This message is from: "Skeels, Mark A (MED)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Today my wife looked out and our stallion LEO was scratching/rubbing his entire underside, neck, shoulders on a very large bull thistle. Had a trunk on it the size of a baseball bat. He finally broke it off at about 3.5 feet and was also rubbing his underside with it. This was one of those large thistles that looks as full as some Christmas trees. Large spines about a inch long didn't seem to phase him. He is one of those stallions that you can love to death, scratch behind his jaw and he leans into you almost till he falls over. On the little guy that was a lost case with his contracted tendons and bad sores and his hoof's that were about to fall off. Well the prayer did the trick. The vet can't believe it. No surgery, his wounds healed and are growing hair and his hoof's are fine. He is walking upright and running fine. He is now with another mare and foal and also with a 4 year gelding. He is pestering the gelding to death, and of course chews on mom's tail, as most little boys do. Glad to have him better. We decided after $450 in 3 vet visits to go it on our own. We wrapped every day for a couple weeks, then went to every other day, then as the sores healed we chopped the splint's off a couple inches and gradually got him so he was bearing his own weight, then finally took the splints off. He rolled over slightly when he would try to make a dodge and take off running fast, but other wise he walked fine. Seems like he had to think about what he was doing with his feet. Now he is running around fine and acting like a normal little colt. Just in time too. It was getting difficult to wrangle him down on his side and have him lay still long enough to rebandage him. It was a whole family experience. The vet's have that little injection that helps out, when you don't put them to sleep it makes it a wee bit more difficult, sometimes your spouse can't read your thoughts either, so they don't know exactly what your trying to communicate about tying legs off and stuff when your in the middle of flying legs and hoof's. Big difference with the filly. Forgot what filly's were like as it is our first after 6 colts. One thing is, I think we have a fine colt through this experience. He is surly imprinted good. Thanks for the Prayers and Advice. Mark and Sandra Skeels
