Live, Please Live! | My Shetland

Oh, crikey, where to start.

This morning , no Kolka appeared for her breakfast.  Haakon and friends denied all knowledge (useless lot). So Floss and I set off with Kolka’s bucket and found her lying down, motionless tangled up miles away in the back fence.  She had been there some time and was slowly giving up.

We tried to untangle the fence, but it was no good – her hoof was stuck tightly in the wire. I told Floss to go back and get some fence-wire cutters.

It was a long wait – it’s a long way, and I stayed with Kolka telling her we would do this and she must keep going and live.

(Flossie sensibly asked OH for the right wire-cutters and brought them back to me.)

Once we had cut all the wire around and free’ed Kolka’s back hooves, Floss and I tried to get her up but she couldn’t. She had dug a hole with the fronts, was exhausted and now starting to leave us – shaking and her eyes were dull.  Floss went back (and it’s a very long walk) to get some rope and OH.

While Floss was gone, I moved Kolka’s back legs to prove to her that they were free and then I had an idea – to put Kolka’s bucket in front of her for inspiration.  That did it and after many, many attempts she weakly stood up.  Her last bit of effort.

I held Kolka’s bucket and she ate unsteadily while the Cavalry (OH and Floss) arrived.

We let Kolka get her bearings, settle and think.  She was still very unsteady but she had a determination I knew was still in there.

We walked slowly over the hill, through the back gate and into the field.  The long walk actually did Kolka good and she got used to her legs working. She also did two poo’s which was encouraging.

The others came to meet her.  Useless lot, I told them, again.

Once home, painkillers, anti-inflammatories, another bucket and I washed Kolka’s legs, examined them and sprayed with antibiotic spray.  I also put a rug on her as she was still shaking.  She spent her morning around the house, resting and eating with Haakon and Iacs for company.

Monika from Sandness Equine Services kindly visited for Jin Shin Jyutsu healing (a huge thank you).

This afternoon, I dithered, worried and decided to put the horses in the shed – it was raining sporadically.  I wanted Kolka to rest as much as possible.  The boys had to go too, for company.

I had been to the vet and got antibiotic injections too and more painkillers.  He is very aware of the situation.

The haynets are not really being touched, but I am giving the horses fibre-block every 2 hours to keep their guts going and Kolka will get another painkiller and a probiotic tonight too.  The next few days will be worrying.  Kolka is stiff, sore and really feeling it.  The possibility of colic is not ruled out either so thoughts and prayers for Kolka, please.  Everything you’ve got.

(The nursing staff are also on-call – ready and waiting.)