Conference noted::equitation

    
    i would suggest using a gauze pad and wash out the sore, dry it
    and place a guaze(sp?) pad over it.. if u have anything for proud
    flesh use it and redress the wound....
    
    	keep the wound moist, it will heal faster, the driing is cuausin
    it to bleed no?
    after that i would wrap with vet wrap, not too tight just to give
    it support. then  find some silver duct tape and cut out a circle
    with a cut to the center, place this over the fetlock (back)area
    and wrap with the rest of the vet wrap (do a figure eight wrap)
    
    hope this helps..
    

    Hi,
    
    Are you putting anything on the wound or scar tissue before you wrap?
    Maybe you could try one of the drying type dressings like Furicin
    spray, or Wonder dust - maybe even baby powder would keep it dryer
    if there are no open wounds.  I would use bandaging cotton and cotton
    leg wraps (of course if the horse is turned out you may need something
    like vetrap to keep the cotton secure) - stay away from any synthetic types 
    they don't breathe well. I would try to change the wrap twice a day 
    if it is possible.
    
    Good luck

    I suspect the moisture is a combination of sweat and that clear
    fluid  that oozes out of a healing cut. You do need to keep the
    reasonably dry and clean or it's going to be uncomfortable for the 
    horse. For scar tissue, a good spray is granulex.
    
    I use a 6" wide cotton flannel bandage with about 4 sheets of cotton
    underneath.  There's also a padding that's made of the stuff hospitals
    use for bedridden patients to prevent bedsores.  Sorry, I can't
    remember the name right now.  I've also know desperate folks to
    try disposable diapers. It looks bizarre, but it seems to work.
    
    -maureen
    
    

    
    Thanks for your info, the scar tissue/wounds are not the problem
    as i said before its more the bed sore. I am trying to avoid
    causing more discomfort, because she is litterally peeling, and
    this is very sore for her, and as i said before, she needs ALOT
    of support. I will try the hospital padding (I know what you mean!)
    maybe that will help.
    
    Thanks for your help.
    
    jayne

    While others have made suggestions about caring for your horses
    "bed sores" is there another more insidious problem going on here.
    
    A horse whose legs are always bandaged will soon always need bandaging
    for support! I know most horse owners want to take the utmost care of
    their horses but some times we can do more harm than good. Since
    this horse has had to be bandaged because of its injuries will need
    some rehabilitation to be able to do without bandaging.
    
    I have seen many horses legs bandaged for no apparent reason. It may
    make sense during and after a stressful competition. Done on a
    continuing basis with no real reason bandaging has the risk of becoming
    a permanent need.                      

    My horse will ALWAYS need support on her back legs. A year ago
    last this April I found her in her paddock with horrific injuries
    to her fetlocks, after specialists examining her it was found that
    she had severed her tendons. Basically it has taken a YEAR for
    her wounds to heal, and she is still very pottery on her pins!
    I cant really explain the wounds, but it would be easier if i say,
    everything in side her leg, started healing on the OUTSIDE of her
    leg, from that day on i've spent hours changing her bandages
    every day and burning back the proud flesh. She will never be able
    to be ridden again, so from now on she will be enjoying a lazy
    life of luxury.
    

    I admire your courage to try to put this horse back together. Many
    people that I know would not even try. It is great to see someone
    who really treats their horse as the pets they are. As long as she
    has quality of life it is worth it.
    
    Regards,
    Sandy
    
    

    
    
    I agree!  This horse is stabled with mine and Jayne has spent a
    lot of time bringing her back to health, despite the fact that
    there is no prospect of her ever being ridden again. She is
    currently being stabled all the time and walked for excercise,
    when she was in the field she insisted on dashing about, so
    bandages were necessary then. If she is left stabled without
    bandages her legs swell up. Some people would say she should
    have been put down when the accident happened, but Jayne didn't
    do that. She committed herself to caring for the horse.  She
    CAN'T do without bandages at the moment, but she is happy and
    doesn't appear to be suffering. A horse is not like a car, when
    it doesn't perform or gets involved in an accident you can't just
    write it off and get a new one, because simply by buying it in
    the first place you are committed to caring for it. If you cannot
    do that you should never have bought it.
    
    It might be of interest that I found a product called Ventfoam.
    It is actually used in hospitals as a traction technique. It is
    made of soft, ventilated latex foam rubber laminated to strong cloth
    backing. We'll try it out on Shadow and let you know the results.
                                                                    
    Karen