Oh Lord what would you do?

[HeresHoping]

Am trying to get hold of the vet, obviously. But on top of everything else (my father is dying and everything/one is falling apart) i have a very hopping pony. She's in a field (lives out) about half a mile from stables. Eating happily, of course, but walking to stable is going to be difficult. She has a fat tendon and says she absolutely cannot walk. And the vets are on voicemail. Do I leave her out? Try and get her in? She was fine this morning. Gah. Gah.

For context: she is 19 and full of arthritis. Which is why she lives out. To keep her moving.

 

[HobleytheTB]

Firstly, sorry you're in the middle of such a rough time 😔 I'd guess half a mile is going to be a good 10 minute walk? Possibly a lot longer with hopping horse! Is there any way you can pop up a bit of electric fencing and make a stable-ish sized pen in the field for the moment? Depending on what the vets say, she might be more comfortable in the next few days and able to make the walk back.

 

[chaps89]

Have you access to transport at all to get her in and cold hose the leg too?
Not sure I'd want to walk a hopping horse that far tbh. If not, can you make a pen in the field for her and get a hose up there if you've a tap and cold hose from there?

 

[MrsMozart]

So sorry you're having such a time of it. Wishe for your Dad.

The horse - I echo the make a pen and leave her where she is. Having once tried to move a hopping lame horse far less distance than that it's not something I'd do again unless life or death.

Can you get a cold boot onto the leg? If no cold boot, take a flask of iced water and animaltex.

Hope it all sorts ot soonest lass.

 

[Polos Mum]

I second making a pen where she is if you can lay your hands on some electric fencing, chances are a sore older type isn't going to test it too much so it doesn't need to be fort knocks.
Hopefully vets call back soon and can advise on 1) bandage support if you have to move her, 2) trailer transport vs. walking 3) managing it where she is.

Take a breath and be kind to yourself, another 30 mins to 3 hours while you wait for the vet to call back won't make any material difference to a tendon injury

 

[ITPersonnage]

Never rains but it pours, best of luck with it all.

 

[Patterdale]

I wouldn’t faff on making a pen, I’d leave her where she is and see what the vet says. She’s unlikely to come to further harm? I’d just make sure she has something to eat and drink within reach.

ETA sorry for you. Sounds like you’re having a rubbish time

 

[Kamikaze]

Can you get transport to the field for her?

 

[be positive]

I would also leave her where she is and see what the vet thinks, the fat tendon may be a red herring I know one that was diagnosed with a tendon injury due to the swelling, it was an abscess and the swelling was due to the way he had rested it and lack of circulation, he was also an older arthritic who had been fine in the morning, crippled in the evening.

You are having a rubbish time so fingers crossed it is not too serious.

 

[HeresHoping]

Thank you everyone. Have spoken to vet. We are leaving her in the field. I've put her muzzle back on, much to her indignation. Vet out tomorrow. She possibly has an abscess (there's a strong pulse). Or a knocked sidebone. Or a tweaked tendon. But she is happily eating 🙄🙄. We don't think she can make it any worse and if it is an abscess, moving it around might encourage it to burst. Slight heat around coroner band.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Got any bute?

 

[SEL]

I did a very successful 'let there be pus dance' for my hopping arthritic boy back in March so I will do it again for you!

Sorry you're having such a tough time right now xx

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Fingers crossed for a simple abcess 🤞🤞🤞🤞

 

[HobleytheTB]

I don't think there's many other groups in society that love a bit of pus quite like horse people 😄

 

[hottoddy]

Thank you everyone. Have spoken to vet. We are leaving her in the field. I've put her muzzle back on, much to her indignation. Vet out tomorrow. She possibly has an abscess (there's a strong pulse). Or a knocked sidebone. Or a tweaked tendon. But she is happily eating 🙄🙄. We don't think she can make it any worse and if it is an abscess, moving it around might encourage it to burst. Slight heat around coroner band.

I had one like this on Boxing Day, stuck at the furthest end of the field. Called the emergency vet and started hobbling down to the stables with him. Vet arrived just as I got him onto the yard, abscess burst and he was immediately almost sound!!

 

[Squeak]

Fingers crossed for an abscess and sorry to hear you're having such a tough time right now.

 

[ycbm]

Got my fingers crossed for pus tomorrow.
.

 

[OldNag]

Doing a Pus dance for you here.

I am so sorry you have this to worry about on top of everything else.

 

[Goldenstar]

I will pray for pus as well

 

[Pinkvboots]

I hope tomorrow is a better day! If not farrier call let him have a look and maybe a dig about! Sorry about everything else xx

 

[C1airey]

Sorry to hear that you’re dealing with this at such a difficult time.

Doing the pus boogie for you x

 

[Apercrumbie]

Another pus dancing here!

 

[HeresHoping]

Hello...

Just thought I'd update you. It's looking a bit bleak.

So. Yesterday morning, still on 3 legs but no worse than Tuesday night. Call at 1300 to say vet is 10 minutes away. High-tailed it to the yard. Get to the field. Pony on 2 legs, hind on the diagonal hanging in the air, too, shivering and looking thoroughly miserable. Vet says 'well, I think we have two abscesses'.

Obviously can't move the pony at all. Fill with bute and sedation to enable us to pick up front foot. All other horses in the field at this point decide that they must come and investigate (7 of them, including the old arthritic who usually minds his own business). Hole in front foot that tracks pretty much all the way up to the coronet band and which, despite much poking and black stuff, doesn't yield pus. Can't actually move pony. However, now has weight on back foot again. Gelding in the field walks up to her nonchalantly while vets are collating poultice gear and beats pony up. Vets witness and comment on 'stallion-like behaviour and totally unnecessary. However, apart from a couple of hoof marks, no harm done.

Pony poulticed and we leave her for a couple of hours in the field for bute to take effect and secretly hope that by moving around, abscess might burst anyway. She hobbles off on 3 legs. We conclude she has been lying down and is very stiff on that side.

Takes 20 minutes to get pony to stable - but fortunately both hinds in action.

Go down this morning, and find pony is back on 2 legs. No heat in foot but you can't actually touch her stifle for long. . Also she hasn't drunk and only 3 poos over night.

Change poultice one handed (I managed to burn my fingers putting them down on a hot hob last night) - please dance harder - some yuck from frog area but no pus. Coronet band on fire. Have administered bute. She has had a drink. Will go and see at lunchtime if back on 3 legs or not. If the infection in her front foot has affected the pedal bone, I think it may be curtains.

Father still hanging on. They have finally sent through palliative care. Mother off her trolley with fear and anxiety and regressing to child-like state. Sister exhausted. Gah.

 

[Shay]

So sorry. There are no words for what you are going through right now. I wish there was more that we could do for you but even if all we can do is hold out a virtual hand and hug then we do that.

Be kind to yourself. Whatever decision you make, pony and family, is right in that moment. We can all only do as much as we can do. Don't be afraid to reach out to freinds near to you (even at 2m distance!) and to the forum if we can help at all.

Love and Hugs.

 

[ycbm]

Oh no. Got everything crossed for better news.

.

 

[Baywonder]

Oh crikey. It never rains but it pours. I have got everything crossed for you and hope you find pony a little bit better at lunchtime.

Sending virtual hugs to you , your pony and your family. Sorry you are having such a tough time.

 

[meleeka]

Sending puss vibes and a virtual hug x

 

[PictusSweetDreams]

Hope things get better soon for her. I may be wrong but I’m sure bute slows down the process of abscesses coming out. She’s clearly in a lot of pain and to leave her wouldnt be very nice though

I really hope it is “just” an abscess.

 

[HeresHoping]

Thank you all. Am holding up.

Ordinarily, bute would slow down the abscess bursting process. But she's clearly in too much pain to just leave for nature to do its magic. I wish she hadn't been so stoical in the first place and I could have got it seen to sooner.

 

[PictusSweetDreams]

Thank you all. Am holding up.

Ordinarily, bute would slow down the abscess bursting process. But she's clearly in too much pain to just leave for nature to do its magic. I wish she hadn't been so stoical in the first place and I could have got it seen to sooner.

don’t be too hard on yourself. Hopefully it surfaces soon and relieves the pain for her