A Wounded Hooker

So if you remember from my previous post Hooker
isn't always the nicest horse (certainly not the nicest one we have). So it goes to figure when I go to Disney for 3 days at some point she cuts her leg. I didn't hardly notice it at first, as her knee's and hocks are almost black. But after looking closer I noticed it was cut...ok not too bad....then I cleaned it out...and found it was pretty deep. Of course, because she HATES the hose! Which is awesome because it gets hydro'd at least once a day, which is fun. She usually starts by running in circles around me and trying to run away from the hose (though she is getting better) once she realizes it isn't going to eat her she stands still, as long as she can eat. Then as long as she eats she stands there while I wrap it...not the easiest as it's right on her knee so I did a version of a standing wrap which at the top holds the actual gauze in place. Also no stall so that doesn't help it stay on, I could put her in the round pen in the barn but she would probably go ape not being able to see the other horses and screw herself up more!

The key to treating a wounded Hooker is food. I am quite sure I could cut her leg off and if she was eating she would be fine. This also works well when I have to give her the banamine shot, she has to wait at the gate while I give it (and she is VERY good) once I am done she gets to go eat!

While Hooker may not be my *favorite* horse she certainly has shown she has some good traits. If Neeko (the TB) had sliced his knee as bad he would have thought he was dying and would hobbling around on 3 legs. Hooker, she doesn't seem to care at all!