House hunting and an injury

 

We have been busy house hunting and getting our home ready to sell the last few weeks.  Finding a property at the right price, not too far from town that is suitable for the horses and a family of six is no mean feat!  We have a shortlist (see here for that), but there are still a couple I want to see this weekend.  We have an offer on ours though, so we might not be able to wait that long!  Anyway, after the week I have had, I might just say yes and move asap.  I can’t wait to be with my horse 24/7.  On Tuesday I took the kids to their lessons where Tana is agisted.  Because I was busy with them, helping them catch and saddle etc, I didn’t go and see Tana till we were doing the feeds and then about to go.  I had seen her grazing in the paddock though, and she seemed fine, although I thought it odd that she wasn’t with her boys, who were up at the fence.  When she came up the hill to the fence for her feed we noticed her limping, and then we saw the cut on her shoulder.  Of course then it was after hours, and getting dark, but we rang the vet and they said they’d be there within half hour – which they were. 

Shut your eyes if you’re squeamish!

I took a close up too, but it is really gross.  Here is the vet, Jenny, stitching her up by the headlights of my car.  She needed re-sedating half way through, as it started to wear off.

And the finished job, 30 cm of stitches.

Half an hour later she was walking around, happily eating hay. And here she is the next afternoon.

She has to have an injection of antibiotics for the next five days.  I helped, or tried to, with the first one, but it is definitely a job for the experts!  Tana really did not like getting a needle.  She even walked away from me afterwards when she the camera phone in my hands! I figure I’ll just visit and give her pats and the odd apple, and she won’t associate me with pain. Let’s hope!

The vet bill was under $800, which was great seeing it was an after hours call out.  I can highly recommend Valley Vets if you live in the Mackay area.

We still don’t know what she cut herself on, but when we move the paddocks will get slashed and checked for anything that could cause injury before Tana is put in.  Hopefully by then I will have bought another horse so she will have company.  I am thinking about my sons’ favourite, a ten year old quarter horse called Stumpy, who lost his tail in a bandaging incident.

Maybe once I pay off the vet bill!

Happy trails, Deb