One last thing before I jet..

Last night Sky's left hind was stocked up (where his old injury is) so I cold hosed it for about 15 minutes and then gave him an ounce of bute in some grain. There was some heat only on the old injury, nowhere else and he wasn't lame at all. Could the weather have irritated the old injury and caused it to get infected? I'm really concerned. I've told the barn manager and some boarders I ran into last night and they said they'll keep an eye out on him. Hopefully that's the case. The only part stocked up was his pastern.. where the injury is and some proud flesh was growing (the injury was kind of soft again.) Oh and this was before I rode. I waited for my instructor to give her opinion on whether or not to ride. Everyone said it was fine to ride him, so I did and he did exceptionally amazing.

I'm bumping this back up because it keeps happening apparently.. he's reopening his hind left pastern continuously and I'm not sure what to do. I'll probably chat with my vet over the phone to see what he thinks but any ideas?

Bumping again.. it's still happening.

Here's even a picture.

It's his LEFT hind.

Sky, what caused his original injury? I apologize for not knowing but it occurred before I joined the forum thus I never read about it at the time (and am getting ready for work so don't have much time right now to research back @ the moment). It would make sense if it was becoming edematous ("stocked up"?) from time to time during a lengthy healing process I would assume, even if it was a relatively minor injury initially, but to reopen sounds odd, UNLESS, was it an abscess?

Again, apologies for asking for total retelling (edit: posted comment mid-sentence, darn SMART PHONE!) but if you like you could direct me to the title of the original post and I can read through tonight @ work (hopefully!) & maybe be able to offer some "novice-rider" opinion! Sometimes we "returnees" think of the less sensible stuff which the super-experts think wouldn't be the case...just a possibility? I feel for you being away from him and having to manage stuff like ths via telephone and photos!

Hoping I can help out! :0)

It got sliced open by barbed wire apparently. I wasn't there but I was present the day after. It happened back in December 2010 and he got stitches but ripped them out and was in a pen for "stall rest" (which I see now was a huge mistake.. should have been in a stall the entire time with handwalking)

But it was fine all through the summer and winter of 2011.. when it started acting up was winter 2011, when he was in the paddock with no turn out and in mud. It irritated it. He hasn't taken on lame step.

Really need help :( I don't have that much experience with injuries

Bump? :(

Sorry you are going through this.......no help here other than sympathy...

Sympathies from me too! I guess the injury was deep when it happened? You could try some kind of gel to give the area optimum healing conditions and keep bugs out. Some farmers use some round here on cows, its an orangy sticky gel but don't know what its called :/ tub was so well used the lables were indistinguishable lolz also helps prevent the hairs changing colour somehow so no white injury markings!

Thanks Spirit

I actually emailed a local lameness specialist in Maryland 2 hrs ago. He called me 2 minutes ago and we've got something scheduled for next week. It's going to be one HELL of a vet bill, but if it helps Sky I'll sell my entire wardrobe to pay for it.

I'm just really worried... he's only been on stall rest twice. Once with prev. Owner, once with me. Both terribly impossible spots for healing. The one I tended to healed without a scratch.. the prev owner's did not. Stitching was ripped out and proud flesh and it healed ugly.. and is now causing problems. I'm just at a complete loss :/ I've almost been up 24 hours. It's 2:17 am here, I got up at 4:10am.. just can't handle the stress.

Yeah it was pretty bad. He hasn't taken a lame step yet *knocked on wood* so I'm very very happy about that. But not out of the woods yet..