The L Word
Not the TV show, the word no equestrian likes. Yes folks, my magical ponykins is l-a-m-e.
Friday night we had a great ride where he felt 98%, but I figured the missing 2% was due to somewhat sloppy footing and didn’t think anything of it. Saturday I audited the Bernie Traurig clinic (more on that in another post) and didn’t make it out to the barn. When I got him out Sunday afternoon, he felt very behind my leg which is unusual for him. Thinking something wasn’t right, I hopped off and lunged. He wasn’t obviously off to the left, but to the right I noticed a slight headbob. Untacked, painted his hoof soles with hardener and chocked it off to a stone bruise and the wet conditions.
Then last night I pulled him from the pasture feeling optimistic, and he was crippled. Crippled on the right front.
It actually makes me feel better when a horse goes from NQR to crippled seemingly overnight, because there’s not a lot that can make a horse do that. Founder? Sure, but he’s an unlikely candidate and I didn’t feel any digital pulse. Acute soft tissue injury or broken leg also possible, but that wouldn’t explain him being slightly off on Sunday and then really off Monday.
I palpated his leg and felt a little puffiness behind the cannon bone on the right front, which I admit did concern me. Cold hosed it for five minutes and any swelling I may have imagined melted away, which is good. The cold hosing did make it pretty obvious that his heel bulb was warm after the cold water. So with that discovery, this arm chair vet is hoping it’s an abscess.
My trainer is going to check him today for me, and we’ll go from there. If she agrees with me, I will go out tonight to soak and wrap. Hopefully it’s an abscess and it will blow out quickly without him being too uncomfortable during the process.
The year end show is in a little over two weeks, but I’m going to put off thinking/making any decisions about that until we know for sure what this is. Keep your fingers crossed it’s an abscess!
24 thoughts on “The L Word”
Definitely hoping it’s just an abscess! Sounds like it for sure!
I hope it is just an abscess!! My fingers are crossed!
Certainly sounds like an abscess. Here’s hoping it’s nothing else more serious!
Hoping it’s an abscess. 🙂
It definitely sounds like an abscess. My first thought was either that or founder. Red didn’t have a digital pulse when he foundered, but he most certainly foundered. Time will tell!! Hoping it’s just a simple abscess!
Only an abcess. abcess. abcess. abcess. abcess. abcess. abcess. abcess. abcess. abcess. ONLY an abcess. abcess. abcess. abcess.
Dislike 🙁
Sounds like an abscess.
Sending sound thoughts you way! Hopefully it’ll pop outta there soon and he will be feeling better!
Oh, the poor guy! I remember when Pony got her first hoof abscess. We thought it was the end of everything, she made such a fuss acting like her entire leg was shattered into a million pieces and she Just Couldn’t Go On. I hope your boy has a swift recovery.
Crossing fingers for you guys!
Crossing fingers!!!
Poor guy! Sounds like it could definitely be an abscess! Here’s to a speedy recovery!
That stinks a big one! I know the feeling. It is awful! GOODLUCK!
P.S. I never noticed how cute his stripe is. I love how it is outlined by the lighter colored hairs! Adorbs!
Hopefully just an abscess, sounds like it to me, hope it goes away soon!
Oh man that stinks 🙁
From this arm chair it def sounds like an abscess or bruise. Magic Hoof!!!
Yep, sounds like an abscess! Don’t forget to check for teeny puncture wounds though!
Fingers crossed for abscess!!
Jingles coming your way!!
Come on Simon!! Feel better soon buddy! 🙂
Yup – Apollo is in the same boat. Most likely an abscess, especially with how fast he went from iffy to three-legged. Soak, pack, wrap, repeat. 🙂
That sucks, fingers crossed its just an abscess.
Yep sounds like an abscess to me too. I’m sure he will be fine. 😀
Ugh abscesses are the bane of my existence… but it sure sounds like one that will hopefully blow very soon! Fingers crossed.