Victoria
Well-known member
Yesterday was a rough morning here. My husband was leaving for work and found our 24 year old mare in the house yard rolling and thrashing like crazy. I phoned our vet and he confirmed what I knew, colic. No idea how she got it, no change in feed, pasture, friends, but with colic you just never know. I felt awful as she'd been out there a few hours and had crawled through a fence to come to the house. It was like she was coming for help but I didn't know because we slept with the windows closed (one of the few nights we did). Tried giving her pain killers and walking her but she was too far gone and had to be put down. Her 25 year old sister is pretty upset.
This mare was full sister to my best cattle pony. She was a great pony and taught a lot of people to ride - including my husband. I showed with her and she always did well. One of my favourite memories with her was when the neighbour's steers broke into our field so I grabbed this pony (halter, lead rope and rode bareback) to go help him. He actually stifled a laugh. At that time she was 21 years old and perhaps a little chubby. His big horse towered over her 13 hands. As the steers started making a run for the woods though the neighbour saw where riding a small horse bareback has its advantages. She surprised his steers when she just tore into the trees got past them and chased them back out. We could fit wherever they could when I was flat on her neck. After that the neighbour admitted she was a good little cow pony. :lol:
I once wrote on here that there weren't many good horses out there but the ones that are good are worth their weight in gold. This was one of those and she will be missed. Thankfully I have her three year old daughter that I will be breaking to ride this summer. Just hope her sister gets over the loss. They have lived together a long time.
This mare was full sister to my best cattle pony. She was a great pony and taught a lot of people to ride - including my husband. I showed with her and she always did well. One of my favourite memories with her was when the neighbour's steers broke into our field so I grabbed this pony (halter, lead rope and rode bareback) to go help him. He actually stifled a laugh. At that time she was 21 years old and perhaps a little chubby. His big horse towered over her 13 hands. As the steers started making a run for the woods though the neighbour saw where riding a small horse bareback has its advantages. She surprised his steers when she just tore into the trees got past them and chased them back out. We could fit wherever they could when I was flat on her neck. After that the neighbour admitted she was a good little cow pony. :lol:
I once wrote on here that there weren't many good horses out there but the ones that are good are worth their weight in gold. This was one of those and she will be missed. Thankfully I have her three year old daughter that I will be breaking to ride this summer. Just hope her sister gets over the loss. They have lived together a long time.