Mustang Saga

Well, our long weekend of camping and riding came to a crashing end this morning.  Tonka did something I never thought he'd do - he reared up over a gate, playing with the neighbor horses, and got his hoof caught.  I heard a ruckus from my tent but didn't check on them because Amy's horses had been banging their bucket around all weekend.  I'm feeling terribly guilty for that now, and wishing I'd set up my tent within view of the corrals.  I guess he was probably there for about an hour before we found him, upside down and hopelessly hung up between a gate (rounded corners perfect for catching a hoof) and the post.  Scout was trying to make him get up, which is sweet but not really helpful.

We got him free after a while, and he was weighting the leg some.  He was shivering horribly in shock.  We gave him a big dose of bute and once he was more stable we took him to the vet.  We were too far out in the boonies for a farm call. 

Long story short, and skipping all the heartwrenching fear, he seems okay now.  X-rays showed no fractures, but he does have a nasty tendon injury, and I'm sure he hurts all over.  He may be colicking.  He did drink after we got done at the vet, but he isn't really eating, and he's kicking at his belly.  The vet thought his guts were okay but that they might slow down or shut down for a while because of the stress.  I hope she's right.  No poop yet.

So, add to your emergency kit for horses - handgun or rifle the right caliber for killing a horse, hacksaw, large locking pliers (for gate hardware).  I'm glad we didn't need the gun, but for a while I was seriously thinking we were going to need it, and we didn't have it.

Tonka hates stall rest.  He may be unsafe to himself on stall rest.  But right now he feels so bad he's not doing much.  I hope he feels better soon, even if it does mean he's going to be a pain in the butt.  We can handle that.  And I'd cold hose him for an eternity if it means he's going to be okay.

Those rounded corners on panels and gates can be a death sentence.  I've known two horses that died horrible deaths from them.  Which made this even scarier.  We got so lucky today.  I think I'll go pet my horse again now.