Yesterday I was not feeling too well so I spent the better part of the day, (after weeding in the sun) sitting in the shade and reading a few pages from a Luanne Rice book. Paha and Meins, as usual when I sit in my chair, came over by the fence to "hang out". Meins pawed the ground which I know means he is going to roll. Once he was up Paha went down, did a half roll, then lay there completely stretched out, legs held out stiff in front of him, breathing really hard and groaning. It wasn't that "Oh that feels good" groan this groan sounded painful and when he lay like that, legs held straight out and groaning, I got up and went into the pasture. Normally when you come up on a horse laying down they get up. But since the boys trust me enough (I hope) they will usually roll up onto their bellies and let me rub their bodies from nose to tail. Paha did not move. He just watched me as I came around and even on the ground he looked hunched up. Within a few seconds I had his lead around his neck and practically pulled him up, put his halter on and started walking and called my trainer and another friend just to make sure I was doing the right thing. Paha walked very slowly at first, as if each step was painful. I ran my hands up and down his legs and picked up his feets, nothing. His tummy was gurgling but no more than usual and then after walking for nearly 20 minutes he let out a fart that was so long, LOUD and noxious smelling my brother would have loved it. (Fart Connoisseur!) His step was livelier and he was relaxed afterward. Just as I was walking him out of the pasture on the way to the roundpen, Ann-Marie called and asked what was up and I told her what was going on and she said he might have gas colic. I put him in the roundpen and had him walking for an additional 20-25 minutes then he took a nice, healthy looking but, stinky, poop. 15 minutes later he went again and it smelled like normal manure.
I don't know if he ate a naughty weed, bug, stone, etc., etc.. He never thrashed about on the ground and the signs were so subtle I briefly wondered what might have happened had I not been sitting right there. It was scary enough regardless and when I fed later in the evening, giving him half his normal ration, I started to tear up. Many people do not realize what a special gift these creatures and all animals are to us. I would love to take in every horse, dog or cat that needed help. But I cannot. It's a little about the money, ok a lot, but I know my limits, physically and emotionally. And although we can have up to 6 horses on our property, realistically 2-3 is enough.
Three! My lucky number! Let's see, Oakly, a leopard Appaloosa, trained by Ann-Marie, 5yrs old would round out my Appaloosa patterns, hhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...........................................!
Sigh..........no!
No comments:
Post a Comment