Thanksgiving scare!

My Thanksgiving starting out a little more exciting than I had planned.

The BOs had left for the day to visit family so I was the only soul out at the farm. I'm glad I went to feed and check up on the horses because I found Lilly, my bestie's Walker mare, in the midst of a colic episode out in the field.

Lilly is always perky and miss sunshine. She poops rainbows.

When I walked out to get Hamps, she was lying down in one of the run in sheds. But she got right up. This is not unusual for her, as I frequently find her sleeping. I haltered Hamps and started leading him back toward the barn. When I turned around, Lilly was back down. Hmmm.

I walked over to her and she was lying weird against the side of the shed. She didn't even pick her head up when I walked up to her. This was alarming as she is normally annoyingly friendly and perky.

I had to cluck and wave my arms at her to get her to stand up. She didn't appear to be sweaty or breathing hard. I led Hampton into the barn to feed him. Again, I glance back at Lilly and she is still in the shed holding up one of her front legs. This is something she sometimes does off the farm. I think she does it out of anxiety of stress. I have NEVER seen her do this in the field at liberty.

I feed Hampton, come back out. She is down AGAIN. And is flat out on her side. I trudge out to get her and almost have to drag her in. She is normally one you have to "half halt" so that she walks at your speed. Her head is down and her ears to the side. She looks uncomfortable.

Time to call her owner, who is in the middle of Thanksgiving lunch.

I ask permission to give her a bit of banamine. I spend the next 15 minutes walking her around. She appears a little tight in her back end, but otherwise her vitals are normal and she isn't trying to lie back down.

Finally - poop!! I do a happy dance and report poop to the owner. It looks normal, and I keep walking Lilly. She accepts a treat and wants to eat grass. She started to perk back up pretty quickly.

I suspect a mild gas colic and after an hour or so I let her go back out in the field and watch to see what she does. She goes back to the herd and appears normal. Later in the evening her owner reports Lilly is her normal happy self.

Thanks for the Thanksgiving scare, Lilly!

In better news, Hampton and JJ enjoyed their Thanksgiving apples, sugar cubes and love.

Hampton nommin' while I nervously watch Lilly.

JJ was happy to see his Sugar Momma!!