Thursday, February 2, 2012

Odin's leg

**this post contains graphic pics**
The vet was out Tuesday.  Unfortunately that is my one 'day shift' at work so I wasn't around but Pie was here to assist.  He did pretty good for being a non horsey hubbie.
Today was the first bandage change and my first really good look at what we're dealing with, it was quite a mess before the vet cleaned it up.
We will never know for sure how he did it, but the working consensus is that he got his leg caught in the feeder or was in the feeder and one of the other horses took after him and he banged it/scraped/gouged it getting out of the way.
Fortunately he managed to miss anything important such as tendons or tendon sheaths.  But it is bad, and it will be a long time healing.  Right now the estimate is 3-4 months of bandage changing, probably 10-12 months until it's fully healed.  Seeing as he's a colt and still growing that should help minimize how bad the scar will be when he's an adult and he should have no physical problems with that leg.
So here y'all go, as of today this is what its looking like:
his legs aren't really that bad conformationally, 
this is just a bad pic and he was being pissy

full view of the worst of it
his little tail was in the way enough 
to need to be knotted out of the way

close up, steam rising because it had just been cleaned
yep, that's bone you see
this is what has me worried the most

I'm very grateful to have a friend that lives nearby that came to help me with this initial bandage change.  I'll confess I'm not very good at wrapping legs.  Scott lives just down the road and breeds/trains/shows horses, and thankfully he's had a lot of experience with stuff like this.

12 comments:

  1. OH my...what an awful accident. I know that they always look so terrible, and it's such a miracle how they can heal up and be good and sound in the end. Like you said...time. I sure feel for you though.

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  2. Nasty! But they do heal, keeping it clean will be key.

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  3. Really nasty looking. But horses are amazing- if you can keep it clean and dry it should heal up. And after all of it is over you will be a pro at wrapping and vetting such things. Good luck to all of you!

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  4. dang! that is nasty! Best of luck with it , I am sure you will do a great job. I guess the only thing is really watch for proud flesh , that part of the leg can be a bugger. Maybe some of Shirley's essential oils, or yours ? seems to me you use them as well

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  5. Knock on wood, I haven't had to deal with a wound like that for ages.... speedy recovery.

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  6. Knock on wood, I haven't had to deal with a wound like that for ages.... speedy recovery.

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  7. I`ve had some injuries to deal with, but not quite that bad! here`s to healthy healing! Good luck.

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  8. Oh boy! That looks scary. I am glad age is on his side.

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  9. OUCH!!! I once skinned my knee and cried like a little baby for 2 days..and that was last week..;-))

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  10. Dang, he did himself a good one. Glad he's going to be ok, and good thing that he's young, it should heal up nicely. Horses are amazing, the stuff they manage to do.

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  11. Ouch!!! That looks kinda bad with the bone showing, but at least nothing serious and hopefully it heals well without too much trouble. Thats a long recovery hope he takes it okay.

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Wordless Wednesday ~ new trailer!