Thursday, August 21, 2008

Paint Colt

I'll be introducing our new colt over the next few posts. Those of you who do not like to look at surgery posts should skip the pictures. Some of the injury and surgical views are rather graphic.

This little two year old Paint gelding has had a rough year with multiple injuries. His previous owner asked us to take him due to personal hardships and he was constantly getting hurt out in her pasture with her other horses. He was also very green and not handled much.

I like a challenge and heck a free horse! I am well aware of the old sayings, 'Nothing is ever really free'...OR 'Never look a gift horse in the mouth'.

His registered name is the worst name ever thought up, so the previous owner had been calling him 'Rebel'. After a few days with him, we knew he wasn't a 'Rebel' and needed a new name, we all brain-stormed for a bit. I wanted something western. We already have 'Remington' and 'Cheyenne' and 'Rock'. I liked Tristan's suggestion of 'Hector', Jerry didn't, said it was a mule name. I loved Amy's suggestion of 'Johnny GASH'! We decided to skip it though because we don't want him to continue to live up to that name. Jerry wanted either 'Colt' or 'Paint Horse', ugh, give me a break Jerry! I started calling him 'Wrangler' and that seems to fit and it has stuck. So Wrangler he will be known as.

We have had him here a month now. He is as sweet as can be. He has spent most of his time confined in his spacious stall/corral while he heals. We have devoted much time on his injuries and I'll be sharing that here.

Dad, let me know how I measure up to Animal Planet. Kelly Jean, you may want to leave this post at this time, Di you too!

This was Wrangler's first day at his new home, one month ago. Here he is cleaned up, his injured leg unbandaged, the next step was sedation for deep cleaning, exploration and surgical repairs.
Now for some close-ups.

1) Right shoulder before cleaning. This was the oldest injury and was in the process of closing with granulation tissue. This is called healing by second intention. The skin edges are not brought together with sutures. The tissue defect fills in and then the skin edges grow until they cover the wound. It takes the longest to heal and must be kept clean and free of flies.
2)This is the right knee, his front leg. This joint is the carpus, same as our wrist. This injury was the most recent, only two days old. Surprisingly he wasn't lame, the wound was deep but did not enter any joint or tendon sheath. His owner had bandaged it right away so it was relatively clean and free of debris.

3) The wound on the left shoulder had happened a week prior. It was very ugly and deep. It was sore but he was good about being handled and wasn't lame on this side either.
After cleaning him up, I wondered what I had gotten myself into with this guy.
Next step, surgical exploration and repair, which took almost three hours.
to be continued............


11 comments:

Courtney said...

Poor horse. It looks painful. It sounds as though he is handling it fairly well though.

Karen Deborah said...

Weird those look like bites, how'd that happen? Is he accident prone or has something been after him?

Karen Deborah said...

I wish you had an e mail me link. I've been wanting to tell you that I found Lu a home. It's a long story. Mostly that my family would not accept and love her the way she should be loved. I gave her to a family with two children and they adore her. I'm sad. I didn't want to post anything about it. I think she was just not the right timing for the family after my other dog's death, too soon. I'm just glad she is loved by ALL of them. When they spay her I'll give them the papers, that was my condition.I wanted a pet ome no breeders. How do you sell a friend?
Axel is here, and the cats, too many cats. The two with claws have been given the boot to the yard, which is peaceful again. Pa is back to puttering, weeding and tending his garden. The gate doesn't have to be closed, and the cars can all be parked out back. No one greets me when I come in at night, there is nothing like a dog. But sometimes it just isn't right. I'm going to be working a lot of hours to get these girls through school, which is why the posts aren't daily. It's nice to be missed.
The family has 3 year old twins. The little girl is Isabella, and Lula-bella loves that child to death. She's happy.

Anonymous said...

Paints I love them. He's just like me when I was growing up. Always getting hurt. (well I still do).He should be all well and grown up for me to ride by the time I get out there. Good name. I guess. Does he start fights with the other horses? And their kicking his butt? The pics aren't that bad.NO blood. Keep them coming.

Anonymous said...

Now now... those pictures weren't anything like that humungoloid gigantic tumor in that dog's neck! I actually do very well usually with that sort of thing. In fact, I watched the surgery I had to remove a mass in my left breast and asked questions the whole time. The doctor and nurse kept telling me I should look away but I couldn't. Afterwards the doctor told me I should go into medicine. LOL! I did want to be a paramedic and got certified as an EMT. So, I am not a WIMP!!! BUT, those pictures of the tumor were not right. That was freak town and it gave me nightmares!

I am so glad you took the horse and are babying him. He looks like a sweetheart.

Anonymous said...

what the heck...did the other horses attack him??? i was alright looking at the pics, the last one of the left shoulder is pretty gross tho!

Jenn said...

I love your surgery/medical posts. It takes a pretty kind/level-headed horse to let you mess around with his boo-boos every day.

Waiting for the next entry!

Kathy said...

I love all of your comments.
KJ; I want to borrow your dictionary, love 'humungoloid'. Very intersting comment, so did you work as an EMT? Cool!
David; want blood? you'll get blood...
Courtney; I miss your blog!
Di; it seems like the other horse was picking on him and running him into stuff and also kicking and biting. He is very timid around other horses.
KD; real glad it all worked out so well with Lu.
Jenn; thanks!

Anonymous said...

hi, i just got around to reading your blog because i miss you, to find out you got a new horse! he is adorable! poor little guy. I LOVE his name!!! i hope you realize that by naming him that, one day i will have to steal him from you! then i would have two wranglers! haha.

i'll call you sometime soon!
good luck with wrangler!

Anonymous said...

whoops forgot to say, this is Tami. haha.

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