Hot tubbing - any bright ideas?

[itsmyparty]

The Big Ginger Lad has another abscess. We are hot poulticing him but the vet says that this time we should "really persevere" with hot tubbing him too.

We've tried this in the past and he is just terrified. But we tried again last night...

Shallow rubber trug with no handles he can get his giant feet stuck in, 1.5cm of hand hot water with Epsom salts in, scoop of food to distract him, very calm handlers (us). The result: trug booted 50 ft up the barn, splashes up him and us and a 17'2" horse who has now turned into 18'3" of snorting ginger loon. After 5 or 6 tries there is no way he is going near the TRUG FROM HELL and is in such a state he won't even lift his foot to poultice him. We've tried doing this indoors and outside.

Any advice?

 

[Bug2007]

Have you tried picking up the other foot as soon as the other one has landed in the water.

 

[itsmyparty]

Sounds like a good idea, if he would let us close enough for a split second lol

 

[Circe]

Not sure if you can hold of one, or if your boy would have more of a freak out, but have you thought of using one of those soaking boots?
Kx

 

[kerilli]

have you tried hosing his foot first so it's wet, so he's used to it feeling wet. then put foot in dry trug, fuss him, get him used to it. pick up other front foot as long as he's not the sort to try to squash you if he panics. if he's okay, get someone else to hold a feed in front of him (distraction tactic, tease him with handfuls to keep his attention if necessary) and get someone else to very slowly gently pour a little warm salty water in the trug, literally a cupful at a time. it doesn't need to be deep to work, obv (2" is usually more than enough).