This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Diseases of Horses » First Aid » First Aid topics not covered above »
  Discussion on Head injury
Author Message
Member:
Msfancy

Posted on Saturday, May 29, 2004 - 11:53 pm:

My yearling filly I noticed has a small indent in her forehead just over from her left eye. Don't know if she ran into something or got kicked. It doesn't seem to bother her. She acts like nothing happened. Could it be possible for her to have a skull fracture & what to do about it.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 2, 2004 - 9:51 pm:

Hello Debbie,
It is hard to imagine that a fracture of the skull over the brain has occurred without any other clinical symptoms but if you have an acute change in the structure on the head, perhaps radiographs wound be best.
DrO
Member:
Myharley

Posted on Monday, Nov 21, 2005 - 11:29 am:

My question is this: Hope I am using the correct category for this.
What if anything can I use for my blind (ERU) gelding to protect his face and head from further injury. I watch him everyday run in to everything everywhere even if I am leading him . He lost his sight in both eyes in August and since I can't be with him 24 hours a day it makes me sick with worry knowing he is getting injured. I have since that date confined him to his own stalls and pasture keeping him from my other horse and it's not that he is in new territory because he's been in this same location for 4 years but it's like he has lost all sense of direction since he lost his sight.
Is there anything I can get to protect his head, face and eyes? I have even thought of a catcher's mit . Any help would be appreciated.
Member:
Nmrk

Posted on Monday, Nov 21, 2005 - 11:48 am:

Sandra,
When Lady first went blind (7 years ago) she also had a tendency to bonk her noggin. Still does occasionally. However with time she learned to slow down and gently "nose around". What I did do in the beginning was to gather as many old blankets, towels etc. as I could find and used them as padding on the sharp edges of sheds and fencing. Also walk the fence and make sure there are no nails or splinters. I also found that walking with her around the fence line several times a day talking the whole time helped.
Good Luck,
Nonna

PS Sorry if this intruded on Debbie's post.
Member:
Hwood

Posted on Monday, Nov 21, 2005 - 11:55 am:

Sandra, are you a seamstress?
Does your horse end up with marks and bruises on a particular part of his head more than on other parts?
I was wondering if a head bumper cut from a durable fabric (like waterproof winter blanket fabric) that covers the horse's head, down to his muzzle and secured with velcro would be possible. I picture waterproof fabric on the outside with a soft (fleece?) fabric lining and stuffed well (and maybe quilted?) with polyester fiberfill . . . Would it be a good idea to leave out eye holes so the horse doesn't get caught on anything or should there be ventilation over the eyes? Would eye cups (like on racing hoods) be a safety feature or a hazard?
Maybe there is some kind of winter hood that you can purchase and modify for your horse, or maybe you will be the inventor of a new piece of horse wear.
Did you try the scent idea we've been discussing in other posts the past couple of weeks?
Member:
Eoeo

Posted on Monday, Nov 21, 2005 - 12:41 pm:

My thoughts are to take a bar of soap and run it along the outside perimeter of her paddock or field. Since scents have worked for other things why not good old zest or something that you would be able to buy forever and put it on the outside section, or even all of her fence even in the paddocks, so she would associate that smell with the fence. EO
Member:
Myharley

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 22, 2005 - 10:47 am:

Thanks for all your suggestions, I'll give something a try. Although I have lined the inside of his stall with fabric he still cracks his head good at times. Maybe in time he will get adjusted.
As far as the scent approach, I'm still working on that and I think that also will take a while.
Thanks again guys, I'll keep ya posted.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 22, 2005 - 11:13 am:

Sandra there are some protective head gear products for horses that are recovering from anesthesia. I can't remember where I saw them for sale but certainly will run across them at the AAEP meeting in the seller's exhibition hall next month. However any head gear worn 24 hours a day is almost certainly going to develop wear spots but perhaps for when they are being introduced to new areas of when stalled, it might be of some use. I will keep my eyes open and post more when I find it.
DrO
Member:
Thomboy

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 22, 2005 - 1:10 pm:

Sandra,
I am fostering a rescue horse that is blind. Apparently, at his former home, he had a seeing-eye pasture mate. Unfortunately, this pasture mate did not come with him. I went through my herd, found a compatible match, and leave them turned out in the pasture rather than in a stall. In the stall, the sounds echo off the walls and he seems confused. In the pasture, he stays right with his seeing-eye donkey and is able to keep from bumping and tripping. She also keeps him off the fence and gates. If you look out in the pasture and they are by the fence, she is always standing broadside between him and the fence. It may not work for every horse, but it sure works for them. She takes him to the run-in if the weather is bad, takes him to the hay and of course, brings him to the food.
Member:
Myharley

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 23, 2005 - 1:08 pm:

Thanks Dr. O , I'll be looking forward to additional post from you on the head gear.
Melissa, my pasture mate to Harley is a 15 year old Arabian of my daughters that we bought 1 1/2 years ago as a rescue from Indiana and to this day he has never been anything but mean to Harley. He came being at the top of the pecking order and he has made it very clear that is where he will stay so I have to keep the two of them seperated or Harley will be bit and kicked to death along with being blind. I do appreciated your reply.
Member:
Angel77

Posted on Monday, Nov 28, 2005 - 1:59 am:

This may sound totally crazy. What if a tailor could come in an create a full face mask. Like the Guardian Mask except with two protective eye covers and a protective fleece or the stuff used for flack jackets with the appropriate ear holes jugular straps etc??

The two protective eye covers alone act as feelers for the horse.


Good luck to you and your horse.

WTG
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC