The Show that Almost Wasn't - Part I

Well that was a roller-coaster of a week!  Warning; TLDR possibility.

On Tuesday Huck came in with a cut on his right forearm.  We are thinking Ledger kicked him, but can't be sure.  This is a risk we take by putting our shod reiners in turnout.  We know this.  We also know we do not like stalled horses.  We like free-roaming, socializing horses with lower colic risk.  I've already gotten a lecture about this, thank you.

Anyway, so B calls Tuesday morning to say that there was a lot of blood but he wasn't lame. She said she'd clean it and when she called back she said it was worse than she thought.

I headed out and took a look and decided we were going to need professional help or this thing would not heal properly.  It was too deep and too wide. Luckily our vet was able to come pretty quickly.

The vet cleaned it out and stapled it shut.  Two days in the stall on bute but take him for walks, and then we can go back to work.  He even said the show would probably be okay but maybe not do the reining..... great.  The biggest reason I wanted to get him to a show before our first circuit show was reining.  Poop.

The only reason I was upset about not showing was that this was the ONLY show before we do our first Ranch circuit show in May. New horse, new sport, and I knew I'd be super nervous.  I wanted to get that first one out of the way BEFORE we were going for year-end points.

We go from bad to worse...

Wednesday it was swollen and a bit stiff.

Thursday Afternoon

Thursday the leg was even bigger, even down to his hoof on the interior side and he was hot and lame.... and spewing pus from the wound if I touched his leg..... another vet call.  It was disgusting (seriously like projectile pus) and terrifying.  I mean, the vet wasn't terrified, but you know the name of this blog.  Also, while I was walking him, the 6 vultures circling overhead were unhelpful.  They just live here, but still, they weren't helping.

It's hard to see in the photos, but there were zero tendons visible on the interior side of the leg.  Though, to be fair, you know the name of this blog, so I may have been more frightened than necessary.

Thursday Afternoon

The vet returned to drain and flush and he left a few staples out.  We added antibiotics to the regimen.  I was convinced the show was a no-go and also pretty much convinced my horse was going to die.  I didn't sleep well.

Then Friday morning B texts to tell me the swelling is much better and he's not lame.  I go out midday to give bute and walk him and it looked SOOOOOO much better!  I could see tendons! I sent photos to the vet letting him know there was still some drainage.  He said good and that it'll get better with work.  I asked when we should go back to work and turnout and he said "Now.  Show okay if he's sound."
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REALLY!?!?!?!

Friday Afternoon

And he was sound.  Just like that.  Well shit.  I would have been spending this week preparing for the show but I didn't!

I made a second trip to the barn Friday night (I had to go back to work in the afternoon) to see if he was sound to ride.  He was, and he seemed happy to work.  By the end of our ride his swelling was down further.

Okay, so now I have to make a decision about hauling to a show on these Overanxious thoughts:
New horse, hasn't been shown in over 2 years...
No idea how he is in a show/crowd situation...
Or tied to a trailer...
He's got an open would on his leg...
Will we insult the judge taking him in Ranch Conformation with that wound?..
Will I hurt him if I put him through the trailering and showing?

So I decided to go because of these thoughts;
This is a "dress rehearsal" show - it's schooling. (It's a real show but not one of my circuits)
I NEED for my own sanity to know what he's like at a show before we go to big show May 7.
Vet said he should work.
We can do just a few classes.....

....To Be Continued...

Part 2 is here.