It was gorgeous today. No clouds in the sky. Amazing warm weather (60F) and a light breeze. I weighed in at Weight Watchers today and then wanted to skip out of work. Instead, I went back, finished up some projects, and got out of work early. I was itching to ride Isis and work both girls. I didn’t care if I was in my work clothes. I wanted to be out with the girls on a gorgeous day before the snow hits this weekend. (Supposedly we could get up to 10 inches. Arg.)
I got out to the barn and no one was there. Because of Isis’ history of tripping, I never ride if I’m at the barn by myself. So, I went out to the pasture to get Kasane. She looked up at me when I entered the pasture and didn’t object when I put on the halter. She walked slowly and carefully towards the gate with me. Too slowly. Something was wrong.
She had a cut on her forearm between her knee and her chest about 1.5 inches long and about .25 – .5 inch wide. The skin above the cut was swollen. Whatever she did to cut herself was recent: the blood hadn’t dried but it had clotted. She was sore on it but not lame. I wasn’t sure if the cut would need sutures or not.
I brought her back to the barn and called the vet. Better to be safe than sorry. I was told to use cold water therapy on Kasane’s leg for 15 minutes and then the vet would call me back. Good thing it was warm: freezing water with freezing temperatures would not have been pleasant (that will be tomorrow when the weather turns cold and I still have to hose her leg).
We have a new boarder at the barn who is also my small animal vet. She came to the barn just as I was finishing hosing Kasane’s leg. She checked the cut and said she didn’t think it would need stitches. My large animal vet called back and I let him talk to my other vet. Consensus was no wrapping, use an antibacterial ointment on it (Nolvasan) and hose it once a day until the cut starts healing (maybe a week).
I walked out through the field and didn’t find anything Kasane might have cut herself on. Her pasture mate didn’t have any cuts on her either. Who knows what she cut herself on. I put Kasane into a paddock by the barn and gave her some hay.
I still had some daylight after caring for Kasane so I pulled Isis into the big ring and free lunged her. At first she was quiet and did what I asked quietly. And then she glanced at me, tossed her head, shifted on her haunches, and reversed directions and started strutting. One of the other mares in a pasture ran back and forth, excited over something in the woods or looking for her pasture-mate. Isis snorted once, and then cut the back end of the ring. Tail came up and she took one of the jumps and landed at a full gallop. She ripped around the ring with her tail up at a gallop. (That mare can move when she wants to!)
I stopped, held the lunge whip in front of me and waited. Isis trotted slowly over to me, tail up, snorting, and lots of hang time. Tickles me whenever she does that. I didn’t want her to run too much so I put the lead line on her. And she bounced instead of walking as we walked the length of the ring to cool her off.
She was so good and fun to work. I wish we could have ridden but she still made my day.
