Evie and the wire Fence.

6/11/2010

This evening, as I was saying goodbye to my last riding student of the day- around 7:30 , we saw my 4 year old Percheron mare Evie, rolling. She not only chose a dumb place to roll, but then to make matters the worst possible- she rolled Over and into the hi-tensile wire fencing that was here when we bought this farm. I HATE the fact that I cannot afford to have Proper horse fencing and as soon as I can- the whole middle section is coming down and will be replaced.

It was like watching her in slow motion trying to destroy herself. I was at the gate and thru it before she could get up, and walked in GIANT steps down the pasture. I didn't want to run because most likely it would have scared the two mares who were Already upset. Evie was holding her left hind leg up high under her belly, and I was praying that nothing to horrid had happened to it.  Once I got there, and could see the front of her hock, I wanted to cry. She had a HUGE laceration there, with odds and ends of skin hanging from it. It was about 4" wide from side to side on her hock and 3" from top to bottom. And it was Deep.  I slipped a halter on that I had been holding, and asked her to walk that long hike back to the barn. I watched her limping and that her toe did work properly, and by the time we got to the gate, she was barely limping.  I KNEW it hurt terribly and she was adjusting to her intense pain already.  I was SO glad to see her leg walking properly though ! 

By the time our farm vet could get to the farm, it was two hours later. I'd put a makeshift but clean bandage on Evie's leg and led her to her stall so she could stand quietly.  She was being SO good.  It turns out that she totally destroyed one extensor tendon, and cut her self pretty badly, but Not as badly as Becky had first thought. Once she had tranquilized Eve and got things cleaned up some, she said that if all goes well, that there will be a slight scar. Finding that to be hard to believe, I smiled and said something stupid in return.  Becky wrapped it, and we added a standing wrap beneath it, to help keep it placed properly.

I was supposed to give her antibiotics for 10 days, and keep her on bute for 2-3 days. And Evie was to be stalled so things could begin healing well.  Below is a photo of it 3 days later...

Her hock was still pretty swollen, as well as her lower leg, but she walks on it - carefully.

UPDATE:    6/22/2010

Evie is all done with her meds, and I now have a cream from the vet to fight the proud flesh. Evie has been Wonderful through all of this treatment, and daily bandaging too. I'm So proud of my young mare once again. I know it hurts so badly, and the worst she does is pick her leg up in pain.  She waits happily for her favorite treat- a peppermint after we are all done.

Here is a photo from today :

I am hoping that she heals fine and that our vet is correct- that she'll only have a small scar from all of this trauma.

 

And from the front:

Update:  7 17 2010:

Evie has been healing very nicely so far, and has handled her stall rest perfectly. This past week, our vet, Becky, told me that I could now turn Herself out for the night- so long as she stayed quiet.  I'm going to turn her out tomorrow morning ( Sunday) while we clean stalls , so she can get some sunshine and GRASSSSSS  !!   I have a bit of tranquilizer to give her so she Will be wanting to graze as opposed to leaping and running about like a ninny. Below are a couple of photos from this week. It is still Quite ugly but in a "healthy/ healing'' way !

I have high hopes for this horrid thing to be behind us and we can get Evie driving this Fall !

 UPDATE:  7/28/2010

Evie has been turned out at night- ALL night - with her pals in the pasture close by ,for almost a week now . She's doin great!  Here are a couple of photos I took of her wound on the 20th of July :

 It really hurts now when I try to clean it off. Tis like trying to  rinse a moving target, but Still this young mare is very kind . It just Hurts !

Sorry , I got a bit of the crossties in the bottom shot.....  More updates to come !

UPDATE:  8/3/2010

Got some photos today. There are very soft scabs trying to protect her wound and I try hard to not wash them off, but some do. Warm water, gentle rinsing to keep it clean, and washing off the surrounding hair where I put Swat daily..... She canters, but no bucking as of yet. This morning both Lynn & Evie came trotting up to their gate to come inside for breakfast. No sign of lameness at All.  Here are the pix from this AM:
From the inside...

 From the front....

from the outside, and then of her whole leg from a distance....

It Still looks horrid, but if you look carefully- there is healthy 'new' skin all around the border of it now.  She's doing fine- but I'm still very concerned about her being sound once all of this is over with.