Today Spice inspired me to add a video demonstrating just how obedient horses can be...
Sunday 24 October 2010
Saturday 23 October 2010
209. Why rest isn't always best!
Why box rest can sometimes be counter productive...
To understand that physical therapy can help your horse in numerous ways and on many levels takes some understanding of the basics within the horses bodily systems.
The main body structures that are influenced and affected by physical therapy include:
Muscular system
Relieving tension, spasm, pain and helping the breakdown of adhesions, scarring and torn muscles
Lymphatic system
This is the bodies defence system for fighting infection and clearing debris, it is a slow moving system and relies on movement to work, hence box rest, injuries and trauma will inhibit this system. Physical therapy will assist the lymphatic flow.
Circulatory system
Carries nutrients around the body delivering nutrients and oxygenated blood to tissues and taking waste and debris to the waste disposal systems (kidneys etc)
Decreased muscle activity results in a decreased flow of venous return. Again physical therapy will help with venous return.
Nervous system
Controls every bodily function and describes the communication between the brain, nerves and the spinal cord. Sensory nerves Nerve endings are influenced by massage and the communication is influenced by Bowen technique.
Fascia
This is a connective tissue running throughout the whole body. If you imagine the body without its bones, nerves, organs you would be left with the fascia that runs from head to feet without interruption.
As you can see the systems are all interlinked one working with and affecting another. The main thing to remember is injury, trauma, badly fitting tack and equipment wrongly used can have an effect throughout the WHOLE body, effecting fascia and the bodily systems then having a knock on effect on the body's memory movement pattern. Physical therapy will help with and assist the body's recovery from muscular fatigue, pain, soreness and incorrect way of going and as a preventative measure.
To understand that physical therapy can help your horse in numerous ways and on many levels takes some understanding of the basics within the horses bodily systems.
The main body structures that are influenced and affected by physical therapy include:
Muscular system
Relieving tension, spasm, pain and helping the breakdown of adhesions, scarring and torn muscles
Lymphatic system
This is the bodies defence system for fighting infection and clearing debris, it is a slow moving system and relies on movement to work, hence box rest, injuries and trauma will inhibit this system. Physical therapy will assist the lymphatic flow.
Circulatory system
Carries nutrients around the body delivering nutrients and oxygenated blood to tissues and taking waste and debris to the waste disposal systems (kidneys etc)
Decreased muscle activity results in a decreased flow of venous return. Again physical therapy will help with venous return.
Nervous system
Controls every bodily function and describes the communication between the brain, nerves and the spinal cord. Sensory nerves Nerve endings are influenced by massage and the communication is influenced by Bowen technique.
Fascia
This is a connective tissue running throughout the whole body. If you imagine the body without its bones, nerves, organs you would be left with the fascia that runs from head to feet without interruption.
As you can see the systems are all interlinked one working with and affecting another. The main thing to remember is injury, trauma, badly fitting tack and equipment wrongly used can have an effect throughout the WHOLE body, effecting fascia and the bodily systems then having a knock on effect on the body's memory movement pattern. Physical therapy will help with and assist the body's recovery from muscular fatigue, pain, soreness and incorrect way of going and as a preventative measure.
208. It's all about honey...
This evening i made my second trip up to the yard to tend to Spices wound and to my relief its finally healed over after 18 days! It still looks slightly puffy but the vet only saw it yesterday and seemed to think that the infection had cleared so it i am assuming it is just inflammation.
I have been cold hosing her cut every day twice a day for around 2-3 mins or until clean and then applying manuka honey which i believe has played a huge part in the healing process...
For more information on the healin g properties of honey click here
However, not all honey is of equal effectiveness...
All honey has some level of the antibacterial chemical hydrogen peroxide, which is produced by enzymes in the honey. These enzymes are easily destroyed by exposure to heat and light and also by contact with body fluids. It is now understood that some rare honeys have an antibacterial action that is separate to the peroxide effect, resulting in a much more persistent and stable antibacterial action.
Such valuable honeys are resistant to losing their antibacterial activity when used in wound treatment and even have strong activity when heavily diluted by body fluids in a wound dressing. Furthermore, such honeys are now known to have a synergistic antibacterial effect with the hydrogen peroxide activity, producing a very powerful weapon against bacterial conditions.
Since 1991 it has been recognised that not all honey is effective in its non-peroxide anti-bacterial action and in its promotion of healing - in fact the variability between different batches of honey can be as much as 100-fold.
In 1996 an organisation called TradeNZ, in conjunction with the Honey Research Unit, set about to establish a standard for the classification of antibacterial honey activity. This led to the creation of the UMF® industry standard - UMF standing for Unique Manuka Factor. The Honey Research Unit developed a procedure for rating honeys which has now been in place for some time.
Tested batches of Manuka Honey are given a UMF® rating, depending on their tested antibacterial activity. A UMF® rating of 10 is the minimum activity to gain the UMF rating and thus be considered useful in serious applications. Honey achieving this rating is commonly referred to as Active Manuka Honey, although manuka honey is often marketed as being 'active' even though it is not.
While Manuka honey is fairly widely available, it is considered that only that which carries the UMF® registered trademark should be chosen if the intended use is for therapeutic purposes, and the majority of recent medical trial have predominantly used manuka honey with a UMF strength of 10 or more.
I have been cold hosing her cut every day twice a day for around 2-3 mins or until clean and then applying manuka honey which i believe has played a huge part in the healing process...
For more information on the healin g properties of honey click here
However, not all honey is of equal effectiveness...
All honey has some level of the antibacterial chemical hydrogen peroxide, which is produced by enzymes in the honey. These enzymes are easily destroyed by exposure to heat and light and also by contact with body fluids. It is now understood that some rare honeys have an antibacterial action that is separate to the peroxide effect, resulting in a much more persistent and stable antibacterial action.
Such valuable honeys are resistant to losing their antibacterial activity when used in wound treatment and even have strong activity when heavily diluted by body fluids in a wound dressing. Furthermore, such honeys are now known to have a synergistic antibacterial effect with the hydrogen peroxide activity, producing a very powerful weapon against bacterial conditions.
Since 1991 it has been recognised that not all honey is effective in its non-peroxide anti-bacterial action and in its promotion of healing - in fact the variability between different batches of honey can be as much as 100-fold.
In 1996 an organisation called TradeNZ, in conjunction with the Honey Research Unit, set about to establish a standard for the classification of antibacterial honey activity. This led to the creation of the UMF® industry standard - UMF standing for Unique Manuka Factor. The Honey Research Unit developed a procedure for rating honeys which has now been in place for some time.
Tested batches of Manuka Honey are given a UMF® rating, depending on their tested antibacterial activity. A UMF® rating of 10 is the minimum activity to gain the UMF rating and thus be considered useful in serious applications. Honey achieving this rating is commonly referred to as Active Manuka Honey, although manuka honey is often marketed as being 'active' even though it is not.
While Manuka honey is fairly widely available, it is considered that only that which carries the UMF® registered trademark should be chosen if the intended use is for therapeutic purposes, and the majority of recent medical trial have predominantly used manuka honey with a UMF strength of 10 or more.
207. Spices 10th Barefoot Trim...
It has now been 9 months since Spices shoes were removed and barring half a cm or so she now has now grown a whole new hoof horn. Spices hooves haven't chipped at all this month and have managed to keep their shape really well. They don't seem to be wearing down too much and haven't flared at all. When i compare Spices hooves to what they looked like in the first few months after de-shodding her the difference is amazing. The walls of her hooves are so much stronger. Anyone who thinks that shoes are not damaging the integrity of their horses hooves is seriously mistaken - that's a fact and the funny thing is people generally believe that metal shoes are protecting their horses hooves but really they're doing the exact opposite. However, i guess you could argue 'that as long as you have a good set of metal shoes why do you need a good set of hooves?' and to be honest that's a valid point. I'm not sure what ill effects metal shoes really have apart from to the hoof for i never saw or at least was aware of any whilst Spice was shod which begs the question...why did i decide to go barefoot? And to be honest i don't have a clear answer to that apart from to say that i wanted to see who was right...some or most people i spoke to including those who had worked with horses their whole lives never believed Spice could be sound barefoot due to being 'too finely bred' and yet others on the internet claimed they had barefoot thoroughbreds that were more than happy being shoeless. Ultimately i think i wanted to see who was right and my conclusion is i think they both are...
I still wouldn't feel comfortable riding Spice out without hoof boots on her front hooves 5 times a week over rough terrain even though they are as healthy as can be because i fear she may become sore. However, her hind hooves are always left barefoot and she has not once become lame/sore on them. I therefore believe that given my experience with a 'finely bred horse' like Spice that if she is capable of being barefoot on her hinds then almost all horses barring those with some kind of hoof deformity are capable and if you need more of a reason to keep shoes off your horses hind hooves think about the savings you'll make! 4 shoes are twice the price of 2 so if you want to cut your farrier bill in half go for it. And if all goes well you could even attempt to go barefoot on the fronts and simply invest in a good pair of hoof boots. My barefoot trimmer has now recommended that Spice only have her hooves trimmed once every 6 weeks rather than once every 4 simply to maintain them so at a cost of just £30's per trim i'm now saving £30's every 6 weeks and can be assured that i have done 'the best for Spice.'
I still wouldn't feel comfortable riding Spice out without hoof boots on her front hooves 5 times a week over rough terrain even though they are as healthy as can be because i fear she may become sore. However, her hind hooves are always left barefoot and she has not once become lame/sore on them. I therefore believe that given my experience with a 'finely bred horse' like Spice that if she is capable of being barefoot on her hinds then almost all horses barring those with some kind of hoof deformity are capable and if you need more of a reason to keep shoes off your horses hind hooves think about the savings you'll make! 4 shoes are twice the price of 2 so if you want to cut your farrier bill in half go for it. And if all goes well you could even attempt to go barefoot on the fronts and simply invest in a good pair of hoof boots. My barefoot trimmer has now recommended that Spice only have her hooves trimmed once every 6 weeks rather than once every 4 simply to maintain them so at a cost of just £30's per trim i'm now saving £30's every 6 weeks and can be assured that i have done 'the best for Spice.'
Thursday 21 October 2010
206. Healing....
So the good news is it looks as though Spices wound is finally healing after 4 lots of antibiotics injected (intravenously) and two sachets of anti inflamatories and painkillers every day. I have tried to leave the wound well alone cleaning it only when necessary in order to let it dry out and only applying honey sparingly which seems to have worked so far so hopefully if i continue doing this it will be almost healed by this time next week.
Spice has been amazing when it comes to her injections even walking over to the vet from the field! So i've actually been able to allow him to administer it without me even being there.
If i'm completely honest i think the vet now has a soft spot for Spice just like my partner does. For some reason that intense vulnerability that she demonstrates seems to have that power over people... yes she can be a nightmare at times but other times she can be the best dream you ever had. Perhaps it's that constant dichotomy between bitter and sweet which makes the sweet that much sweeter.
Spice has been amazing when it comes to her injections even walking over to the vet from the field! So i've actually been able to allow him to administer it without me even being there.
If i'm completely honest i think the vet now has a soft spot for Spice just like my partner does. For some reason that intense vulnerability that she demonstrates seems to have that power over people... yes she can be a nightmare at times but other times she can be the best dream you ever had. Perhaps it's that constant dichotomy between bitter and sweet which makes the sweet that much sweeter.
Tuesday 19 October 2010
205. The end to Spices Box Rest...
This morning i arrived at the stables to find Spice still full of energy and exuberance and highly distressed that she was still in her stable (even though all the other horses were too). So i took her for a quick walk to stretch her legs and then decided that she might be better off in a small paddock separate from the other horses.
She wasn't...being able to see the other horses in the other field just made her even more distressed and she just couldn't relax so i decided that i would put her back in her stable until the vet came to give her second dose of antibiotics.
At 2pm I then get a call from the livery yard owner saying that Spice still hadn't calmed down, was box walking constantly and that the vet had advised that she would be better off outside with the other horses as she was probably moving around more in her stable than what she would be outside.
So it looks like Spices box rest has come to and end and i can't say i'm upset about the fact. I hate seeing her so unhappy and so distressed. The funny thing is though i can't work out what it was which was making her so unhappy... because when i arrived this evening she was the only one left in the field but was quietly grazing in the pouring rain as happy as larry! (even though there was no other horse in sight) Saying that she was more than happy to come in when i went to get her so ultimately i think she is happiest when she is with her friends and perhaps if i'd have left it longer she would have started to fret.
The good news is the swelling on her hock has gone down lots and the cut does seem like it is beginning to heal (albeit ever so slowly.)
I find it amazing that in Spices distress and anxiety she never once tries to takes her emotions out on me or anyone else and no matter how angry or upset i get with her (sometimes for her own safety i have to use my voice and assert my dominance over her) she never once retaliates.
When Spice is calm she really is the perfect horse and is an absolute pleasure to work with but when she isn't she can be the worst kind becoming a danger to not only herself but others around her and that as always to both her and my own detriment is the problem i fear i will never be able to overcome.
She wasn't...being able to see the other horses in the other field just made her even more distressed and she just couldn't relax so i decided that i would put her back in her stable until the vet came to give her second dose of antibiotics.
At 2pm I then get a call from the livery yard owner saying that Spice still hadn't calmed down, was box walking constantly and that the vet had advised that she would be better off outside with the other horses as she was probably moving around more in her stable than what she would be outside.
So it looks like Spices box rest has come to and end and i can't say i'm upset about the fact. I hate seeing her so unhappy and so distressed. The funny thing is though i can't work out what it was which was making her so unhappy... because when i arrived this evening she was the only one left in the field but was quietly grazing in the pouring rain as happy as larry! (even though there was no other horse in sight) Saying that she was more than happy to come in when i went to get her so ultimately i think she is happiest when she is with her friends and perhaps if i'd have left it longer she would have started to fret.
The good news is the swelling on her hock has gone down lots and the cut does seem like it is beginning to heal (albeit ever so slowly.)
I find it amazing that in Spices distress and anxiety she never once tries to takes her emotions out on me or anyone else and no matter how angry or upset i get with her (sometimes for her own safety i have to use my voice and assert my dominance over her) she never once retaliates.
When Spice is calm she really is the perfect horse and is an absolute pleasure to work with but when she isn't she can be the worst kind becoming a danger to not only herself but others around her and that as always to both her and my own detriment is the problem i fear i will never be able to overcome.
Monday 18 October 2010
204. Veterinary Advice...
Today i decided to get the vet out to see Spices hock again as it was still badly swollen and still seemed to be infected. After waiting around for most of the day the vet finally came and gave me the following news...
The good news is the cut is apparently not deep enough to have caused any damage to the tendons or ligaments surrounding it and that with 5 days box rest and another course of pain killers and antibiotics (injected once daily) he thinks the skin will have healed over enough to prevent any risk of further infection.
When i asked him what i should be doing with regards caring for the wound he simply said to hose it down with cold water morning and night, dry it off with a sterile cloth and then apply some honey.
I asked him about using purple spray and he second what i'd read that it wasn't all that effective in treating wounds and was better for things like thrush.
So i feel a bit happier today in that he seemed to think that it wasn't all that serious and would in time heal over.
The only problem i now face is keeping Spice happy in her stable for 5 days - it's not that she hates being stabled she just hates being away from all her friends (as during the day all of the horses are out). However, my plan is to let her out in the mornings just for a couple of hours whilst i muck out her stable just so she has some 'outside time'. It's not a matter of keeping her in because of the wound getting dirty outside it's so that she can't trot about and cause it to split open. However, being stabled might cause her to lie down more frequently and this flexes the hocks more than anything else so i am unsure as to how much benefit box rest will actually offer especially in view of the fact that she could be lying in poo! And on top of this being immobile will no doubt inhibit blood flow which is essential to the healing process so could even prolong it rather than aid it but i guess i will see how it goes for the next 2-3 days and re-assess the situation then.
As always i find myself questioning natural medicine over conventional medicine...
The good news is the cut is apparently not deep enough to have caused any damage to the tendons or ligaments surrounding it and that with 5 days box rest and another course of pain killers and antibiotics (injected once daily) he thinks the skin will have healed over enough to prevent any risk of further infection.
When i asked him what i should be doing with regards caring for the wound he simply said to hose it down with cold water morning and night, dry it off with a sterile cloth and then apply some honey.
I asked him about using purple spray and he second what i'd read that it wasn't all that effective in treating wounds and was better for things like thrush.
So i feel a bit happier today in that he seemed to think that it wasn't all that serious and would in time heal over.
The only problem i now face is keeping Spice happy in her stable for 5 days - it's not that she hates being stabled she just hates being away from all her friends (as during the day all of the horses are out). However, my plan is to let her out in the mornings just for a couple of hours whilst i muck out her stable just so she has some 'outside time'. It's not a matter of keeping her in because of the wound getting dirty outside it's so that she can't trot about and cause it to split open. However, being stabled might cause her to lie down more frequently and this flexes the hocks more than anything else so i am unsure as to how much benefit box rest will actually offer especially in view of the fact that she could be lying in poo! And on top of this being immobile will no doubt inhibit blood flow which is essential to the healing process so could even prolong it rather than aid it but i guess i will see how it goes for the next 2-3 days and re-assess the situation then.
As always i find myself questioning natural medicine over conventional medicine...
Saturday 16 October 2010
203. Feeling as though i'm on a merry-go-land.
Arghhh...why is it that one minute Spices wound looks better and the next it looks worse. I honestly feel as though i'm going round in circles at the moment. I arrived this evening to find that it was more swollen than it was this morning...does this mean the infection has come back or is it just inflamed? There was hardly any discharge but the wound itself looked worse than it did this morning. So i decided to apply a dry poultice and not spray any more purple spray on it as it seems as though the purple spray may have aggravated the wound more than helped it!
I chose not to apply another wet poultice because the wound is still open and fleshy and is therefore still able to drain so i figured that as long as its draining it shouldn't need a wet poultice however, as always i will find out tomorrow if i was right.
It's so frustrating because it's such a small cut but due to the place (right on the hock joint) just doesn't seem to be healing :(
If it's no better by monday then i will definitely call the vet out.
I chose not to apply another wet poultice because the wound is still open and fleshy and is therefore still able to drain so i figured that as long as its draining it shouldn't need a wet poultice however, as always i will find out tomorrow if i was right.
It's so frustrating because it's such a small cut but due to the place (right on the hock joint) just doesn't seem to be healing :(
If it's no better by monday then i will definitely call the vet out.
202. Should i wet poultice or dry poultice?
So this morning after a rather restless nights sleep worrying about whether or not i'd done the right thing by poulticing Spices leg i arrived to find out i had.
On removing the poultice i found that the swelling had gone down which was a good sign and that what puss there had been in the wound had definitely made an escape onto the poultice - another good sign.
So in view of the fact that poulticing had helped draw out the infection i decided to apply a dry poultice to protect it from getting re-infected. I cleaned the wound, sprayed it with Purple spray (on the basis that all the infection was out) and then let Spice go out for a couple of hours whilst i went went to buy some more vet wrap and lintex. A couple of hours later i came back to apply a dry poultice (simply to protect the wound from bacteria) since it was still open and therefore easily prone. There was no puss whatsoever coming from the wound just a a tiny drop of blood so it definitely looks as though the infection is out. However, i guess only time will tell if this truly is the case.
I am going up later tonight to see what the dry poultice looks like and depending on whether it is pussy or just bloody i will make a decision of whether to apply another wet poultice.
If by tomorrow morning there is still puss coming from the wound i think i will have to call the vet out to re-assess it as Spice had her last dose of antibiotics today so i might well need some more if it is still infected.
On removing the poultice i found that the swelling had gone down which was a good sign and that what puss there had been in the wound had definitely made an escape onto the poultice - another good sign.
So in view of the fact that poulticing had helped draw out the infection i decided to apply a dry poultice to protect it from getting re-infected. I cleaned the wound, sprayed it with Purple spray (on the basis that all the infection was out) and then let Spice go out for a couple of hours whilst i went went to buy some more vet wrap and lintex. A couple of hours later i came back to apply a dry poultice (simply to protect the wound from bacteria) since it was still open and therefore easily prone. There was no puss whatsoever coming from the wound just a a tiny drop of blood so it definitely looks as though the infection is out. However, i guess only time will tell if this truly is the case.
I am going up later tonight to see what the dry poultice looks like and depending on whether it is pussy or just bloody i will make a decision of whether to apply another wet poultice.
If by tomorrow morning there is still puss coming from the wound i think i will have to call the vet out to re-assess it as Spice had her last dose of antibiotics today so i might well need some more if it is still infected.
Friday 15 October 2010
201. To poultice or not poultice?
Unfortunately after a nice scab formed over Spices wounded hock she went and knocked it off whilst in her stable (probably when lying down) which re-opened the wound and allowed bacteria to get in :( So unfortunately it seems to have got re-infected.
She has been on antibiotics for 10 days now which do seem to be helping but there is still a tiny bit of pus showing on the cotton wool i use to clean it twice a day.
Not knowing what to do for the best (after leaving it uncovered for the last 10 days in the hope that the air would get to it and it would start to heal) a couple of the other liveries suggested i apply a wet poultice to it in order to draw out the remaining infection. Not knowing whether this was the right thing to do or the wrong thing to do i went along with this in the hope that their 20 years worth of experience over my 18 months worth would prove to be superior. So fingers crossed this is the case and it looks better tomorrow...I think if the wet poultice does manage to draw out the rest of the infection it might be worth just applying a dry poultice to help protect the wound whilst it heals which i'm hoping will not take too long.
However, i must admit i am beginning to worry. :(
I wonder what would have happened to Spice in the wild if this were to have happened...would she have made a full recovery naturally? or would she have been struck down by infection and become too lame to survive?
I can't help feeling anxious tonight...if it was somewhere more fleshy where there wasn't any bone involved and it wasn't making her lame i think i'd be fine but i can't help but think that the infection is too close for comfort to her hock joint and that ultimately this could be very serious if it is not controlled and dealt with effectively.
How the woman in the video below coped is beyond me. I consider myself to be quite strong when faced with such challenges but for some reason i can't help but fear the worst at the moment.
Please Get Well Soon Spice X
She has been on antibiotics for 10 days now which do seem to be helping but there is still a tiny bit of pus showing on the cotton wool i use to clean it twice a day.
Not knowing what to do for the best (after leaving it uncovered for the last 10 days in the hope that the air would get to it and it would start to heal) a couple of the other liveries suggested i apply a wet poultice to it in order to draw out the remaining infection. Not knowing whether this was the right thing to do or the wrong thing to do i went along with this in the hope that their 20 years worth of experience over my 18 months worth would prove to be superior. So fingers crossed this is the case and it looks better tomorrow...I think if the wet poultice does manage to draw out the rest of the infection it might be worth just applying a dry poultice to help protect the wound whilst it heals which i'm hoping will not take too long.
However, i must admit i am beginning to worry. :(
I wonder what would have happened to Spice in the wild if this were to have happened...would she have made a full recovery naturally? or would she have been struck down by infection and become too lame to survive?
I can't help feeling anxious tonight...if it was somewhere more fleshy where there wasn't any bone involved and it wasn't making her lame i think i'd be fine but i can't help but think that the infection is too close for comfort to her hock joint and that ultimately this could be very serious if it is not controlled and dealt with effectively.
How the woman in the video below coped is beyond me. I consider myself to be quite strong when faced with such challenges but for some reason i can't help but fear the worst at the moment.
Please Get Well Soon Spice X
Tuesday 12 October 2010
200. Recovery Period
As always following an injury there is always a 'recovery period' which can be highly frustrating at times - especially when the weather is nice and you only have one horse (selfish as that sounds).
However, i am pleased to say that Spice's cut is looking heaps better. It is now 7 days since she got kicked in the hock but all is going well, the swelling has gone down and a nice scab is forming over the wound so it shouldn't be long until it is naturally protected from bacteria and therefore wont be prone to infection meaning she come off of her antibiotics.
I think it's always easy to 'worry or stress' over even the smallest ailments our horses have partly because they can't tell us how they are feeling and we always fear the worst but doing a little research on the internet always makes me realise that i have absolutely nothing to worry about...
I think it's amazing that this mare was saved - although i have to admit that if it was my horse i'd have found it incredibly hard to not consider the alternative.
However, i am pleased to say that Spice's cut is looking heaps better. It is now 7 days since she got kicked in the hock but all is going well, the swelling has gone down and a nice scab is forming over the wound so it shouldn't be long until it is naturally protected from bacteria and therefore wont be prone to infection meaning she come off of her antibiotics.
I think it's always easy to 'worry or stress' over even the smallest ailments our horses have partly because they can't tell us how they are feeling and we always fear the worst but doing a little research on the internet always makes me realise that i have absolutely nothing to worry about...
I think it's amazing that this mare was saved - although i have to admit that if it was my horse i'd have found it incredibly hard to not consider the alternative.
Thursday 7 October 2010
199. Cuts, Grazes, Knocks, Bruises, Abscesses, Lameness anything else???
So the good news is Spices cut seems to be a lot better :) - it got a little muddy with her being kept in the field overnight but i gave it a good clean and a second dose of antibiotics and the swelling definitely seems to have gone down which is a good sign.
Tonight it looked like it might rain pretty hard so all the horses were brought in and Spice was given a deep bed of straw (as i haven't yet had any time to buy any rubber matting) to see if that makes any difference to her legs swelling up so i guess i will see what the outcome of that is tomorrow morning (although at the minute i'm more concerned about the swelling on her hock.)
Why is it that some horses are so prone to injury whereas others seem as hard as nails? I think if i counted the amount of times Spice has had a cut/graze, bruise, abscess or any other injury causing lameness i'd be able to say that on average she had something once a month!
However, even though i can't ride Spice at the mo i still managed to go on a lovely hack on one of my friends horses today which was real nice so all is not bad. :)
Tonight it looked like it might rain pretty hard so all the horses were brought in and Spice was given a deep bed of straw (as i haven't yet had any time to buy any rubber matting) to see if that makes any difference to her legs swelling up so i guess i will see what the outcome of that is tomorrow morning (although at the minute i'm more concerned about the swelling on her hock.)
Why is it that some horses are so prone to injury whereas others seem as hard as nails? I think if i counted the amount of times Spice has had a cut/graze, bruise, abscess or any other injury causing lameness i'd be able to say that on average she had something once a month!
However, even though i can't ride Spice at the mo i still managed to go on a lovely hack on one of my friends horses today which was real nice so all is not bad. :)
Wednesday 6 October 2010
198. Can Rubber Matting aid circulation and guard against stocking up?
This evening i decided to turn Spice out even though she has some swelling to her hock (caused by her cut) because last night her legs filled up again due to being stabled so i thought it was better that she was walking about aiding circulation rather than inhibiting it...did i do the right thing? who knows, i guess i will find out tomorrow morning.
Anyway...in view of the fact that i will have to bring her in when the weather gets bad i really need to do something to prevent this swelling from re-occurring so i decided to do some research on the internet and apparently rubber matting can really help (which is what she had at her last livery yard) where her legs didn't fill up so could this be what's making the difference? I hope so because if it is then i can potentially solve the problem.
I've been having so much fun hacking Spice out lately but what with her getting swollen legs each time she's stabled and then getting kicked leaving her with a nasty cut and a swollen hock you can't help but sometimes think...is it all worth it? And then i look at her and she looks back at me with that 'Bambi' like expression of hers and tells me it all is.
Tuesday 5 October 2010
197. Wound Powder, Hibi Scrub, Iodine Solution or Purple Spray?
Before hacking Spice out today we noticed she had a cut on her hind leg - it didn't seem hot and there was no visible swelling so we decided to wash it off and just spray it with some disinfectant. When i got back home i thought i'd check online what the best thing to use on a cut was and to my surprise i found that purple spray which (if i'd have had it in the back of my car i would definitely have used) is not actually supposed to be very good and neither is wound powder. Apparently they help 'seal' the wounds which if not completely cleaned can harbour bacteria and cause infection. Iodine and Hibi Scrub on the other hand are thought to cleanse wounds and leave them open for any bacteria to drain and are therefore thought to be safer as long as the horse isn't turned out into a really muddy field or left in a dirty stable. After the initial treatment has been administered however neither of these substances are recommended as apparently they can inhibit new healthy tissue growth. So it is advised that after they have received this initial treatment cuts are simply bathed in salt water twice a day.
http://www.yourhorse.co.uk/Community-Landing/Forum-Landing/Forum-Categories/Topic/?&topic-id=4365
http://www.yourhorse.co.uk/Community-Landing/Forum-Landing/Forum-Categories/Topic/?&topic-id=4365
Monday 4 October 2010
196. Hacking out with the right companion...
Today i hacked Spice out with Ebbie - a horse which can be quite spooky and nappy and to my surprise Spice was more confident than ever -pushing to lead on the way out and happily going in front when pulling in for vehicles to pass - something she has had an issue with before. This made me wonder whether the notion (as many would believe) of hacking a nervous horse out with a more confident horse to help improve their confidence really works as often it seems the nervous horse ends up relying on and hiding behind the more confident horse rather building up their own confidence. I have also found that Spices attention seems to become completely absorbed by a more confident horse to the point where i have felt more like a passenger than a driver which also does nothing for building up your horses trust in you.
So i think from now on i will try to hack out with horses of equal or less confidence than Spice as i feel this works far better.
But as always only time will tell if i am right. :)
So i think from now on i will try to hack out with horses of equal or less confidence than Spice as i feel this works far better.
But as always only time will tell if i am right. :)
Saturday 2 October 2010
195. Hooves that don't make a sound...
I haven't written about Spices hooves in a while because to be honest there's not really been much to report. When i arrived with Spice at her new livery yard just (one month ago) I was a little worried about her hooves due to the fact that all the pathways to and from the fields were really stoney and i'd even anticipated that i might need to put hoof boots on her whenever i wanted to bring her in but her hooves (now approaching their 9th month of being unshod) have continued to fare well. I can walk/trot her around the roads completely barefoot for up to an hour without her getting foot sore and since her first abscess back at the beginning of the year (when i first removed her shoes) i haven't had any further issues/problems. I am hoping that they continue to fare well over the winter (as this is the time i think they could deteriorate the most) - due to the wet weather but fingers crossed they do well. She has now gone down a size in her hoof boots due i think to the fact that the white line has become tighter and these days they seem to be doing a very nice job of trimming themselves. :)
It's funny when i go out with her because her footsteps are so quiet that people always look at her feet to work out why and then say 'oh...your horse has no shoes' and i just smile as i walk on by and feel proud.
It's funny when i go out with her because her footsteps are so quiet that people always look at her feet to work out why and then say 'oh...your horse has no shoes' and i just smile as i walk on by and feel proud.
Friday 1 October 2010
194. Stabling = Lack of Movement = Lack of Circulation = Fluid Retention = Filled/Swollen Legs...
Today when i went up to see Spice i noticed that her two hind legs were once again swollen. This time i knew it had to be down to the fact that she was stabled as she had no cuts and it was the first time she had been stabled in weeks (due to the weather being so bad). Although she'd only been in for 12 or so hours it was obviously long enough to cause a decrease in circulation and substantial fluid retention in both hind limbs. Since this never happened at her previous livery yard (when she was shod) i think it could be occurring because she is now barefoot and is therefore used to having more blood circulation which without being mobile is becoming restricted. Of course i could be completely wrong about this - it's just a hunch i have in view of the fact that she used to be stabled for up to 140 hours per week and never once had such a problem.
Having read up on this condition - known as 'stocked up' it seems it is not serious and usually disappears within a few hours of being exercised. However, i can't say i'm all too pleased knowing that stabling her overnight is affecting her circulation so much so that her legs are swelling up! So I think if they continue to fill i will have to opt for leaving Spice outside and only stabling her when it's pouring it down as long term i don't think the effects of her legs filling up will do her limbs any good. :(
I have moved her haylage from the front of the stable to the back to encourage her to walk around more which i'm hoping will make a difference so will see if it has tomorrow morning.
Apart from that Spice had her second visit with the chiropractor today who wanted to come back and treat her left hind leg again after finding that she was quite stiff on it last time and the good news is it's a lot better and she only has some mild soreness through her back which is probably due to being exercised more.
Having read up on this condition - known as 'stocked up' it seems it is not serious and usually disappears within a few hours of being exercised. However, i can't say i'm all too pleased knowing that stabling her overnight is affecting her circulation so much so that her legs are swelling up! So I think if they continue to fill i will have to opt for leaving Spice outside and only stabling her when it's pouring it down as long term i don't think the effects of her legs filling up will do her limbs any good. :(
I have moved her haylage from the front of the stable to the back to encourage her to walk around more which i'm hoping will make a difference so will see if it has tomorrow morning.
Apart from that Spice had her second visit with the chiropractor today who wanted to come back and treat her left hind leg again after finding that she was quite stiff on it last time and the good news is it's a lot better and she only has some mild soreness through her back which is probably due to being exercised more.
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