charleysummer
Well-Known Member
Having just moved yards Summer was acting funny anyway, but yesterday morning my mum had troule getting her out as she wouldnt move up the field and stood there pawing the ground as if she was trying to tell her something- then getting really frustrated and stamping harder until she ended up rearing, mum didn't know what to do as it was getting dangerous and put her in with a hay net and waited until i could come out of college.
When i got there she did the same and would only go so far up the field- so we built a fence around her! she seemed fine, scoffing the grass etc but still a bit odd (assumed it was because of the move stress)
Later on when we came to bring her in- (didnt leave her out too long to help her adjust) she was just standing in the field not eating.
We brought her in and she ate an apple and a handfull of chaff then grunted and just stood in the stable looking at us with a really sad look in her eye, she refused to eat anything offered and then started kicking her belly with all 4 legs and looking at her flanks, then a huge gurgling sound came and her belly continued to rumble very loudly- realised it was colic and rang the vet straight away.
The vet said to walk her for 15 minutes or more to see if she got better and it shifted the problem- so i walked her for 3 hours! she seemed to get a bit better and the gut sounds became louder so the gas was moving but then she started kicking at her belly again and when we brought her back into the yard she started buckling at the back legs and her eyes started shutting, kicking violently and seeming to loose the life in her eyes so called the vet out to see her.
Anyway whilst waiting for the vet she got worse- the car rolls into the yard and she lets out a grunt, a burp like noise and suddenly perks up and moves over to nibble some grass-
I am standing there shocked...
The vet examines her and she has stopped kicking- she seems dopey but no more stamping or looking at her flanks etc- she nibbles a bit of hay and then rapidly picks up! the vet gives her a couple of injections to relax the gut and a painkiller and she ate her hay and started playing with the toys in her stable. nice timing Summer! I bet the vet thought there was nothing up with her! Not that i regret calling him out- i wouldnt have been able to leave the stable all night without the vet's all clear. Just typical timing- she could have gotten better 5 minutes later !
When i got there she did the same and would only go so far up the field- so we built a fence around her! she seemed fine, scoffing the grass etc but still a bit odd (assumed it was because of the move stress)
Later on when we came to bring her in- (didnt leave her out too long to help her adjust) she was just standing in the field not eating.
We brought her in and she ate an apple and a handfull of chaff then grunted and just stood in the stable looking at us with a really sad look in her eye, she refused to eat anything offered and then started kicking her belly with all 4 legs and looking at her flanks, then a huge gurgling sound came and her belly continued to rumble very loudly- realised it was colic and rang the vet straight away.
The vet said to walk her for 15 minutes or more to see if she got better and it shifted the problem- so i walked her for 3 hours! she seemed to get a bit better and the gut sounds became louder so the gas was moving but then she started kicking at her belly again and when we brought her back into the yard she started buckling at the back legs and her eyes started shutting, kicking violently and seeming to loose the life in her eyes so called the vet out to see her.
Anyway whilst waiting for the vet she got worse- the car rolls into the yard and she lets out a grunt, a burp like noise and suddenly perks up and moves over to nibble some grass-
I am standing there shocked...
The vet examines her and she has stopped kicking- she seems dopey but no more stamping or looking at her flanks etc- she nibbles a bit of hay and then rapidly picks up! the vet gives her a couple of injections to relax the gut and a painkiller and she ate her hay and started playing with the toys in her stable. nice timing Summer! I bet the vet thought there was nothing up with her! Not that i regret calling him out- i wouldnt have been able to leave the stable all night without the vet's all clear. Just typical timing- she could have gotten better 5 minutes later !
It is always best to get the vet to check the horse out anyway as even if that attack has passed it could flair up soon after.