Gracie hurt, LONG morning....(long story)

[All4Grace]

**Photos added on page 4!!***


I was fast asleep dreaming of walking through a pasture with Gracie when I heard loud banging. I woke up but couldn't decide if I dreamt of the bagging or if it was real. Not 2 mins after I rolled back over my sister flies in my room and says, Grace got her leg caught over the stall wall. :eek: My sister went out to see what the fuss was about and saw Gracie's leg over the wall, she saw her get free then ran in the house to get me.

I leap out of bed, grab a pair of shoes and run out the door. She had gotten it down on her own but as I walked up to her paddock, she is standing in the back holding up her leg. PANIC, deep breathe... I grab her halter and she starts to walk towards me when she see me opening her gate. She's baring full weight on it, (THANK GOD!) even in the dark I could see she tore up her leg pretty good.
I walk her over to the crossties, she is tracking pretty normally (another THANK GOD). In the light I see the damage, she cut up her leg something fierce, one cut deep enough I can see the white of her muscle. :( We spin her around and I start hosing her. It was a cold morning even for SoCal, so poor Grace was shivering along with my sister and I.
After cleaning it out we get another good look, unstitchable. :( the cuts are so jagged and she was missing so much skin there is no way it can be stitched. (great :rolleyes:)
As i go into the tack room to gather all my bandaging booboo supplies my sister has a talk with Gracie about the difference between, career ending injuries and horse ending injuries.:nono: Apparently Grace is determined to be a broodmare.
So, I wash it out again with iodine then start the battle of wrapping her leg up. She wasn't too cooperative but I managed to get the bandage and then the standing wraps on. We gave her a half dose of benamine and put her back in her stall. It was 5:20 am by the time i got inside, I sent Jetlagaside a text message and went back to bed.
So after trying to get another hour of sleep (didn't happen) I went back outside to check on her. She is walking pretty normally, I had to redo my standing wrap job, very hard to get a good wrap on at 5am when your horse is less then cooperative.
So looks like I have 2 lame horses (Vic is just tenderfooted from having his shoes pulled) and Gracie's wounds will be a 2week battle(at least), especially with the deep cuts. I'll take photos later today when I change the bandage.
The stall wall in question is at least 5ft!! She must have really kicked/bucked high to get her leg stuck. So looks like were adding about board or two on the wall. She won't even be able to see the other girls over the wall.
*Sigh*
Just when we really started to get some where with our riding and I was finally enjoying our trail rides she goes and pulls a stunt like this. *sigh*

I Attached some photos of her hock and the wall she got hung up on. the last photo is a size comparision for you. it's not a low wall!!! You can see int he firt two photos her swollen hock and in the first one the top of her cuts that I couldn't cover withthe wrap. When I change the bandage i will take photos of the cuts.

[vicklynn]

Aww hon. I sure hope she heals up soon.
((HUGS))

[WashingtonBay]

Aw geeze! Why is she trying to climb over? What about hot wire or tape on top?

I actually do look forward to pictures, I think it helps all of us prepare for handling our own injuries to see how others have treated theirs.

[Vibe]

Darn!! It seems like when your getting everything together something goes wrong.. Poor girl. I hope she heals up good and quick.

[lovesfortune]

Wow. Sounds like you know what you are doing and did a good job taking care of her, even at 5 am.! I hope she heals up fast and there are no lingering issues so you can get back to your great rides!

[All4Grace]

It is her left hind leg. Most of the injuries are below the hock. The only thing I can think of was the other girls were annoying her (just standing probably :rolleyes:) and she kicked out too high. Thats the only way she could have gotten her hind leg up there!!

After we get the kids from school we're gonna make a run to the dollar store to pick up sterile pads and more iodine since I know I'll be going through alot in the next few weeks. We're also placing a order for more vet wrap as I have 6 days worth right now (a roll a day).

THANK GOD she didn't break anything, which was my first thought. But I am still keeping a close eye on her. If at any point she shows signs of a possible broken bone you bet your butt I'll be calling the vet, but because she is baring full weight on it. I am pretty sure it's just some nasty cuts and pulled muscles. But I'm still watching her. :D
i went through SO many leg injuries with my old TB that it's just an automatic thing now to go and grab the vet wrap, iodine, pillow wraps and standing wraps. lol

[vicklynn]

sterile pads, long cut = maxi pads.
Never done it, but would in a heart beat.
See what neat things we learn on the horse forum:cowboy:

[Ariesgrl131]

Oh no... I hope she is going to be ok

[cloedoll]

Sheesh, bad Gracie! I'm sorry, it is unfortunate. At least it wasn't worse, though. (:

[JetLagaside]

ok so where are the picutres? ;) Lets see those standing bandages (poke poke) :p

[FrogInABlender]

I hate to hear that about poor Gracie! I know what a gut-wrenching feeling it is to go out to the barn and see an injury like that. My poor boy Bob hung his right knee on something several years ago and it was a horrible wound by the time I found it. I would recommend you get some Granulex and keep that on it. My vet recommended it and it worked wonders for Bob, along with twice daily soakings and debridement.

It went from this :eek:...
http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=92&pictureid=2013

to this...
http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=92&pictureid=2014
in about 5 months, as you can see from the dates on the pictures, and now you can barely see it at all. He had no permanant damage from it, even though it did sever a tendon down the front of his knee. He's as smooth and fast as ever. So hang in there! She'll heal and be fine. Horses are incredibly made creatures!

[Vegashorselady]

Im glad her injury isn't any worse than it is! That stinks to have a set back like this when things were going so well. Sheesh, Gracie, if you wanted a break all you had to do was ask, no need to injure yourself.:rolleyes:

[All4Grace]

Sheesh, Gracie, if you wanted a break all you had to do was ask, no need to injure yourself.:rolleyes:

You know I said the same thing to her! But she learned this from my old TB, whenver he felt overworked he just find something to impale himself on. Just Ask Jetlagaside! Java was the KING of puncture wounds!! :rolleyes:

Thanks for the advice Frog-I'm prob gonna go to the vet supply store and look at some stuff for it. All I have right now is iodine, swat and furazone...not really want I want to put on it (furazone)

*Don't worry Jet- you'll get to see pics. I just don't want to touch the bandage until later today when it is time to clean and rewrap it.* :p

[Suzi]

Hope it heals well. I've always said I rather deal with a physical injury than some mysterious lame or off thing. I guess cuz you feel like you can actually do something to help. But mann, can they screw themselves up.

[JetLagaside]

Oh yeah Java was the king of punture wounds and he started to teach Lil'Bit! Thankfully she didn't take that lesson to heart after her 1st two injurys.
I just had to tease you about the wraps ;)

[Gliderider]

Oh No I am sorry. Hope she heals well and fast for you.

[starkitten]

Poor Gracie :( Hope she heals up quickly

[FatSpottedAppy]

I'm sorry this had to happen, that poor poor girl. I hope she heals up quickly.

[mustangluver]

You know she was just making sure you knew first aide and how to apply nice neat wraps, its was all a test!

I hope she heels fast!!!

[gaited07]

Goodness Gracie! Glad it wasn't worse (THANK GOD!)

Frog: Granulex- making note- That was a horrible nasty wound on that horses leg and what a difference.

[mandisue]

Poor thing. I recommend Wonder Dust as it did WONDERS for Suseys cut!!!!!!!!! Hope she feels better soon!

[SedonaThunder]

OH MY! That was a CRAZY high kick, but you're right that there's really no other way to explain back legs up over that HIGH wall. Thank goodness she is OK - you two must have had an angel watching out for you because it's scary to imagine how bad that could have been.

Good call on not using the Furazone... I have read/heard MANY times that not only does it contain multiple known carcinogens but it also almost seems to promote proudflesh when used on leg wounds. I haven't heard of Granulex but it sure looks like it works wonders... I know many who've used Wonder Dust with some success... I've been lucky and only dealt with two leg wounds that both healed clean and without proudflesh with only tea tree oil being used.

[Gypsy Rose]

Poor Gracie! Maybe she was trying to help add more threads to the forum- got to keep us all on our toes, you know.

Hope she heals up soon!

[All4Grace]

I use Triple Care wound ointment on lacerations like Grace got. I only use furazone for sweats and evern then i prefer to sweat out swelling with epson salt poltice.
I choose not to change the bandage tonight as it was still clean, but tomorrow morning I'll do another 20min cold hosing then rebandage it again.
I took two more photos of her hock above the bandage, you can see the start of the first bad cut... I had to rewrap quickly as you can see in the photos the flys went diving for it as soon as I took of her pillow wrap.
I'm watching her thigh area and stifle for heat and swelling, so far it's just in her hock and cannon areas.
New pics...

[Remali]

Oh gosh, I'm glad to hear nothing was broken, but it sure looks like a nasty injury.....not a good way to wake up!! :( You know how to do a very nice leg wrap!!!

[All4Grace]

You know how to do a very nice leg wrap!!!

Unfortunately I have had WAY too much practice what with my first horse, the puncture wound KING and Gracie's first injury at 3yrs old. It's a skill I have mastered. lol
When I lived in MA I had boarded my old Tb at a very large place and I had a rep for bandaging so well that other boarders would call me to teach them how to wrap their horses legs. :rolleyes:
I actually took a class with a vet in VT on properly wrapping bandages and polos when Java got his first MASSIVE puncture when I lived up there. My 5am bandage wasn't too bad but not up to my standards lol that why I had to rewrap her at 8am lol.

[JetLagaside]

Remail - she's had so much practice with wraps they had better look good hehehe
Sorry girl I just couldn't resist.

Considering what she did to herself it looks better than I thought it would.

[Ryle]

There isn't muscle on the lower leg, bone and tendon/ligaments are pretty much it. So with a deep wound you really should have a vet exam because a damaged tendon can become infected and lead to serious issues.

[HeartofSteel]

Gosh Dangit Gracie what were you trying to do? The other girls don't need to see your pretty toes ;)
I hope she heals up good and clean, poor Gracie and poor All4... Keep us posted

[Arrow]

Hope she heals well and quickly!

[Country Girl 43]

Wow....you sound like me girl! I hope Gracie heals fast.

I like your wrap jobs, wish I could wrap Dallas's back.....:(

[Dakota Sunrise]

Awe, poor Gracie! I hope she heals up fast.

And wow, I have to say that I am very impressed with your wrapping and first aid skills, especially at 5:00 AM! I would have totally freaked------> "Oh no, oh no, oh no. Beauty/Kota, what did you do?! What do I do?! Blood, injury! AHHHHHHHHH!" :rant: ....or something like that.:rolleyes: If I can't put Corona or Swat on it I'm just not happy.:cool:

[All4Grace]

I think my wrapping is one thing I am very confident in doing for horses. I even know how to do a spider wrap! (thanks to Jetlagaside :D) Back in MA we used to do a monthly free clinic at various barns with a large group of people that were on another forum. I always seemed to do the wrapping demo. lol

Ryle- Don't worry. :D I have dealt with enough of these types of injuries to know excatly what the vet would say if I did have him out. I am no stranger to lacerations, punctures and even broken tibias, (if you had boarded at the one barn Jetlag and I boarded at you'd understand) unfortunately :rolleyes: Your also right, it was my error, it isn't muscle that the white tissue is showing it is tendon/ligament, which is why her leg will be wrapped all the time until that wound in particular heals. My old TB had a scrape very similar to Gracie's with the white tendon tissue showing and as long as I was anal about keeping that wound clean and treated with antibiotic cream he healed up fine. Vet just told me to cold hose 2x daily, keep wrapped and use antibiotic cream (over the counter stuff) he didn't even scar!!!

I wish sometimes I could come on and say... hey my horse has never been lame or my horse has never gotten a puncture. But I am, well I guess cursed on a way, to always have the accident prone horses.

I actually decided that Mr. Vic is my bro-in-laws horse just so he has less of a chance of joining the ranks of accident-prone horses that i have owned. If I say he is mine he will end up being accident prone, if I say he is my sisters or my Bro-in-laws, he will be fine. :D

Dakota- I am long past the panicing stage when it come to this type of stuff, as soon as I saw her bare full weight on it and track up fine I knew it wasn't a serious (broken bone) injury. After being the vet's helping hand when a friend horse severed her forlock (you could literally lift her forlock off her head) nothing with horse injuries seem to panic me. In fact my friend, whos horse it was, was turning green and had to leave the barn aisle to :puke:. I just held her mare and helped out the vet.

Now if it was a human injury... I'd be the one :puke:

[Arrow]

I feel for you, I really do! Arrow was lame in one leg or another much of the summer, and then had hay allergy troubles. I've only just gotten back to riding--I'm crossing my fingers that we'll be o.k. for awhile! Sounds like you know what you're doing, and she's getting great care!

[JackieB]

Poor Gracie! Get well soon.

[jeezitsjacki]

oh no gracie! glad she didnt break anything and that you are so stable when it comes to horse injuries. You should have been a vet!

[All4Grace]

oh no gracie! glad she didnt break anything and that you are so stable when it comes to horse injuries. You should have been a vet!

I'm actually planning n going back to school next fall for either Animal Science or Animal Health... with a concentration in Equines Studies. ;)

[jeezitsjacki]

sounds perfect for you!

[All4Grace]

Pics of her BooBoos

It looks 100x better then is did at 4am friday morning! I cold hosed it, slapped on antibiotic cream and rewraped her. He hock was very swollen so my sister and I are making a icing boot for her hock so i can ice her a few times a day without removing the bandage everytime.

She is mostly missing skin and hair, it doesn't look that bad in the photos, but then again it never does.
WE stopped at the vet supply store on the way home from karate and I got some Granlex(sp?) and more vet wrap (to tide me over until our big order comes in). As a precaution I am going to have her hock x-rayed when the vet comes out next week to do our round of teeth floating. Just to be on the safe side.

the first two are before I cold hosed her leg, the last one if after I hosed her leg for 20mins...

[vicklynn]

Awww, poor baby. Im glad your hosing her and wrapping her. Good to hear your gonna have the vet look at her when he comes.

[Mercury]

Wow! That is impressive... she did a number to her leg!

[Cat]

Hope she heals quickly!

[IrisGreen]

aww, poor girl but then again if she wouldn't have kicked she wouldn't have gotten hurt. Apparently she wanted to make a really big point kicking that high! Can you move her to a different stall next to a horse she likes? Looks like she is in great hands :) and will heal up just fine.

I think I would about lose it if I saw that on Muffin!! I'm not used to injury's and I would be freaking out calling every vet to get there butts out here right now!! lol I'm glad that I am a member of this forum so I can learn what to freak out about and what can be handled and is not an emergency vet call.

Someone needs to put a thread up about how to do standing wraps properly. I have the stuff but have never been shown how to use it. Maybe a set by step guide? I will try to find a you tube video that maybe shows how to do it properly.

I'm glad that she is going to be fine and didn't brake anything. She won't be doing that again, hopefully!

[All4Grace]

Iris- I can do a video/photos of how to put on standing wraps if you would like.

She doesn't like any other horses so I can't really move her. lol She does like Vic but ONLY when she is in heat. She's a moody bratty mare!!!!!

[painthorse72]

its amazing what damage horses can do to themselves. Sending good thoughts for a speedy recovery