Scary Roll Result

"No Worries,Mom"

Thursday brought hopefully the last of our snow and a scary moment. Mom and I made our way to the barn in the rain/sleet. Peggy called us en route to say the horses had hay. They all went into the stalls if they could. The Red boys made sad faces and got their bags hung near the barn, but out in the weather. They were pretty wet by time we got there.
As we started feeding and filling hay bags the snow started. We decided to kick the grey boys and the girls out and let the Red boys spend some time in the stalls. They needed the chance to dry and roll in the sawdust. So, once everyone had eaten and had a blanket change, we closed two stalls and brought the boys in.
Since the day he was born, Roscoe has hated being wet. He will rub on you, another horse, the wall or any other surface available. Getting dry is his only focus and he won't listen well during those periods. He is only slightly better now. When he came in we just shut the door and let him do his thing. A bit later I saw him covered in sawdust and thought it was a good time to change his blanket. I went into the stall, undid his surcingles and one leg strap. Then I had to get  him to stop rubbing on the stall guard especially since he has gone through them more than once. Well he backed off, but decided it was time to roll. I yelled at him and smacked his butt trying to keep him up. Nothing worked. The pain in the butt rolled with his blanket all but loose. I could only stand there and watch, hoping he would be okay. As soon as he gained his feet I straightened the blanket. Mom had gotten his halter on and I looked at him.
My heart just about stopped when I saw him holding his right hind up. That was the side with the leg strap still on. I was just thinking "Oh no, he broke himself and in the middle of a snow storm." I got his blanket off, but he was still favoring that leg. Neither of us could see any injury and worried about his tendons. Off and on he would put his foot down, so we had him walk to the aisle to get a clearer view. He did put weight on it to walk, a small relief. As he moved he did not show any lameness. When Mom palpated his leg he would pick up his foot. It was hard to tell whether he was picking it up because it hurt or because that is what he thought we wanted.
As we put his heavier blanket, he rested his left hind putting his weight on his right. We felt better after seeing that. Back in the stall he went right to eating hay. With the weather getting worse, we had to leave. So we told Peggy to keep an eye out for him and we made the 2hr drive home.
The next day, Peggy told us she left the Red boys in for the night, but she did not see any lameness when she put Roscoe out in the morning. Whew! Talk about a big relief. I checked his legs to make sure. No swelling, but he did pick his foot up. To see whether it was obedience or pain, I stood on the opposite side and felt the leg. This time he did not  react. Chalk it up to obedience. After this scary roll result, I am putting his halter on the next time he is wet and needs a blanket change.
Horses always have to keep life interesting...