For once (and I'm knocking on wood and crossing my fingers and throwing salt over my shoulder right now) my trip to the barn was pleasant. Axel was waiting at the gate so I didn't have to wade through the swamp to get him. He wasn't pleased as punch to be hosed off but the most he did to protest was pick up each foot. I cleaned off his wound and hosed off his back legs as well. His cut was looking pretty good. The skin flap is shriveling up and the cut itself didn't look too horrible. A thought maybe it was getting infected but at this point I don't think it is. It's light pink, not too oozy, no jagged red edges, and it didn't seem hot or too painful to the touch. Of course the flies love it but I know as soon as I put him back in the pasture it'll be covered in mud anyway. I scrubbed his back legs with the Norwex cloth, let them dry for a while, and then scrubbed with Chlorhexidine. They are looking pretty good actually. A few scabs a little higher up than he usually gets in the spring but the swelling has gone down in the back right leg.
I put some Chlorhexidine in the cut on his front foot. I'm hoping it's still effective even if it doesn't get scrubbed in. I did scrub around the wound with it and Axel seemed to appreciate that a bit, I suppose it's itchy as it heals and I was keeping the flies away. I tried to scrape the rest of the dried mud off his body but I didn't want to get too much dust in the wound so I took it easy. I should try and sneak in a bath yet this summer, he hasn't had one yet and the warmer days are getting fewer. Though the last time I bathed Cody I discovered there is warm water available. I didn't get Axel moving save for the walk to and from the barn but he's looking pretty okay, hard to tell on the gravel. Drat and I forgot to give him some MSM, oh well.
Cody had of course left his fly mask laying in the pasture. At least this time both he and the mask were on the near side of the swamp so I lucked out with both horses and didn't have to don the muck boots. The sun must be getting just low enough to keep him from getting too bad sun burn. I'll probably leave their masks off starting in the next few weeks, maybe September. Cody didn't have nearly as much mud on him as I thought he would and it must have been a while since he was in the wet because it was all dry. After I got him groomed up and put back in the pasture I chatted with J&J for a while mentioning the We Can Ride Trail Ride Fund Raiser this Saturday. I said that I was maybe borrowing a horse since I didn't think Cody would fit in A's straight load. So J&J decided to attend and they will bring Cody for me. I have to be early to set up so I'll just get my saddle and stuff in their trailer Friday night and they'll just grab Cody Saturday morning and bring him over for me. I'm so glad the old man gets to go to the ride (he might regret it but oh well). I just hope he loads okay for J. That leaves Dusty open for someone else to ride and it's always kind of silly to own two horses and not be able to have either of them with me. I'll have to make sure Cody gets groomed up real nice on Friday night, see if I can get my brush through his tail ;)
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