Bailey's blog..

Dark Storm

Well I'll be a Krampus's Auntie! :D!
Jan 4, 2009
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Bailey's blog.. his journey from Cryptochid to a gelding...

I thought, as Bailey's op is now on the horizon, I'd start a blog, about the countdown to the day, the op itself, and the healing process after.. if I can find a link to a site that explains the op, I'll try and share this experience with you, so if, god forbid, anyone else has this experience to come, they go in with their eyes open, and know what to expect :)

Bailey has a condition, that has made only one ball drop, and kept the other in his abdomen, possibly as high as near his kidneys..

Rig = Ridgling or Cryptorchid..

www.minstervets.co.uk/castration.html
 
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Dark Storm

Do try not to worry too much about this, our driving pony had this condition, he had to have general anesthetic as he had reatined one of his testicles very high up inside him.
The vet showed it to us when we went to collect him, it was very small and shrivelled, much much smaller than the 'healthy' one.

He was absolutely fine and that was 3 years ago ( he was 3 when he had the operation) I know it is worrying when our animals are unwell but i have every confidance he will be fine.

Keep me updated xxx
 
I kind of find the name Cryptochid, is a much more pleasant way of describing a horse who hasn't dropped properly.. A rig could describe a horse, who hasn't been successfully gelded, and just left as he is..
Bailey isn't that in your face sort of colt.. he's very placid when around me, respects my space, and when food isn't involved, will follow me everywhere! Here are a few pictures from his early days.. the first, at approx. 10 days old, you'd never think he would be black:giggle: I had to ask his breeder twice, if he was defo a black:bounce:

In the second picture, 3 weeks after he arrived, he'd started peaking over the door, such a struggle for a tiny fella:wub: In the third and forth, it was his first time outside stable, and already a star at being tied up:inlove: He met his half brother Merlin, and there they are 'kissing' each other:mstickle:

The last piccie, is taken just weeks before he came to me forever :angel:
 
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A few more.. Now this picture, is Bailey at nearly 6 months old.. still tiny:angel: the next picture is him at 11 months old.. can't you see the difference? He's still got a lot of catching up to do, but he looks so much better with his first summer coat..
Here he is, tired after his latest adventure.. next there's me fetching him in (he was 8 months) and him admiring his new home :biggrin: I had this stage fairly easy with him, he's been really good with the handling, and living out with a small herd of gelding, teaching him the horsey ways:smoke:
 
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Here, you can see the major changes he's made from 3 months to 24 months.. he changes every day, at the moment, he's filling out, I'm hoping he isn't going to be too much of a handful at the vets, when he has the big op! Oh and here's his field mate, who is a year younger.. he's being gelded tomo, wish him all the best:smile:
 
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Farrier, and missing post

Well, still waiting for a date.. I don't know whether the post is being diverted elsewhere or what? Just seems to be little things, like Worm count results, which I've been waiting 3 weeks for..
He had a wobble this morning with the farrier, something like the last time, but he gave up quite quick, and it was a shorter experience for him.. he got as treat after, from the farrier, to tell him how good he was:biggrin:
He's getting so much better, despite being a bit grump and uncooperative when caught (didn't want his headcollar on), he was a saint compared to how he used to be..
 
Well, had his worm count, wormer's arrived, his friend has now become two balls lighter, and now back out playing.. he's also changed hands, belongs to the yard owner now, so life is as complicated as ever...
He was playing chase the dog the other day, when I went to give him his tea.. makes for interesting entertainment..
I don't think he's ever had as much attention, as now his friend has a new owner, and that owner actually comes up twice a day, and spends time with him, he's getting used to a different person being around, and its having a positive effect on him..
I went up to feed yesterday afternoon, and instead of the usual "Yeah! Food!!" he seemed a lot more settle about the whole thing, and quietly waited for his food to arrive..
Where as his friend got really excited, and tried to take Bailey's grub, which he got a quick reminder as to who 'Boss' is:giggle:
I tend to get followed by the pair of them in the field, and this happened the day the dog came to play.. I walked over to the field shelter, but this time, instead of joining me and Bailey, Seb decided he was going to follow his new owner out of the main gate.................There's me unable to help, as I knew as soon as I moved towards Seb, Bailey would be out the gate with him.. She pushed at his chest, but the little sod wouldn't back up, so I told her to push his nose as well, just to give him momentum.. it worked, and he backed up, nearly into Bailey, who showed his appreciation by threatening him with his back legs..
Guess she's going to have to learn to make sure the pair are in the main field when she comes to poo pick, and shut the middle gate.. I've had time to work a system out where they are fed at the same time as I come to poo pick, so this doesn't happen, they usual settle down after and stay out of the way..
 
Well, managed to speak to receptionist today at the vets that Bailey has been referred to.. hopefully I'll get a date tomo, for his op, fingers crossed:redface:
 
Well, it's 8 days and counting to 'D' day for Bailey.. I just hope the weather holds out until then, as he really needs this.. Everything changed this week, he's now on haylage morning and night, and two feeds a day, he's a real fluffy bunny, got a proper thick coat this year, as not rugging up (his field mate saw to that when he wrecked a few of Bailey's rugs last winter:stomp:)..
I'll play it by ear with him, he's got a shelter, and uses it, so not overly concerned about him..
 
Well... the journey's nearly over, and time for a new chapter starting tomo... Bailey is officially a gelding..:dance:!
Everything went better than I expected, he loaded really well, first time actually, apart from a hitch when he tried to follow me under the partition! We didn't think it was high enough on his front side for him to duck under, but he did, and got stuck as he was tied up..
We unclipped the lead rope, and he got himself out... I though partitions were supposed to be designed to keep the horse in, not allow it to squeeze out! I had to go get his passport etc, and he waited for me to come back before he would load again.. straight in! Yo seems to think it was food related, but funny that he was looking at me for reassurance at the time:giggle: I walked up the ramp, past him and he followed me up.... second time lucky, secured in the box, I went through the door to the cab this time (not chances a second opportunity for pole dancing)..
Journey went well, he ate his brekkie, and was quietly munching hay when we arrived, be it a couple of hours early:redface: I left him enjoying a good roll in the stable, obviously not bothered in the slightest about me leaving him:smoke:
I went back to my friends house after (Skeeder's:biggrin:) and waited there for the feed back.. a film later and a couple of Merlin the series episodes, and I got the call to say he was up about munching hay:biggrin:
 
Superb news :biggrin:
Being as I haven't a clue about these things, what's the recovery time for this op?

It depends where they go, If I'd have gone to Liverpool, he'd have been kept there for 3 days.. I took him to Andrew Mellings, and he should be home tomo.. I've been told it's more key hole surgery these days, and that he was done standing, like a normal gelding..
He'll be in a week to 10 days I think, depending on how he heals.. they reckon it'll take 2 months for his hormones to stabilize and he be tadpole free..
Though I have to admit, not knowing the Vet before hand, doesn't help, as I didn't have a time to develop a rapor with his practice before hand.. but I have to say, he seems a good vet, and will know more in the morning about how it went :)
 
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His left ball was right up in his abdomen, so my decision for him to have the op was the right one.. he's bopping around his stable at the vets as I write, desperate to come home! Such a resilient boy:happy:
In 2 hours, he'll be recovering with his friends around him:angel:
 
First full day home, and the poor thing looked a bit sore this morning, holding his left leg up a bit and just generally looking fed up.. anyway, the pain killers must have kicked in, because by the time I came back down to him this afternoon, he was a lot brighter and I allowed him stretch time on the yard whilst I mucked out..
He's such a good boy, he just wandered about nibbling any blade of grass he could find round the edge of the fence line, and never once got over excited about it..
He's definitely a lot calmer today, he said hello to the newbie on the yard (over stable door) squealed a bit, but nothing dramatic.. and I always thought only mares squealed:giggle:
It amazes me just how relaxed these horses are when others invade the space outside their stables, as on my old yard, Baileys neighbour, tried to pick him up and throw him:eek:!
I noticed this yesterday, when Bailey's field mate came in to say hello... he went over to the grumpiest mare on the yard, and she just said hello very nicely..................... I just can't understand how a horse who gives the impression of being so Jackall and Hyde, is so nice to a youngster??
She even likes Bailey.....
 
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