Shandy's injured again!

[shandy84]

I'm getting a bit bored of this, two days of riding and she's now been kicked. I really don't know what to do with her.

I feel really paranoid though because I refused to call the vet for a deep but small kick injury YO disagreed most other liveries agreed to leave it overnight, you just can't help feeling worried when you don't call them what you'll find in the morning!

I don't know what i should do with her, we've had colic, kick to the knee (resulting in two months off) we've had mud fever (still got and was off work for two weeks) and now a kick injury. What can i do to prevent her getting all these things?

Is there any chance that because she was weaned far too early that she is lacking in immune system? Just wondered because I can at least supplement that. Would you boot her or move her to a seperate field?

She was sound enough when she walked in and only felt the kick after I'd cleaned it out and made it ache and she has no swelling and it had started to clot so in theory that should be okay shouldn't it?

Why did I buy this horse again?!

[KarinUS]

How long has she been with her current herd? Are there any particular trouble makers? IS ther herd relatively stable or are horses frequently being added/ taken away from this herd?

[Tootsie4U]

If it isnt bothering her, dont let it bother you. :)

Keep it clean. Unless there's a broken bone or its gushing blood, thats probably all the vet would tell you to do too.

(liability notice - Tootsie is not a vet ;) )

[shandy84]

Karin she has been in the herd on and off for about four months. She had a month out due to her knee injury, I think it is possble that there has been some disruption in the her due to some people's horses being left out 24/7 (this isn't an option for my two unfortunatly) Do you think it would be worth booting her to help avoid any kicks?

Tootsie that made me smile :) It wasn't bothering her until I prodded it lots. I'm quite proud of myself no fainiting at the blood this time (with her knee I almost fainted at the blood and wiggling of a scaple in the wound yuck!)

[KarinUS]

I don't think the booting will help much. It's like taking an umbrella. If you got one, it won't rain. If they wear boots they will get kicked everywhere else but the lower leg... :rolleyes:
Mine always got into more fights the more the group was unstable/changing. Any chance you can have a smaller paddock for just your two?

[Jessey]

Qaboos used to get in trouble all the time, always one cut or another, he learnt after a while to get him self out of these situations (I think he just grew up a bit) She's young she should sort it out soon, but in the mean time you will get really good at sorting out things without the vet :D

[shandy84]

Possibly the dilema I have had is that Bramble is top of this group of mares and is very happy with her position, being somewhat a houdini it will only be a 50/50 chance she will be where I left her if she's moved, that has been my problem the whole time.

There is nothing that can be turned out with Shandy and Shandy although she'll stay in a smaller paddock within the field isn't happy being on her own (Bramble will often shimmy under the fence to join her.

I think you're probably right with regards to the kicks though, I don't think i'll ever get anywhere showing her, maybe she'll jump well and we can do that instead! :)

[LORRI]

Just as a precaution why dont you put on polos when turning her out (i thint you call them leg wraps) that way you dont have to worry about little cuts or kicks. :)

[Tootsie4U]

I had another thought about this, do any of the horses she's turned out with have shoes on the back feet?

Thats pretty darn dangerous and asking that those horses be turned out seperately is just about the only thing you really can do within reasonable terms. A kicking horse with steel on the back feet can be a lethal weapon.

[shandy84]

Tootsie to be fair both of mine are shod behind, unfortunatly Shandy is always the one that gets these injuries because she wont accept her low ranking.