Sunday call-out

Another warm and sunny day. The swelling on Dibby's eye had gone down a little this morning. Dad bathed it again and applied some soothing lotion. I was tacked up to go in the school and Dibby was fitted with his spare muzzle to go in the field.

After ten minutes Dibby had removed the muzzle and declined to be caught to have it put on again, so he was in Both Dad's bad books for a while.

We schooled for forty minutes or so in walk and trot with only a little, canter but found it quite warm and were glad to come in. I spent the afternoon out in the field until after 4.00. It was hot and the flies were already troublesome. I needed my fringe.

When we came in Both Dads could see Dibby's left eye was badly swollen again. They weren't sure if he had an injury, something in the eye or an insect sting on the eye-lid. Unfortunately Dibby had rubbed it and it looked raw and sore. Dad bathed it in cold water and a tea solution to bring down the swelling, but after a while it was decided it was necessary to call out the vet - a tiresome and expensive thing to do on a Sunday evening.

Elspeth, the vet again came and examined Dibby. She checked thoroughly with a torch and couldn't find anything in the eye and concluded it had been a bite. She checked there was no ulceration by putting dye into the eye and injected antibiotics to reduce the chance of infection and hopefully reduce the swelling.

Once this had been done Dad was able to finish off our stables and we had tea. Dad was pleased with me because I stood quietly outside my stable, whilst Both Dads and the vet concentrated on Dibby. Both Dads came back at 9.45 to check Dibby's eye and skip us out. Even senior cobs can be very demanding at times.