The FreeRepublic Saddle Club thread! - Thread SIX

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[FrogInABlender]

Now that is sad! He could've at least gotten on a shrubbery forum. ;o)

[MissTargets]

Good morning. With a cut like that, I would wrap for a day or so. Not only to keep the flies out, but it seems to speed the healing process. He would take the wrap off when it started to itch anyways, after a day or two. Have any idea how he did it?

[MissTargets]

See if you can see the picture on post #33. I could see it at home, but not here at work.

LINK

[Beaker]

It's extremely cool here too. Only in the 50s right now.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I think during the storm last night, he might have been running around, and hit it on one of two things out there. the bottom of the stall gate, or a trailer that Mack parked in an open stall before we left on our trip. The hitch sticks out just a bit, and he's not use to it being there. My bet is the stall gate tho. I had it tied back to give him free choice, and he's not use to that either. That gate is usually shut, and he was use to using the stall the trailer is parked in. They are botht he right height, but the bottom edge of the gate seems more likely to make a scrape like that then the hitch. The trailer is coming out this afternoon when Mack gets home, and the stall gate will be shut again.

I've given him his massage now, and he's saddled, so we're going out for about an hour or so. I want to ease him back into work. Let him know last weekends 12 hour days were exceptions not routine:)

Becky

[tuffydoodle]

Ok guys, got a good one fer ya.

Tuffy hasn't been himself lately. He's beein acting irritated and agitated for a few weeks now, I chalked it up to allergies and have been trying to treat them, since he's had a problem with that for some time. Night before last he was acting extremely agitated so I called the vet yesterday and he came out immediately. Checked anything that might be hurting him and he's a bit gimpy on his back right but not enough to cause all this. We started him on another steroid for his allergies and the vet drew blood, just to see if there was anything on it. The vet just called, he said Tuffy is anemic! Said there is a product that the feed stores carry called "red cell" and to start him on it. He'll come back out in a month and draw blood again.

We almost didn't pull blood because it was a slim chance that they would find anything but the vet said last week he was checking a horse with vague symptoms, pulled blood and the horse was in renal failure.

[tuffydoodle]

Oh, Tuffy just had a coggins so it's not that.

[tuffydoodle]

I've been doing a search on anemia in horses and I'm coming up with conflicting information. I'm calling the guys at Lone Star Park.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

My daughter in laws horse was anemic a couple of years ago. I can't remember now what he said to do with him, other then she did let him rest for a few weeks, and feed him really well. I also remember the vet said it was caused because Rowdy had blood worms. Did your vet check for that? I think to cure blood worms she gave him safe guard 5 days in a row.

We've used Red Cell before. Just be sure to watch him. Once he is feeling better, it will make them very hyper.

Becky

[deaconjim]

You should be able to replace the elements. If the heater is very old, the best thing to do is drain it out, and take it out into the yard and flush it out with a water hose to remove sediment from the bottom. I would replace both elements just to keep from having to do it again later.

[HairOfTheDog]

If he was anemic, I'd have thought you might describe him as lethargic and irritable rather than 'agitated'.

Red Cell is good stuff, even gave it to my dog when she was aged and having a hard time holding weight.

Becky, I'd wrap that till it closed up.... a day or two. and furizone.... But that's just me ;~D I've been accused of over-doctoring stuff.


Evening everyone.... I'm wiped out. Weedwacking (jungle clearing) at the beach house kicked my butt.

[Beaker]

Hi all.
It's been a busy day for me. I went straight from work to the barn, and then from the barn went food shopping and I just got home. It's about 9:30. I'm wiped. And hungry! But I had a good ride today. I rode a third level dressage horse. It was like a a dream. Fantastic.

[Beaker]

Becky, I'd probably do the same thing as Hair. Put furizone on it and wrap it. If it swells, hose it.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I got Jenny to take some pictures of the massage therapy we were taught. I don't know how clear it will be from the pictures. But we can give it a try, since no one is talking much.

First step, some stretching. You need treats for this, I used alfalfa cubes. You tease them around till their nose is almost up to their withers. Both directions. I should have had him untied here. I realized it and untied him, but the picture wasn't bad.

Next you tease them down to the ground then very quickly so they don't loose track of where the treat is you move around the back of their leg to between their legs and keep teasing them till their nose is way between their legs, they will bend at the knees some.

This one is the one that will put them to sleep. You have to bend their neck around towards you, and feel for the edge of thier shoulder. Then just press down into thow hollow, and move your hands up and down, with your fingers really pressing into the hollow.

Then you rub them allllll over, in circular motion, up and down legs, everywhere with the flat of your hands. You should be feeling for bumps, and hot spots, this also stimulates circulation.

Then with the tips of your fingers, moving from wither to hips, makeing clockwise circles massage their backs. There are two lines of muscles in their backs on both side. So you have to make two rows from their back bone down.

On their hips you use your fist, and kind of roll it in circles all over from the top of the hip to the leg, front and back.

This is and interesting part. You hold thier tail like I am in the picture, and using your thumb, press on the very tip of thier tail bone to the count of 10, release, press again to the count of 15,release, press again to the count of 20. You'll feel their tail relax after the first time, but by the end of the 20 count you then take thier tail and rotate it all around in big circles, this loosens up their whole back, you end by pushing the tail all the way straight up over their back.

Then you end with stretching their legs. On the front leg you pick up the foot and bend it at the knee and rotate it out and in. That loosens up the shoulder.When you pull the leg out straight make sure you keep it in line with their body. not pulling it out to the side. While holding it out rest your elbows on your knees.

The back leg, you pull forward hold a few seconds they pull it all the way out straight back, keep it in line, not pulling it out to the side. They will tend to pull away a bit but when they get use to it they like it.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Ok, now what do I do:) I've got 3 people on here saying wrap it, 1 person on here and 2 here at home saying don't wrap it....

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

My biggest fears of cuts on that part of their legs is proud flesh. I've always been under the impression that cuts on their legs that stay moist is what causes proud flesh????

It has swollen just a bit this evening, but he's not limping. I think I will leave it uncovered tonight and see how it looks in the morning. If it doesn't look good, or still swelling, I'll wrap it during the day tomorrow. I do know you don't want to leave their legs wrap for more then 12 hours without unwrapping for a while.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Have you all ever used Cut Heal? That is what I've always used, I've never used furizone on a cut.

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

Not familiar with that brand name... So not sure.

The furizone spray I have is quite drying... it really goes on as a powder. It's better than the goopy stuff.


The massage pictures are very cool, we'll try it!

[Beaker]

I've never used cut heal. I've used furizone because it's what everyone else around me used and it worked. I'd treat it the way that you feel most comfortable treating it. It looked kind of raw, so furizone couldn't hurt. I wouldn't keep it wrapped, just for the first day or so.

[Beaker]

What did he think of the massage? Did he like it?