I have been summoned to attend a talk at The Barn Equine Surgery tonight in respect of Geriatric Ponies. The residents of my retirement home insisted that I go. I shall report back soon.
As the winter draws near, all of my horses and ponies are nice and round and coping well with the weather. I have a nice winter field lined up for them in the next week or so and the barn is already stacked with some lovely hay. There is however one worrying exception. I noticed that Blue, who is coming up to 25 years of age was starting to lose weight and condition. A vet visit confirmed that she does not have PPID and further blood tests were all normal save for evidence of anaemia. She was wormed early and started on a tonic which contains some iron, and I increased her feed. Her teeth were carefully checked and treated by Dr. Amy Reynolds, RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Equine Dentistry, who found no problems whatsoever.
For about two months she and Jack have been given access to more grazing, on their own, and several sections of hay a day. Unfortunately, nothing has changed and the latest tests showed a slight downward trend in her protein levels and her weight.
The current situation is that she is being fed, supplemented with protein and a tonic, given plenty of fibre and being allowed access to the open side of the barn which is bedded down. Yesterday she wore a rug for the very first time in her life and accepted it with good grace.
She is such a beautiful pony. She gallops up the field with excitement, twisting her neck and head like an Arab (thank you Queen Victoria) and looks as perky as her registered name (Marchwood Perky). While she seems happy and not in pain, I shall endeavour to get her right again, but if she continues to deteriorate then I shall have to make that awful decision which will kill me itself. I love this pony, I love all of my ponies, and it will hurt like hell.
Please pray to the Horse God and for the hands and brains of the Veterinarians who are taking as much care of her as they possible can.
