Our Gang 2014..........

Lemme

Well-Known Member
May 22, 2008
4,532
429
83
East Yorkshire
Happy New Year!

a wet and windy start - all well other than Acorn and his muscle injury he seems more comfortable today but its slow progress -

had a full house today so now managed to put my feet up and relax - back to work tomorrow - normal service resumes.
 
We have been lucky in so far we seem to have escaped the bad storms , high winds but no real rain as such - the fields are holding up!

The Girls are fine out on the hill , Charlie is still up at the yard - out during the day with a rain sheet and in un-rugged on a night and is looking good.

Acorn is still very stiff - the box rest has helped his muscles but the restricted turnout means he is sore on his front again - so he was out yesterday for 6 hours and a 10 hour turnout today - its helping his front foot as not standing taking the strain on it and he's walking better on bringing in - tried running off last night - but he ties up overnight - he's still on bute - hes better for having Charlie next to him in the paddock and seems less depressed, he will be in tomorrow as they are shooting next to the paddock but all the yard will be in so he will have a friend next door.
weather is looking good for rest of week so he will go out Thursday and we have Vet on Friday for injections, Charlies 3rd attempt at Microchip and he is going to check Acorn's progress at the same time. He's being good bless him but hate seeing him not himself.:cry:

Its such a fine line trying to stave off lammi in that front fore due to the stress but I will do my best, it like a :bomb: waiting to go off.

Been here before and don't want a repeat:banghead:
 
Third Time Lucky and Charlie has finally been microchipped! He was a good boy considering he had his annual flue & Tet as well - Vet was brilliant with him and spent some time after making friends with him -.

Acorn has had his jab and a double wammy as we have had him tested for cushings as well - he is still on management for his hamstring but vet like me felt it wise to have him tested even if only to eliminate - all the problems he has with tying up and having previously had lammi I aske3d them to xcome prepred to do it following discussion.

Nuts came down for her jabs - came down very fresh for a 20yr old and she was good for the vet - she showed her displeasure by shaking her head snorting and jogging all the way back to the field.

Tess is not due yet so was left up at the field paddying - I did put her some hay out hoping it would distract from fence walking and in part worked for as long as the hay pile did - vet came that way and said she was stood eatingwhen he passed.

so thats it for another 2 weeks then they are all due trim.
 
Hard frost overnight = left ot while late morning when we had some thaw to put Acorn out - but hes not good tonight - I am going to ring farrier tomorrow see if he will come out and trim - I have a feeling pushing his trim on (now 6 weeks which is longest he has gone for 4 years)is making things worse - hes relieving pressure on both fronts tonight lifting the heels - I am really fearful that we are on tipping point of a lammi attack = his leg feels much better and very little muscle heat - still not right could be weeks if not months to full fitness even if we can stave off a lami episode - hes picky about his eating and I am having to mess about with feed and hay to find what suits - although half a carrot was wooped down after which he did each his feed - I am syringing his bute as he just throws the bucket at me if I put that in - hes bright enough - ears pricked and interested and vocal if hes put in first - just so uncomfotable bless him he really tears at my heartstrings when hes like this, I have a virus so feeling low as it is, my wrist is sore - the cold I think .

we got hay in today and have enough up at the field for the girls should the
bad weather come in - plenty at yard for the boys.
 
Gentle healing for Acorn and hope it doesn't turn into the dreaded. And vibes for your wrist too.

thanks, your vibes for Acorn must have been heard, he was more comfortable this morning - not better that's a way off but he's out on better ground today.

Good news this morning - his Cushings Test had come back negative - seriously impressed with our Vets, he only had bloods taken Friday afternoon.

I have put him on Global herbs supplement for his muscles last week and have started today adding Rapeseed oil - will see if it helps. He is on a low sugar diet in any case and vet is more than happy with his diet and weight.

Will speak to vet at end of week if things stay the same or god forbid he goes backwards. I have been reading up on EPSM and he has so many of the indicators this might be the subject of the next vet discussion.
 
Healing vibes to acorn and glad the ground is better today for him and he is more confortable.
Thats good news re the cushings test and im really impressed woth your vets too that is a great turn around for the test what a fantastic service.
Hope he continues to feel better and all goes well with the vets next time.
 
Well this week has been up and down, it culminated this morning in my going down to the yard and finding Acorn lying down, not unusual, put his light on and went to prepare the feeds for them all, I heard him get up but couldn't see him so went round to his door to see him lying down again at the opposite side and despite trying to get up couldn't, it took me 3/4 hour to get him up gently massaging his legs and rocking him - once up he was on 3 legs and very unsteady - I left him for 5 minutes to let him sort himself out a bit and he straightened up a little but lifting the pressure off his heals on his fronts and leaning back - my mind is thinking abcess combined with injury but a niggle is going lammi - he ate his small breakfast and then did a poo and wee and I gave him a bute - which after 15 minutes he straightened up and started on his hay - he was wet with sweat but at least having passed poo and urine this was pain related and its not colic - by now its 7.30 so I rang the Vets and got the on call - they all know him so I was able to describe, abcess seemed likely but the worry as always is the lammi threat, it was decided that I would contact farrier and get him out as soon as and then report back to the vet on findings - Farrier was good he was at the yard by 8.30, Acorn is very sore on that front foot - he trimmed him down and started exposing, the heat /pain is at the inside heel quarter, no sign of abcess but he's sure that's what we are dealing with, we are now tubbing and poulticing and he has to stay in whilst the weather is so crap and muddy under foot, this brings its own challenge due to the hind leg muscle injury, I am to ring him as soon as it bursts, could be either frog or coronet ,and he will come out that night and finish the trim on that foot and trim and balance him all round, at the moment he's too sore to have them all done.

Vet has left us a full box of bute out which daughter has collected on way to work.

I left him nibbling on his hay, I am mentally drained this morning and have managed to finally get into work.

I am just so relived there is no sign of the dreaded L!
 
Well Day 5 of in, tubbing and poulticing twice a day for abcess -with a fleece on a night and cotton sheet during the day to keep muscles warm , bute and a 5 minute walk out on a night for the hamstring injury- no great bursting of any abcess yet, although there is a bit of a smell on the poultice but this could just be due to it being wrapped, he's being a good boy considering, he's quite happy with the tiny nappy going on and he did walk out a bit better last night and is stood up straighter now and is getting less fussy about his hay - the bute seems to be managing his muscle pain, nothing much touches abcess pain but he does seem to less worried by the foot , maybe the smell is a weakening and air pocket release, have experienced this before and it does remove some of the pressure in the foot - if it is then would expect Pus in the next few days - at this rate Farrier will be back on Saturday as originally planned and will have to do all his feet burst or no burst.

We will just keep carrying on.........:smile:
 
Day 7 - and no improvement, the little man is getting depressed being in, he's down when I go in a morning and has no interest in getting up, his ears are forward and he is alert but so stiff when I do finally get him up, hes picking at his hay and feed and feeling really sorry for himself, he is doing less poo's which is always a worry - its like he is giving up:cry:

Makes me want to :cry: seeing him like this, I have bitten the bullet this morning and put him out for the day - see if that brightens him up, he can paddle around nibbling what bit of grass there is and has his hay and will have the Company of Charlie in the other side of the paddock and his little shelter if needs to go down at all - we are 8 weeks now from his original injury day - I know the process for healing of the hamstring is lengthy but
the box rest due to the potential abcess is making things worse due to the reduced mobility, this is where we were post lammi 4 years ago and it was touch and go with him getting right then - I have been giving him his 5 minute walk out which does brighten him a little buts its just not enough.

the farrier is here on Saturday - he 4 weeks over on his trim now, he is going to have to be done abcess burst or not as that will not be helping his mobility at all - quite frankly not doing him in my opinion is only going to make matters worse and hinder his recovery even more.

bloody winter, if it was summer and dry I would leave him out 24/7 at the field in a small turnout area and let him get on with it but that's not an option as the wetland park is back again up there!

Meanwhile Charlie is happy to have his friend back he was getting bolshy without company, the girls are up on the hill and coping well - considering how wet it is even up there.
 
Day 8 - The turnout did the trick yesterday, last night we have gunk on the Poultice not lots but some, this morning I get there and he's flat out, didn't stir even when I put the lights on - I swept out and put his hay in, at which point he lifted his head and looked as though to say what the F do you want!
Went to sort Charlie, goes back and he up eating his Hay, he didn't want his bucket feet but hey ho he got up on his own without me having to help -
sorted his Poultice and yes more gunk - not massive amounts but its draining - he was nice and fluffy this morning no sign of sweating so obviously the pain relief on draining is there. Daughter put him in top paddock this morning, she said he was much better, still stiff on concrete on back end but not quite as bad , fronts good - so hopefully this will now allow him to move better and for those back end muscles to heal/recover.

Farrier here tomorrow so he can have his pedicure which will help!

Think we are both feeling much happier today.
 
day 9 and we have plenty of smelly gunk, no farrier as he had to rearrange for tommorow - hes more comfortable now its draining but will be glad when his feet are done I feel they are holding back his recovery on the hamstring injury - this weathers not helping - having to keep lightweight on him to keep his muscles warm but that means we are now moulting -:banghead: which means no full coat when winter weather really hits!
 
Day 10 and farrier has been - he was uncomfortable having fronts done - abcess is still draining - still black gunk and taking its time drawing - otherwise both fronts look fine - he was good having backs done considering how stiff he is - no sign of Lammi again so a big plus there!
It took me a while to get him up again this morning - a ting bit of carrot did the trick - hes normally not allowed them so when he does get a bit his tummy takes over thank goodness - its really :poop: weather here today so both he and Charlie are having a day in- nice clean fresh shavings bed and plenty of hay - Charies feet are fine.

It was the week to get the girls done - well we decided toleave Tess another 4 weeks - you can't tell where her muddy legs end and her feet begin this morning I had seperated Nuts off first thing and managed to do her on the least wet part but not being heavily feathered like Tess we don't have the same muddy issue - Farrier was happy enough on our suggestion to leave Tess once he had seen the gowth on Nuts - less than usual at this yime of year other than her hinds where due to conformation her inside heal grows faster than the outside - so we need to do her to keep here straight,
Tess will be done next time with Charlie & Acorn.

God its wet here and windy - we had a heron in the field this morning checking the lakes out! Hopefully if they have the forcast right it should stop mid afternoon.
 
Day 12

yesterday Acorn had issues getting up again although he was brighter in himself and last night I walked him out and he seemed a little freer in movement - still very crab like on hard ground. But hes wolfing down his bucket feed now which is always a good sign -

This morning he got up by himself as soon as I put his bucket in , not as wobbly on back legs and stood good to have his poultice changed, hes back to his cheeky self personality wise - I suspect his legs are adjusting to the balance trim on Sunday and he is starting to straighten up meaning less trauma on his muscles making him more comfortable, the abcess is still leaking rather than full blown which is a bit of pain, although no heat in the area now - hes having to stay in due to the weather being shit, so its controlled walk out and a graze in hand for 15 minutes a day - I think he will do better once he can get out for the day - but it needs to be drier, can't risk anything getting in his foot or him slipping. But I am hopeful we are going the right way again.........

Charlie is in today, looks like he might have taken a knock, odd stepping now and again, nothing serious, but rested today will hopefully be okay for back out tomorrow.......

Girls are fine and weathering what's been thrown at them out on the hill, unrugged and covered in mud - ah well they will clean up come spring:wink:
They don't look for anything other than their bucket feed twice a day and a flap of hay each., going to have a word with field owner to see if they can go into the otherside for a few weeks, its been grazed off by his sheep which have now gone to Market so it will mean they can graze off whats left without hay and rest our field a bit.
 
another morning with slight improvement, this morning he got up before I put his food in, stood waiting, no wobbles and he even managed to stretch/fully extend his hind leg - his muscles are obviously less tense now - he's still got some way to go to being right but the signs are good that he's going the right way.... he's in again today but will have his walk out again tonight, lots of pus on the poultice overnight - he's sporting an orange one today!

Will be pleased when this shit weather is out of the way , dry and cold will be fine by us - he can get out more......
 
The Last day of January and I appear to be on the road to failing again on my I am going to take a photo of them once a month! it will be too dark and wet when I get back tonight ........

Charlie is out today , the on off lameness is next to nothing now, a knock we think when he was pratting about for the farrier on Sunday and got told off for his trouble - no doubt he will not be best pleased as it due heavy rain later.

Acorn is in today, we had more pus during the day yesterday, not much on the poultice this morning so will see how it goes tonight - whatever he is going out tomorrow for a few hours, he was up and waiting for me this morning and looking for out, still stiff until he takes a few strides and then it eases especially on the grass, he still feels the concussion on the concrete but its a case of building up and strengthening now , he will no doubt be peed off with me tonight when I go, he will have to have a walk out raining or not!

Girls are fine, still muddy monsters but happy enough.
 
newrider.com