Losgelöst...
Kathryn's friend who I did two lessons with the last month lost her mare this week. They were trying for their first 100 mile ride Saturday and her mare, Sassy, "hit a wall" at the 70 mile vet check. She rider optioned and not long after her mare was getting IV fluids and it wasn't long before they were hauling her to the clinic for further diagnosis.
Sassy seemed to be responding to some treatment when she suddenly spiked her heart rate, fever, and collapsed before she was gone.
The necropsy revealed a 5" tear in her cecum that was not fresh. They suspect that it had been leaking for some weeks which caused her to go septic. Crazy, stoic, wonderful mare showed zero distress until after going 70 miles. Of course there's no saying that she wouldn't have had an issue the same day without the ride.
I'm reminded of losing Z and how upbeat and content she was, even in those last few weeks as her heart started to really struggle to function.
I guess that's the worst part about horses. They are strong, powerful creatures, but at the same time their lives can be so fragile.
Sassy seemed to be responding to some treatment when she suddenly spiked her heart rate, fever, and collapsed before she was gone.
The necropsy revealed a 5" tear in her cecum that was not fresh. They suspect that it had been leaking for some weeks which caused her to go septic. Crazy, stoic, wonderful mare showed zero distress until after going 70 miles. Of course there's no saying that she wouldn't have had an issue the same day without the ride.
I'm reminded of losing Z and how upbeat and content she was, even in those last few weeks as her heart started to really struggle to function.
I guess that's the worst part about horses. They are strong, powerful creatures, but at the same time their lives can be so fragile.