Pippin the pony

[tda]

Pippin is booked in for gelding this afternoon. I hope the vet turns up. There's no reason to assume he won't, but it's the first visit from this vet. I decided to used a traveling equine specialist vet rather than my local generalist vets, who have had gelding disasters in the past. I would rather use someone who does this kind of surgery on horses regularly.

The weather is lovely so that should be a plus, though I have enough covered space to do the gelding inside if necessary.

Wish me strength. I'm sure Pippin will be fine, but the owner passing out is never a good look...

I'm sure it will all go fine x

 

[Titchy Pony]

Well, Pippin is now a gelding. He had quite the pair of nuts on him, though one had decided to slide down alongside his sheath, which is why I wasn't sure for quite a while that they were down.

The vet did a good job and it was over in under an hour. A good job really as the sedation was wearing off fast. The owner (me!) didn't faint, but came close a couple of times. It's extremely annoying that my sight goes blurry and I start hearing buzzing at random points, for no particular reason. It's not blood, needles make me edgy, but I wasn't looking, just focusing on the head...

I didn't realise there was quite so much aftercare for a gelding, but the vet is advising three weeks of bow rest / very small paddock turn out (7x7m - the instructions are very precise). We are shouting the village down with Pippin's neighing at hand walking without his friends and a kid we passed asked if Pippin had had his tail chopped off because it's all bandaged up.

My biggest issue now is injecting Pippin with his follow up antibiotics every two days. He is not having it! My instructor (used to injecting horses) came round at lunchtime to try to help me, but Pippin reacts very violently to the needle and we just couldn't get him injected. I've called my vets for some oral sedative and just waiting for them to get back to me. I may have to get a vet to do the injections, but I'm not sure they'll find it any easier than we did...

 

[Titchy Pony]

Pippin is still not having the injections! The oral sedative was of no use at all. I phoned the vet that did the surgery and he said to keep monitoring and hosing down the area. As long as all is fine, we'll just leave it. Luckily, I can take Pippin's temperature without any issues, so I can monitor him closely. I now need to work on desentisizing to pats on the neck as even that is enough to upset Pippin now. We'll keep working in prevision of his jabs in May, but luckily the needles for vaccinations are much smaller.

Also, in case anyone was in doubt, horses are contrary creatures! I brought Little Madam home last night. Little Pippin was so happy to see his mum and was calling out to her. She just plain ignored him and wandered off with Old Lady down the field. As Pippin has to mostly stay in due to his castration, he is stabled with one of the girls next to him. The others can wander in and out of the yard and down to the paddock if they fancy. The girls trade places regularly, so that no one spends too long inside (apart from poor Pippin). Pippin is getting his hand walks and some time in the yard while I muck out, but he can't be trusted to behave. He was been trying to mount Sassy from various angles, even though it is now too late. Little Madam is now in next to Pippin, but she is in season and in love with Sassy! Pippin is mouthing at her like crazy, but she is just calling out to Sassy instead. Sassy has wandered off with Old Lady to eat some grass. So there is my strong, independent, no-longer motherly, mare pining for my two year old mare when she's been perfectly happy with individual stabling and turnout for almost three months. Thank goodness Old Lady is stable, because right now I feel like I've got a horsey soap opera unfolding in my yard!

 

[tda]

Well, Pippin is now a gelding. He had quite the pair of nuts on him, though one had decided to slide down alongside his sheath, which is why I wasn't sure for quite a while that they were down.

The vet did a good job and it was over in under an hour. A good job really as the sedation was wearing off fast. The owner (me!) didn't faint, but came close a couple of times. It's extremely annoying that my sight goes blurry and I start hearing buzzing at random points, for no particular reason. It's not blood, needles make me edgy, but I wasn't looking, just focusing on the head...

I didn't realise there was quite so much aftercare for a gelding, but the vet is advising three weeks of bow rest / very small paddock turn out (7x7m - the instructions are very precise). We are shouting the village down with Pippin's neighing at hand walking without his friends and a kid we passed asked if Pippin had had his tail chopped off because it's all bandaged up.

My biggest issue now is injecting Pippin with his follow up antibiotics every two days. He is not having it! My instructor (used to injecting horses) came round at lunchtime to try to help me, but Pippin reacts very violently to the needle and we just couldn't get him injected. I've called my vets for some oral sedative and just waiting for them to get back to me. I may have to get a vet to do the injections, but I'm not sure they'll find it any easier than we did...

Glad it all went well....where have they put the bandage?
Ours have only stayed in overnight and then onto the yard to mosey about for few days then back out

 

[Titchy Pony]

Glad it all went well....where have they put the bandage?
Ours have only stayed in overnight and then onto the yard to mosey about for few days then back out

His tail has been bandaged to his dock, it's supposed to stay on for a week (so can come of tomorrow). I assume it's so it doesn't get stuck to the wound.
I was a bit surprised about the 3 weeks box / small paddock rest. The after care sheet is pre-printed with spaces for the vet to fill in amounts of medication, etc... I think it's geared towards older horses being gelded as the vet said Pippin should recover faster due to his age. I think once all the girls have stopped being love-sick due to being in season, he can probably go out with them again, at least for the day time. I'm pretty sure that trying to mount and being kicked to tell him to pi$$ off is not quite the recovery the vet had in mind.