I have not blogged for a couple days as we had a emergency visit to a local vet clinic. We took a beautiful ride out of camp (Goldfield) on Thursday we headed North towards the Bulldog mountains to find some new trails. Heading kind of towards the Salt river. We rode about 4 or 5 hours with a rest for lunch to take a look at a cool cave in the hill side. This was not a hard ride but very scenic. Once I got back to camp and I gave my horse Hunter (The Huntsman) a good brush I put him into his paddock. Until this point he seemed fine. I could barely get the halter off before he went down to the ground and rolled.
Below are pictures of the ride we took before Hunter got sick.
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| This mountain in the Bulldog mountain range reminds me of Picket Post |
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| Heading to a cool cave can you see it on the right |
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| Edna and Ron checking out the caves |
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| Ron and I sitting up in the caves |
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| Looking down from the Cave to my horse Hunter |
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| Hunter looking fine at our lunch break |
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| Darrell and Bailey over looking Superstition Mountains |
As horse owners Colic is one of our biggest fears. Knowing your horse is very important recognizing changes early. Hunter and I had a nice ride Thursday it was about 4 to 5 hours but not a tough ride like some we have taken. He felt normal all the way back to camp. He was tied to the trailer for about 15 minutes well I groomed him he still seemed normal. Then I walk him to the pen. The minute we got into the pen he went down to roll even before I could get the halter off. I knew it was not because he was itchy because he had a very good rub down after the ride. We gave him 10cc of Banimine right away and even after 30minutes no changes. The funny thing is he was pooping normally and peeing. Colicing horses can still pass you have too look for other signs. He had signs of gut pain. So I called a vet Dr Colleen McCoy from Urban Farm Vet services she got out as soon as she could. Once she examined him she knew this was not the run of the mill colic. He had what they call a displace gut. She recommend we load him up and take him to Arizona Equine Veterinary Hospital http://www.azequine.com/ in Gilbert about 25 minutes away. On our arrival at the clinic (after hours) there was both a surgeon Dr Howard and Dr Penman waiting for Hunter. They worked fast to get fluids into him. At this point we were going to give him a few hours to see if he was going to turn around. Dr Howard was pretty sure he was going to be a surgery case as in his examine he too found his displaced gut. To avoid surgery the first thing to do it to fill the horse so full of fluids hoping everything goes back into place (this can sometimes work). By 930 that night he was still only getting relief for a few minutes from the pain meds. Dr Penman gave him one last shot at 930 pm and said if it did not work in the next two hours she would call Dr Howard back to do the surgery. At this point all we could do was wait. They let us camp right in the parking lot. I fall asleep finally and woke at midnight no calls from the vet. I prayed, I woke at 330 and still no call. At 6 I woke up and could here Hunter calling for food. I got up and went out to the barn and there he was standing asking for breakfast. OMG what a night. Dr Penman was just heading back to the barn she had too gone home for some sleep and left a Tec in-charge for the night. She said the last shot had taken his pain away so it could give him time to get the fluids working. They had us keep him at the clinic until noon. They took him off fluids at 10am and gave him a couple small meals to make sure everything was working well.
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| Dr Howard putting in the IV for the fluids |
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| Barn at Clinic |
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| Main building and surgery clinic |
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| We camped out in the parking lot waiting for good news |
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| Hunter in the morning feeling much better after they took him off fluids This was a pretty stressful night. I can say how relieved I was to find him standing in the morning. UPDATE : HUNTER IS DOING FINE We are giving him some time off and the vet will visit him Sunday again to see when he can hit the trails again. In the mean time I am riding my friend Alan's Mule Mary. We headed out on the same trail as above again. This time we rode the trail the other way. Lovely scenic ride through the Bulldog mountains in behind Goldfield. It was the first time I had ridden a mule. I really liked riding her too.
We took some friends of ours from BC that had just arrived in Arizona with us Rick and Toni Gill. We would take them out but they would do a smaller loop home so there horses can get into shape. 
 
This is a cool shot Ron took with his Go Pro Hero3
 
Don't you love the ear shots :)
 
    
More ear shots
 
Another framed shot of Alan and his mule with Ron's Go Pro Hero3 camera
 
Ron put the Go Pro Hero3 on a cactus stick and I wified the shot from my iphone
   
  
Couple shots of Alan over looking Superstition Mountains
Ron and I
Really like this Mary girl
Alan and Foxy with his dog Pinky and Goldfield in the background
 Had a great ride on Mary. Some of the cooler pictures above Ron took with his Go Pro Hero 3 camera on the end of a stick. They turned out pretty cool. Alan thank you for letting me ride Mary she was wonderful. Got back to camp and Hunter was resting fine. He looks almost 100% but will not chance riding him for a couple more days. |
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