No trimming required.

As mentioned in a previous blog, while Red was on box rest his feet grew due to the lack of movement. The following photos were taken on 31.10.15, 29.12.15 and 22.1.16 Near fore

Off fore

Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk......

Well we have made it to the February half term and we have walked for 12 weeks. Red has been sound in a straight line for several months now and even on a 10m circle on concrete is only a little off (2/10 he was 5/10) but, as I promised myself, we have not began building the trot yet (every now and then I had a short trot to check he is still sound). We have built up to 1 1/2hrs, mainly on the roads, which has worn his feet back nicely (the vet even commented on the fact that he had built his heels up well!) Near fore

Off fore

We have ventured out onto the hills a couple of times and we are starting to introduce the trot. Although he is sound he has been quite footy again. I am treating him for thrush and have introduced some bicarbonate of soda into his feed as it is supposed to help settle the hind gut. Time will tell if either of these helps. The mud is absolutely horrendous and turn out has been restricted to a couple of days a week! I am desperately looking for somewhere else for them to go where they can have all year turn out. MUD!

Box rested feet.

While Red was on box rest with his cut hock I used an 'Arc equine' on him. It is supposed to help break down scar tissue, the physio said that if that didn't work then there isn't much hope, where as the vet was very sceptical. As it would not do him any harm there was nothing to lose in giving it a try. He gradually stopped resting and buckling at the knee on his off fore, whether it was the box rest or the Arc equine I guess I will never know and, although it would be interesting to, as long as he is sounder it doesn't really matter. I decided to just turn him away for the winter and see how he was in the February half term. However, due to him being confined his hooves had not been worn down naturally and the wall and bars had become quite long, so I decided to start taking him for walks along the road to try to get him self trimming again. It would also get his digital cushion working and if I only walked until the February half term then we would have some good ground work under our belt. Near fore

Off fore

They really are looking wonky at the moment. with the walking his bars started to break away and as bits were coming loose I gave them a bit of a helping hand. I didn't getrid of anything that was not already half off, but Red became sore walking to and from the field, so lesson learnt...LET HIM DO IT!

Helpful pony

Mr Red helping with the daily chores.

Helping poo pick the field and taking the hay out to the field.

Under, over or through?

People kept finding Red in the wrong field, the fencing was still up and so they put him back...only to find him in the wrong place again moments later. How was he getting out?

I don't think there is any electricity running through the fence!

ANOTHER injury?! (Warning: gory pictures)

Well its been ages since my last post. I had been trying to keep Red moving, but he was gradually getting more lame. I decided to turn him away and maybe try to set up a system with my electric fencing that would allow him to keep moving but have enough room to do so with any speed. However, before I could set it up he caught his off hind in the fencing between my field and the next and got a deep cut across the front of his hock.

It needed stitches and a big bandage, which of course meant he had to be kept in. I was worried that the lack of movement would not be good for his feet, but it might be what his tendon needed, so could be a blessing in disguise.

Luckily I the yard has the sand pens, so Red can spend some of his time outside. The vets were coming out twice a week to change the dressing and 2 weeks later the stitches were removed. The wound was looking good but the vets wanted the leg to remain bandaged as there was still a small part that had not healed over and the movement of the hock could prevent it from healing. Week after week went by and the cut seemed to be getting worse rather than better.

The cut had started to heal proud, so the excess was cut away....hence all of the blood! I was sure that if the bandage was taken off and the air was allowed to get to it that it would heal, but the vets said that it would scar and so it was better to keep it covered. Also, the pressure of the bandage would help to prevent too much proud flesh developing and so, like always, I went against my gut instinct and followed the vet's advise. When we got to the 8 week mile stone I decided enough was enough and had the bandage left off, sprayed it with silver spray and turned Red out into a pen I had put up in the field.

He was in the pen for about a week and then started going through the fencing to be with Bliss so I let him stay with her. As I expected the cut dried up quickly and has not had any more issues with it. He has a patch where the hair has not grown back and some white hair around it, the constant bandaging caused a pressure sore at the back of his hock and has resulted in white hair growing here too. Yet again I should have followed my gut instinct!!!