"Rocko" Balboa

Sometimes you just have to change your plans. We were supposed to be at a big horse show this week down in South Jordan on the polo field. It was going to be what we call our "Show-cation", where we stay at a motel down there and we bring the little trailer for our dressing room/hang-out spot. Didn't work out that way. Rocko was hurt on the way down in the trailer. We'll never be sure exactly what happened, we suspect a bee or wasp stung him, but he bunged himself up pretty good. Kari had to stop alongside the freeway because he was rocking the trailer and the semi she drives. He calmed down after she talked to him, but by then the damage was done. He was in a lot of pain when we unloaded him at the show and after we hosed off his legs, we could tell right off that the vet needed to see him. I don't think he's ever been so happy to see me as when he got off that trailer! Thank goodness the vet is just a few blocks away from the show. So, after 5 hours at the vet, x-rays, ointments, anti-inflammatories, special creams and wraps, he's going to be ok. The x-rays didn't show any internal damage, but I guess we'll have to wait until he can work again to see if there is any muscle damage. His poor left eyelid makes him look like Rocky Balboa, but the eye is fine. He's also getting a pretty big hematoma on his right butt cheek that might need to be drained in a week or so. The legs wraps come off tomorrow, and I'm going to use some herbal spray on the scraps there. He's much happier now that he's home, but the whole thing has been pretty stressful. Horses just get hurt and that's all part of the game. It was just our turn this time. It could have been much worse, so I'm grateful that he's going to be ok.