Oh, I was so not prepared for this day. Gary worked at home this morning and it turned out to be such a God-thing for me.
For some reason the farrier went out to Emma without calling me so I was not there. Instead she called me as she left the farm and said Emma is not well. She had removed her shoe, cut back the hoof and didn't like what she was seeing at all. For comfort she wrapped a large sponge on Emma's hoof for her to stand/walk on. She gave me a grim prognosis. I called the vet.
He came out later in the day and there is indeed a significant issue with Emma's hoof. It is more than just a bruise, it is full blown laminitis. This is a death sentence to an older horse, which Emma is. I am devastated ...and we still had to tell Taryn.
Gary was able to make it to the farm in time to consult with the vet who did some more digging in the hoof, and then replaced the sponge with a two inch piece of Styrofoam. Laminitis is very painful so he gave Emma a shot for pain and left us some other pain med that we can administer till we decide what we need to do.
I just couldn't stop crying. We've only had Emma for four years. God gave her to us in answer to the prayers of a nine year old girl who desperately wanted a horse of her own.
Emma is gentle, and very attached to us. She sees and talks to us every time we come to the farm - such a welcome, like she's so glad we're there. Emma took Taryn thru the first three levels of Pony Club, and just this spring won two High Point ribbons - top of her class at the local Arabian Horse Show
This is devastating and heartbreaking. Emma is in pain, and her body is too old to endure the treatment which may not even be successful in a horse her age. Laminitis is what ultimately took the life of Barbaro, a very young horse.
I was too broken up, so Gary went to pick up Taryn from cross country turnout. She cried. We cried. She then went to her room and pulled all the blankets off her bed, took out the shoe box of ribbons she and Emma had won together and laid them all out carefully as a solemn tribute to the her dear friend. She then laid down in my bed and I held her as she fell asleep.
When she woke up we went together to the farm and spent some time with Emma. We brushed her, gave her treats and some more pain med, and then Taryn gently braided her mane and just loved on her till it was dark and we had to go home.
We are facing some tough days and decisions, and our hearts are broken.
For some reason the farrier went out to Emma without calling me so I was not there. Instead she called me as she left the farm and said Emma is not well. She had removed her shoe, cut back the hoof and didn't like what she was seeing at all. For comfort she wrapped a large sponge on Emma's hoof for her to stand/walk on. She gave me a grim prognosis. I called the vet.
He came out later in the day and there is indeed a significant issue with Emma's hoof. It is more than just a bruise, it is full blown laminitis. This is a death sentence to an older horse, which Emma is. I am devastated ...and we still had to tell Taryn.
Gary was able to make it to the farm in time to consult with the vet who did some more digging in the hoof, and then replaced the sponge with a two inch piece of Styrofoam. Laminitis is very painful so he gave Emma a shot for pain and left us some other pain med that we can administer till we decide what we need to do.
I just couldn't stop crying. We've only had Emma for four years. God gave her to us in answer to the prayers of a nine year old girl who desperately wanted a horse of her own.
Emma is gentle, and very attached to us. She sees and talks to us every time we come to the farm - such a welcome, like she's so glad we're there. Emma took Taryn thru the first three levels of Pony Club, and just this spring won two High Point ribbons - top of her class at the local Arabian Horse Show
This is devastating and heartbreaking. Emma is in pain, and her body is too old to endure the treatment which may not even be successful in a horse her age. Laminitis is what ultimately took the life of Barbaro, a very young horse.
I was too broken up, so Gary went to pick up Taryn from cross country turnout. She cried. We cried. She then went to her room and pulled all the blankets off her bed, took out the shoe box of ribbons she and Emma had won together and laid them all out carefully as a solemn tribute to the her dear friend. She then laid down in my bed and I held her as she fell asleep.
When she woke up we went together to the farm and spent some time with Emma. We brushed her, gave her treats and some more pain med, and then Taryn gently braided her mane and just loved on her till it was dark and we had to go home.
We are facing some tough days and decisions, and our hearts are broken.
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