Fieldwork

Schoolwork

Kicking myself

There have been a lot of pictures of me recently, so here's one of Dibby for a change. He is looking forward to being clipped later this week. We are keeping our fingers crossed that his skin reacts better this time and does not have yet another strong reaction requiring treatment by the vets.

Although we had a useful session in the school yesterday, Dad felt I was still very under the weather. I continued to kick at my sheath on both sides and broke open a couple of the previous wounds there. Dad collected some more antibiotics when the vet visited another horse on the yard and I have continued to have two large sachets a day in my feeds to try to prevent the infection getting worse.

Dad spoke to the vet Elspeth again today and hopes to apply some different ointment shortly. He increasingly feels that the infection and irritation are localised and might best be treated by cleansing, local application of medicated balm and further antibiotics as necessary. Hopefully this will be clearer tomorrow. In the meantime he is washing the affected area and keeping it as clean as possible in an attempt to decrease itching, discomfort and self-harming.

It rained heavily on and off today and although the clinic continued in the school all day, we didn't ride. I try to co-operate and stand still when Dad reminds me, but I sometimes forget and kick at myself. Cobs are sometimes a worry, but not on purpose.

Sunday morning schooling

Stable on Saturday

Entirely myself

After the vet visited on Monday I had a quiet day in the field on Tuesday.

Today Dad took me in the school first thing. Florian and then Wilbur were schooled at the same time we were riding, but other than watching what was going on, I concentrated. The school had benefited from the overnight rain and felt less deep but we only worked in walk and trot.

I coughed quite often which concerned Dad and wasn't as responsive as I had been recently. Dad put this down to the lowering effect of my infections and all the antibiotics that had been pumped into me. I will probably be given the day off tomorrow and hopefully feel a little better by the weekend.

We spent the afternoon in the field and were waiting and ready to come in well before four. Even stoical cobs aren't entirely themselves sometimes.

Stoical

Despite the treatment with stallion broth my internal irritation continued and I resumed kicking myself underneath. Dad was concerned that the lacerations I was creating would become infected again and had asked the vet to visit.

We went out in the field in the morning and came in for Elspeth, the vet at 2.00. It had just started to rain and although Dibby was grazing with Cricket I just stood by the gate hoping to be brought in. Dad could tell I wasn't my normal self.

It was good to be dried off and given a haynet outside my stable. Dibby came in too to keep me company.

Elspeth examined me and noted the wounds on my sheath and could see the infection had not cleared. She checked my respiration and temperature and noted my glands were swollen around my neck and onto my face.

To lessen the impact of my kicking underneath and Dad had put overreach boots on my hind hooves. Elspeth examined me internally and took some swabs to send away for analysis hopefully to identify the infection. She gave me a big injection of antibiotics in my chest. She also left Dad a box of antibiotics to put in my morning and evening feeds.

When Dad had finished our stables and put up our nets, Dibby and I were groomed and went in whilst Dad prepared tea. Dad said I had been very well behaved during the examination and hadn't flinched or shied when I had my injection. Amongst many qualities cobs are stoical.

Rug-free Sunday off

Going out

After riding

Heads up, heads down

Back in the school

Coming in

Rug free