Will's Foot continued

Just and update. The farrier has been and the hole in the sole of Wills foot has been cut out and the shoe put back on. He is 100% sound. The farrier said we had already done the hard yards with the poulticing (and the Davis Poultice Boot). We also used a Davis Barrier boot which is sort of like an Easy boot but much easier to use (also more reasonably priced!). Once the need for poulticing was gone, the vet suggested keeping it wrapped or covered, so we used vetwrap and then put on the barrier boot. It was great as he was able to play and canter around as he usually does and the barrier boot is more hardy than the poultice boot. All in all a great result for our horse!

Here's Will and The Amazing Poultice Boot

Warren Backhouse 5 Star Reining Clinic

WOW!  What a week. Speed and I have just arrived home from a fantastic week at a 5 Star Reining Clinic. We all know what an amazing trainer and rider Warren is, but now I know what a great teacher he is!  I cannot recommend these clinics highly enough. There are just not enough adjectives!

Day one we learnt how to move our horses, bend them, isolate the front parts from the back parts. Day two was lead changes and oh how simple they seem now! Day three was turn arounds, day four, roll backs and day five, the all important stopping and how to ride a pattern.  But there was so much more that evolved over the week, I have learnt so much and have gained heaps more confidence in my own abilities.  The differences in everyone's horses by the end of the week was astounding. Some more than others!

Thanks to all the other riders for their companionship and friendship over the week, especially to the 'Golden Girls'.... you know who you are!  Also thanks to those who provided such great meals for the week... you also know who you are!  And of course, thanks to Wazza for pushing us when we needed pushing but also at the same time knowing when to ease up!

Can't wait for the video....

Will and his sore foot

Well the vet's been again and she says it all looks good. Still have to keep his foot dry so I am keeping the poultice boot on and just wrapping his foot in vetwrap.  I've had to tape off a huge  corner of the paddock as there is a large puddle there and guess who's been playing in it? Poor Will looked quite forlorn today as if I'd taken away his favourite toy!

5 Star Reining Clinic

Off to Caboolture today for a week with Warren learning lots of new stuff! Can't wait!

Mitchell Campdraft

Mitchell Campdraft cancelled. Poor Ian and anyone else who travelled all the way out to Mitchell, only to turn around and come home the next day. It started raining as he arrived on Thursday night and it hasn't stopped. The cattle all arrived despite one of the B-triple cattle trucks getting bogged at the site but it was just too wet to start.

Davis Poultice Boot Saves The Day!

Yep, it stayed on. (See my previous post). I reckon if Will can keep one of these boots on, any horse can wear one! I could see some teeth marks that indicated that he'd tried to have a play with it but all is well and he's given up.  It started to rain in earnest this morning and he's happily slopping about in the mud with the boot on and his wrapped up foot is clean and dry. I changed the dressing last night and it wasn't too difficult to get off and then back on again. Will is also not lame anymore with the boot on so that is a bonus. Still has a huge hole in the bottom of the sole of his foot, but not lame.  Only one more needle to go and I have successfully done the last four without blood or butchering his poor neck!

The Sore Foot and How Not to Give a Penicillin Injection...

Poor Will, his foot is VERY sore this morning. I gave him his needle, something I have done countless times. I did all the usual things.... drew the imaginary triangle on his neck, inserted the needle in the correct spot, and checked for blood and all was fine. But for some reason, this time when I reattached the syringe to the needle, it wouldn't budge. I just could not get the plunger to go in. So I had to remove the needle and go again. Poor horse, what a pin cushion. The look on his face nearly made me cry. Anyway, got it done but worried and worried all day. Was he ok? How was his neck? Had the lump (yes there was a sizeable lump) gone down?  When I got home he was the happiest camper so I really needn't have worried.  Tonight's needle when decidedly better with Ian's help holding him  and I gave it to him in the chest.  He barely noticed I was doing it.

So with rain forecast, my next dilemma.  The vet had said "Don't let his foot get wet!" Our stables are not completely set up yet, so the paddock is our only choice.  What about a poultice boot?  So I grabbed a Davis Poultice Boot and put Wills bandaged hoof in it. Went on really easily and did up with not much fiddling. Anyway, he's got it on tonight and it seems fine. Will wasn't the slightest bit concerned by it and even walked a bit better with it on.  Fingers crossed it's still there in the morning, but I honestly can't see how it would come off.  Watch this space...