jayste
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2008
- Messages
- 1,744
- Tractor
- 2004 Kubota M4800 SU
Well, it finally happened. Like QRTRHRS we had to dig a hole this past Saturday.
This all started on Friday. I went out about 5:45am and threw out some hay and broke the ice on the water troughs. No water in the ponds and having to keep water out for 5 horses. All seemed well so I headed on to work. Got home about 5:00pm and went out to feed and water around 5:30. Fed the geldings in the close pasture and headed on to get the 3 mares in the far pasture. Only two mares showed up so I started looking for the 3rd. She's usually close in at feeding time so I knew something wasn't right. I found her stretched out by the barn and appeared to be dead at first sight but instantly she jumped up but staggered and leaned against the barn. She looked like she had been rolling in the mud and had all her white markings black. I suspicioned colic by how she was responding, biting at her side and being drawn up. I retrieved a shot of Banamine and gave it to her to relieve the pain and started walking her. At the same time I called the vet on my cell to get his status just in case I needed him. He mentioned he had numerous cases of colic during the week due to lack of water. We talked it over and I continued to walk her and told him I'd call him back in an hour. During this hour she continued to just drop her head and fall to the ground and do the usual colic reaction by biting at her side and trying to roll. I'd try to keep her from rolling but was difficult. Rolling can create a twisted gut in horses with this condition so I was trying drastically to keep her from it. After the hour passed I realized that I needed to call the vet back and get him out to take a look at her. He came out and started her on a different pain med and started an IV for fluids followed by lubing the gut with oil. Her gum color seemed ok so he left a series of shots to give her for pain and inflammation and left. I gave her a shot every hour and after about 5 hours it was apparent that nothing was working. I called him back out and after another examination I had to make the dreaded decision to have her put down or try the surgery which is around $6000 dollars and only a 50/50 shot of success. As hard as it was we managed to get her up and walk her out of the stall, out into the pasture where he euthanized her.
Saturday consisted of finding someone with a backhoe to come out to dig the dreaded hole. I finally got a guy out and thankfully we laid her down in a part of the pasture where we could actually get a deep enough hole to bury her.
Her name was Misty. She was a 16 y/o, black/white paint grade mare who had covered a lot of miles in her lifetime. My FIL bought her as a 2 y/o and broke her out. Our neighbor bought her at a 3 y/o and trail rode her all over and in parades with the US Marshals Posse. She carried him many miles in the mountains of New Mexico. We bought her from him as a 9 y/o and rode her on many trails and wagon trains. She never cared for wagon trains due to not being able to lead! She would get her head in a "bob" and really walk out. She'll surely be missed. Thanks for "listening".
This all started on Friday. I went out about 5:45am and threw out some hay and broke the ice on the water troughs. No water in the ponds and having to keep water out for 5 horses. All seemed well so I headed on to work. Got home about 5:00pm and went out to feed and water around 5:30. Fed the geldings in the close pasture and headed on to get the 3 mares in the far pasture. Only two mares showed up so I started looking for the 3rd. She's usually close in at feeding time so I knew something wasn't right. I found her stretched out by the barn and appeared to be dead at first sight but instantly she jumped up but staggered and leaned against the barn. She looked like she had been rolling in the mud and had all her white markings black. I suspicioned colic by how she was responding, biting at her side and being drawn up. I retrieved a shot of Banamine and gave it to her to relieve the pain and started walking her. At the same time I called the vet on my cell to get his status just in case I needed him. He mentioned he had numerous cases of colic during the week due to lack of water. We talked it over and I continued to walk her and told him I'd call him back in an hour. During this hour she continued to just drop her head and fall to the ground and do the usual colic reaction by biting at her side and trying to roll. I'd try to keep her from rolling but was difficult. Rolling can create a twisted gut in horses with this condition so I was trying drastically to keep her from it. After the hour passed I realized that I needed to call the vet back and get him out to take a look at her. He came out and started her on a different pain med and started an IV for fluids followed by lubing the gut with oil. Her gum color seemed ok so he left a series of shots to give her for pain and inflammation and left. I gave her a shot every hour and after about 5 hours it was apparent that nothing was working. I called him back out and after another examination I had to make the dreaded decision to have her put down or try the surgery which is around $6000 dollars and only a 50/50 shot of success. As hard as it was we managed to get her up and walk her out of the stall, out into the pasture where he euthanized her.
Saturday consisted of finding someone with a backhoe to come out to dig the dreaded hole. I finally got a guy out and thankfully we laid her down in a part of the pasture where we could actually get a deep enough hole to bury her.
Her name was Misty. She was a 16 y/o, black/white paint grade mare who had covered a lot of miles in her lifetime. My FIL bought her as a 2 y/o and broke her out. Our neighbor bought her at a 3 y/o and trail rode her all over and in parades with the US Marshals Posse. She carried him many miles in the mountains of New Mexico. We bought her from him as a 9 y/o and rode her on many trails and wagon trains. She never cared for wagon trains due to not being able to lead! She would get her head in a "bob" and really walk out. She'll surely be missed. Thanks for "listening".
