Wounds and Healing

Well as noted in my other blog we recently moved to the Inland Empire area of California.

Bently did well on the trip, we stayed overnight in Cedar City,UT which I think was a good decision, as Bently was ready to be done traveling. Bently did have swollen eyes for a couple of days after reaching our destination, but the swelling went down quickly after rinsing them out with water, I think he might have had wind burn or something.

Then his old kick injury (on his sheath) got swollen, which changed when I moved him to pasture boarding about 2 weeks after arrival.(He was in paddock boarding at first). It didn't hurt him when I touched it, and the swelling would go down after I would have him exercise for a bit, so I was pretty sure that the only cause for the swelling was lack of movement of an old injury, upon moving him to pasture boarding the swelling went right down.

I introduced him to the pasture pretty slowly to help try to avoid major injuries, but Bently still managed to get a good sized bite in his but. Because it is right on the edge under the tail it is taking a very long time to heal, and is still sore. He keeps it rubbed because of swatting flies, I clean it every time I go out. It is slowly healing.

Then because of the change in environment and climate his feet are chipping and cracking and basically falling apart. To resolve this I bought him hoof boots, which because of our financial situation is my early Christmas present, I was very excited when they came, because I knew how much more comfortable he would be. They arrived and I tried them on him yesterday. He was surprisingly unworried about the big black things I was attaching to his feet, and he was a lot more comfortable once they were on.

I plan to alternate him wearing them and not wearing them until his feet have healed, then I will use them only when riding on rocky terrain or if he gets tender again for some reason.

Until later...