So peeved with life and now this.

chunky monkey

chunky monkey

Well-Known Member
May 2, 2007
8,869
6,741
113
I was just checking my boy over tonight in the dark and running my hands over him whilst he was eating his tea in the field. This includes down and round his bits. I often do this to desensitise as well. So I'm down there and I put my hand on what I thought was mud or a burr stuck to his hair. So I pull gently and it comes away in my hand so I stand there trying to examine in the dark to work out what it was. All of a sudden as I'm rubbing this thing between my fingers it feels goeey. Then I get this awful smell. So think smegma. But no on closer examination I realise its white goo. So I sticky my hand back under for another proper feel, theres more of this dry stuff and loads of goo. So I put the headtorch on and stick my head under. To discover my lad has a massive infection. The dry stuff is the scabs and the goo is puss. I pulled a bit away but it was obviously uncomfortable as I got a leg up. His sack is also swollen.
I'm so annoyed. Due to issues I haven't ridden for weeks and decided it was best to turn them away for a bit something I've never done, so the boys haven't been out the field and rugs haven't been off but I have been running my hands under them. Normally I was working them both 3-5 days a week. So they were far better checked. I've just been feeding, and chilling with them in the field. It's almost 3 weeks since my boy jumped the fence into next doors horses. So much for his bad back. Although he obviously didn't clear the fence without cutting himself to bits first. I checked him over when I retrieved him and found a massive cut down his leg which I've been treating, thought it was the only injury, but I didn't spot the one up in his manhood region. So it's been festering for nearly 3 weeks. It looks nasty and the smell is vile. I put some antiseptic cream and sprays on tonight as that's all I had from treating his leg, but I'm going to have to clean it and properly inspect it in the daylight. I didn't have anything suitable to wash it with at the yard but I've got some stuff at home to go in water that antibacterial so I shall use that. I've also further examined his legs after finding this and have found a further two cuts under his thick hairy legs. One of which is now a big hard lump. If his sack is swollen then he im guessing it might need antibiotic injections.
I'm so cross, if the dam YO hadn't been such an arse and insisted I had put the boys in a strange field next to a load of hyper Arabs. Its been impossible to get the boys out the field due to the wet, churned up ground. Feeding has been a nightmare. I have had the wheelbarrow go over with the hay so many times. Pushing it up the bank has put my back out. I decided the best thing was just to turn the boys away. Clearly not. I am so peeved. If this injury requires a vet visit I feel like giving the YO the vet bill.
 
Oh what a pain, for you and your boy. Ziggy has had sore and swollen sheaths often, but never an infection with pus - how horrid.

I do hope you can get it cleared up soon.
 
Oo poor lad that sounds nasty, but these things do just happen sometimes, if you didn't see these injuries at the time of the fence jumping it's possible that's because they weren't there then and have happened somehow since, try not to beat yourself up over it. Hopefully it's a self eliminating abscess and now you've got it draining it won't need any costly treatment.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kite_Rider and orbvalley
So sad to hear you're beatig yourself up so much, he'll be ok now you've found it and are dealing with it. It could happen to any of us especially during this awful weather. Get well soon both of you xx
 
Firstly and most importantly you've spotted it and are dealing with it, things happen and as Jessey said it could be nothing to do with the fence jumping episode. I'm sorry that things are crappy for you health wise too, it's really hard when you are struggling yourself and not well, even more so at this time of year. Sending positive and healing vibes to you and your boy. xx
 
  • Like
Reactions: OwnedbyChanter
Lots of healing vibes. Sorry to hear you found this - I hope it heals quickly. What a pain, can understand about being peeved too about the change of field. It's almost always other people's intervention either intentionally or not that cause the majority of horse injuries. Even when you keep on your own land there is always someone elses that adjoins it that you have no control over.
 
I washed it today, he wasn't too keen the first couple of times I put the wet cloth on him, the leg came up, so I put a rather large bowl of food in front of him. He was then fine. In fact I think he started to relax as his winky started to drop. There was lots of gunk and I could feel lots of scabs. I had a look best I could and where the scabs are I would say that it's right for the fence to have sliced him but the infection has gone deeper and spread.
He disappeared across the field as soon as the feed bowl was empty. I left it 10 minutes then went across and sprayed him with purple spray. I managed to spray right up round the inside the sack so hopefully it will help dry it up. Once I stop the puss I'll put something moist on instead. He is more swollen than I thought but I will see how the drying up goes before I get the vet out.
 
@chunky monkey - please don't beat yourself up - we have all had this at one time or another. Missed the early signs of something brewing or even a minor field injury that quickly turns into a major problem because we didn't notice it, no matter how meticulous we try to be with daily checks etc.

With the greatest respect though and absolutely no intention to criticise - I would be getting the vet to take a look sooner rather than later. The very obvious infection you describe might very well need antibiotics to stop it traveling through his system and causing no end of bigger problems for you and him. I do understand some people might find this an OTT reaction but in my long and boring experience - this is a vet job and antibiotics for sure. Better over react than underreact and end up with a very sick horse for the want of a few days on ABs. :) Huge healing vibes for him and some stress relief for you :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: OwnedbyChanter, Trewsers, mystiquemalaika and 2 others
As everyone has already said..don't beat yourself up about it, these things can easily happen and this time of the year things are a lot more difficult to spot what with the dark mornings and evening plus rugs on and just not enough light hours to do everything. I know you have other animals to tend to as well and there is only so much daylight hours to try and get it all done.
It sounds like you are doing a great job of cleaning it up but I agree with @Cortrasna and would get the vet out on Monday, if it's as swollen as you describe and a lot of puss it might be best to get him started on antibiotics and let the vet just get a look at it.

This has been the worst year yet for owning horses or livestock..wet spring, wet summer and a rotten winter that seems to be dragging on , so please don't beat yourself up about it and I'm sure he will be fine :)
 
Last edited:
This is Chunky isn't it, not your young one? Poor old lad, as others have said, don't beat yourself up, I imagine it's a very difficult area to spot a problem with a hairy horse at the best of times, never mind when you don't see them in daylight. Hope he's feeling better now after his clean up.
 
Well you have found it now and that is what is important. But I too would get the vet. when Ginger fell over I thought I had cleaned it all out properly but I missed a very small speck which then got infected I felt awful so I do echo the others.

It is always the way there are people that put their ponies in a field and don't see them or check them for weeks and others that check daily and things happen.
 
Well the heeling vibes are working. After the first day I washed it, he wouldn't let me do it again. So I've just been spraying with purple spray as best I can before the leg comes up. I kind of aim and fire and hope it's somewhere near. But it's definitely drying up. Occasionally he will let me touch round there now. I can still see a bit of weeping but nothing like the yucky puss and its not stinking now. The sack and in front where there was a hard lump has really gone down today. His sack is almost normal size. Holding off on the vet for now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Trewsers
newrider.com
Top Bottom
Back