The New Girl - Zippin Friday

 Right hind

 Back feet

 Back feet

 Front feet

 Blown knee

 Close up of blown knee

 Gratuitous Butt Shot

 Front feet

 The knee - white blurry stuff on far right is her lip...

VIDEO

LEGS AND BLOOD...

These dang horses!  I have no idea how Sweetie did it, but she took the hide off the inside of her back leg.

Mike fed for me this morning (because I'm still recovering from shoulder surgery and a hysterectomy) but I went out to check the horses, like I do every morning and evening.  I check to make sure nothing happened during the day.

Well, I found this:

At some point in the night, Sweetie had rubbed her leg bloody, then laid down, getting sand and dirt in the wounds.

I cold-hosed for 15 minutes, then scrubbed with betadine before rising.  You know those soft brushes that they give you in the hospital when you have a baby?  They have super soft bristles on one side and a sponge on the other side.  I have one from when my 2nd grand-daughter was born last spring.

After rinsing, I patted dry with paper towels, then applied T-Zone Wound Cream, and let her graze on the lawn for 20 minutes so the cream could dry. 

It looks worse than it is but at least she is clean and doctored and will be feeling better soon.

 

Letting go...Godspeed Biff

One of the hardest things that I do is euthanizing horses.  They aren't always mine.  Sometimes they belong to my boarders.  These horses are retired, old, have chronic pain, or other issues and when their owner says "it's time", I have to abide by their wishes.  I take comfort in knowing that the horses were loved and well cared for in their final months.

Today, I said Goodbye to Biff. 

I'm not sure what his registered name is or what his whole story is, I only know him as Biff.  He was a racing Standardbred and bears the scars of repeated attempts to keep him running.  When he couldn't race anymore, he was dumped at a low end auction.  He was rescued by Cathy and one other, then rehomed to Chelsea.  When he retired from riding, he came here to live his last year.  He is a character, very vocal at feeding time and has always been a really good boy.  I will miss him!

From Biff's mom, Chelsea: "Godspeed Biff. You were a saint with your 4 club feet, your pin fired scarred legs and 75 races to your name. People let you down your whole life until you ended up in a hellhole of an auction in Oregon tied to a fence waiting for the next round of suffering headed your way. When 2 crazy women showed up and were actually happy to see your scarred legs(they knew you were broke) and wanted you to turn around to see your face- you refused, too used to humans letting you down to believe your luck had changed. Well it did and for the last 6 years you have had everything you could wish for and then some. Warm blankets, full belly, custom shoes to help your tired broke down legs, vets to keep you healthy and people who loved you. I am not sure you ever loved any of us back, maybe you were too far down the road of crappy owners to really ever commit your heart to a human, but you were funny, and you were a trail eating machine and you even tolerated my attempt to get a broken down old Pacing Standardbred to chase cows. You gave me "the look" and were an ass when I wanted you to stand still so other people could take a turn, but you did it. You always reminded me to have a sense of humor, and I am happy your last year was spent with Karen Vermillion, away from Monkey, and with geldings you loved. I am sorry your legs and neurologic system were not as strong as your big brain and sense of humor. Godspeed."

Run the green pastures Biff, with the sun on your back and the wind in your mane.  Know that you were loved enough to be set free.

 

 

 

 

By the edge of a woods, at the foot of a hill,
Is a lush green meadow where time stands still,
Where the friends of man and woman do run,
When their time on earth is over and done.

For here between this world and the next,
Is a place where beloved creatures find rest.
On this golden land they wait and they play
Till the Rainbow Bridge they cross over one day.

No more do they suffer, in pain or in sadness,
For here they are whole, their lives filled with gladness.  
Their limbs are restored, their health renewed,
Their bodies have healed, with strength imbued.

They trot through the grass without even a care
Til one day they whinny and sniff at the air.
All ears prick forward, eyes sharp and alert
Then all of a sudden, one breaks from the herd.

For just at that instant, there's no room for remorse
As they see each other, one person, one horse.
So they run to each other, these friends from long past,   
The time of their parting is over at last.

The sadness they felt while they were apart
Has turned into joy once more in each heart.
They nuzzle with a love that will last forever,
And then, side by side, they cross over...together.

Author Unknown

Rest in Peace Biff

THIS IS HOW I ROLL...UMMM...WRAP!

Looks nasty!  The inner sutures have dissolved and the wound is coming open on the outside.

This is a rub mark on the backside of the knee, superficial but weepy.

 Preparing to add T-Zone Wound Cream

 See the tape top and bottom?  That is Elasticon.  It's super sticky, pulls hair, and leaves adhesive behind.  These two wraps are my "anchors".

 

 Non-stick pad in front.

 Wrap once to hold in place

 Add another non-stick pad in back

 Wrap with cast padding.  See how I come underneath?  That helps support.

 If I had one more arm...

 Vet wrap

 Again, come underneath to support from below.

 Elasticon again...attaching to the top anchor.

 And again on the bottom anchor.

 I re-appropriated Angel's leg wraps to provide support.

 This is cotton leg wrap.

 Rolled gauze to add rigidity.

 Ace bandage.

 Final layer, polo wrap.

So... over-kill?  No, I need to make it tight and rigid to discourage bending...at least until the vet can come over to check and possibly re-suture where it is opening up.  This is removed every morning for 30 minutes to air out and let him get his "leg squeezer" off.