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NAVIGATION
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I have not posted on here for a long while. A lot has happened!
Loreley's foal was stillborn. There was obviously something wrong as her placenta came out shredded. It took a lot for Loreley to accept the foal had gone so it was a very harrowing time for all involved. It was especially gutting as both of them had come through so much. Loreley also had retained parts of her placenta so was washed out several times and was on a course of antibiotics. As is customary with Loreley, she had to have an emergency callout on a Bank Holiday. I'm sure she just likes to see the vets! So added to the large fees for the Christmas Colic surgery (another bank holiday!) and the subsequent aftercare, she is officially the most expensive horse I've ever owned! Worth every penny though. She had already run out of vets fees insurance money with the previous surgery and aftercare.
Unfortunately I was told at the end of February that I no longer had a job to go back to (I was off ill with a doctors sick note at the time). It came as a bit of a relief really, despite the way they went about it, but given the amount paid on the Credit Card for Loreley's illness, it has left us financially struggling. We have decided to put off breeding again for a few years. That should also give my injuries time to settle down so I can cope with zebedee foals!
Fleur was brought back to the yard to help take Loreley's mind off it, which she certainly helped to do. Fleur has come back a changed young lady- the stint with the youngsters paid off!
Jim is now riding Joe almost every day. Unfortunately due to back problems I cannot ride at present. After going through a whole gammet of emotions we decided that we should keep the horses and that I should look into driving the girls as a pair. I have previously driven, however neither of the girls have. The aim is to break Loreley in first and then next year Fleur can be broken in too. Funds dependent, I shall have a professional gentle Fleur.Jim and Loreley are getting fitter by the day! I take her out when I am able on the long lines. She is proving to be very adept at it!
I am spending a lot of time at the swimming pool, starting my own hydrotherapy whilst waiting for the NHS Physiotherapy and hydrotherapy. Until my MRI scan and the results from it are known, we don't know the full extent of the injury. All I know is that being in pain is no fun. I have been told I am going to struggle to ride again, but I am going to try my hardest to get there eventually!
Lydia was also put in pup as a favour to a friend, but reabsorbed them early on. We shall try again once more next season, after which she will be spayed. Thankfully Lyndsay is going to handle the whelping and bringing up of the puppies as I do not wish to go through what happened to Bertie's litter again. Fingers crossed, nothing should go wrong! If you would be interested in a pup from Lydia, please go to www.borderpride.com and register your interest by sending an e-mail to Lyndsay on her contact page. There are already pups booked from her! Jim says I am not allowed another dog. We'll see...
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On October 31st 2008, Loreley was admitted to Leahurst Veterinary Hospital with colic. She had to have an emergency operation to save her life. Miraculously her unborn foal survived the operation and the many drugs administered to Loreley. After one week she was then allowed home. She developed complications and so an aggressive course of antibiotics followed her arrival home. Thankfully the infection cleared up and we were on track for a recovery.
Three weeks later she colicked again, although much more mildly this time and by the time we saw her she seemed to have pulled out of it. A week after that, she colicked again. The vet was duly called and she returned to normal when given the sedative and painkiller.
On Christmas Day she colicked at 9.30am. The vet was called straight away and she was given the sedative and painkiller again. She settled down and by 6pm was right as rain. I left her with a small amount of soaked hay. I checked on her three times in the next five hours. At approximately 11pm she was showing signs of colicking so the vet was called out again. She was on the road to Leahurst within the hour and tested once we had arrived. Her proteins in her peritoneal fluid were looking bad so the decision to operate again was taken, something I didn't want her to have to go through again but when faced with the decision I decided to try and save her life once more.
She and the foal (who was fast asleep for the duration) went through the second operation with no problems. Loreley decided that she'd take advantage of the opportunity to have a good lie down and refused to get up until the afternoon of the following day!
The two colic surgeries were completely unrelated and were plain bad luck.
So far, touch wood, her second post-operative recovery is going well, much better than the first time. She has had her stitches out with no problems and although she has been in for twelve weeks in total on box rest, she is coping very well. She does like her creature comforts! She does like her walks out to grass, which she gets three times a day.
Fleur has gone to a yard a short distance away so she can play about with other youngsters and also to give me more time to look after Loreley. She will be returning after the foal is born.
And Joe is good. He's being a bit of an oversized toddler with his riding, but I'm sure it's just because he's feeling much better in himself and pain free in his feet!
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Copyright © Kempshills Stud Mr & Mrs J.E.Fletcher 2004
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