Arizahn
Well-Known Member
Well, we had a serious cold snap the night before last and it has affected Hippo badly. YO went in to give her breakfast yesterday and found her shivering under her stable rug.
Wouldn't let the YO near her at all. YO put some warm water in her feed and went to get her extra hay, as she decided to keep her in. Got back only to find Hippo couldn't reach down to eat from her bowl! So YO stood holding bowl up for Hippo to eat from.
Naturally this would be the day I left my phone at home on the charger...poor YO couldn't reach me! So she put an outdoor rug on over the stable rug and gave Hippo lots of hay and water. Then she banked up a platform of shavings to put her bowl on and gave her a second small feed with warm water in it.
Got home just as YO rang again. We went straight to the yard and worked with her; ended up massaging her with her rug on until she let us remove it. Checked her over. By now she was warm but still really stiff and sore. We put a woollen blanket on her with a heavyweight stable rug on top and gave her another small warm feed.
I started mucking out round her, and she got interested in the wheelbarrow as usual. Then she decided to follow OH out of her box! We both started crying at that point with relief. OH took her for a walk and let her graze in hand along a bank so she could reach, whilst I mucked out and put in an extra deep bed.
Hippo started looking out to her field so we changed her rug over and let her out. She went straight to the water trough, bossed her best friend around a little, and then finally managed to graze normally. We let her stay out for an hour, then brought her in.
We have put a feed bowl up on her door to make it easier for her and we are are keeping her well rugged up. She's getting warm water in her feed again today too, and I have her on a mobility supplement. Her joints sounded like branches snapping...it was horrible! She's also sore after her flu/tet jab, poor thing. So we are keeping her on limited turnout with no work for a few days. If there's no improvement by tomorrow, or if she's worse, I will get the vet out in case she needs bute. Either way, I'm getting her checked over regarding her joints...I'm worried that this may be a longterm thing.
Please wish her well. I'm hoping she will have picked up a bit by today. Haven't heard from our YO and she had said that she would call if there were any problems. Going up soon to give her turnout provided she is able.
Wouldn't let the YO near her at all. YO put some warm water in her feed and went to get her extra hay, as she decided to keep her in. Got back only to find Hippo couldn't reach down to eat from her bowl! So YO stood holding bowl up for Hippo to eat from.
Naturally this would be the day I left my phone at home on the charger...poor YO couldn't reach me! So she put an outdoor rug on over the stable rug and gave Hippo lots of hay and water. Then she banked up a platform of shavings to put her bowl on and gave her a second small feed with warm water in it.
Got home just as YO rang again. We went straight to the yard and worked with her; ended up massaging her with her rug on until she let us remove it. Checked her over. By now she was warm but still really stiff and sore. We put a woollen blanket on her with a heavyweight stable rug on top and gave her another small warm feed.
I started mucking out round her, and she got interested in the wheelbarrow as usual. Then she decided to follow OH out of her box! We both started crying at that point with relief. OH took her for a walk and let her graze in hand along a bank so she could reach, whilst I mucked out and put in an extra deep bed.
Hippo started looking out to her field so we changed her rug over and let her out. She went straight to the water trough, bossed her best friend around a little, and then finally managed to graze normally. We let her stay out for an hour, then brought her in.
We have put a feed bowl up on her door to make it easier for her and we are are keeping her well rugged up. She's getting warm water in her feed again today too, and I have her on a mobility supplement. Her joints sounded like branches snapping...it was horrible! She's also sore after her flu/tet jab, poor thing. So we are keeping her on limited turnout with no work for a few days. If there's no improvement by tomorrow, or if she's worse, I will get the vet out in case she needs bute. Either way, I'm getting her checked over regarding her joints...I'm worried that this may be a longterm thing.
Please wish her well. I'm hoping she will have picked up a bit by today. Haven't heard from our YO and she had said that she would call if there were any problems. Going up soon to give her turnout provided she is able.
