Little Guy Gets Hurt

Waiting for Treatment

Twice a day Dangerous drives to what we call the "Hunter Pasture" and checks Little Guy, Dottie, and Nellie. Sometimes I go with him, and his mood always brightens if all three horses are standing with their heads down eating. If they are eating and "sh**ting," Dangerous sighs in relief. Next, he examines each horse for cuts, bruises, and abrasions. During these inspections, Dangerous frequently mutters something about how quickly a horse can break your heart. I don't understand it, but he really gets attached to these thousand pound hay balers.

Take a close look at Little Guy's picture, and you will see what causes every horseman's heart to sink in fear. If you look closely at LG's left front hoof, you can easily see the cut he got pawing at the wire fence. Cuts like these frequently end badly. The horse can be lame for months, or even worse, may have to be put down. So far, Dangerous is optimistic that Little Guy will make a full recovery, but have a permanent scar.

Bad Wire Cut

Outcomes the horse first aid kit for emergency treatment. If you think taking your kid to the doctor is difficult try treating a severely cut horse by yourself. Fortunately, LG is sweet natured and fairly cooperative, but poking, prodding, and cleaning his wound isn't easy alone. Dangerous ties him to a tree with a bucket of grain to help focus his attention away from the pain. To assess the damage, Dangerous washes out the wound with water from the hose. He must decide immediately whether to call the vet or treat the injury himself. In this case, LG isn't lame, and when he pulled his hoof through the fence, only hide and hair were torn from his hoof without injuring muscles, tendons, or ligaments. If the damage had been worse, the vet would have been called, and LG may have taken his last ride in the horse trailer.

Looks Better

After seven days of antibiotics, twice-a-day cleaning, and antibacterial ointment, LG's cut looks better. The fear now is infection. To reduce the risk, Dangerous cleans and medicates the cut at least twice daily. LG has really taken to his treatment regimen. He meets Dangerous at the gate morning and night. He isn't waiting to have the wound washed out with water and iodine, but to get his treat. He stands somewhat patiently eating his grain while Dangerous cleans and treats his cut. With a little luck, the cut will heal without a serious infection.

Back on the Trail

Even with a cut, Dangerous is eager to get LG back on the trail. In fact we are going to Grover next week to ride with Fremont Bob and Utah Jack. As you can see LG packs Utah around the High Plateau looking for adventure. When we get back, I will have some new tales from the trail to share with you. Until then, get out there and enjoy the good weather. We plan too! Love to hear from you!

Lunch with Friends