Posted 2009-05-25 2:52 AM (#105415 - in reply to #71675) Subject: Cuts, scratches, itchy spots, & bacon grease to the resque
Member
Posts: 48
Location: Hooper, UT
The picture makes me hurt...I'm sorry to see your horse like that.This is going to sound so off the wall but...an old, old man helped me one day when he came to my farm and saw me trying to take care of a bad cut on my horse's leg. A tornado had come through my farm and something cut my horses leg. It was in the summer and in just a couple of days I had spent over $600 on vet bills(I have utmost respect for vets!) but the proud flesh was getting worse by the day, the sutures had popped out and it wasn't looking good. So, in his very southern, country, slow, long drawl voice, as he pulled on his suspenders, he said..."You want me to tell you how to fix that?" Sweat was pouring off my forehead(I'm under my horse trying to wrap it) and trying not to puke from the smell, I rolled my eyes and said..."Sure". I had hoped he didn't see me roll my eyes...was sure glad my mother wasn't there or she would have cold cocked me for rolling them too...anyway...he starts telling me about his horse.To make his story shorter...His horse had been gored by a bull and its guts had fallen out. They loved the horse so much that they couldn't give up on him so they told the vet to put the guts back in and leave an open spot for drainage. He said his grandfather packed BACON GREASE in that hole for over a month, but the horse healed from the inside out. They could still ride the horse but they didn't use him on cows any more.I was shocked, but as soon as he left, I went to the store and got me some bacon. I cooked it, (strain it and put a little extra salt in for good measure), put it in the refrigerator to cool down, and packed that wound with the grease as soon as I could. And sure nuff(enough), within 3 days the proud flesh was gone. There were no flies on the wound, I didn't have to wrap it and in less than 3 weeks you could even tell there was an injury, the hair grew back the natural color. So I keep a container of BACON GREASE in the frig all the times. The salt keeps the bacteria down of course and flies want get on it but the bacon grease is an animal by-product and the horse's body tolerates it better than a petroleum based med. Being in the medical profession, I'm still amazed at how something so simple can work so well!I have use BACON GREASE for all kinds of things since then and still chuckle every time just thinking of that little old man. There's no telling how much money I've saved since then.32
Posted 2009-05-25 12:59 PM (#105430 - in reply to #105401) Subject: RE: Help with horse & diarrhea
Expert
Posts: 2828
Location: Southern New Mexico
Pam, I've had loads of trouble with sand since moving to NM and after getting fusterated with the local vet I called my old vet. He told me to buy the generic metamucil and give my mare a pound a day for 5 days and then half a pound a day for a week or until I quit finding sand in her manure. It has worked for 2 of my horses and now they all get a daily dose of the metamucil. I use a medicine cup that came with some pepto to measure the daily dose, 2 scoops a day. Our place is so sandy that it is the only way to keep them clean.
The oil your vet gave will loosen the sand but will not do much to remove it. My old vet said sand colic is the worst because the weight of the sand can twist a gut so you have to get it out of there.
The pound a day is for a full size horse though, not a pony.
Posted 2009-05-25 1:18 PM (#105432 - in reply to #105431) Subject: RE: Help with horse & diarrhea
Expert
Posts: 2828
Location: Southern New Mexico
Me? My whole property is a dry lot. We are in the middle of the desert, no grass here. Just sand and fine gravel, like the stuff you find in an arena. The horses sift through it to find anything that may have escaped at feeding time. Even with the hay bags/racks there is always some that makes it to the ground.
Posted 2009-05-25 2:09 PM (#105433 - in reply to #105432) Subject: RE: Help with horse & diarrhea
Regular
Posts: 99
Location: New Mexico
But whats funny Terri lives 10 or so miles north of me and I, luckly, don't have as severe of a problem with the sand colic. Our place doesn't have the amount of sand that she has. I'm also taking care of someone elses horses and they have a severe prob with sand, and every time I drive up there I wonder if I'm going to have to try my skill and give IV Banamine. So far so good, no prob. I too feed the generic Metamucil but I only give it once a week. If I had a dump truck I'd come and get some of that sand an build up my arena and raise up that low spot.
Posted 2009-05-25 2:56 PM (#105435 - in reply to #105433) Subject: RE: Help with horse & diarrhea
Expert
Posts: 2828
Location: Southern New Mexico
Trade ya, sand for caliche........ Oh, and the sand doesn't stay in the low spot. We keep filling in the holes and the wind keeps blowing it out again.
Posted 2009-05-26 7:45 AM (#105450 - in reply to #105445) Subject: RE: Help with horse & diarrhea
Regular
Posts: 99
Location: New Mexico
I'm starting to save $$$ now so that I can send her to Josh Armstrong for training when shes 2. I hope she has potential, with her bloodlines its there.
Posted 2009-05-28 12:26 AM (#105589 - in reply to #105450) Subject: RE: Help with horse & diarrhea
Expert
Posts: 2828
Location: Southern New Mexico
Is that who you sent Lilly to? What did he charge? Squirt is well over her surgery now and since I can't break her now I need to save my pennies so I can send her out. I'd like to send her to Martha but I want someone who will put some trail time on her since I don't do much arena riding. It's to dangerous!! For me anyway!