From fantastic high to hideous low... poor Sam

[LauraBR]

Sam is off to horspital tomorrow morning to see whether the broken bones in his face need an operation to pin them.

The fields here are a mess after all the bad whether so the neds were all stuck in. I popped out of work at lunchtime to let my boy and another horse loose in the indoor for a bit to stretch their legs, breakup the day a bit and let off some steam. They had a roll and a play about and then a canter round together.

They were both having a canter in opposite directions when they ended up lined up for a collision- both leapt to dodge each other but dodged the wrong way and ended up in a full on facial collision. Heard a massive crack.

Both wandered off, ran to friends horse first who looked fine, turned around to see Sam stood snorting with blood pouring out of his nose.

Got them both back in and started to mop Sam up- noticed dent in his 'nose bones'. Spent 2 hours waiting for vet fighting losing battle with gamgee and scary nose bleed on both sides. Off for x-rays tomorrow to see how bad it is. Vet is pretty certain that as the break is on one side the other side should act as a splint but need to be sure.

He's still got an appetite and seemed much much brighter in himself this evening which of course is good, swelling had really come out too. Plenty worse things that can happen but bloody hell- VERY stressful afternoon, only just sat down to get my head round it all.

Total FREAK accident, the image and sound of them both crashing will stay with me forever.

Anyone dealt with a similar injury before? Also, any ideas re how to travel him tomorrow with no pressure over his nose? Don't want to tie him by his bit but don't want a noseband on either

I guess what goes up must come down... with a crash in this case!

 

[lisaward]

poor sam

((((((((((((((((((hugs for tomorrow))))))))))))))))))))))))))

 

[Bossanova]

Oh no, fingers firmly crossed it's easily fixable.
Poor little boy!!

 

[madgirl]

aww poor boy and oor you hope he is ok! hugs to you

 

[Forget_Me_Not]

Aww big big big hugs

...... Never seen this *Probs my devil horse have done it though...* What a hurrible shame after yesterday when i read the title i was like what No... High for month...

 

[JaneMBE]

eeeek! Just like children in the playground! Poor Horsey
Not sure about travelling unless you can somehow leave noseband off headcollar? Maybe have two leadropes one each side rather than in front?

good luck tomorrow x

 

[Happy Horse]

Poor boy - that sounds painful! Can you loosen the headcollar around his nose and wrap it with plenty of gamgee? I can't think of anything else other than travelling loose but I don't really like that.

 

[sleepingdragon10]

Jesus!!Ouch,poor Sam

Think you deserve a change of luck soon with your horses

Fingers crossed for him Izt.

Bethxx

 

[sojeph]

Good luck for tomorrow.
Can you travel him loose?

 

[Natalie_H]

Poor Sam! Get well soon! x.

 

[LauraBR]

Thanks guys

Jane- I've been trying to think of a way of adapting a headcollar as have lots of old ones to wreck but can't think of a way of getting rid of the noseband without having a bit in his mouth?

HH- he normally has sheepskin fluffy cover over his headcollar noseband which could be made even more padded but then I worry about if he flings his head up- the pressure will come down on his nose and potentially dislodge the broken bone.

 

[Irishcobs]

Oh no poor Sam, fingers crossed its nothing bad.
Can you pad his nosband out alot with sheepskin or gamgee, to take the pressure off?

 

[Irishcobs]

Mothers just said if he's a good traveller leave him loose. He can't go far.

 

[Bri]

Poor Sam - Fingers crossed for him!

 

[Theresa_F]

Poor Sam. I know of a horse that broke a bone in his face - high up in the middle about 3" below the eyes. He ended up with a lump but he made a full recovery apart from an end to anything but local showing.

If he is sensible and in a lorry or trailer with partition, I would be inclined to load him with a loose headcollar and then once safely in, travel him without a headcollar - I could with mine but they are normally 100% load and travel.

I do hope he is ok.

 

[JaneMBE]

I can see your problem... I can't think how to do it! Will try and think for a while...

 

[Hornby]

If he's in a lorry why not travel him loose? Mine are good travellers, I must say but they don't need a headcollar to balance in the box - load and unload by looping a rope round the neck and following a carrot (just unload into a restricted space at the vets in case he finds that exciting). What a shame after the highs of yesterday - real freak accident and the image in my head after your description is bad enough. Hope it goes ok tomorrow.

 

[truffles]

Oh god - huge huggles to both of you, what a big shock!!

Hoping he will have a speedy recovery xx

 

[GinaB]

Poor Sam! Hope everything goes okay tomorrow

 

[JaneMBE]

I wonder.... if in a trailer with partition, he can't go anywhere.... or if not, what about a neck cover from rug and secured from there/

 

[LauraBR]

He'll be travelling in a lorry with a companion (won't travel alone but 100% with a friend).

Realistically it looks as though I'll need to travel him loose

At least all this trying to think of the best way of travelling him is keeping me busy- my eyes well up otherwise.

STUPID animal- fancy running head on into another horse?! Must be almost unheard of?!

 

[vicijp]

Dont worry about it too much Lzt.
We had a horse a few months ago who came home with horrendous stall injury. You could fit your fist into the hole beneath his eyes. Next morning very swollen, bled for a few days. Swelling started to go down but every so often abcess would form around edge of fracture. We could have kicked on and ridden him almost instantly, however we chose to give him a few months off. This is him now - almost normal.

Horrid thing to happen to Sam. You do all you can, and yet still its never enough.

 

[GTs]

That sounds like a freak accident - I would probably travel him loose, unless you are using a trailer or lorry that does not have partitions.

Also as you have to take someone else to the hospital too - I would take his friend who he ran into. You are already there, so it is probably worth them giving him a look over too.

 

[S_N]

Jeezzzz!!! First of all HUGS!!!!

Right, I have had to travel a horse that had broken it's nasal bones - similar incident, but both horses actually dodged out of each others way, but this one argued with the wall!!! One was ridden, the other one (with the break) had bucked off his rider!!

We backed the trailer up as close to his stable as possible (for your guy, I'm thinking back it up to the barn door), and with some mix in a bucket encouraged the horse to load on to the right hand side of the trailer - NO HEADCOLLAR -It wasn't tied up and some one travelled in the back (me). NO it's not legal in this country, but it worked for us at the time.

The other option, would be to take the partitions out and use a single breast bar and travel him loose, with the doors about the back ramp closed. If you do this you MUST drive slowly - VERY slowly!!

 

[teapot]

Oh no, lots of hugs and good vibes for both of you

 

[ruscara]

Oh no! Poor Sam, and poor you! What a horrid thing to happen, and such a freak accident. I do hope it's just a bruise and will heal quickly.
The thought of any sort of noseband is actually making my eyes water on his behalf. Does he load and travel well? I personally would do my very best to avoid any pressure on his poor nose.
I will look out for a report once he has seen the vet.

 

[wizzi901]

awww poor sam!!

It will all mend fine, pins or not, could have been a lot worse but still a horrid thing to see. At least you saw what happened and didnt appear to just find them and spend ages worrying what else they may have damaged.

Horrible noise tho......

Good luck x

 

[Ginn]

Oh lzt hun, what a nightmare!

Fingers crossed all goes well tomorrow

 

[pagancluf]

Ahh poor you and poor Sam - thant must have been horrible - good luck for tomoz - travel him loose ... less pressure on nose area.

 

[LauraBR]

[ QUOTE ]
Also as you have to take someone else to the hospital too - I would take his friend who he ran into. You are already there, so it is probably worth them giving him a look over too.

[/ QUOTE ]

Vet gave him a check over today too- he's fine. His forehead hit Sams nose- I guess it is a bit like you headbutting me in the nose- going to smash the nose but forehead not too bad! Owner is going to keep an eye on him over the next few days, nothing to x-ray so not worth stressing him out by taking him.

Completely sensible and valid suggestion though, thanks GTs.