Oh the vet fees!!!!

Well baby Tahoe is one week old tonight and already a little legend. Roxy continues to be the greatest mum and as for Tahoe he is super friendly. I can already brush him all over and today I had the halter on him and picked up three feet!!!

However last Sunday I had the vet out to a constipated little man, today I had to call him again.

I had a bit of a panic attack this morning when I found Roxy lying down in the stable (like I have said before she doesn't ever lie down). She got up when I approached and I thought she might have just been having a rest. I put her feed in the feeder and she looked at it, turned her lip up and lay down again. This is around about when I freaked, I got her up again and she trotted into the paddock and lay down again, I was terrified. I got the halter on her (while she was lying down) and made her get up again. I noticed her bag was full, which meant Tahoe hadn't been able to drink. I have all sorts of thoughts running through my head, retained placenta, mastitis, twisted bowel...but I think it is more likely that it maybe colic and the vet gets a phone call.

Now I have seen enough colic episodes on McLeods Daughters to know that with colic you keep them moving so off we go doing laps of the paddock. After three laps we rested and let Tahoe feed and rest. I kept walking her until the vet arrived, these two were getting some decent exercise but I had to be careful not to over do it for Tahoe's sake, little foals can tire easily.

The vet arrived and long story short, no infection, no temp but increased gut activity. She got a shot of pain killer which acts very quickly, so quickly in fact that she proceeded to walk briskly to the stable and started eating like she always does. GEEZZ! However..... I am a big believer in getting to something before it gets worse or more expensive.

It turns out is was a painful cramping that she had which is quiet common but painful. She was lying down trying to find a way to alleviate the pain and get more comfortable. It possibly may have sorted itself out but I didn't want to take the risk.

Tonight they are fine and spent the day in the big paddock to get accustomed to the new environment they will be in because, as of tomorrow they get to join the herd during the day. The herd consists of another mare and foal (Rose and Ted) as well as Sheba, Tully and Dawn. All mares....Roxy is very keen to join them and seems to eager to be part of a group and not on her own all the time.

I am SO tired but enjoying every moment with the two of them. A big mile stone for Roxy tonight too was that she picked her foot up and held it up without me holding it for the first time. I gave her the lightest touch on the chestnut and up it came and she just held it there for me. I reached under her belly and asked her to pick her opposite hoof up and she did the same thing with the other foot. It seems like such a small thing but I never thought I would achieve that with her and I have. Petra you will have to do a Tah Dah post on my behalf!! :-)

Gotta love horses they are so good for the soul..

Will post more pictures soon
Cheers
Lorrie
xxxx