A Hard Post

I sometimes wonder about my journey with horses and why some of us are given a harder road to follow than others.

A few years back when Gunner was diagnosed with EPM, our family had to make hard decisions on whether to treat and hope for a cure on a disease where little was known. After much research and emotional unrest we decided to invest in an unlikely outcome and treat the horse. Whether it is due to lingering effects of the EPM or just his makeup in general, the horse is still susceptible to illnesses. In addition we have to work harder at building and maintaining his right hindquarter muscles to keep him strong and able to perform at a level that is necessary. The journey we undertook with this horse has been worth the outcome in so many ways. He is the most gentle horse we have ever owned. He is receptive to our emotions and is a hard working and kind animal. He will stay here at my farm until N steals him away, as she threatens to do after college.

Now I face another challenge that breaks my heart again as we search for the correct answer on how to help Emmett. Emmett was born with contracted tendons. When he was born I made the decision that if he was up and nursing in the required amount of time and all seemed well, I would not call the vet in to examine him. All seemed well, except for his crooked little legs. Emmett was about a week overdue and therefore, I assumed, as I had read as such, that his legs would straighten out in a week or two. By week three I was concerned. His legs were straight for the most part, but his front heels were not making contact with the ground.

The vet was out and treated him with oxytetracycline which has a side effect of relaxing the area effected. The first day or two I saw miraculous results. He continued on treatment for five days and by the fifth treatment the vets were talking about surgery. It was obvious the treatments were not working.

To say I am disappointed in my vet at this point would be mild. He immediately, upon seeing the foal, asked what I had been feeding the horse during pregnancy. I told him I had followed his regime, but had substituted a different mare vitamin, because his vitamin was not available in our area. This, of course, was the cause in his mind. In addition as I have done further research I have read that oxytetracycline gives temporary correction to the condition, which is exactly what we have seen. Now, I have waited a week to hear back from them on our next course of action. They were going to call down to two equine hospitals and get me quotes on surgery.

Meanwhile, I have been dealing with the guilt. I should not have bred, although people do it every day with success. I should have been more knowledgeable, and yet my bed stand is stacked with every imaginable and available book on breeding, and I have ear marked and read through every one of those books if not once, twice. I should have drove the 60 miles to get the vets special vitamins, instead of the 10 miles to our local TSC store for their mare vitamins. I should have had the vet out when Emmett was born, although I have had years of experience birthing other breeds of animals on this farm. The guilt will not subside, no matter who tries to sooth my mind or heart.

Today I will take action and call the UW Vet school myself and make an appointment for them to examine Emmett as soon as possible. They have a superior farrier and I have been told that should be my deciding point between hospitals. For Emmett will need shoes after the surgery for a few months to get him balanced.

People have asked me what am I going to do? I have come to the realization that I need to do everything I can for the little colt, as I was the one to make the decision to bring him into this world. It is my responsibility to do everything in my power to give him a chance.

I have debated whether to post about what we are going through because I have seen the horse blog world make an ugly turn in the last year. People are blasted from all corners on how they handle their horses. It is my hope that by posting about Emmett I will instead gain insight from others who may have been on this journey before me.

I will report, when I can, how he is doing. For instance, you should know that he continues to be a healthy spirited little fellow and runs and plays freely with his mother and his Uncle Gunner. He is just not able to stretch his heels to the ground, and over time this will cause further problems for the little colt.

If I am not posting as much it's because this journey has been hard, and while I am trying to understand it and learn from it, it is difficult to put this down in words. I know, as in all areas of my life, I will come out stronger on the other side.