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Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

Original poster

The Horse is poorly and its not looking good...

98 replies

MagicLlama · 05/01/2013 10:34

Im gutted. After all that drama with finding him, and deciding to keep him, and everything, for him now to be ill and it looking bad just feels like a punch to the face!

Hes lost the ability to stand, I heard him neighing in the early hours of the morning, and found him down and unable to get up - Vets been out and here since 5am! The Horse is up now, finally after a mass of pain killers from the vet, and us all heaving him up, but hes very wobbly, and hes shaking, and im not confident that hes going to stay up.

Vets gone off now to test bloods, and im supposed to be leaving him The Horse that is to some peace and quiet, because everytime I go to check on him he tries to wobble over to me and he looks like hes about to fall over again.

Theres talk of colic, grass sickness, muscle atrophy or all sorts of things.

I just feel so helpless, and like I should be doing something to help him, and I cant.

And just to add insult to injury for the poor guy, hes not allowed to eat until the bloods come back, so everyone else has been fed but not him! As least he seems bright enough to be annoyed about that which is a plus I guess.

OP posts:
horseylady · 07/01/2013 17:54

Hugs. Hard hard decision, but the right one.

I?ll lend you for a little while my grandest foal, He said.
for you to love while he?s alive and mourn when he is dead.
It may be one or twenty years, or days or months, you see,
but will you, till I take him back, take care of him for me?
He?ll bring his charms to gladden you, and should his stay be brief,
you?ll have treasured memories as solace for your grief.
I cannot promise he will stay, since all from earth return,
but there are lessons taught on earth I want this foal to learn.
I?ve looked the wide world over in my search for teachers true.
And from the throngs that crowd life?s lanes, with trust, I?ve chosen you.
Now will you give him total love, not think the labor vain,
nor hate me when I come here to take him back again?
I know you?ll give him tenderness and love will bloom each day,
and for the happiness you?ve known, forever grateful stay
But should I come and call for him much sooner than you?d planned,
you?ll brave the bitter grief that comes, and someday, understand.

CatPussRoastingOnAnOpenFire · 07/01/2013 19:59

Oh Magic. I am so sorry this has happened. You did everything you possibly could for the boy. Its the best thing you can do in the end to let them go. {{hug}} Just think what his end might have been if you hadnt given him a home.

Original poster
MagicLlama · 07/01/2013 20:27

I feel really numb about it at the moment, which is odd because I cried my way through doing the others who kept looking at me as if I was going insane

I know it was the best thing for The Horse, but I just keep thinking, but if Id tried this, or maybe if id just waited a bit longer, but then I dont know.

Me and vet did wonder if maybe something like this has happened before which is why he ended up "lost, but its difficult because we still dont actually know what it was - it came on so suddenly, and it was literally like he lost the ability to co-ordinate his back legs, they worked, he could move them on the floor, just not use them to get him up.

Hes at peace and pain and fear free now I guess, just us left behind trying to get our heads round it. Getting the feed, buckets, the hay net, mucking out, everything tonight was just wrong. Hes not even been here 2 months - how can he have changed everything in that time?

Hes being cremated and coming home to be scattered in the woods, and I think ill feel better when hes back here where he belongs.

OP posts:
Original poster
MagicLlama · 07/01/2013 20:30

Its odd, how quickly you get attached to them really isnt it, which I suppose is the root of why im taking it oddly.

I feel like he was here forever, he was part of our little herd, wed sussed out his quirks, and he was so affectionate we just adored him. Add to that the drama of his story of moving from a to b to c you couldnt help but just want to hug him tight and look after him. Yet at the end I could do nothing, and I wasnt even prepared for it.

OP posts:
CatPussRoastingOnAnOpenFire · 07/01/2013 20:33

You were a gift to each other.

mrslaughan · 07/01/2013 20:33

I am so sorry magic....it is the hardest thing, we had to put our cat down recently...he was a cat we didn't want, weren't going to keep, but he wound himself around our hearts, then cost us a fortune (he developed a heart condition that involved alot of nursing) and then my husband and I had to take that terrible...and then our house just seemed and still does seems so empty without him.
It just seems so unfair.....

alwaysGOLD · 07/01/2013 21:34

Im so sorry :( you done the best for him,
At least you gave him the most happiness in his life time hes probaly ever known since you found him
i

Loshad · 07/01/2013 21:39

So sorry to hear this, poor horse Sad

CMOTDibbler · 07/01/2013 21:59

I'm really sorry to hear that Horse has gone.

D0G · 07/01/2013 22:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Mitchy1nge · 07/01/2013 22:03

oh no

that's just not fair, I'm sorry you didn't get the opportunity to do all the things you wanted with him. I wish it had all worked out very differently. xxx

ExitPursuedByABear · 07/01/2013 22:57

Oh ffs Horseylady

Sad Sad Sad

(Did anyone watch the Horse Hoarder tonight?)

Mitchy1nge · 07/01/2013 23:32

A bit. :( I saw the dead foal while I was reading this thread, volume was low so couldn't hear much but it looked as though his living conditions should have been the primary concern. Except the outside bath with a little fire underneath, that looked cool!

fortyplus · 07/01/2013 23:47

Sorry to hear this. It's always so hard to have a horse put down whatever the circumstances. You did your best xx

sanityawol · 08/01/2013 00:11

Magic - I've lurked on your threads and I'm so sorry to hear about the Horse. He was very lucky to come to you. We had a rotten year last year with losing both dog and pony to unexpected illnesses, and the hard part is not having definitive answers as to why.

I'm not trying to be alarmist, but were you aware of this story? m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-20363114

I'm only really aware as it is a localish story, but according to www.thoroughbredtimes.com/horse-health/2011/10/22/what-are-the-symptoms-of-ehv-1-and-how-do-i-protect-my-horse.aspx some of the signs are as follows

The signs of neurologic EHV-1 infection range from mild hind limb ataxia (lack of coordination) to urine dribbling and inability to void the bladder properly, loss of sensation around the tailhead and thighs, weakness in the hind limbs severe enough to cause difficulty in rising, and weakness severe enough that the horse may dog sit or lie down without being able to stand up at all.

Our vet diagnosed a pelvic fracture in our mare, but in the absence of xrays, hindsight makes you wonder. (Pony was put to sleep in July, news story was later in year)

Apologies if I am speaking nonsense, but as it is a virus and you have other horses I just wanted to mention it.

StarsAboveYou · 08/01/2013 00:25

Oh magic I'm so sorry for your loss.

Hope things get better for you soon and the rest of your ponies help you through this time.

TwoFacedCows · 08/01/2013 00:26

oh! i am so sorry, i read all about him on your other thread. i had my fingers crossed you would keep him.

sorry again for your loss. Sad

Callisto · 08/01/2013 09:11

So sorry Llama, I really think he was blessed to have ended up in your field because no matter what he went through before he arrived with you, you ensured that he had a happy last couple of months of life. It is such a hard decision to make, big hugs and good karma to you.

dappleton · 08/01/2013 10:30

Azuturia?

dappleton · 08/01/2013 10:34

so sorry, i posted that last message without reading this in full.
I think he was blessed to be with you at the end, you made his last weeks some of the best of his life. So sorry for your loss.

eastendfareast · 08/01/2013 10:48

Oh Magic I'm crying here! Poor you and poor Horse but you've been an amazing person to take him in and care for him like you did. Whatever his past, he was meant to find you and I'm so glad he did. Hope the next few days are ok Sad

Booboostoo · 08/01/2013 15:35

I am so sorry for your loss. He was lucky to have found you and you did a good thing giving him love and care at the end of his life.

hellymelly · 08/01/2013 15:41

Magic I am so sorry. I posted when you first found him. You sound a lovely person, he was lucky to have you if only for a short time.

Nuttyfilly · 08/01/2013 15:43

Im so sorry! What an awful shame after everything. Hugs to you

CajaDeLaMemoria · 08/01/2013 17:05

I did wonder about EHV-1. It's quite common for infected horses to be ditched, at least round here.

Oh gosh this has had me in floods. I'm very glad he had you for the last months of his life, because he clearly touched you, and he seemed to warm to you instantly. He was happy, and that means so much, in the end.

I'm so very sorry that he's gone, though. Look after yourself.

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