Update on the leg injury

(Buttercup was released from stall rest earlier this week to her own private paddock)

This month was going to go so much differently in my head. Buttercup and I were going to get up early nearly every morning and walk for a short distance down the beautiful trails of our new facility for longer and longer distances until I had her walking up to 45 minutes at a time undersaddle over the last four weeks.

Instead, my mornings, that are not really busy with my new job, I am out at the barn, treating and re-wrapping a leg. Buttercup was stuck in a stall for the last four weeks. Every time she would lay down, her wound threatened to open. After the first two weeks, proud flesh began to emerge (likely a product of my antibiotic ointment — just say no to Furazone, I've learned) and location of the wound.

The wound originally wasn't under wrap but when the proud flesh was subsequently cut out, the vet wanted us to wrap tight.

Buttercup's front hooves have suffered from limited blood flow from the lack of movement — the simplest things become complicated when you have a horse suffering from laminitis. To make some matters worse, Bud went off her feed at the time she needed her antibiotics the most, so bran (super high in sugar) was introduced to get her medicine down. She's been off the bran for 2.5 weeks, but she is still exhibiting hoof soreness, likely from the limited mobility.

Her hind legs have been stocked up nearly every morning too.

The area has been difficult to wrap, nearly too long to just have a wrap around the gaskin part of the leg, requiring some wrapping of the upper part of the cannon. And the wrap itself has created sores, that also need to be treated.

Meanwhile, Buttercup, who has never taken to stall rest well, has actually made life very easy on me and her caretakers. She's been pleasant and willing and understanding. I love that horse.

She was released from her stall earlier this week into her new, individual paddock. The paddock is gorgeous and completely shaded by mature oak trees and void of any grass. With the increased movement, she is less foot sore, but it's still there. She'll probably take a few weeks to recover full soundness.

Another issue we have is that Bud appears to have lost some weight. Not too much to be concerned about. It looks like loss of conditioning rather than true weight loss. It's hard to tell right now since she's not only had the injury and stall rest to contend with, but we also switched her to a beet pulp and alfalfa cube diet since she's arrived at her new barn. (Her WellSolve L/S wasn't available at this facility, and she did not do well on Seminole's lower starch brands.) I'll have to make a decision soon to see if we need to get her on a fat supplement, or if she'll perk back up just being out of the stall.

Making Bud very happy: she has a very handsome boyfriend next door. So she gets to squeal and show off, but then leave him stuck on the other side of the fence. Bud's a tease.

Progression of the wound pics:

Week 1:

Week 2:

This shows the proud flesh emerging and the issue of keeping the stitches in such a tough spot.

Week 3:

Here you can see the wounds created by the wrapping.

Week 4:

This had just reopened prior to me getting there (Bud decided to sleep flat out that night). But pretty healthy looking!

After about another four weeks on pasture rest, I might start to think about riding her down that trail. In the meantime, Bud is fine getting her daily grooming and loving!