Post by coconut on Oct 19, 2008 19:59:44 GMT -5
Yesterday I got a call from my barn manager asking where my Banamine was because one of the horses had colic and was in pain. It turned out to be Mandy, the mare of my fellow boarder, Armando (of SAFE's new paddock shelter roof fame).
She was discovered in the morning at feeding time and immediately they got her up and walking. By the time Dr. Best got out there he determined that her intestines were a jumbled mess and her heart rate was holding at 112. The decision was to let her go and stop the suffering.
Clearly Armando & his wife Jeanine are upset and hurting at the loss of their beloved family member. They do not have children....their two horses were their babies and the three of them are grieving today. Of course they'd like to make sense of it but there is none to be had. It's hard to see these things "just happen" but clearly they do.
I've only been to the brink of that decision and I thank my lucky stars that Coconut pulled through at the last minute when it happened to us last year. I was just about to make the call to have Dr. Best back out when she gave a sign that things might be getting better. I can hardly imagine what another hour and the following days/months/forever would have been like if I'd lost her. It breaks my heart that it can just happen one day without warning or logical cause.
Although they do not participate on the message board he is very interested in what SAFE does (which is apparent at his marathon roof raising donation) and constantly asks me about the Elledge case updates and how the horses are doing. Even though he probably won't see this, I'd like to just put this up here so that somewhere there is a tribute to Mandy and a thank you to Armando and Jeanine for taking care of their horses and being concerned about the ones in need. If only every horse owner loved their horse so much...
Everyone hug your horse today & be thankful you have them and they have you.
She was discovered in the morning at feeding time and immediately they got her up and walking. By the time Dr. Best got out there he determined that her intestines were a jumbled mess and her heart rate was holding at 112. The decision was to let her go and stop the suffering.
Clearly Armando & his wife Jeanine are upset and hurting at the loss of their beloved family member. They do not have children....their two horses were their babies and the three of them are grieving today. Of course they'd like to make sense of it but there is none to be had. It's hard to see these things "just happen" but clearly they do.
I've only been to the brink of that decision and I thank my lucky stars that Coconut pulled through at the last minute when it happened to us last year. I was just about to make the call to have Dr. Best back out when she gave a sign that things might be getting better. I can hardly imagine what another hour and the following days/months/forever would have been like if I'd lost her. It breaks my heart that it can just happen one day without warning or logical cause.
Although they do not participate on the message board he is very interested in what SAFE does (which is apparent at his marathon roof raising donation) and constantly asks me about the Elledge case updates and how the horses are doing. Even though he probably won't see this, I'd like to just put this up here so that somewhere there is a tribute to Mandy and a thank you to Armando and Jeanine for taking care of their horses and being concerned about the ones in need. If only every horse owner loved their horse so much...
Everyone hug your horse today & be thankful you have them and they have you.