Less Swelling! + Mystery Project Horse

I GAVE KODA HIS PENICILLIN SHOT MYSELF THIS MORNING!
ITS A MIRACLE!
I just didn't think about it, and slammed it in there. haha. Okay, I didn't use as much force as that makes it sound. And I didn't even get a blood vessel! I nicked one on the way out [Kim always does] but I counted to 30 and he was still alive and standing, so I jumped for joy! =]

I also wrapped his leg again in towels that were soaked in epsom salt dissolved in warm water. They stayed on for an hour while I wrapped Barney's front right leg [it was tender last night with a small bump on the upper back part of the cannon bone], cleaned his stall, and refilled his buckets.

I'm going back later this afternoon [4-ish] to give him another shot and soak his leg one more time. When I left the wound itself had closed up some, and the heat and swelling were both down! Yessssh! =]



Oh, and today Kim is going to get a new off the track "project" for me. Kinda scared and excited at the same time...

Puncture Wound [WHY?!?!?!]

I turned Dakota out in the big arena Monday night so he wouldn't have to wear his crib collar. Tuesday morning, he was limping when I brought him in. Turns out, he has a puncture wound on his front right leg. Grrrreeeeaaaat. In Doug's words, "he just doesn't want me to ride him, does he?" Nope. Afraid not.

So, I've been hosing his leg for long periods of time to try and alleviate the MAJOR heat in his leg. Major, major heat. He also has lots of pus and whatnot in his leg, because when I press on it with my thumb and then take my thumb away... the thumbprint stays. Which means its serious.

Also, twice now [thanks to Doug's expertise] we've wrapped it in towels soaked in hot water mixed with Epsom Salt. That stuff works on everything! And we've given him one penicillin shot. Actually, Kim did. Tonight I'm going to have to suck it up and do it myself. *shudder* I've only ever given one shot, and that was giving Teddy his vaccines almost two years ago. But if the vaccines got in his bloodstream, I don't think they would kill him. Penicillin would KILL Dakota if it got into his bloodstream.... ACK! This is why Dad usually gives the shots. Plus, it takes considerably more force to give horses shots than it does to give humans or dogs shots.

Though, I've been riding Rio in lessons so I can jump. HE IS AWESOME! I was the first one to ever take him out back [AND jump] Saturday. Awesome. He was, and the experience was! =]
I was the first one to ever jump him in the stadium. He's a willing, BRAVE jumper. He only ran out on the tires, and I think that was just because we were following Rocky, who is evil. And hates the tires. Even when he launches over jumps, I can easily keep my balance. Awesome.


And now Kim says she has a "project horse" for me to work with while Koda is off. Again.
I was going to start jumping him Tuesday, which is when I found the puncture wound. Arrrgh.


Please, Lord, let something good come out of this!!!