Re: Picket lines

[Teddy Lancaster <Teddy@runningbear.com>]

Sorry guys, I just MUST jump in.  I have used picket lines for 25 years with
NO problems (at least when I didn't screw up). Hung high enough and tight
enough with the proper stops and proper placement of hay, water buckets and
use of neck ropes they should never cause a problem (well, you know
horses...never is a hard word to use), but I have NEVER had a problem.
Perhaps a live demonstartion is called for.  Can't wait for the affordable
technology that will make this possible via e-mail.

Teddy

PS: Electric corrals are being banned more and more out here on the
east...too many horses getting lose and hurting themselves and others...

Jim & Dolly Miller wrote:

> We used picket lines for years until recently.Now we use electric fence
> with white tape and tie pink flaging on it so it can be seen better. We
> only use picket when we have to. A year ago on a picket line my  horse
> layed down during the night  and rolled. We woke to a lot of noise and
> someone calling my name .  My horse was down and had the rope around
> both hind legs. He received bad rope burnes on both rear fetlocks. Rope
> burns are hard to heal in this area. A couple of weeks later he was
> limping on a hind leg . The next day he was on three legs ,could not put
> any weight on his leg and his hock was about three times normal size.
> Carried him to the vet and he said he probably got kicked or something.
> Stall rest . Got worse.  Took him back two days later. This time he drew
> fluid off to test. It came back showing Strep. infection in his hock.
> He was started on shots twice aday. Somedays with a shot in the
> hock.This went on for
> two weeks.Finally my vet said he did'nt know what else to do and sent us
> to another vet.
> This vet did a Lavage flush but told me it was to late,the infection had
> turned hard and would not flush out. Give him eight more shots of this
> very expencive medicine and hope for the best but a slim chance that he
> would ever be sound.
> This happend last Oct.. He is still about a grade 3 lame and his hock is
> still twice the size it should be.He is on pasture and he runs to keep
> up with the other horses, when he stops he is on three legs.
> He is better than he was four months ago so I keep hoping.......
>
> All of this because of a picket line and a simple rope burn.
>
> Dolly