Oh Lord what would you do?

HeresHoping

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 July 2012
Messages
2,335
Location
Between the Moors and the Dales
Visit site
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

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 November 2018
Messages
232
Visit site
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

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 July 2009
Messages
8,518
Location
Surrey
Visit site
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

Just passing through...
Joined
27 June 2008
Messages
41,222
Location
Not where I should be...
Visit site
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

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 September 2012
Messages
5,930
Location
West Yorkshire
Visit site
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
 

be positive

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 July 2011
Messages
19,396
Visit site
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

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 July 2012
Messages
2,335
Location
Between the Moors and the Dales
Visit site
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.
 

hottoddy

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 June 2008
Messages
190
Visit site
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!!
 

HeresHoping

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 July 2012
Messages
2,335
Location
Between the Moors and the Dales
Visit site
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

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 August 2008
Messages
7,345
Visit site
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.
 

PSD

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 March 2020
Messages
1,608
Visit site
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
 
Top