Chilli's Leg Thread-Do not open if you don't like blood!

rosiesowner

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Fair warning there in the title!

Yesterday evening I was hand grazing Chilli down the lane leading to the yard. Completely freak accident happened. She heard something and lifted her head at speed which flicked the rope up over her ears which spooked her. She threw her head up and started reversing which put more pressure on. I didn't want to let go of the rope in the split second I had to make the choice as she could easily have chosen to go for a jolly over the golf course/down the lane towards the road. She went up and slipped and fell over onto the post and rail fence of the turnout fields. She managed to nearly knock me over so as I was getting my balance back she ran off, frightened. All of this happened in seconds and it's like a blur in my memory.

Luckily she started heading back to the yard and some of our younger liveries were heading out for a walk down the lane. One of them hopped off and managed to catch her. I got to her and saw her leg. It then proceeded to absolutely explode and gush with blood. My heart just about fell out of my chest and (almost comedically, looking back) I said "girls, I'm sorry but you're going to have to see me half naked". Took off my coat as I knew it would be far too puffy to tie on and pulled my top off, tying it round her leg tight as I had to to stem the bleeding a bit. Got the emergency vet on speaker phone next to me on the floor as the blood soaks through onto the top and my hands. Bit nippy was the weather for stripping off!!

One of the truly fab girls went back to the yard on her pony and got us some help from a couple of my pals who were on the yard. Whacked some proper bandages and vetwrap on it as well we could to stem the bleeding again. I'd like to invite you in joining me in saying RIP to my very favourite joules top ever, which will be sorely missed!! https://cdn.joules.com/medias/sys_master/cdn/h95/hf7/9140807270430.jpg

Back onto the yard as she just wouldn't stand on the driveway. She stood really well on the yard all things considered, lifting her leg and looking at me as if to say "mummy, this hurts, please help me". My heart broke for her, let me tell you.

The vet got here and, well, here's the gore...
27752499_902706666555648_4616253485812427347_n.jpg

27657938_902706679888980_8993335222148347835_n.jpg


Here are some videos of it cleaned and treated, where you can really see the damage she's managed to do to herself!
[video]https://www.facebook.com/100004489696366/videos/a.902706216555693.1073741855.100004489696366/902707073222274/?type=3&theater[/video]
[video]https://www.facebook.com/100004489696366/videos/a.902706216555693.1073741855.100004489696366/902707136555601/?type=3[/video]

I've also made an album which is public which I can add photos to as we go along.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004489696366&sk=photos&collection_token=100004489696366%3A2305272732%3A69&set=a.902706216555693.1073741855.100004489696366&type=3&pnref=story

As it is, she managed to do it in just the right place on her leg. Any higher or lower or round the back and she would have been in big trouble. She's pulled off a big load of skin and there are a few edges of skin which have detached from the tissue underneath but haven't actually come off. We're going to see if they re take and heal or if they will need to be trimmed off. She nicked a couple of small arteries as you can see and has made a hole at the back of her cannon bone. The vet could get her little finger in and feel around for the bone but we're hoping there is no damage to any of her bones. If there is any suspicion of that she will have some xrays done.

She was so brave about the whole thing and has gotten out of having the dentist today. Who knew she hated having the dentist so much?! :D

Going to be ride-less for a good few weeks at least so just trying to see the funnier side of it all...


We shall just have to see how it goes...

The vet was just brilliant. Rainbows in Malton just don't let you down.
 
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Sussexbythesea

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Flipping heck! - things can happen so fast with horses. :(

It looks really horrible but hopefully it’ll heal well, lots of much worse injuries have come right that’s for sure.

Wishing Chilli a speedy recovery x
 

Lintel

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Oh my goodness what a drama you don't want!! Well done for quick thinking with your top! Scary stuff!
Wishing Chilli a speedy recovery in time for the summer Sun!
 

rosiesowner

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Thanks both of you, aye sussexbts it's going to be all about the management I think to have her a nice speedy recovery... Gives me an excuse to get her on a water treadmill when she's ready to strengthen her back up :p

Lintel, I miss my top dearly but the sacrifice was worth it-think I scarred some little girls for life though with my semi naked, frantic state with hands covered in blood. Sounds like something from a horror film:D
 

millikins

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Poor you, nasty. Have to admit I like a good wound, I expect that will heal well, it obviously has an abundant blood supply :)
 

Fiona

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Ohh gracious me... Poor mare 😣 Was it the fence that cut her?

How many stitches did it need?

Hope she heals very quickly.... x x

Fiona
 

rosiesowner

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Again cheers all for your well wishes! Just had the vet for a recheck. Looks good all things considered. Vet out again fri. On mobile ATM so can't add pics but will when I get home!

FIona, I think it was the fence that's done it. Checked the spot today and the fence looks reasonably alright considering. But will get the greenies to have a proper look at it.

She hasn't had stitches as it she's taken a big chunk of skin off and made smaller cuts and a puncture within that ripped bit if you see what I mean!

Leg has had manuka honey on it too.
 
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I know people rate manuka honey but I prefer flamazine cream. It healed my big dones chest up nicely with minimal scarring after his fight with a fence.

A picture guide of his healing:

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?752567-The-Amazing-Healing-Powers-Of-A-20yo-TB
 
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LaurenBay

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Ouchie!!! Poor Chilli, wishing her a speedy recovery.

It must have been very scary for you! well done on keeping your cool and what lovely liveries you have to all help out in an emergency.
 

BallyJ

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Ouch!! Hope she has a speedy recovery!! and sorry to hear about your top :)

My pony had quite a severe injury a couple of years ago and quite enjoyed being a nurse for a couple of months - i think its a horsey person thing we enjoy getting stuck in!
 

JJS

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Poor Chilli and poor you; that must have been really frightening for you both! Well done on the quick thinking, and I hope to see her back in action very soon - I'll miss your gorgeous Instagram posts until the pair of you are strutting your stuff again :)
 

PapaverFollis

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Oh my goodness, leg injuries give me nasty flashbacks! Many healing vibes for Chilli! We had very good results with Aluspray when the wound was looking a bit too wet and weepy and Manuka honey when it looked too dry. We bandaged with some activated charcoal stuff as well, as advised and given us by a vet, to tackle the proud flesh and he healed up with hardly a scar.... although it did end up a bit more scarred when he did it again a few months later!
 

Peregrine Falcon

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I hope you are ok after the ordeal too. One of my forest ponies got tangled in a fence and had a nasty leg wound. Manuka honey was employed and did a grand job. Healing vibes for Chilli. X
 

Mule

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Bloody hell. I watched the video. I gave a jump when the vet announced the artery was bleeding! You're obviously cool in a crisis. Chilli seems pretty cool aswell. I'm sure she'll be fine.
 

Northern

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As nasty as it looks, I expect it will heal brilliantly as long as no infection sets in! Having just been through that with my mare (big nasty knee wound, also couldn't be stitched), I would really recommend staying with the Manuka Honey, every bandage change was a massive visible improvement with it. Sorry it had to happen and best of luck for an uneventful recovery and hopefully you are on board again soon enough :)
 

rosiesowner

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Again more and more thanks to those sending good wishes and vibes!

ekw, we use flamazine quite a lot where we work and i agree, it's absolutely fab stuff!

laurenbay, luckily i have some fab friends who will help me out in a crisis and vice versa...

ballyj, i also really love getting stuck into it all as im going to study a vet nursing degree next year (I'll only be three years late at 21! :D) Just do wish it wasn't my horse, though...

JJS, I will miss making the lovely instagram posts :( I will also miss sitting in my beautiful saddle...

mule, I work on a yard with 50 horses who seem to be good at hurting themselves so to be honest we see a lot of this kind of thing! Plus, obviously once over the fact it is my own horse it is just absolutely fascinating...

As I mentioned above, the vet came again today and already it looked a little better. I have now a photo of where it happened after I went to check the fencing (you can see where she slipped):
27750402_902848059874842_3172947625982104617_n.jpg


And here is a photo from the vet visiting today:
27750319_902848056541509_4807239615401060908_n.jpg


https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004489696366&sk=photos&collection_token=100004489696366%3A2305272732%3A69&set=a.902706216555693.1073741855.100004489696366&type=3&pnref=story
 

Mule

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The fence looks harmless. I don't know how they do it. The wound does look a lot better now that it's cleaned up.
 
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