Still footsore, but getting better

So BG has remained in her quiet mood so she's obviously still feeling bruised on her hooves. They haven't always been hot, but they have had a pulse and she is definitely tender when turning on a tight circle or on the rutted ground.

Sunday night I went to lead her out of her stall and she just stood there looking out, obviously knowing if she stepped out it would hurt a little. So I used some of the shavings we had bought to make up a soft bed. It looks a little odd as I put islands of shavings in her field shelter rather than over the whole floor. She doesn't normally need to stay in for many days and the shavings get very dusty so I try to be careful and only use as much as she needs so as not to waste it. She has her favourite spots to stand in the stall so you can be selective where you put the bedding islands.

I left her out Sunday night as I don't like to put her in over night. I would rather have her in during the day, if I were to put her in over night she has to go longer between visits so I worry that she won't have enough hay for the night.

Monday morning she was still sore, and remained in her quiet mood, even letting my husband make a fuss of her in the field whilst I made up her food. Normally she'll turn her back on him and walk away.

When she entered the shelter she was very selective to stand on the shavings and not move off them, little things like that are good indications of how she is feeling. So she spent Monday in her shelter. I put up a hay net for her when we put her in in the morning, and then my husband very kindly gave up his lunch time break at work to pop back and put up another hay net. That night though her back legs had swollen round the ankles with fluid where she hadn't been moving around as much as if she had been out grazing.

She had Monday night out but was no better on her hooves on Tuesday morning although the swelling had gone. Rather than keep her in all day again, as I didn't want the fluid build up, I put up a hay net to encourage her to stay in on the soft bedding, but also gave her access to a small section of her field so she could move around and graze. Wednesday she had the same. I think she believes we should be spoiling her more since she is so sore, she still stands along the electric fence looking at us as if we should move it out to give her more grass, or follows me back to the shelter as if I should give her another hay net, even when she is out at night.

She is very sweet when she is feeling tender in her hooves, much more loving and stands alongside you looking for some tlc. It is a little bitter-sweet though as you know it means she is hurting.

Thursday I spent a fair chunk of the morning up there. I gave her a good groom and then cleaned all the water buckets and rearranged the electric fence in the far section of the field. I have split it into two so part can recover. She has the lower half and the small section outside of her shelter now. It meant I kept her in for a while on the bedding whilst I sorted it all out, and then I let her out on her newly restricted grazing for the day.

And it rained!!! I was so glad to see the rain, and I think BG was too. She was in a much perkier mood last night and the ground was softer underfoot so I think that helped. She still let me head collar her in the field (I am making the most of her being quiet to try and get her back into the habit) and then followed me all the way back into her shelter once we had let her out (cheekily hoping for hay). We gave her her first fresh section of grass (a couple of feet) for the first time in a week.

This morning she was looking so much better too. Head collar in the field again and then I led her in for breakfast. She was much better on the tight circle in her shelter and her hooves were cold with no pulse. She still looked a little sore but so much better, lets hope we are over the worst.

My husband stood and gave her a good scratch this morning whilst I was mucking out. She obviously enjoyed it a lot as her neck started straining and her lip quivering as she tried to turn and groom him back. It was very heart warming.