Due to a graphic nature of this blog parental discretion is advised....

So as I stated in my last blog Olly is having some "boy parts" issues. I went out yesterday morning to find that the swelling in his sheath was a bit increased. I broke out the bute and the hose. I pulled him from his paddock and put him in the back yard. I know it sounds hillbilly, but I didn't want to stall him, he gets stocked up easily and I wanted his close so I could monitor him. Don't judge ;).

Ummmm, Mom? Can I come in???

I made my house cleaning duties near the windows. He, yet again today, didn't act like anything was wrong. Still was eating and munching away at the grass and wanting the attention that he always does. Baffling to me. At around noon I happened to look out the window and notice that he "dropped" to pee. Woooo! What a load off. See the main concern I had was that it was swollen enough to block him from peeing. I did some recon and come to the conclusion that the "passage" isn't swollen just the outside tissue. Again, that didn't really make sense. His sheath wasn't hot, but it was horsey temp and it didn't seem tender. Now let me tell you a bit about the BigRedHorse. He HATES his sheath touched. It is a job just to clean it. He hops and stomps and throws a hissy fit. Same yesterday and today. I don't think that it is painful because he is displaying the "normal" Olly don't-touch-my-sheath-signs.
also, when I was cold hosing he didn't seem to mind the water pouring over his sheath. I don't think it is as tender as it looks.
I contined to monitor him all day. When it came time to cold hose him in the evening I asked him to trot around the paddock, I didn't see anything out of the ordinary.
So, the plan is:
-Limit hay intake. I have closed off the paddock with the round bale and he is allowed 3 hours to eat and the rest of the time is whatever grass he can get in the non-hay paddock.
-Cold hose twice daily for 15 minutes
-Small doses of bute morning and night
-Exercise...walking, trotting and some short cantering
-Show....I think I am still going. We are only jumping 2 ft. Tuesday when we jumped he didn't show any signs of pain while jumping. IF he developes any painful symptoms I will stop all riding activity.

It is "larger" han usual