Red Colicks today - and I have known him one year

My Poor Boy

He is not feeling well

Laying back down

Ugh...my stomach hurts

I went to see Red for the first time a year ago today. Barry and I went out to the barn today to ride. I layered on clothes so I wouldn't be cold.

We went out to the barn and Red was laying down in the pasture. I thought that was odd and said so to Barry. I video'd Red from the front of the pasture. He finally put his front legs out. I got down there and he finally got up. He walked to me and put out his hoof and was pawing the ground. I didn't have a good feeling about this. Red walked towards Barry and then Barry walked Sarge up to the front. Red came back towards me and layed down flat on the ground. Then rolled. By then I was pretty sure he was colicking. I told Barry to get my cell phone. I tried to call Margaret....no answer. We started walking toward the barn and Red had his head down. I told Barry to put Sarge up and go get the trailer.

I wanted to haul Red to see if he would poop. I walked Red round and round the arena and he was walking with me but he would paw if we stopped. When we first got up to the front he looked like he wanted to drop and roll but I had a firm grip on him. Walk walk walk. Finally got ahold of Margaret. She thought he was colicking. I could hear some gut sounds.

Barry finally got there and we loaded up my boy and hauled to the Sonic on HWY 365. I got a coke and checked on Red. No poop. Hauled back to the barn...no poop. We got him out and walked him around.

I said, "Lets haul him to Tyrrell Park. I called Dr. Schneiter's answering service and asked that he call for a colicking horse. We got to Tyrrell and still no poop. Hauled back to the barn and there was a little bit of poop. We walked him around and Dr. Schneiter called and said he was colicking and to bring him to the clinic.

We hauled my boy out to Dr. Schneiter's and he lives down the street from Kelly. Dr. Schneiter checked his gut sounds and checked the poop in the trailer. We took Red and put him in the chute to examine him. The vet's arm up his backside was not what Red had in mind! His back was so humped up and his hinny was tucked under as far as he could get it. I kept talking to him and reassuring him. Poor darling. I kept hugging him today.

The vet said he was pretty packed up in there. I had told him about the hay and Red just pigged out on it. OMG - it is Archie's fault!!! LOL I will never give Red a round bale again. He can't handle a round bale. He will never be without alfalfa for this long again either. Alfalfa keeps them regular.

Dr. Schneiter said he was going to intubate Red and put mineral oil down him to get the packed stuff moving. He twitched Red - Barry held Red, I held the twitch and Dr. Schneiter put the tube up his nose and down his throat. It was going into his lung and he had to pull it back out and back down to the stomach. Poor Red. We put him in the round pen and he is staying at Dr. Schneiter's so he can keep an eye on him. He had gave him banamine and B12 in the jugular when we first got there. He said he'd give him more shots at 11:00 PM and 6:00 AM. I will be out there in the morning to check on my boy. I am just grateful that I went out to the barn today and didn't stay home. Red might have been too far gone. What a scary day.