One Woman Army called back home

So I have been worried and upset all week thinking of the big horse auction this weekend. Will I be strong enough to go and witness so many horses that will end up in a slaughterhouse in a week or so? This morning I got up and Sand was laying down. He is never laying down at morning feeding.. I went out feeling worried, and he got up and then layed down again. I went into panic mode. He is colicing.. I put the food out and he went down again, starting to roll. I immediately went for my phone and ran out and got the halter and begin to walk him. Within 10 min he passed droppings, but still wanted to lie down. I called my vet, she was out of town. I called my back up vet, they couldn't do house calls and my neighbors trailer is full of hay ( god I wish I had a trailer ). I called my neighbor, he said he could unload his trailer but to try his vet. I called Arrowhead Vet in Los Lunas, got a hold of a vet and he said he would be right over. In the meantime I have given Sand 1 dose of Bantamine and continue to walk him. This has gone on for 1 hour and I am a wreck.

The vet pulled up and had a large trailer behind him. He was in route to Bernalillo with some yearlings but came anyways. Sand at this point had stopped sweating and calmed down. He even wanted to eat. The vet ( I forgot his name ) said his temp was high and his gut sounds were there ( which is a good sign ) but they where fast. He gave him another shot of Bantamine, a tranquilizer and took a rubber hose down his nose and filled his gut with mineral oil. He said to watch him, and if in 3 hours he wasn't improved to call him and he will return on his way back. I walked Sand back to his stall. He was so drugged he almost tipped over. Within 1 hour he was looking better, and within 3 he was wanting to eat. I gave him a little bit of grass hay. I had to leave for work, and my neighbor said he would call if anything looks bad. When I got home tonight at 930 he was starving running back and forth wanting food. I put him in his stall, gave him grass hay, a small flake of alfalfa and 2 hours later let him out to be with his herd.

So this experience was a wake up call for me. If I go to the auction I will want another horse and today's experience will probably cost me $300+ as it is ( the vet will call me Monday with the charge) I treat my horses well but the reason Sand coliced is that I was lazy and fed too much alfalfa I am sure. I took my friends really friend goat Cisco and gave extra hay compared to what I feed. I have a laminitis prone pony and now a horse that has a temperamental stomach as this is the 2nd time he has coliced ( first time was minor and no vet was called ). I am in the progress of getting out of debt, and by the time I am 45 I would love to be out of debt ( expect my house ). So going to the auction would be a bad thing and bring grief to my life. I need to be happy and live life right now, not grieve it. I am not strong enough to document something that is so wrong. I hope that God will have mercy on all the animals that are killed and slaughtered in such a horrible way, especially the way horses are killed in Mexico.

Anyway that is the way I feel now. I think Sand was getting better when my vet came but my friend just lost her horse to Sand Colic, and she waited till it was too late. Better safe, then sorry. Above is a picture this morning of when I brought Sand in to his stall. Hope came over and was with him for 30 min while the other horses ate. She stayed by his side. Luna was worried too. Anyway that was my stressful Friday, off to bed now..