Rest In Peace May

Last night went nothing as planned. Got to the barn around 4:00 and after hanging out in the house a bit, headed out to the barn to start chores around 5:00. Everyone seemed fine and K and I started to clean stalls.

While I was unloading shavings and grain from my car, I noticed May, Echo's pasturemate laying down. I found this odd since normally all the horses are along fence line when it's near feeding time. Called the barn owner in the house to let her know my concern. K was in the field getting Glitch out, May got up and I had her check her for gut sounds, she said she heard them so we continued on.

I had finished putting shavings in Echo's stall and noticed May laying down again, this time flat out but still no rolling. I saw her get up and pass matter and so I sighed in relief and went on trying to finish up so that I could get Echo in to work with her. 

I went out to get Echo and noticed May was laying down again (no rolling). I called the barn owner, again, and told her it was 3rd time and she needed to get out. I got Echo in her stall and got a halter and lead to get May out of the field as the owner was getting out and we immediately got banamine in her and started walking her. Started giving her mineral oil at 6:10 and kept on walking her while she repeatedly tried to lay down. 

By 8:20 it was clear she wasn't going to improve. She went down and we hardly got her up but did after 2-3 minutes of pushing and pulling. After another 2ish minutes of walking she fell and never got back up. When she was down she passed the mineral oil but was still contracting her muscles and in severe pain. At 29 years old, her owners decided euthanasia was the most humane choice.

I'll always remember her as the mare with the smoothest trot and canter. If you didn't know she was APHA when you were on her back you would of thought she was gaited with how smooth she was.

Here is a picture of May in 2005 in her field.