I went out to feed the other evening and realized that one horse had attempted to remove an eyeball, presumably in an attempt to turn himself into a pirate. One can never be sure what horses are thinking when they do this sort of shit. One minute they're out in the field, stuffing their faces on spring grass, and the next minute they're trying to perform body modifications. Often, it's not even clear–as was the case in this incident–what, exactly, they use in these forays into reconstructive surgery. What is clear, is the fact that when you discover these little surgical projects, you're faced with the task of triaging the damage like a battlefield medic.
There are several types of horse owner medics: The Callers, who don't play medic, and just immediately call the vet every time they find any injury at all. The Waiters, who don't do much immediately, and just wait and see what it looks like the next day. The Clean & Leavers, who scrub all wounds down thoroughly, and then let nature take its course. The Preppers, who clean the wound with three different soaps and then alternate antibiotic dressings to be sure there's no resistance within any possible infection. The Old Schoolers, who clean the wound thoroughly, apply their favorite
There are several types of horse owner medics: The Callers, who don't play medic, and just immediately call the vet every time they find any injury at all. The Waiters, who don't do much immediately, and just wait and see what it looks like the next day. The Clean & Leavers, who scrub all wounds down thoroughly, and then let nature take its course. The Preppers, who clean the wound with three different soaps and then alternate antibiotic dressings to be sure there's no resistance within any possible infection. The Old Schoolers, who clean the wound thoroughly, apply their favorite