounts of hay being fed. I may let him back in with his friends after I have ridden tomorrow and see if that affects his head shaking snorting sneezy wheezy thing.

However, very pleased with the lesson, he went absolutely lovely -albeit hard work. Instructor did say to keep his sessions short at this stage ; max 20 minutes, as he is big, and needs to build up some muscle etc. Plan to have fortnightly lessons; which will also help to keep on top of the napping, if it remains a problem

...but for today I feel empowered with the victory.