Nugget La Poneh
Well-Known Member
It is with some trepidation I am asking for your opinions but what would you do?
Unclipped horse worked tonight and got damp with sweat. Genuinely damp, no foam or slicked coat. Walked him off for 10 mins, still damp. Untacked, gave a small carrot went and got a large handful of barley straw, gave him a mouthful of straw and rubbed him down with the remainder. He offered to eat said sweaty straw, I let him like I have with my old mare many a time before
Pony starts to choke. Tried to massage down, but still heaving so got warm mollassed water to tempt him to drink/flush down any obstruction (working on basis it was straw causing issues). Kept massaging and the heaving seemed to stop and pony resumed normal behaviour of mugging for food, and ate small handful of soft hay. Still a bit shell shocked and quite, but happy to eat wet grass on way down to paddock.
Now, when Old Mare used to choke, the vet always said to try flushing with water (hence the warm sweet water), and then turn out with grass on the basis the horse doesn't tend to choke on grass, the head/neck is down and everything as nature intended. I had been planning on keeping Pony in, but figured if he'd choked on one mouthful, what would he do on the first night of a full bed?!
But, he was still 'damp'. He has his no fill amigo on and it will be over 10'c tonight (was 15'C on way home from yard at 8pm). I am sort of thinking along the lines he's as damp as he would be had he have had a made 5 mins like I know he does, and ignorance is bliss as he could do this overnight and I would be none the wiser.
But am I being 'cruel' by leaving him out after his choke?
Sorry for the ramble - trying to work out if I should go to the yard to get him in
Unclipped horse worked tonight and got damp with sweat. Genuinely damp, no foam or slicked coat. Walked him off for 10 mins, still damp. Untacked, gave a small carrot went and got a large handful of barley straw, gave him a mouthful of straw and rubbed him down with the remainder. He offered to eat said sweaty straw, I let him like I have with my old mare many a time before
Pony starts to choke. Tried to massage down, but still heaving so got warm mollassed water to tempt him to drink/flush down any obstruction (working on basis it was straw causing issues). Kept massaging and the heaving seemed to stop and pony resumed normal behaviour of mugging for food, and ate small handful of soft hay. Still a bit shell shocked and quite, but happy to eat wet grass on way down to paddock.
Now, when Old Mare used to choke, the vet always said to try flushing with water (hence the warm sweet water), and then turn out with grass on the basis the horse doesn't tend to choke on grass, the head/neck is down and everything as nature intended. I had been planning on keeping Pony in, but figured if he'd choked on one mouthful, what would he do on the first night of a full bed?!
But, he was still 'damp'. He has his no fill amigo on and it will be over 10'c tonight (was 15'C on way home from yard at 8pm). I am sort of thinking along the lines he's as damp as he would be had he have had a made 5 mins like I know he does, and ignorance is bliss as he could do this overnight and I would be none the wiser.
But am I being 'cruel' by leaving him out after his choke?
Sorry for the ramble - trying to work out if I should go to the yard to get him in