Thin Skinned?

Ready to go, Mom! 

It is ridiculously wishful thinking to even contemplate that the current thaw is actually the beginning of spring.  I know better than that.  But I have decided to thoroughly ignore any forecast past Thursday, since between now and then every single day is above freezing!

It will come as no surprise that I spent a lot of time with horses this weekend.  Yesterday Becca & I took Rhio and Kaos out back through the deep snow, and ended up making it into a loop walking gingerly down the edge of the road.  It was definitely doable on the road - yay! The dogs, Kelso & Bowser, accompanied us and got to play with Jack when we met up with Dave doing some firewood gathering in the back woods. We chatted some, then backtracked to the hayfield to allow him to get back down the trail with the tractor & logs.  We did a loop through the deep, deep snow with the ponies huffing and puffing, then came back through the trails only for Becca to notice some blood on the snow.  In Rhio's next step, she realized it was coming from him - his right front to be exact.  When we got to the plowed part of the trail, I hopped off to assess the wound.  It was bleeding freely but wasn't painful, and was a nice clean slice.  I assume he caught the wrong side of an ice chunk.  It was on the inside heel bulb but thankfully above the coronary band.  This boy is so prone to wounds!!!  Especially on his legs.  Grrr!  

The classic mounting block - the tailgate!

Kelso, and Bowser sporting a jacket,  enjoy the hayfield

Becca & Kaos breaking trail and showing just how deep that snow really is

We finished our ride, and the bleeding had stopped by the time we got home.  I decided to close the flap, although it probably didn't really need it.  I numbed it up, then tried to suture it with standard suture material.  Unfortunately, it is Rhio's worst foot for allowing me to hold it up.  Ever since I bought him, he is terrible about holding his right front foot up and will yank it out of my hands repeatedly even when I am just picking his feet.  I have not been able to correct this behavior, so despite the fact that the skin was numb, I just couldn't get a period of stillness enough to place the needle.  As always, I did have a plan B and it was time to utilize it!  My very favorite tool - the surgical stapler.  These things are awesome!  I did have to place 3 staples to get two where I wanted them, as he was still yanking his foot away (at precisely the wrong instant, of course), but it is so quick and easy.

Fresh wound on trail (blood is SO dramatic on a white leg!)

All stapled up!  (I'm holding the hoof and you can see the shaved area & 2 staples in the middle of the photo)

Today it looks great - no swelling and no lameness.  I'm avoiding any more work in the deep snow until it is healed, so I took him and Cricket out for a mile+ hand walk this morning.  Then I went to Jodi's and rode one of her horses this afternoon, and tomorrow will be Red's turn.  We are all desperate for some freedom from this interminable winter.  (actually, I really do love winter...but this one is feeling SO long already!)

It's been MONTHS since we've been able to ride down the road!