INTRODUCTION:
The impact of fireworks on horses goes far beyond the actual few minutes of bangs and flashes. The lucky ones survive but face gruelling recovery and recuperation causing their owners immeasurable distress and expense. This is the story of one horse – Cappy – retold with the kind permission of his owner, Hailey.
11/11/2023
Cappy was out in his field on Inkpen when someone decided to have fireworks near to the field with no warning. The result was a terrified horse who panicked and ran through a fence, he ended up caught in the fence and came down with his legs wrapped in it unable to get out.
They were fine at five pm. It’s unclear how long he was stuck there for but it took a vet, three fire engines and an animal rescue team two hours to free him.
He was so exhausted he couldn’t get up. With the help of everyone they eventually got him to his feet and got him out. He is, however, extremely lame, swollen and covered in wounds. He may not ever recover from his injuries.
To not tell local animal owners is unacceptable. I now have a massive vets bill, used excessive resources to save him and an injured horse.
UPDATE: 15/11/2023
The vet has been today and Cappy is still very sore and lame. They also expect the skin to fall off his leg with the wound adding further complications. He will be having long term treatment with no idea of the long term prognosis.
He is currently on a high level of pain killers and antibiotics.
He is looking a bit brighter but still gets tired quickly.
Unfortunately, his hind leg that is damaged is not insured. He was turned away to recover from treatment on that leg as movement was best for him.
Turning him away was a decision I now regret.
UPDATE: 17/11/2023
Cappy is still pretty lame and and uncomfortable. He will be having the vet back next week.
UPDATE: 23/11/2023
The X rays seem ok thank goodness, however the skin is now falling off his legs. He will improve in time but it’s a long road ahead. He is now allowed to go back out to the field for a few hours so that will hopefully help him to put the weight back on that he has lost.
UPDATE: 29/11/2023
Cappy is still on painkillers. He is now standing a lot more on his right hind but having had the massage lady today, he is now very asymmetric from being down for so long so we need to try and get this resolved.
His wounds on the front of his legs are looking a bit better although there is a long way to go and it looks like it will scar. The wounds around his fetlocks are concerning me the most. They are very sore and oozing despite strong antibiotics so will be getting that looked at asap.
He is allowed to walk out for twenty minutes now to get the muscles building back up.
He has lost vasts amounts of weight through pain and stress. He doesn’t look anything like the horse we bought so he is now on a special diet to help him put weight back on.
UPDATE 30/11/2023
When Cappy got caught in the fence, not only had he taken the skin of his leg, he also had a small wound on the back of his fetlock. It was nothing compared to the big wound so we treated it but weren’t too worried.
In the past couple of days it started to look a bit more sore so we treated it and covered it.
Today when I took the dressing off the smell was horrendous and the wound looked so angry. Poor boy is also pretty lame on it (despite still being on pain killers and antibiotics).
The vet came and gave it a good clean and removed some of the tissue which has gone necrotic.
He leg is very swollen and because of this the skin is now starting to peel off the front of his fetlock.
We have fingers crossed that it doesn’t affect the tendon and that the wound doesn’t scar to the point he can no longer bend his fetlock properly.
Vet will return tomorrow to assess and make a plan.
It’s one thing after another.
UPDATE 02/12/2023
After what seemed to be progress, Cappy has had a massive set back. When he was caught in the wire after going through the hedge surrounding the field he was in at the time for some rest, in Inkpen, about four mile from my own yard, he got the wire caught round his fetlock. This left what seemed like a very minor wound on his fetlock.
This wound, unfortunately, seemed to just fall apart over night, despite pain killers and strong antibiotics. I treated it and covered it and the vet came the next day. The wound was oozing and extremely smelly so we cleaned it, treated it and dressed it and increased the antibiotics.
Unfortunately when the vet came the next day, it was worse than we thought. After cutting away the necrotic skin there seemed to be a hole. The skin was also starting to peel away on the front of his fetlock.
After a good look we decided he would need to be referred to Donnington as it looked pretty nasty.
They have X rayed him and it was found that the bone is now infected. They have flushed it out removed the dead bone. They were doing the same today. They are hoping it doesn’t affect the fetlock joint.
His long term future as a riding horse, even if the infection is treated is guarded and to even get him to be half the horse he was is going to require a lot of time and treatment.
The poor horse has lost so much weight and the light out of his eyes. He has been through so much and is so much pain.
When I showed the vet the photo of how he did look she couldn’t believe it was the same horse. He now looks 28 rather than the 8 years old he is.
The police are contacting me tomorrow to discuss this further as no animal or owner should suffer like this due to some ones selfish actions.
All it would have taken was some thought and notice and he could have come home and none of this would have happened.
UPDATE 04/12/2023
From the left picture to the right. Poor horse has dropped off so much through stress and pain. He is still at the vets.
Leg is looking a bit better but a long way to go.
He won’t be allowed out in the field for a long time whilst he heals.
UPDATE 08/12/2023
Almost a month after the incident, Cappy is still in the vets after his fetlock became infected with a bone infection. He has been on intravenous for a week now. We are hoping he can come home in the next few days on mega strong antibiotics and long term box rest until the skin heals.
Only when this has healed can we assess his long term prognosis.
UPDATE 13/12/2023
Cappy is home from the vets but unfortunately still very lame. His antibiotics and pain relief have been increased and he will have a reassessment and x ray next week to see what is going on and decide the next course of action.
He’s still in the stable 24/7.
It’s now been over a month with no real improvement.
UPDATE 27/12/2023
Unfortunately Cappy is still pretty lame. He is allowed out for a an hour a day but on his own.
He is still under vet treatment at massive expense and I’m seriously concerned for his recovery now. I would have liked to have seen him sound by now or at least able to walk out comfortably but this is not the case. He is also still unable to bend his leg enough to be hoof picked.
The vet will be back next week to see what’s going on.
I’m very sad for him, he is a lovely horse and doesn’t deserve this.
The Firework Campaign UK 