I have never been so happy to be wrong…

I am sorry for the late update, but I just got home. I had to share with you all my good news though. Gen’s superficial digital flexor tendon looks to be okay! Yay! Yesterday I would have sworn up and down that is what the problem was so I am thrilled that I was wrong. I spend $14,000 and 9 months last time he hurt his SFDFT saving his cute grey butt and it was a miracle then so I knew if he did it again that I wouldn’t have a pony anymore.

I had a fitful night with little sleep last night. I was trying so hard to be positive, but at the same time I was in full blown loosing my pony panic. I would sleep for a little bit and then wake up in a dead panic. My alarm went off at 4:24 and I promptly fell right back asleep until just after 5 when I woke up again in a panic. I hurriedly got ready and headed off to see my boy. I had been spending my time trying to fall back asleep by visualizing Gen’s left front as healthy and normal when I took off the wrap. I didn’t even cry on my way up to the barn.

I love being the first one at the barn. There is something so magical about sleeping horses. I tried to think of all the good things as I quietly went to take Gen’s wrap off and cold hose him. When I did though I thought I was going to faint. His leg was more swollen then it was the night before…and hotter. I cried again as I cold hosed him thinking the worst. I hugged him and told him I loved him about 100 times as I poulticed and wrapped him. I felt sick with worry. The last thing I wanted to do was go to work. I wanted to hang out with my pony. It was only when Gen started to get upset about my hysterics that I took a deep breath and got the message that being near him was NOT helping either of us.

Minus a meltdown on the way to work I was much better the rest of the day. I made an appointment with my vet to come out after I got done with work so I could be there when he did the ultra sound. I don’t know what changed but around noon I suddenly started to feel better. Like Gen was going to make it. I cannot describe the feeling except to say that I just knew today would not be Gen’s last day.

By the time I left work I was feeling slightly more confident that this was not the end. I didn’t even cry! I promised myself as I got out of the car that I would be okay because I had to be okay because Gen needed me to be okay.

When the vet showed up and I took off the wrap I was feeling better because the swelling and heat were about the same as they had been in the morning. My vet on the other hand was not so happy…I think he was kind of hoping that I was just being dramatic so to see Gen really hurt was not so good.

Not to call myself an ultrasound expert, but with all that happened with Gen last time I know what to look for. I settled down next to the screen and we started to take a look. Right away it was clear Gen had an issue. Those black spots in the ultrasounds that I have come to hate were the first things that we saw. It was obvious that Gen was injured. He had two clear areas at the top of the left leg on the inside. The good news was that the areas of trauma were not on the Superficial Digital Flexor Tendon! They were on the tendon sheath. It might not sound like good news that my horse has an injury to the soft tissue around his tendon, but trust me, it is.

We spent some more time going up and down the leg and we did find some other areas of aggravation on the sheath, but none on his tendons!!! You can clearly see that my horses SDFT is not normal in the ultrasound (it looks like tv static instead of normal white) but you can also clearly see that there are no big holes left in his tendons!

Gen has four areas where the tendon sheath are not well, but the one of main concern is larger then the rest and looks like an infinity sign. My vet is very convinced that when the boot started to fall down and turn it just rubbed the two tendons together which pissed them off. As long as my horse can heal like a normal horse this should be a quick injury to recover from. Gen is on stall rest until Friday no matter what. He will be getting a cool cast on everyday. I am not celebrating yet, but I am feeling much better. I will be totally fine when Gen starts to heal. Healing has always been the issue. Fingers crossed that my miracle boy will be okay!