Horse First Aid? [vanity]

HairOfTheDog

[HairOfTheDog]

My horse Bay tripped and fell down tonight on trail up in the forest and has two skinned knees. I walked him back to the creek and washed them there, and rode him out, they are not overly tender to the touch and he didn't limp at all or seem slowed down by it on the flat. He was perhaps much more careful and slow going down hill on the way home, so I think they do hurt.

But they look like skinned knees. Was on gravel, so there are some deeper cuts within the skinned area which is about two inches square on both knees

He also has a gravel scrape on his back ?knee? - the point on his hind leg in the front where it connects to his body - That may be swelling but is not from serious cuts, I think it is more bruised.

Question is, should I wrap his knees? I cleaned them well with the hose when we got home 1/2 hour ago, and globbed Nitrofurazone on them and put him in stall... They didn't bleed much ever.

My horseman friend Bob said don't wrap it - leave it open so he can bend his knees. I would feel better if I wrapped them but that is just to please me. I don't know what the right thing to do is for sure. I do have gauze and vet wraps. And I think Bob is the type to not over-doctor. He's a cowboy.

What should I do about the hind quarter?

(Oh I wish my camera would work so I could take pictures.... it is on the fritz)

I left a message with my vet's answering service.... no call back yet.

He went all the way down on his side.... so fast I didn't even know it was coming. He laid on my right leg, not for very long.... and my ankle hurts a little and may swell a bit. I rapped the back of my head pretty good but I just have a little headache.... I am fine.

Any recommendations?

[HairOfTheDog]

Why the frowny face about riding?

[Inge_CAV]

I will tell you privately. : )

You have mail.

[Inge_CAV]

That is enough of the gloomy things.

Wish you were closer, you could share my desert tonight. Mom's Blackberry Cobbler. That would help your ankle and bruises feel a lot better. ;~)

[HairOfTheDog]

I put on some of those super tight support stockings that old ladies wear... that is helping my ankle. I think it is going to turn the color of Blackberry Pie! - I can see the imprint of my stirrup iron in my ankle now!

[Inge_CAV]

Just hope the normal skin tone returns soon.

The next horse you get needs to have some mule in it for sure footedness. : )

[HairOfTheDog]

You know Bob is trying to give me his two year old jenny mule. She is a beautiful mule. Black bay with a really pretty face for a mule and a sweet temperment, although he has not trained her at all... He didn't work with her enough when she was little. I am not even real sure she will reliably lead, and I doubt she has ever been tied. He doesn't have any trouble catching her for foot trimmings and such but it would be a lot of work. I would have to send her to a trainer. I don't break horses any more!

He just doesn't have time for her and is getting vibes from the wife to thin the herd.

[Inge_CAV]

Mules are easy to train and she may be just what you need. She is at the right age to start training.

How tall is she?

[HairOfTheDog]

She isn't going to be a huge mule, but I don't think she is done growing. She isn't more than 15 hands. I wish I was sure she would get some more height.

I would not mind having a mule, but that sure would end my dreams of dressage for a while. My next horse was gonna be a warmblood. I do love to ride trail, and mules are made for walking, but it would be nice to have a couple other gaits available to me ;~D

[Inge_CAV]

15 hands is about normal mule size and like you I do not think she will get much taller.

Mules are great at walking but mine had a bone jarring trot. : )

If you have your heart set on a warmblood and dressage a mule is out of the question.

Don't you wish we could have all the horses and mules we wanted. : )

[Inge_CAV]

The Blackberry Cobbler was delicious and I saved your share of it. : )

[HairOfTheDog]

I think all mules have a bone jarring trot, and their canter is an abomination to watch, and not much better to ride ;~D

But you sure can't beat them on trail!

See, if I took her, it would be another life commitment, and Bob knows that. He can't bear to sell horses after a bad experience he had, but he trusts me to be as much of a softy as him.

He has an old mule, retired for the most part except toting his 4 year old daughter around, who is a lifer. He will get to stay. He has a butthead stud-ish QH gelding that is beautiful but not easy to bond with that is for sale. Then there is his riding horse who will stay, this mule filly and one other.

He has another, harder case on the property, that he might be able to convince the wife he should keep, if he were able to thin the others. It is a rescue he bought at the auction that had blown out hocks the size of cantelopes from rodeoing. The horse looked so kind he couldn't bear to see it go to the canners after working himself to the point of serious injury for people. He has treated the inflamation and his hocks are better, but he will never be sound. There aren't any options for him.

Bob also rescued two llamas from the sale that he is trying to find homes for. So finding homes for the llamas and this filly mule would maybe satisfy the wife and save the rest.

[HairOfTheDog]

Thank you! You are too kind!

[Inge_CAV]

Wish I knew of some good homes to recomend. : )

[alexandria]

Word of advice watch out for those warmbloods. They ARE beautiful but that Arab was a constant full-alert for bolting at unexpected times. I got him for a song since the breeder who bred and showed Polish Arabs didn't want him said she couldn't belive her two best horses had produced something that lanky and ugly.
He was about 3yrs. and stood around 16 hands then much more "ungainly" than the polish Arab 15 hands. It took about 2 years for him to fill out and she ATE those words after that. His GF was Egyptian Arab, must have been a throwback, had VERY impressive trotting gait, kind of flung his front feet out as he went. Looked like he was floating though.

[HairOfTheDog]

Oh I like Arabs and know what you mean... My Bay is pure Polish Arab... and I used to own a very pretty little Egyptian Arab stallion. There are pictures of my stallion HERE in the album "Ancient history - old horse friends". He had that flippy floating trot that you speak of! - I know what you mean. That is why I am reluctant to commit to mule transport, even though all of my riding of late has been trail. I still love the motion of horses, and I don't know if I am yet old enough to be satisified with forever walking.

[null and void]

ping

[potlatch]

We used to have horses and they were always getting cut on the barbed-wire. I think I poured Hydrogen Peroxide on them, like I do if I get a cut.

[Inge_CAV]

Good Morning!

Bumping for an update on the accident victims this morning!

[HairOfTheDog]

I do believe I am better!

I am letting Bay have breakfast this morning before doctoring. (really I just wanted to have some coffee first).

Poor Bay ran from me last night. It made me sad because he ia always such a lover that trots up to me nickering. But now he thinks I am just abusing him with all this doctoring.

He does not feel the taste of the bute is improved much by the molasses, and one of the new sprays my friend highly recommended stings a bit.

He laid down last night in his stall, which I feel better about. I lots of extra deep shavings in there so he could rest.

Was hoping to see the swelling go down in his right knee by now, but I guess it has only been one day of bute. He is moving nicely, and the knee wounds look very good. They aren't gonna be big problems.

I have some errands to run today, not the least of which is seeing if my digicam can be fixed! It is new!

[Inge_CAV]

Thanks for the Good News! : )

Good luck with your camera too.