Well this week has been up and down, it culminated this morning in my going down to the yard and finding Acorn lying down, not unusual, put his light on and went to prepare the feeds for them all, I heard him get up but couldn't see him so went round to his door to see him lying down again at the opposite side and despite trying to get up couldn't, it took me 3/4 hour to get him up gently massaging his legs and rocking him - once up he was on 3 legs and very unsteady - I left him for 5 minutes to let him sort himself out a bit and he straightened up a little but lifting the pressure off his heals on his fronts and leaning back - my mind is thinking abcess combined with injury but a niggle is going lammi - he ate his small breakfast and then did a poo and wee and I gave him a bute - which after 15 minutes he straightened up and started on his hay - he was wet with sweat but at least having passed poo and urine this was pain related and its not colic - by now its 7.30 so I rang the Vets and got the on call - they all know him so I was able to describe, abcess seemed likely but the worry as always is the lammi threat, it was decided that I would contact farrier and get him out as soon as and then report back to the vet on findings - Farrier was good he was at the yard by 8.30, Acorn is very sore on that front foot - he trimmed him down and started exposing, the heat /pain is at the inside heel quarter, no sign of abcess but he's sure that's what we are dealing with, we are now tubbing and poulticing and he has to stay in whilst the weather is so crap and muddy under foot, this brings its own challenge due to the hind leg muscle injury, I am to ring him as soon as it bursts, could be either frog or coronet ,and he will come out that night and finish the trim on that foot and trim and balance him all round, at the moment he's too sore to have them all done.
Vet has left us a full box of bute out which daughter has collected on way to work.
I left him nibbling on his hay, I am mentally drained this morning and have managed to finally get into work.
I am just so relived there is no sign of the dreaded L!