Eggshells
Well-Known Member
Some may remember me moaning on here about the walking disaster that is my horse. Brief recap: Right hind tendon sheath injury August '13, bilateral hindlimb suspensory injury from April '14, right shoulder injury March '15 with xrays showing changes to the greater tuberosity of the humerus and ultrasound showing damage to the infraspinatus tendon, grade 3 stomach ulcers diagnosed May '15, mild palmer foot pain which is probably navicular... well, ulcers are sorted, suspensories should be fairly well sorted, foot pain in minor and being treated with shoeing and the shoulder is getting worse with rest. The decision has been made to start to gently bring him back to work in combination with intensive physio to try and stop the muscle wastage in the shoulder and hopefully restore full movement to the joint.
A week last Friday was the big day for getting back on board, recruited some moral support, brave pants on, hip flask at the ready, went to get horse in from the field... hopping lame left fore. Having just lost a shoe and had it put back on I guessed (read prayed for) an abscess/nail bind. A few muttered curse words and 4 days of poulticing produced good results and he was he was sound in walk with a boot on and farrier booked for shoeing next week.
So comes this Friday and the Big Meeting with Vet and Physio to assess the shoulder and create the plan of action. Go to get horse in from the field and low and behold: lame right hind. I mean LAME right hind. Pretty much non weight baring on a tight circle, completely camped under in the stable and occasionally lifting it completely off the ground. Vet tried ever so hard to get a reaction from the hoof testers, but no such luck. No obvious swellings or injuries but very reactive to palpation of the sacroiliac region and lameness indicative of stifle problem in vets experience. Cue a few days box rest and bute and reassess middle of next week.
Problem being he is a nightmare to box rest and gets very stressed. He weaves, he box walks, he gets the *****s, he refuses to eat. None of which is good for either shoulder, ulcers or phyche. I am now stocked up with ACP tablets and self pity, but running very low on moral. Think someone must have lent this horse a copy of an equine medical textbook and he is busy working his way through it!
Good thing he's beautiful -
A week last Friday was the big day for getting back on board, recruited some moral support, brave pants on, hip flask at the ready, went to get horse in from the field... hopping lame left fore. Having just lost a shoe and had it put back on I guessed (read prayed for) an abscess/nail bind. A few muttered curse words and 4 days of poulticing produced good results and he was he was sound in walk with a boot on and farrier booked for shoeing next week.
So comes this Friday and the Big Meeting with Vet and Physio to assess the shoulder and create the plan of action. Go to get horse in from the field and low and behold: lame right hind. I mean LAME right hind. Pretty much non weight baring on a tight circle, completely camped under in the stable and occasionally lifting it completely off the ground. Vet tried ever so hard to get a reaction from the hoof testers, but no such luck. No obvious swellings or injuries but very reactive to palpation of the sacroiliac region and lameness indicative of stifle problem in vets experience. Cue a few days box rest and bute and reassess middle of next week.
Problem being he is a nightmare to box rest and gets very stressed. He weaves, he box walks, he gets the *****s, he refuses to eat. None of which is good for either shoulder, ulcers or phyche. I am now stocked up with ACP tablets and self pity, but running very low on moral. Think someone must have lent this horse a copy of an equine medical textbook and he is busy working his way through it!
Good thing he's beautiful -
