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.

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 :(

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!

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:

That's horses for you!

Pony has been starting to do some wonderful flatwork, soft and round, and his transitions are getting a lot crisper, and easier. The steering and response to the legs is getting noticeably better every day.

Did some trotting poles yesterday and he thoroughly enjoyed it, and was excellent.

However, I still have major mounting issues: he just simply will not stand by the mounting block. Yesterday we had a wee session, and he has started to have his head around by me, and kept it there when I (finally) was able to get on....I didnt however give him enough rein and when he moved off he moved over the centre and the mounting block - then kicked it over, and ran! Given our combined height I was forced to lean down onto his neck while we blasted out of the shed - me with no stirrups. Upon emerging he commenced big leapy boundy bucks (which thankfully were actually quite comfortable)....I pictured us galloping off up the road out of control.
Nope... I had him stopped before we even got to the first gate.

He then stood as quietly as anything, while I put my stirrups up etc....then we went off and rode as if nothing had happened....he wasnt even remotely worried.

So here was I bemoaning my mounting troubles, and all set for another 'session' today when I find the pony had somehow been kicked when naughty Jackson let their tape down (obviously they all had a hoon around)... Unfortunately it was too late for the vet to stitch it and so the flap (which was very deep) was cut off.
He now has lots of padding and bangaging, and will be out of action for a while.
If we are unlucky, there could also be damage to the bone.

The pony was absolutely amazing...he stood really quietly while the vet poked and prodded, and endured numerous injections.
He really is a kind horse - and although the mounting problem is indeed frustrating; it beats injuries and being unable to ride him at all.

Getting there

Not ready for the "after" photo yet, as he is still a 'work in progress', but so pleased with how he is developing thought it would be nice to have an on the way pic.


Well it has taken a good week but he is almost over the sneezing wheezing spluttering that rendered him virtually unrideable. Obviously the meadow chaff just did not agree with him. So I am very pleased to be able to get back into riding him again.

He is still very hard work, but is coming ever more soft and consistent in his outline, and the upwards transitions are getting better and better. It is the work within the paces that is most difficult at the moment. Both Mum and Saarin tell me that he looks nothing like a green horse going (but he most certainly feels it!).

Still having mounting issues, and may try some other ideas to resolve that one, as he is definitely not worried in the slightest about me mounting, but it is rather a snag to need someone else to assist.

Frustration!

The wee boy had been feeling a little too well; hardly surprising as he was getting identical dinners to Willie who is in FULL work, and can tend to be a duller type of TB. So decided that as he had put on a lot of weight (cover belly straps had to be let out six inches) and it was more a case of muscling up now, that I would put him on a somewhat more boring diet.

I have also discovered that he tends to be a little cold backed if he has had a day off. He is far too polite to buck, but is just a little tight behind the saddle and odd behind for a few moments.

So, decided I would try him on meadow chaff. Having never used the stuff before, I was surprised to find when I opened the bag it smelled very strongly of penny royal (?). It was also very dusty and resembled dry lawn clippings (looks JUST like and smells like them too once soaked).

The result of which is that I now have a horse that is sneezing, snorting, wheezing and carrying on so much that he is virtually unrideable....also doing the whole throwing head up, out and around. Can't be absolutely sure that the meadow chaff is to blame, or if something so simple could have such an extreme reaction: he could I guess just as easily be allergic to some kind of pollen or other, but at this stage a temporal connection is enough for me.

Have now taken him off the 'lawn clippings' and it will be interesting to see if there is any improvement, although one day off them has not made the blindest bit of difference.

I will give it a few days, and if no improvement (or worsening) will look into hayfever / allergy treatments??

So am feeling very frustrated at the moment, and crossing fingers, toes, and everything inbetween that his snorting sneezing and wheezing will abate rapidly!