Please help - Tail bandage accidently left on overnight

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Yogi Bear

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Hi All,
Please can I get some advice / support / reassurance.
I got back from a lesson last night in the dark and was rushingto get my pony sorted and everything done in the dark and this morning I realised that I had accidently forgotton to take his tail bandage off.
I know there can be severe consequences to this and I feel sick with guilt and fear of what can happen, but I am human and it was an accident.
When I took it off this morning, his tail was warm and all looked ok - obviously the hair was flat. It was on snuggly, but I could still pull it off, rather than having to unravel it. Could his tail still be at risk?
Please no nasty comments. It wsant negligence - just a mistake.
 
You should be fine. I once accidentally left a tail bandage on overnight after returning from a race meeting in the dark and not having any lights in the stables so forgot the thing was on - took it off in the morning and everything was fine.
 
It's really only a problem if it was tight enough to restrict the blood supply, and most of us feeble females couldn't do it that tight. You'll be fine.
 
Oh my goodness if that's the worst thing you accidentally do - you are doing well!

I'm sure it will be just fine, as other said, just keep an eye on it, but unless it was super tight it should be completely fine and the fact you're so concerned about it shows how much you care.
 
Thank you for your comments. I am rather tail proud so I would be devastated if anything happens to it!! I am hoping all looks ok and normal when I go down tonight. I did the worst thing and googled it and there are so many stories about tails falling off :(
 
Don't worry. You may have been in trouble had the bandage been wet, say if you had washed his tail and then put the bandage on, as when it dries the bandage becomes even tighter but luckily this wasn't the case and as long as the tail is warm you are okay! We all make mistakes, the thing is to learn from them.

Having driven my horse 15 miles in his trailer without a) being tied up and b) having the breast bar done up (goodness knows how this happened) I can tell you now, that its easier than you think when you are tired and in the dark!
 
I did this and after a few days the skin sloughed off under her dock, looking almost like burns ... But she let me put cooling gel on it and it all grew back pink and healthy and she forgave me and in the end I even forgave myself! Hopefully you got away with it, but in any case it doesn't sound like there would be any longer lasting consequences x
 
JillA said:
It's really only a problem if it was tight enough to restrict the blood supply, and most of us feeble females couldn't do it that tight. You'll be fine.
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Please don't run away with that idea, it really doesn't have to be very tight at all to cause serious damage and most horsey "feeble females" could easily do it tight enough, from the age of about eight :(
 
Sadly us 'feeble females' are very much strong enough to end up with it too tight. Look out for blisters on the dock- mine didn't lose his tail just some hair, but before then he had small blisters all over his dock- poor lad :(
 
So long as the tip of the tail bone is warm then he'll be fine - the risk comes from the tail bandage causing ischaemia (lack of blood flow) which obviously kills the tail BUT if the tail was ischaemic then it would be cold
 
I'd keep an eye but if all looked fine still then you've prob got away with it. We all make mistakes and do stupid stuff, we're only human. The number of times I've chased after a horse I've just turned out cos I've left rugs straps undone doesn't bear thinking about... neither does the no of times I've left stable doors unlocked and been lucky to have a horse in there the next morning!
 
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