Health Issues

I'm stressing over sick horses. I wasn't expecting Maverick to not feel well. He's my tried and true, my ever present, always happy, always healthy horse and he's not. I have a sneaky suspicion that it's the hay giving him problems.


Last night he was very pensive and downright grumpy, which is something he is NEVER. He had good gut sounds so it's definitely not colic and I thought maybe in the  morning he'd improve. This  morning I checked on him and he's still "off". He's farting but he's still not right.


We put in hay Sunday morning and Sunday evening I saw him, Lightening, and King all curled up snoozing. I am always a little paranoid when someone lies down but they all seemed ok. I didn't get a chance to really look at the herd Monday, too much chaos and commotion going on to really notice. And then all of a sudden it's Tuesday night and Maverick has this look on his face. No one else would notice it but I did.


Mike is going to pick up a 10ml syringe tonight at TSC so I don't have to try and give two doses of banamine. I know he's good about taking meds but that won't last for long if I have to give him two or three doses every time. I'm planning on pulling him out of the big herd and putting him in a smaller pen. He'll hate it but then I can keep track of him a little closer. I'll throw good small squares of hay and if he perks up, I'll know it's the hay.


This isn't the first time we've had problems with hay. I don't know the field where this hay came from. I don't know the true quality of it like the stuff we normally get. I'm wondering if there isnt' some switch grass in there causing problems. I only say that because a few years back when we had to use CRP hay, Queen would colic every time we put  a new bale of hay in. And it almost matches the same symptoms and time frame. No one else is having problems but that's not to say there isn't buildup. This hay has been ok but there's chaff and I don't like dealing with chaff. I want to go with our old hay guy.


If it truly is the hay, I'll be making a run up to Madison to buy Maverick a big bale of good, dairy quality hay and he'll simply be stuck in that pen until the big herd is done with those two bales. I expect it'll take more than a week to eat it down. That means hauling water twice a day, all the way back to the red shed. It's a pain, especially when I'm running late in the  mornings but it needs to be done.


On top of Maverick not feeling well, Bo's back end is bothering him. I hope it's just today that is bothering him. It comes and goes but today was bad enough for me to notice. He hides his pain but you can tell simply by the way he stands and shifts his weight. That sign tells me he's ready to let go but when he looks at me, his eyes don't tell me he's ready to go. His eyes are bright, happy and energetic. His mind and spirit are still there but his body is failing him. So when is it the right time? What am I waiting for? His body is failing him right before my eyes and I seem to be waiting for what? A miracle? Something to change the inevitable? I keep waiting and hoping that everyone is wrong as his body continues to fail. But his mind and spirit are still strong. They are still very present in the moment. So what do I do? Instead I wait. I don't want him to leave this worth with snow under his body and clouds in the sky I want him to  leave with grass in his belly and sun on his back. So I wait. I watch. I worry. Bo and I could use some good thoughts right about now.