My Day...

Woke up this morning and got a phone call about Jake, the big gelding we have for sale. The people came out an hour later and took a good long look at him and decided to buy him, we don't live very far, so we just hauled him over to be nice. So, yay, no more horses up for sale! Had a nice little check to cash, good day so far. Get home from shipping him over and decide it's the perfect 73F weather to give Scotch a real good bath, got him nice and soapy after we both got a work out (he trots alongside my bike.) and he looked real sharp, wanted to snap a few pictures so I left him tied while I went to get the camera, came back about two minutes later and noticed something funny going on next door. Our neighbors are letting this nice man and woman stay on their place for a month or so, because they are traveling the western United States by wagon and have a team of six horses. They've got some real nice driving stock, one I like especially. Well, I see the man and woman chasing the horses around in their little electric tape holding pen, and the horses look pretty spooked, I noticed one of them has a halter on and the lead is dragging on the ground. Went over to help and ended up catching the gelding (the one I happen to like especially.) and look down, his whole leg is just gushing blood, I mean, I've seen a lot of bad wrecks, seen a lot of surgical procedures, but I've never seen this much blood coming out of a horse at once. Well, I tell the guy to walk the gelding over to my place because I have a nice set up to deal with hurt horses, my dad built it for me for this exact purpose. So, we load him into the rack and I get a closer look, gelding cut a vien open, knew that before I looked at it, thank GOD it wasn't an artery. Sliced his inside right leg, right above the coronary band in the front center, all the way around to the bulb in the back on a barbed wire fence. Well, I get the bleeding stopped with a good pressure bandage set up, leave him there for awhile to get him calmed down and keep him still, give him something for pain. He had lost a lot of blood, was real woozy and he felt the stuff real quick. Went inside to get my dad, who I know I can trust to help manage the horse while I do what I need to do, I cut open the bandage and good news, the bleeding had stopped, started drizzling out after a few minutes though, nothing like before. Got all the hair around the wound clipped, got it cleaned out with benadine, put some anticeptic on it and put another pressure bandage on it. Called my mom who was in town to stop by the vet supply and pick up a tetanus shot, because, my luck, the horse is only vaccinated against west nile. The people got a little lesson on what I thought about them not vaccinating their horse, told them if they were going all over, their horses needed it, too big of a risk not too. I think they'll get them done now too. I think the horse will be ok, it's going to take a month of Sundays for that thing to close up right. Told them I'll watch over him for a week or two. I don't think they've got much money, they've had some bad luck over the last year so I did the vaccine and everything for free. Nice people, just don't know a whole lot about wound care I guess. So there you have it, lol, my first vet job ever, and ya know what I got? Some really nice handmade pot holders the woman had made, and the satisfaction of knowing I saved the big gelding from bleeding to death. Feeling kind of poorly myself though, it's been a busy week. Took a nice fall yesterday walking in the yard, tripped over a boulder thing (don't ask) and cut my leg all up on the rock, got a nice deep bruise on both legs and sprained my wrist too, go me, I look like a boy, lol. All I need is the super short hair cut. I'm happy though, tired, but very happy. I got all my horses sold, so that's good news, which means that I can get the new mare soon! Yay! How is everyone else doing?

Wow, sounds like a very hectic day! Glad you got your gelding sold! Sounds like you did a good job with the wound too, congrats! You are doing the right thing to help them out at least you'll know he's getting proper care for a while.

Hey Jolese Great Job I hope your neighbours appreciate you VERY GOOD JOB

Wow! What a day. Jo, if you're not thinking about it, you seriously need to think about vet school. It was like I was reading a doctor's report. HA! Or be a doctor...

Didn't I tell everyone on here that I decided that I infact do want to go to college and become a large animal vet? Well, I did, I start some of my classes this coming fall. Lol, that's why I was laughing about getting my very first vet job, and getting pot holders, I feel like the doc on little house. lol.

My thought EXACTLY 7C

Cheers to you SBH for being so young, knowledgeable and level headed enough to take control of a bad situation. Just think of the oppoortuinites you'd have if you went to Vet School. I know of a great one near me ... (UC Davis), and I have geriatric horses that need care.

Jo, if you haven't had a chance to read every single one of James Herriott's books, you most definitely need to. He was an old vet in England. Stories are absolutely fantastic!

And I'm telling ya, here in Texas, just in my area, they're hurting for large animal vets so bad!

Goodness! Sounds like you had one heck of a time! That's sweet that she gave you some pot holders!

I'm glad to hear your starting college and a vet to boot! You go girl!

Yea, for awhile I had pushed the whole horse career and college stuff away for personal reasons, but when that little yellow colt of mine was sick, still is kind of, it all made me realize why I love doing what I do... It's for the horses, not my parents or even myself, it's for the horses. I've always wanted to help them, and this is my best way to do it. I've always told my mom, I care about horses more than people, people can fend for themselves... Horses get put in a pen and can't do that. They depend on people and unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there with horses that just shouldn't have them. The whole deal with Cowboy having to be put down because we couldn't even remotely afford the surgery and his survival chances being so slim, made me want to do it even more, and I promise myself that day that no matter the circumstances, I will NEVER turn someone away because they can't afford to have a horses life saved. I think some vets around here have forgotten about the horses and care a whole lot more about the money, it's a pity. I'd never tell a little girl that I couldn't save her horse because her parent's don't have five thousand dollars to give me. But yea, I'll get off my soap box about that now, lol... Everyone has always told me I have a way with the horses that no one else cares about. But hey, I need to get going, we're cleaning up everything outside today, going to be tired tonight

Really is sad how it does come down to money. I think educating the horse owner on how to handle the smaller things is so important. Then get the vet out when it is seriouse.. The vets can really put you out of business if you are not in control of your horse..

When you get ready for all this you can find some sponsors so when something does come up (and it will) you have sponsors to help get people through it.. And, I hope you like fresh eggs etc.. You can be one of those country vets and get paid that way.. Hey, they used to do it.. The vet in our town does all farm animals. He is one of the few left who does this. Course he works for for cash.. LOL.. He is still one of the few left you can call for your cows, lamas, pigs, goats and sheep. He stay pretty busy with all that..

You have your work cut out for you. You are young and smart and will have a ball with all of this..