barneyandem
Well-Known Member
Hi everyone,
I'm heartbroken to say that I lost my beautiful Barney on Sunday and I would really appreciate any advice or insight as to what may have happened and I am devastated and so confused as to what has happened.
I've had him since I was 11 and i'm now 28. He would be 27 this year and never had a days sick in the 18 years I had him.
Saturday - he was 100% happy, healthy, normal. No unusual signs or off days in the months previous. Sunday - I randomly got to the yard extra early because of the frost (so I could walk my dog up there as the ground would be hard - some parts are very muddy) and I found Barney in a bush. At first I thought he was tangled but as I tore off the branches around him, the bush was actually supporting him. He was foaming at the mouth and had his head low. I instantly knew something was wrong and called the vet - because it was a Sunday and emergency call out, she was 40 mins away. I managed to get him up to the yard (50metres took 10mins) he was very un-co-ordinated and every step was wobbly with him almost going down a few times. His head was low and still foam coming out of his mouth. He made the odd whinny which broke my heart and made me hope he was trying to hang on. Got him on the yard and he propped himself up against the wall, within 10 mins he started to go down in a horrible, un natural way. as soon as the vet got there she sedated him and then advised that he may have had a stroke and was having a fit or had extreme colic (I find it hard to believe he had colic - he had no mud from rolling and never had it in his life). She then pretty much advised to put him down as he was already going. I begged her to try anything and she said there was nothing that could be done. I had to make the decision in what felt like seconds to put the love of my life down.
I am just so devastated - he was my life and he had been everywhere with me - uni etc. I just cant understand how a healthy horse with no symptoms can just go so quickly. He was 26 - 27 this year and so I know age was against him but he was very healthy and looked like a horse half his age.If anyone has any experience of this please can you let me know as I am feeling like this is the most rare freak unfair occasion.
Many thanks
Emily
I'm heartbroken to say that I lost my beautiful Barney on Sunday and I would really appreciate any advice or insight as to what may have happened and I am devastated and so confused as to what has happened.
I've had him since I was 11 and i'm now 28. He would be 27 this year and never had a days sick in the 18 years I had him.
Saturday - he was 100% happy, healthy, normal. No unusual signs or off days in the months previous. Sunday - I randomly got to the yard extra early because of the frost (so I could walk my dog up there as the ground would be hard - some parts are very muddy) and I found Barney in a bush. At first I thought he was tangled but as I tore off the branches around him, the bush was actually supporting him. He was foaming at the mouth and had his head low. I instantly knew something was wrong and called the vet - because it was a Sunday and emergency call out, she was 40 mins away. I managed to get him up to the yard (50metres took 10mins) he was very un-co-ordinated and every step was wobbly with him almost going down a few times. His head was low and still foam coming out of his mouth. He made the odd whinny which broke my heart and made me hope he was trying to hang on. Got him on the yard and he propped himself up against the wall, within 10 mins he started to go down in a horrible, un natural way. as soon as the vet got there she sedated him and then advised that he may have had a stroke and was having a fit or had extreme colic (I find it hard to believe he had colic - he had no mud from rolling and never had it in his life). She then pretty much advised to put him down as he was already going. I begged her to try anything and she said there was nothing that could be done. I had to make the decision in what felt like seconds to put the love of my life down.
I am just so devastated - he was my life and he had been everywhere with me - uni etc. I just cant understand how a healthy horse with no symptoms can just go so quickly. He was 26 - 27 this year and so I know age was against him but he was very healthy and looked like a horse half his age.If anyone has any experience of this please can you let me know as I am feeling like this is the most rare freak unfair occasion.
Many thanks
Emily
