Ouch

Spending a lot of time at the barn means I've used my horse products on myself more than once.  Horse shampoo is great for hair, Showsheen was a massive mistake, vet wrap is incredibly useful when bandages aren't available.  Corona and Effol Lederbalsm are both good on your hands and Sore No More really helps with exhausted legs.  I've bummed Robaxin and Ulcerguard from my horse during show season in the past.  I like to think it gives me a unique perspective on their experience.  Ulcerguard, by the way, is actually rather tasty and effective if you have ulcers.

CYA statement:  Please do not use your horse's meds on yourself.  It's dumb.  I was young and broke.

This has included cleaning up wounds with horse products.  What I've discovered is that horse products burn.  They burn like crazy.  Wonder Dust on a badly bleeding cut at a horse show was one of the most painful experiences of my life.  I used combinations of profanity I'd never considered and educated many youngsters.  It did the job of stopping the bleeding when nothing else worked, but I hated my life during the process.  Who knew charcoal was so horrible?

My latest discovery was Banixx.  I love this stuff, clears up any kind of mystery funk and heals up scrapes fast.  It's in a spray bottle which is very convenient.  I hit most of Theo's scrapes and bumps with it because he seems to get an infection if I look at him funny.  The horses tend to step away when I use it, but they often step away from a spray so I never thought of it.

Yesterday I looked at the big scrape on my elbow and thought 'that could use some Banixx'.

Still looks gross

HOLY MOTHER OF PEARL.

That stung!  That really stung!  And there were campers in the aisle, so I couldn't accurately convey to my friends how much that stung!  And then I turned and looked at Theo, who I've been spraying with this when he has open, bleeding wounds, and apologized.  A lot.  I had no idea how badly that stung every time I used it.  It's effective so I'll keep doing it, but now he gets a cookie every time because standing for it is not something I would do.  I'd probably kick someone that sprayed me with that when I didn't know the reason.

So I'm developing a new policy.  All products that I can safely try, I'm going to try it on myself before I use it on my horse.  It never occurred to me that Banixx would burn.  I'm a weenie about this stuff, but so is my horse.  And he doesn't know why I'm doing it.  That means trying his supps, testing all of his wound care products, all of it.  I don't want to cause him pain without knowing it. 

 My elbow looks better today, btw.  So it's a good product.  Just ouch.