" Herself "is gone.

8.25.13

"Herself" is how I referred to Eve.... she was so full of life and joy. Such a happy mare she was.

My dear mare, WoodFinn's Fashionably Late, is gone. She developed "Anterior Enteritis" late Monday, and was put down this past Thursday morning. Evie was buried on the hill next to Carlene and Dixie....

Having never ever heard of this 'dilemma', I had no idea and figured it was a slight colic on Tuesday. Then when the banamine given to her didn't help much, our veterinarian came out. She did a rectal check to find Evie's small intestines were distended. Not Good. She suggested we haul her south to one of the top horse hospitals around ( Barbaro was treated there when he fractured his leg) and did a reflux of Eve's stomach. Sure enough,there was a good 2 liters of vile smelling, manure colored water in her stomach- letting our vet know that it was indeed no ordinary 'colic'.  Glenn & I had a long talk about it that evening and decided that the risk of hauling Eve in such pain, and leaving her in Kennett Square, Pa to be cared for wasn't going to work. The chances of survival were 40-60% and then laminitis/ founder played a Big part in it too. Evie would have had to have a special diet for many months, and we just couldn't cause her yet more pain and misery. So- at 9:30 AM, she was put down, and by 10:30 AM, buried and out of pain for ever.

This has broken my heart to shreds. I loved her like no other, and she & Lynn were my two best mares ever. I am sort of lost right now, trying to wrap my head around what just happened. 

Since then, I have learned that her chances of survival were even less than what all of the articles had mentioned. Draft horses are so stoic that one isn't SURE of how bad off they really are until it is to late. Evie had begun to weaken that morning and her heart rate was Well over 70 BPM. I have learned that once a drafters' heart rate is over 60, chances are good that they will not survive treatment. So we did make the right decision, even if it meant our hearts would be torn to shreds.

So, I hope Evie has met Dixie , Carlene n' Suzi over the Rainbow Bridge....She has joined my Petey in heaven and is pain free once again....

  In tears, God speed, Eve. 

You were loved by All you touched during your life.

"WoodFinn's Fashionably Late"

~Evie~

April 5th, 2006 ---  August 22nd, 2013