I thought I would update everyone as I have finally got my laptop charged up!
Back in the middle of Feb he was a idiot in the sand school, playing over the fence, whacked his knee on the school fence and stood on a large stone!
So he was quite lame. I hot then cold poulticed ( only got gunk out of his frog, no abscess) . Also cold hosed his knee a couple of times a day as well for 5 days. After two weeks he still remained lame. The vet was due out shortly anyway. Though as I knew what had caused it I was unsure about paying 100quid to be told what I already knew. I decided to do it though when I went to book in the vet was unable to fit anyone else in according to reception staff. I argued the toss that he is on the same yard ( as I needed his bloods doing as well) and we had actually waited until there was a handful of us so it would be a cheaper call out. The reception was additament that they couldn't see him unless it was for something like jabs. When I explained it was ideally for his cushings bloods ( which take 10 minutes) that was another story!
So the vet came ( I was at work) they said they had enough time to do normal cushings bloods and trot him up. Vet A said some arthritic changes in his right fore knee. To do control inhand walking and was on bute. . She was returning in two weeks anyway. So this continued. I got a new farrier so sox got his trim, it was almost 16 weeks in the end!
Even with bute beforehand . Sox is still a worrier and can be 'interesting' for the farrier and suddenly decide he has had enough and will back up and slam his foot down! So, 2 weeks later luckily my friend could attend and told her , Vet A, about the previous issue regarding sox whacking his knee etc. Which she wasn't aware off. Vet A suggested bute as his age is catching up with him. That he was better but still lame 1/5. Though with his recent history and age she was ok with that. I was uneasy about giving him bute and working him. So Plan A was decent joint supp and No bute . Plan B was bute x1 daily and him still be in the light work. In addition to the whole above the yard had redone in the driveway to the fields with these horrific very sharp stones which were and are awful for even the harder shod horses let alone sox.
Over the last 2-3 weeks he has been out on short hacks to get everything slowly moving again ( as he is sound in walk) and slowly building him back up. He has done his normal 'Plod' in which a donkey on blackpool beach could walk faster then him! Though the hardest part was getting him safe enough for me to get on! Only this week my RI and friend advised me to start getting him to come around and use his back. So on our last hack out we tried this. We did our 10 minutes of walking as normal then I asked him to start to come around...
My donkey then turned into a TB 
, who was like "Mum I cant possibly work!! I can however walk faster!" I was like sox that's not what I wanted I need you to work from your back end.. He was like "Erm.. I can put my head up as high as I can get it??".Then it started. The bus stop was terrifying... Then the red door, then a guy walking his dog on the path... all of these required him to stare like he had never been on a road before!!
We stopped to let a couple of cars go by. He jumped as a lovely old lady was opening their wooden 5 bar gate.. Then he decided we were trotting off! Erm no we were not. Racehorse mode fully activated!!
We jogged part of the way home. Until we got to the yard track. On the positive side, that is his usual self. So i am pleased he felt happy enough to do that. The bad news is I have done my back in on Thursday just standing up! So i cant ride right now.
I will update with photos over the last few months shortly.
Back in the middle of Feb he was a idiot in the sand school, playing over the fence, whacked his knee on the school fence and stood on a large stone!
So he was quite lame. I hot then cold poulticed ( only got gunk out of his frog, no abscess) . Also cold hosed his knee a couple of times a day as well for 5 days. After two weeks he still remained lame. The vet was due out shortly anyway. Though as I knew what had caused it I was unsure about paying 100quid to be told what I already knew. I decided to do it though when I went to book in the vet was unable to fit anyone else in according to reception staff. I argued the toss that he is on the same yard ( as I needed his bloods doing as well) and we had actually waited until there was a handful of us so it would be a cheaper call out. The reception was additament that they couldn't see him unless it was for something like jabs. When I explained it was ideally for his cushings bloods ( which take 10 minutes) that was another story! So the vet came ( I was at work) they said they had enough time to do normal cushings bloods and trot him up. Vet A said some arthritic changes in his right fore knee. To do control inhand walking and was on bute. . She was returning in two weeks anyway. So this continued. I got a new farrier so sox got his trim, it was almost 16 weeks in the end!
Even with bute beforehand . Sox is still a worrier and can be 'interesting' for the farrier and suddenly decide he has had enough and will back up and slam his foot down! So, 2 weeks later luckily my friend could attend and told her , Vet A, about the previous issue regarding sox whacking his knee etc. Which she wasn't aware off. Vet A suggested bute as his age is catching up with him. That he was better but still lame 1/5. Though with his recent history and age she was ok with that. I was uneasy about giving him bute and working him. So Plan A was decent joint supp and No bute . Plan B was bute x1 daily and him still be in the light work. In addition to the whole above the yard had redone in the driveway to the fields with these horrific very sharp stones which were and are awful for even the harder shod horses let alone sox. Over the last 2-3 weeks he has been out on short hacks to get everything slowly moving again ( as he is sound in walk) and slowly building him back up. He has done his normal 'Plod' in which a donkey on blackpool beach could walk faster then him!
Though the hardest part was getting him safe enough for me to get on! Only this week my RI and friend advised me to start getting him to come around and use his back. So on our last hack out we tried this. We did our 10 minutes of walking as normal then I asked him to start to come around... My donkey then turned into a TB , who was like "Mum I cant possibly work!! I can however walk faster!" I was like sox that's not what I wanted I need you to work from your back end.. He was like "Erm.. I can put my head up as high as I can get it??".Then it started. The bus stop was terrifying... Then the red door, then a guy walking his dog on the path... all of these required him to stare like he had never been on a road before!! We stopped to let a couple of cars go by. He jumped as a lovely old lady was opening their wooden 5 bar gate.. Then he decided we were trotting off! Erm no we were not. Racehorse mode fully activated!! We jogged part of the way home. Until we got to the yard track. On the positive side, that is his usual self. So i am pleased he felt happy enough to do that. The bad news is I have done my back in on Thursday just standing up! So i cant ride right now.I will update with photos over the last few months shortly.
