I curried and hosed Romeo down Monday evening, and turned him out to some hay. Caught Harley with intentions on doing the same. Curried, hosed, and found bad things when I got to his back legs.
Both of 'em. Swollen. Softball bats, from his hocks, down to the fetlocks. Warm to the touch, but he didn't fight pressure. Cold hosing began. I spent 20 minutes spraying down both legs, with only minor changes. I tied him to the trailer, called Jen, and decided to poultice and wrap both rear legs, confining Harley to stall only.
Tuesday morning I got up early (4:15am), and found the swelling down some, but not back to normal. More cold hosing, poultice, wrap, and stall rest.
Tuesday evening found a bit of progress. The left looked decent (still a bit swollen), right not as improved. I hosed the dry poultice off, and turned him out a while. An hour later, I brought him to the wash rack, and found the left looked even better, right no change. More cold hosing, poultice, wrap, and stall.
Wednesday morning, the left was okay.. A bit stocked up, as I knew this was going to happen from too much stall rest. Right hind, no change. Tendons were now appearing towards his hocks, but the closer to the fetlock it went, the more swelling & heat. Cold hose, poultice, wrap, stall rest.
Wednesday evening, I hosed the poultice off, turned him out. He quietly went out to graze. A half hour later, I longed him for about 15 minutes. A bit of bucking nonsense heading right at canter, which I quickly stopped with a slight tug on the line and a holler. Seemed sound (best I could tell) both directions. Steady fluid trot, willing relaxed canter, head quiet, hind end steady ... Both hind hooves a few inches short of tracking up trot, but consistent left to right, normal for Harley. He settled, and at each direction change, I saw more swelling coming out of the left hind, but still no change in the right. 15 minutes in, the right hind fetlock was hot. Quit! More cold hosing...
Instead of stall lock up, I left him turned out. Checked before bed time, and found the right fetlock moderately warm, and still a bit swollen. Left lookin' pretty decent. Left him out all night.
This morning? Absolutely no change. Still minor swelling, heat. I've put a call into Dr Sam to ask if I can do more, and as I blog, they're calling me back..
More later on.. If you're of the praying sort, whisper one for Harley, and his nervous momma...
*blessings ya'll*
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