Whacky Adventures of the Clutzy Horse
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Have you ever had that horse that seems to always get some form of injury FOR NO APPARENT REASON AT ALL?
Imagine my angst to start 2019 with exactly that - a horse, previously without concerns, suddenly getting into all sorts of mischief!
It all started with his very first hoof abscess (that we know of, anyway).
He ate his morning feed perfectly fine, and had a very minor tenderness to the way he walked out into the paddock - a walk that looked much more like a hesitation for extra treats than any actual pain. One and a half hours later, as I collect him from the paddock for our weekly riding lesson, you think his hoof would have fallen off by the limp! (Cue for all horse owners to go -yep, tell tale abscess there!).
Poor blighter had never been with us for any kind of injury and turns out his is the biggest sook! Turns out, I’m also a big softy. Custard received the biggest spoiling and extra treats & hay (good tip to improve your bond through a crisis is to take the chance to emotionally support their needs as well as medically support them!).
One small stick caused so much damage.
Abscess passed as they do, and it is now 2 weeks later and time for our next lesson. Would you believe me if I were to tell you that the exact same thing happened again? Ate breakfast, left fine, collect from the paddock with a massive limp, got lots of spoiling, treats and hay.
It’s at this point I’m wondering if I am just that unlucky or am being outsmarted by a cunning ploy cooked up in the paddock for extra treats. I’ll let you decide.
Abscess passed yet again. A certain Custard is looking very impressed with himself. That is, until he comes in one Saturday morning (yes, just before our lesson) with a piece of stick jammed almost 3cm into his knee!
Obviously, all that money saved from the lack of lessons went straight into an emergency veterinary bill. Flushing, stitching, antibiotics, pain relief, and a massive restocking of the first aid kit due to all the bandaging in the first week!
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Click here to accessBright side is that the stick didn’t actually penetrate the joint capsule. Not sure what stroke of luck that was but I’ll take it!
Thankfully, one month later Custard is well on his way to recovery although still can’t be ridden. And I’m still trying to figure out if I’m just mildly unlucky or if Custard has outsmarted me.
