LAKOTA UPDATE! click here Feb. 8th, 2008- Lakota severed his right rear extensor tendon in a fight with a llama being boarded. Surgery was done at Prarie Creek Hospital to stop the extensive bleeding and he was taken to U.C. Davis for four days. Lakota stayed at Triple L for a week. There he was checked by Dr. Mora & had his bandage changed. Lakota had his stitches removed on Feb. 22nd at the local vet hospital. He would not allow anyone to come in contact with his leg without being heavily sedated first. Lakota had problems with sedation & the type of wrap placed on his leg. I beleive that it has set us back a bit. The vet at U.C Davis called the local vet to decribe approriate procedures and on Feb. 23rd Lakota was bandaged properly. Our nerves are now a little less frayed.
To keep a watchful eye on him, we have a stall also prepared for him in Santa Rosa. When I go down there for family business, he comes along. On the  Feb. 26th Lakota came down without Rebel. Being 'stir crazy', Lakota now spits and screams at Rebel.
	The bandage the way it is supposed  to look	Bandage does not have any support. Poor Job
When Lakota was at U.C. Davis, we were told that Lakota would have to have his leg wrapped for 2-3 months. Rehabilitation would be complete in that time & no one seemed to agree on the final outcome. During the Cal-ILA meeting in the first part of March, we had a chance to talk with Dr. Mora & Dr, Ferraria. Both seemed to agree that Lakota would need to be kept wrapped for 5-6 months or more. When Lakota's bandage has been removed for changing, his foot & toes drop downward. He has no control over holding his foot in an upward position.He also hsas some loss of control over the lateral movement of his pastern area - it wobbles back  & forth. We have seen some improvement in this area. Lakota has been fairly patient with the bandage changing process. Lakota was allowed outside in an adjoining paddock  on March 18th. He was allowed out for only an hour at a time and has worked up to spending the day outside and coming back into the stall at night. The first week he acted 'silly' for a minute or two after being let out. He finally found that his leg hurt when he did this, so now he behaves himself. On March 25th he was allowed to have access to both the stall and paddock. He snorts at the other males but he will not attempt to run or act silly. We change Lakota's leg bandage every Thursday. On March 27th we noticed that the wound area and the scent gland were looking moist & weepy. That day we put on a half length wrap to allow this area to dry out. We looked for any swelling above the new bandage, but we lucked out. No swelling occurred and the wound area has dried out nicely. In mid April, during a bandage change, Lakota moved his bare leg forward in the chute. Much to our delight, the toe stayed in an upward position! A problem though- due to the lack of a working tendon, the joint at the pastern pops forward. In the weeks to follow, the toe continued to stay upward while changing the bandage in the chute. In mid April we also changed the type of bandage Lakota wears. It no longer goes up his leg. We use heavy padding, for stability, and only wrap his pasturn to toes. This seems to work as long as he does not act silly. We have noticed that when he DOES act up, he pulls his leg up & then will calm down. It seems he knows his limits.  We are hoping some control over this movement will later occur & are looking into possible devices that will support the lower half of his tendon. Much work lays before us. His show career is not looking hopeful.
Lakota went out to his first show since his injury, not just any show, the 2 show combination of Harvest Fair and South West Regionals! Over the last several months we have been keeping a light bandage on. The bandage guards against the occasional popping of the pastern joint. Lakota is allowed to stay in a small paddock, unwrapped for a few hours, on the days that his bandage is changed. ANYWAY, back to the show. Upon a recommendation from another judge, I asked the two show judges if I could keep Lakotas vet wrap on for Halter Class. I received a very firm NO. The bandage had to be removed & if the animal was unsound he would be dismissed immediately. I watched from the side of the arena as Lakota strutted his stuff. If the leg acted up, even a little, we were going to have him exit the ring. Any possibility of injury was not worth it. LAKOTA NOT ONLY STAYED IN THE HALTER CLASSES- HE RECEIVED TWO GRAND CHAMPIONS. -- Harvest & South West Regional Champion!!!  UPDATE- October , 2008 The end of October we took Lakota and his son, Zydeco, to Nationals. Our hope was to have the National judges confirm what we thought - Lakotas' leg is moving fine. Well we received that confirmation!! Lakota received Reserve Class Champion for Adult Light Wool Male!!!! Lakota will need to keep a light wrap on his leg for support most of the time. Our next challenge is to keep the skin healthy & dry during the rains (and snow) this winter.

	2007 4TH of July Parade
Linda having a good time	You can lead Persnickety to water...