Oh no! :( I've been enjoying your videos of her on YouTube. I hope she feels better soon. :)

Sorry to hear about Star I know how frightening it is to discover your horse is sick. We lost our precious Arabian gelding last November quite suddenly. I had just ridden him the week before, he was out in the field standing by the gate looking like he didn't feel well, when I went over to see what was wrong he was bleeding out of his nose, breathing rapidly and wouldn't move. I was in a panic and called the vet, we rushed him over and left him with the vet but 2 days later he died. The vet thought maybe he had something in his lungs that burst and caused him to bleed to death. He was old but we loved him dearly. I hope all is well Star I know how much you love her.
Kleinne

Maybe colic? I sure hope shes ok. Keep us updated, please.

Sad I'm sorry. hope she get better. Let is know what's happens.

Hi Ronda,

How is Star now?
Hope she is better then this morning.

May.

Star has colic and stomach ulcers. The vet gave her 2 seditives and pain killers. Her tempeture was good and she could feel stools, not too hard, so we caught it in time.
She cannot have any hay today until tonight and only one flat, also her F&F with corn oil and lots of water.
Once the sedatives wear off I have to continue to walk her.
I had to take all her bedding out as well, no straw, only wood chips.
I cannot go to work tonight and I worry about my husband being alone and he worries about me alone. I felt a seizue coming on and took two of my meds and then he held me and it wasn't too bad.
We love our horse so much and worry about them like our children.
I just kept remembering BIG BEN and how quickly he went. I have been praying constantly about her, for calmness on my part and strength on hers.
I have to keep telling myself everything will be OK.
Lisa said it was just random, it happens sometimes, an upset or differnt hay, anything... great, eh.
Have a good day and thank you for caring,
Ronda

I just went out to check on STAR and she was laying down in the snow so I got her up and walked her.
She still does not want to eat her hay or her F&F.
She is passing stools and urine.
I'll go out again in a couple of hours to see how she is.
I wish it were not so cold I would put acot in there and stay with her.

Hi Ronda, oh my heart went into my mouth when i read that STAR has been sick! It is an awful thing and colic is a terrible thing for her to get. My old TB died last year of a bout of colic. It is not nice to see then in pain. Unfortunately my boy got it in the night when i was in bed, by the time i realised he was sick in the morning he was too far gone. My vet was very compassionate and we made him as comfortable as we could. I am glad you got to STAR early! My vet says there are only two sorts of colic...the one they survive and theone they don't! Sadly for m it was the latter. Just one thing, if you think STAR has colic again, massage her tummy a bit then massage around her anus, quite close, (yuk i know but bear with me!) this will help to release any trapped wind. I have done this before with my TB and my father did it with my old pony when i was a child. It does work! Your vet is right in that it is sometimes just a random attack. We have to stop ourselves from thinking 'oh what did i do wrong!'
I will send a prayer for STAR too!...and you :-)
Janelle

Hi Ronda! I have animals myself, and I get very upset when they are sick, I feel for you. It really sounds like colic. I will pray for Star.

That is the same thing the manager at the ranch my husband works on has with his cow horse. Tom was really worried about him, but he seems to be doing much better, still has problems but the vet says with the right care, he should be ok. He hasd to be fed several times a day, very small amounts, so anyway, there is hope.

I won't write her off yet !!!!!! I have been going out every 2 hours, watching for sweat and rolling.
I just talked with a vet and he told me what to do. She is passing stools and that is really good.
Her stall is big enouhg to pace and we have been walking in that.
Her door is too heavy for me to open or I would walk her outside. My husband is at work.
I took a equine sringe and put some corn oil in it and she licked that. It will coat her stomach.
She had a lot of pain killer and now it is wearing off. So she is uncomfortable and pacing trying to pass the gas.
Thank you for your thoughts.

Ronda
Did you happen to have warm mash? If you are doing the right stuff for her. If she is passing stools she should start to feel better.

Hi Ronda,
I'm sorry to hear about Star. A couple of suggestions - peppermint - either the oil/essence ( a couple of drops with few mls of water syringed into her mouth) or the dried leaves can be added to her feed or made into tea and then added to her feed. It is very good for helping horses get through colic. Also have you used rescue remedy before? It is a bach flower remedy. If you can get in contact with a horse herbalist for their advice it would be very beneficial.
Best of luck
Ruth

Sounds like you are doing what needs doing. She will likely be ok, but in the meantime, you are going to get tired. But it will be worth it when shes better. And I am sure she will be.

Good morning everyone,
This has been a horrific 24 hours and it's not over yet. We still have to keep an eye on her.
My husband was up with her in the night, watching for any signs and would wake me, she did good.
When I went out this morning she was very alert and full of energy, raring to go.
I must have walked a hundred miles but it was worth every move.
I called the vet college this morning and the gave me a e-start program for her.
Thank you, and have a great day,
Ronda

its heart breaking to see our loved in pain my horse smashed her self into a tree i had her ony three weeks and we had just had three rides the vet said broken hip cracked ribs there stronger than we imagine she made it and is making a full recovery we worked with her had a great vet i did end up giving her back to her original owner and she is in the process of being bought back into light work blessings to you and quick recovery to star prayers!!

Great news, Ronda! I am so happy to hear that. I have been worried about her, and you.

I'm glad she's doing better. :)

Oh Ronda - I have been away for a few days and have only just read your messages and all the others. When I read your first message tears came to my eyes as I knew what was ahead of you. What a horrific couple of days you and your husband have had and my heart goes out to you. Cholic is such a horrible thing and it does seem to happen too often - sometimes for no reason and with no warning. I am keeping my fingers crossed for you but it does sound as if you are over the worst of it. It is so good that you keep such a close eye on Star and picked up that she was in trouble early. As soon as you told us she was passing stools I was praying that she would be alright now so I was so pleased to read your last message. I have been up all night walking neighbours' horses around with cholic and it is a horrific experience. Sadly the horses I tried to help didn't survive. One neighbour was reluctant to get the vet soon enough despite my urging so the horse died in the morning just before the vet fianlly came. Another neighbour invariable fed rotting chaff to her dear little pony as she had no sense of smell and it got cholic a couple of times before she finally killed it. The chaff was kept in a 44gallon tin drum and used to sweat and then go moldy. I urged her to find another container for her chaff but she didn't do so even after her pony had suffered two episodes of cholic So far my horses have been all OK, touch wood, but I am always nervous for them as it can happen so quickly and sometimes with an unknown cause. Uggs managed to eat some rotten hen food recently and I was so worried for him. Fortunately I saw him do it so the vet had me give him bran mixed with cooking oil and carrots straight away plus a bottle of warm beer. Had never heard of the warm beer before but luckily my husband had some in the fridge. Something must have worked as he didn't get cholic but I was very worried for 24 hours and checked him constantly! All the very best with Star - does sound as if you are over the crisis stage and fingers crossed that she is fully recovered. Congratulations to you and your husband! You certainly have done everything you can for her so it is up to her now.

Please Ronda let us know how Star and you are. I am just so worried now that things may have changed for the worst. I do hope not and that you have just been too busy looking after her to update us. Do take care of yourself and fingers crossed that everything is OK.

She is better now. Running and jumping. We caught it in time and did exactly as the vet college told us to do.
We are both tired, we're not young and do not recoup as we use to when you miss a night of sleep.
I am so happy that I just look out the window, checking on my baby.
She stands with her head so proud, I love that about her.
Ronda

That's great news Ronda! Get some rest.

Ronda that is fantastic news! I have been away for a few days and have been wondering how she has been doing. Colic is probably one of the worst things for a horse to get as there is that fine line between getting it early and being too late. I am glad you noticed the subtle early signs and got your vet right away! Good news and now you can get some rest after your ordeal :-)
Janelle

Just came in after a couple of days off, and was quite shocked by the news. So happy that it all took a turn for the best.

I haven't posted for some time and then just read your posts Ronda - what a terrible time you all have had and i'm so glad that Star is better. Well done! lizzie xx