A little background:
My youngest daughter Sarah, when she sets out to do something, she just flat out does it. No. Matter. What.
Sarah wanted a horse when she was in high school (what young girl doesn't?). I told her the same thing I told her older sister; "We can't afford a horse, we can't afford to feed or care for it, this will pass". Sarah joined a 4-H horse club and leased a horse (using her own labor as payment). Gotta give the girl credit for spunk. She showed and rode that horse and learned the ropes.
Sarah came to me about 11 years ago and said "Dad, if I could get a free horse, would you sign this paper saying you could afford to keep it and care for it?"
Sure, whatever.
Sarah gets chosen to get this free (not a nag, a papered Arab mare). Long story, but we end up with a horse.
Sarah shows, rides and cares for 'My Georgia Peach' (aka Gigi). All is well. Then Sarah gets married. Gigi is forgotten and dad will take care of her, and I have done this for the last nine years or so, until Sarah can take her back 'home'.
Now to the point: Gigi did not eat her hay Friday night, this is not like her at all. She is listless and doesn't want to move. I call the vet. They are too busy to see her until Tuesday. I call Bud (Smoke Rizen on THR, for those who don't know). Bud doesn't get back to me. I call the vet back at 5:30 and tell them we need some help. She hasn't had a bowel movement in 24 hours and she can't hardly move. The vet on call, Joe Barker, is a friend of mine and he said "Be right there". He was.
Bud came out this morning, and despite his 56 years of age, he trimmed her front feet, which helped a bunch. WWWDWB (What would we do without Bud).
He thinks she has foundered because the hay is too rich. He gave her some painkillers and told me she should be walking and "pooping" by morning. This morning, she had a bowel movement and was a little better. Joe wanted to see her at the office, but we couldn't make it happen (she's hard to load). Joe told me to pick up some "Bute" and antibiotics at the office and then get some grass hay to get her system working again. I picked up the medicine and went to the feed store "No grass hay". I called a number in the newspaper and found three bales of grass hay way on the other side of town.
"Hold 'em, I'll be there ASAP" Got the grass hay, and she is somewhat comfortable tonight, with the horse aspirin and all the attention.
She was trying to love me through the feed door tonight.
I could just sit down and cry.