Latenight visits...

Before going to my parents', I stopped by the check-up on Moon. No surprise, he was fine, standing there in the field almost exactly where I left him. I redid the tape on his wraps in a spiral, and seeing that he was content, left.

After dinner and visiting, when it was dark, I couldn't help but return to the barn. I remembered reading something about not leaving poultices on for more then 12 hours...we were at 7, and 12 hours would be 2 am. I'm crazy, but not that crazy.

It was pitch black out, and there's no lighting over the pasture or the tack shed. But to my luck, Moon somehow just showed up at the fence where the light once after I walked up. Perhaps he knew I'd come...

I filled a bucket with cold water b/c unfortunate I couldn't find the hose in the dark. I washed off the poultice and removed the bandages. I thought I felt some heat in his hind right ankle (sudden panic that I had infact screwed up standing wraps, though they weren't tight...), but after rinsing it, drying it and letting it sit at air temperature, felt no more heat. Perhaps it was just an accumulation of body heat under the no-bows.

His poulticed leg was hard to view in the dark, but I don't think that the lump went down at all. It perhaps was a touch harder to start, but I think that was the way his leg was flexed. What WAS different, was that there was a LOT more heat in the area. It was very noticable to touch compared to the surrounding tissues.

Aurgh.

I don't even know if that's good or bad. Does the heat mean that the poultice drew the heat from deeper in the area to the surface? Or that the poultice and wrap CAUSED the increased heat? Good or bad thing done here?!

I'm about 80% certain that what I'm dealing with is a fluid pocket and localized inflammation from excess strain/injury to his extensor tendon.

What I do about that well...tomorrow, more cold hosing. Twice/day. I reread the instructions for the sore-no-more poultice, and you can leave it on for 24 hours if you want. You can also leave it exposed to the air. So I think in the morning, I'll cold hose, open poultice. Evening, cold hose. See if that works better then wrapping...

I just feel completely awful that this is all about me overworking him. He's such a sweet and willing horse, and it just makes me sad and desperate to make him better. Why, why do they have to steal our hearts those ponies?