Goodbye to an old friend, my first love, my Bob

On Tuesday my poor boy coliced. He came running up and was all excited for his food like normal, but about 2 hours later my mom saw him laying down and knew that something was wrong. She instantly called the vet out and then called me and said to get home-those calls are not nice to get. I did make it while the vet was still there, she said that his heart rate and respiration were normal and that she could feel material in his intestine but it was not hard. So she gave him banamine, something else I don't remember, and tubed him- emptying out his stomach which was quite full of sour smelling fluid- a bad sign- nothing was moving. 

At this point he seemed fairly comfortable so we decided to give it a chance to improve as thevet was cautiously optimistic that we caught it in time and with the drugs he would be able to pass it. The vet did bring up the possibility of bringing himto the clinic incase of surgery, but at his age of 31 we felt that surgery was not an option- even if he made it, he did not deserve that pain- and that he would be happier at home in familiar surroundings with his buddies close by. The vet left at about 6…

 Every hour we came out and checked on him, he seemed to stay about the same, not better, but not worse either. He generally just stood there, you could tell when the pain got worse because he would pace, but he would calm down with pets and love. At about midnight it was my turn to go check him and he was down. I walked up andhe lifted his head and just looked at me, so I gave him a hug and kiss and knew it was time, he wasn’t going to come out of it this time, and I just could not let him suffer further. I called my mom over, who called the vet, and we just stood with him, petting him, talking to him, and comforting him in anyway we could. The vet made it out in about 20 minutes and we said our final goodbyes. I couldn’t watch as he went down, Traveller was standing by the fence so I just hugged him.

 It was the hardest and most painful day of my life thus far. I just can’t believe that he won’t be standing at the fence screaming at our house because he wants his senior food, or that we won’t be following me like a dog nickering and talking. It was a wonderful 11 years, he was my first horse who taught me everything, put up with my mistakes, and essentially prepared me for the likes of Traveller.

 I’m crying again at this point so I will stop. I’m just glad he is not in pain anymore, he lived a good life and was very comfortable and happy, and the end came quickly without too much suffering. 

1980-2011