Lesson Learned- the hard way

After the big morning race yesterday, Trax and Sassy ran into the same pen. Usually Trax does not care to go in with Sassy, even with food. I made the mistake of leaving him in with her.  It seemed as though it was where he wanted to be.  I quit putting him in with anybody except Danny because he gets picked on constantly.  I should have moved him yesterday morning.....somedays I just don't think.

This is what I came home to yesterday after work.
Obviously he caught it on a T-post.  I hate those things.  I keep saying I'm going to go get caps for them all until I can put up pole fence.  I am guilty of procrastinating and poor Trax paid the price for it.


I had gone down to halter him, I was going to do a little round pen work with him.  I didn't even get the halter on when I saw this lovely gash.
I was pretty sure it was only skin deep, but as you can see it was already swollen and oozing. 

There is really only one equine vet in Casper.  I don't care for that hospital, and since it was afterhours I knew the extra charge would be really high.

I opted to call a different vet out in Glenrock.  Crossroads Animal Hospital.  A couple of younger gals are the resident Vets.  They may be younger, but I have full confidence in their skills.  I have used them several times before.   Fortunalty one of the vets was still there, she said to come on down.  I got him loaded up and made the 30 min trip to get him stitched up.

I have to brag a little.....When we first got there he walked into the bay door, and up to the shute.  He decided he didn't like it and backed all the out, taking me with him.  The vet grabbed a training stick, I told her, "We should not need that."  I asked him to step away from me sideways about ten steps.  He did so without any hesitation at all.  Crossing his feet just like I wanted.  Then I told him, to follow me into the shute, he walked right in.  I was damn proud of him and that vet was very impressed.  Its amazing what a little reminder of "I can always move your feet" can do.

She got him cleaned up, gave him a nice little coctail, and got him sewed up pretty quickly.  As you can see in the picture he was getting a little droopy.  One shot of Pennecillian and some "Scarlet Oil" and a little Bute, and he was ready to go.  Well not quite, we had to walk him around a little to wake him up some.  I was sort of afraid he would fall over in the trailer, but he didn't.  We got him home safe and sound and put him away with some dinner in the round pen.

This one I took this morning, after hosing it off real good.  He didn't care for that part.  I guess that well water is pretty darn cold.  He was shivering from it. As you can see she stitched it pretty loosely so that it can continue to drain.  Not sure I care for that big pocket of fluid that is buidling up down below. But for now will just keep an eye on it.  He will get another shot of Pennicillian this evening.

Sprayed with the Scarlet oil again....I had never heard of it before so I took a picture of the bottle, has anyone else ever used it?

Normally for wounds I use a cream called Nature's Edge, but the vet said that a cream could goop up and keep it from draining.  This is a natural fly repellant plus anticeptic that doesn't get goopy.

This is his "I don't think we are friends anymore" look.  He is not a big fan of hoses, or of people messing with his "owies". The fact that I insisted on both this morning has him a little upset with me.

A nice picture of Killian with the sun shining on him.  I am not happy with what he and Sassy have done to walls of my stalls. Gotta get those replaced before winter comes.  What do you guys think of his weight?  He has lost a ton since I got him (he looked pregnant when he came to my house), so to me he looks great, but some people say he is still heavy. 

I think Sassy could stand to lose a few pounds.  What do you think?

This guy could definitly stand to lose some weight....he still has that - I don't trust you now, look.

So all in all it wasn't a great thing to come home to and I am sorry that he had to get hurt for me to quit procrastinating.  I consider myself very lucky, as it could have been much worse.  One thing is for sure, I am going to have to take a break from riding for a while, so I will have more time to devote to getting my pens safer, and getting started on Danny's rehab.  With Trax's wound, Sassy's broken coffin bone, Killians chipped up sore hooves, and Danny's Stringhalt, I'm out of horses to ride anyway.   I kind of feel like I am a lousy horse owner, even though I spend alot of money and as much time as I can,  trying to make sure they are cared for properly. I keep them up to dates on shots worming and trimming.  I make a point of spending at the very minimum a few minutes a day just looking everyone over for any new issues, even if I don't have time to work with them or ride that day. (two jobs, 2 kids and a boyfriend take up a lot of time) I watch food intake and  I am not afraid to call a vet if needed, I try to keep the habitat safe (obviously need to work harder on that).  Sometimes it seems like it just isn't enough.