My young gelding has a bad scrap on the inside of his hind leg. I have hosed it off several times, he will let me handle the leg but not touch the scrape. Thoughts on what to put on to keep it moist, help it heal?
He won’t accept touching of the scrape so can’t rub anything on. I was wondering about warming triple ointment and pouring it on?
Ideas from the collective?
Can you get someone to hold up a front foot while you dab on whatever you decide to put on it?
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I usually work alone but may be able to get hubs to help. Sometimes that is more dangerous…lol
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It is usually just me too, with a non-horsey hubs. You have to be able to put ointment on it (Furazone or similar). Or maybe a spray if he accepts that more calmly. Tell him lovingly that you are going to help his boo-boo whether he likes it or not. The question is not what can you put on without touching it but how to put something on it without getting kicked. Slow approach, with finger full of ointment? No? Then twitch, lip chain, whatever it takes. Then a carrot or whatever after you treat it. If you really cannot find a way to do this yourself have your vet out and get his/her help and guidance.
My mare when she was just two dinged herself good on the inside of her left hind. It was kind of a puncture type thing so I had to get to it. She was horrible…dancing around and even knocking me down while I was trying to just look at it. She was way a diva at that age and had no pain tolerance. Any owie really brought out the drama queen.
After chasing her back and forth at the tie rack, I took her in a stall and that was no better. We had a CTJ discussion. Don’t judge me but I ended up throwing a bucket of water at her (from a safe distance). I held onto the bucket…only the water was thrown. I don’t recommend it but damned if it didn’t work. I shocked her into cooperation and I never had an issue again…with any doctoring. It was weird.
Any doctoring except eyes…that is still a big no go (she is 23 now) if something has to be instilled in her eye. I can usually get ointment in but flushing with eye wash or drops…no way.
Like I say, I don’t recommend it. Hopefully hubby can help.
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One of my mares recently had a tick bite on the inside a hind leg blow up into a huge, weeping sore. It was hard to get anything on it, but a spray bottle of silver honey saved us. It healed up perfectly and you wouldn’t even know it had been there just a couple of weeks ago.
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I like Vetricyn. It’s sprayed on, so that should work in your case.
When you say he won’t let you touch it…is he kicking at you or just moving away?
Sometimes I pick up the leg with the wound and hold it while gently applying some ointment, salve, cream, whatever. But obviously if the horse is very adamant about not having it touched, this may not work.
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This is the way. ^^
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This is one of the nonnegotiables for me. Yes, it hurts, but my horses must allow me to treat injuries without trying to hurt me. It is a safety issue because I am often on my own, and failing to train this tolerance puts vets at risk in the future.
Holding the leg up myself is where I’d start. Having a helper hold up the leg, or tying it up (as it’s a hind leg) are next steps.
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How young is young here, and is this intractability else where in his life too?
Might be time for his first CTJ. Particularly since while I’m sure it hurts he’s being quite the drama llama here. It’s a scrape, not an amputation. Knock it off.
Also - an idea - if I have a dicey one to doctor, I will do it from the opposing side. If he kicks out, it will likely be with the ouchy leg. If he attempts to run you over to get away, perfect CTJ application of “no sir, you will not come into my space that way.” That way the punishment isn’t around the doctoring but instead about his invasion of your space. A better black-and-white scenario for him to process.
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Yeah, I agree, this is a very handy way to approach it. Not only are you more out of harms way, but it’s easier to keep the “don’t touch it” leg on the ground if I’m pushing the horse that direction to keep their weight on it. Or even just pick up the good leg from the good side. Setting them up with a solid wall on the bad side will prevent them from stepping away.
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The wall is a good idea but with a really dicey one be careful. A trapped feeling horse can make some spectacularly stupid choices.
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This. I would be on the opposite side, holding up a front leg with one arm while reaching with the other arm to clean the wound or apply ointment. It sounds like a stretch, but generally actually not that difficult since, due to the direction it bends, you can hold a front leg up from fairly far back along the horse’s side.
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Yard stick with cotton gauze tapped on it with meds.
Spray is the best but sometimes you have to remind them you are trying to help.
If you have someone that can distract with grain/treats even better, but that doesn’t always work. You have to keep you energy low and patience by the bus load and rinse repeat, they eventually let you dr it.
A splash of ace can help depending how bad and deep it is.
Also something to consider, I pick feet all from the same side a lot of times. Perhaps picking up the ouchy leg from the opposing side - might be something to try if everything else is not working.
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Yes to this concept, but id just have it be a stick/flag to get him over the “no no” zone. He can kick, he can dance, just follow him and release when he quits. Once his feelings are a bit deflated on the whole thing, then do the doctoring.
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Ideally, you should clean it first before putting anything over it. If you can’t scrub it, maybe the horse needs some sedation for that step? Then for sure Alushield is your best bet for this situation.
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He is coming 2, actually very mild and easy to handle, apparently a whus at heart because I have treated far worse with less issues on other horses. lol
I think a spray is the answer.
Interestingly I can pick up his foot to clean and file.
I will try holding the front leg approach, hubs should be able to do that.
This stuff is great and it’s what I reach for any time I have a minor open wound.
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