Cherished Ponies
Today started out quite terrible. We, my daughter and I were going to sneak out for a little ride. Rusty met me at the gate as usual. Coyote stood and looked. I had to walk clear over to him and he stood there waiting. I wasn’t worried yet though. After tying them both I offered Coyote a handful of feed. He barely lipped it and let it fall from his mouth. I very nearly panicked. Turning Rusty loose to graze I untied Coyotes lead and took him to see if he would eat grass. He not only wouldn’t but he proceeded to lay down at my feet.
I did panic then.
I called the vet. She said that we could wait and see what he does, avoid an emergency fee. Cuts and swellings don’t bother me, colic scares me half to death. Besides This was Coyote we were talking about! I told her I didn’t care. He wasn’t bad but I wanted to get him looked at in hopes of preventing him from getting bad. She said to be in in an hour. That worked out about perfect by the time I checked air in the tires and got everyone loaded. Coyote farted a few times on his way onto the trailer, I began to hope I was getting all worried about nothing.
At the vet he hopped off the trailer still subdued but looking better. He had pooped though! Rusty pawed and raised a raucous in the trailer, because I can’t haul Coyote by himself! That would have killed him out right. He has absolute fits. Overall the noise she listened to all his noises very carefully and took his temp.
She declared him to be alright. His gut sounds were all normal with maybe a bit of air somewhere. I’m not a vet, I can’t remember exactly 
To be on the safe side he got a shot of an anti inflammatory and a steroid.
Once home I turned him straight out on the grass to graze and he went right to it. I love when a trailer ride cures colic. He ate happily for the rest of the day and hasn’t shown any further signs of not feeling well.
I started Coyote as a three year old. In his younger years he took good care of me over many a mile working cattle, braving over protective mama cows through calving, was able to move calves on his own through blinding blizzards as I tried to keep the wind from blowing me off his back. Now he baby sits my daughter building her skills and confidence. I would far rather rush him to the vet at the slightest hint of an issue than risk loosing a horse as priceless as him.
