Alfa Mare and Mother to PipParis, the mother to, Pip and 18 years old in May 2011, is the most gentle horse around people, but around the other horses, she is the alpha mare and she keeps them in their place. When one of the horses is not well, Paris stays with them.
When Milly was in the stable she stayed by the gate watching over her for hours every day. It is heart breaking to see her suffer with arthritis. She has it in her lower legs. Two years ago she suffered very bad. It was the first time we had the snow and the cold weather so bad and it affected her severely. One Sunday, we found her on laying flat out in the snow with a black crow bird walking on the side of her body early morning. I thought the worst. My son went to her and I went straight to the stable to get it ready with loads of straw. He managed to get her up but she had a job to stand, she was shaking all over but more so at the back end. We had to get others to help us. We all walked with her to the stable. I thought we were going to lose her. This was the first time we had seen her like this. Paris was always in good health until the snow came and it was heavy snow. The worse winter we have had in 31 years. She has never been in such cold temperatures and it took it's toll on her. I phoned the vet and they came out straight away. They said they could not say it is arthritis for definite, but pretty sure it is. They also said it could be laminitis but couldn't be sure. Her hooves were to cold with the snow to feel any heat and her feather was too thick to feel a digital pulse (How to check digital pulse) She was put on a course of Bute for 10 days, twice a day. I was worried not knowing what it was that made her so ill. Being in the stable out of the cold and on pain killers, Paris health improved. The vet said to keep her in for 2 weeks and see how she goes. Paris wanted to get back to the others and by the end of 2 weeks she was ready to go back into the field. A week later it snowed again and we got her straight back into the stable and her back legs was shaking and weak. I called the vet out again and they still wasn't sure of the problem. I searched the internet to find answers, I kept coming up with the same thing.....Arthritis! We kept her in the stable every night until the cold weather past and she improved. Then last year (2010) she started when it was just starting to get cold and again the vet said the same.... Bute! Still no answer to why this was happening. I said I thought it was arthritis but they didn't seem to know. It started snowing early last year and the same thing happened again. We changed the vet and examined her legs and they said it's arthritis. They also gave her Bute and also recommended using Cosequin Power in her feed. I bought it from Amazon online. The cost of the vet is three times the amount of Amazon's price!!! I have bought quite a few tubs of Cosequin, I have used a lot more than I thought I would have, but it really helps Paris and to me that is the most important things. The cost is quite high when having to buy so much of it. They do want to do X rays on her lower legs to see where the arthritis is. They tested her legs to see where the pain is and said it is just above her hooves. The vet suggest injecting steroids into the affected joint, this injection works as an anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving medication and lubricates the joints which makes her life easier which will quickly reduce the inflammation, but the cost is high. Paris is out 24/7 most of the time, unless she is struggling and then she is in the stable. The only problem I have with the injections, it can cause laminitis and the risk is high! This I will have to look into. Paris, does not need any more health problems to deal with, bless her. I also think that being in the field encourages an arthritic horse to stay active which is very important for general circulation as well as mental activity. When kept in stables they become depressed and stop eating. I have given, Paris, more medication than the other horses, but overall her quality of life is good and she is happy and was getting depressed in the stable. She is never more happy when she is out with the gang! Paris's life after Pip came to me. Paris was allowed to stay with, Pip, until she was a year old, which was a blessing. She was always close to, Pip and was kept at the same stables, usually in or near to the paddock, Pip, was in. So they have always been close together. Paris, was used for breeding most of her life, she was a broodmare and as soon as she had a foal she was put back into foal. The last foal, Paris, had was a colt and she nearly lost her life after the birth. The placenta (afterbirth) broke away and part was left inside, Paris. They called the vet out and she was put on a drip within hours which made her have contractions for the placenta to come away naturally. Paris, was poorly for a while after this, but still managed to care for her colt. But when he was 6 months old, her owners parted them and put her foal into an horse box. He could still hear, Paris, calling out and he started to kick out and he caught his leg on a bar and broke his leg. They had him shot. That's when I heard they didn't want her any more. I was asked if I wanted her or she would have to go. I said I would take her and keep her with, Pip. She wasn't broke in for riding or for pulling carts so she was no use to them anymore. The vet told them it was best she had no more foals and with her age no one wanted to take her! They once want to use her for foaling and when she couldn't do that, they was going to shoot her. It is heart breaking the way some people see animals. |
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Thank you for reading and taking an interest in sweet Paris. Enjoy looking at all the photos of Paris, you can see her story unfold in most of them.
Paris, is now at Rainbow Bridge.
I did not think for one second that I would be writing this. I wish with all my heart that I didn't have too.
I wish with every beat of my heart that, Paris, was still with her family and me.
Paris, was well when I went to see them on the 29th August around 7pm. They were all eating and very relaxed. The next day was so very different.
Has I approached the field I noticed, Paris, laying down and my first thought was her arthritis playing up. It had been a little cooler but nothing to worry about. I ran over to her and could tell in her eyes she was in pain.
The worst was yet to come. I managed to get her up and she walked
with me. I had a few carrots and gave her one. She couldn't hardly
open her mouth. Then she went down on the ground again.
I called the vet.
Paris, started to thrash around and I knew then it was colic. I had never seen a horse with colic before but reading and hearing stories from others I knew that she had colic.
The vet came out quite fast and she listened to her stomach and said it is not good. She said she needed to be operated ASAP.
I was in shock! I could not believe that this was happening to, Paris.
The vet asked if I could afford the price of the operation. It would be anything from £3,000 and could go up to £7,000 as it is major
abdominal surgery.
I said I didn't have that kind of money but I could try to raise the money. Then the vet said that she wouldn't want to put her own horse through what Paris would have to go through. She would need extra special care after the operation and she might not pull through it with her being old plus with the other problems she has.
By now I was crying and begging, Paris, to walk around and prove the vet wrong.
I had been told by people before when their horse had colic, they
walked them around and this helped to get them better. I asked the vet if this would work with, Paris, but she said, no.
She listened to her stomach again and said that horse's stomach should make noises, which I have heard many times. When they start with colic and their stomachs stop moving and doesn't make a noise, then that is a sign that part of the gut is dead.
She then gave her a rectal examination and said that didn't seem to bad. I was happy to hear that and thought she would pull through this.
The vet went to get two lots of injections for pain. I was feeling a lot better thinking, Paris, would be OK after pain relief.
Then Paris went down again and started to roll and kept lifting her top half of body up and then dropping down again. She was looking at her stomach a lot now. It was heart breaking to watch her. She was sweating so much, her body was wet all over. The vet came back with the injections and I shouted to the vet to hurry as she was in pain. The vet ran over and then, Paris, got back up.
She gave her the injections and she didn't move. Her eyes said it all. She was tired out, sweating and now spaced out. The vet listened to her heart and stomach again and said that her heart rate was high and the stomach was still, no movement at all.
By now I was begging the vet to save her and make her well. I told her to give her more pain relief but the vet refused and said she had given her more then her body weight and any more would over dose her.
Paris, was not Paris. The other horses was in the other part of the field and Pip, had walked to the other end of the field. Ollie, was watching and so was, Rosie. Milly was grazing.
The vet asked what did I want her to do. I couldn't answer. She said she knew if she was to leave there and then, that I would be phoning her within the next hour or two to say, "Paris, is in a worse state" and she would be coming back to put, Paris to sleep. I could hear what the vet was saying, but I didn't want to hear it. At the same time I didn't want to let, Paris, suffer in pain.
I told, Paris, how much I loved her and always will. My heart was breaking for Sweet Paris.
She wasn't really with us at all. Her eyes were hazy and half closed. She was moving from leg to leg and I knew I had to let her go. I said, yes, to the vet and she went to get the injection.
I still cannot believe in such a short time, we lost, Paris, it happened so quick.
We all lost our beautiful, Paris, that dreadful day. Rosie and Ollie, came to the fence and was smelling but, Pip, wouldn't come anywhere near, neither would, Milly.
I wish with all of my heart that I could of saved, Paris.
I never want to see any horse with colic again. It is a nasty, cruel illness for any horse to go through.
I now have, Paris, at home with me. I had her ashes back and my only
wish is that I had her back with her family bossing them around and moving them around the field keeping them safe the way she loved.
It's been a month since we lost her and it is only now that the horses are getting back to normal.
Pip, still cries out now and again, but she was doing it every day and night for the first few weeks.
All the four horses had their heads hanging low for the first three weeks. It worried me so much I phoned the vet to ask what I could do.
They wasn't eating or walking around, but just standing there. It looked very strange.
Four weeks on and they are walking around and eating as normal, apart from, Pip. She is missing her mother so much. I am spending more time to try and help, Pip, through this and now I know she will come through the other end. Love works wonders.
I did not think for one second that I would be writing this. I wish with all my heart that I didn't have too.
I wish with every beat of my heart that, Paris, was still with her family and me.
Paris, was well when I went to see them on the 29th August around 7pm. They were all eating and very relaxed. The next day was so very different.
Has I approached the field I noticed, Paris, laying down and my first thought was her arthritis playing up. It had been a little cooler but nothing to worry about. I ran over to her and could tell in her eyes she was in pain.
The worst was yet to come. I managed to get her up and she walked
with me. I had a few carrots and gave her one. She couldn't hardly
open her mouth. Then she went down on the ground again.
I called the vet.
Paris, started to thrash around and I knew then it was colic. I had never seen a horse with colic before but reading and hearing stories from others I knew that she had colic.
The vet came out quite fast and she listened to her stomach and said it is not good. She said she needed to be operated ASAP.
I was in shock! I could not believe that this was happening to, Paris.
The vet asked if I could afford the price of the operation. It would be anything from £3,000 and could go up to £7,000 as it is major
abdominal surgery.
I said I didn't have that kind of money but I could try to raise the money. Then the vet said that she wouldn't want to put her own horse through what Paris would have to go through. She would need extra special care after the operation and she might not pull through it with her being old plus with the other problems she has.
By now I was crying and begging, Paris, to walk around and prove the vet wrong.
I had been told by people before when their horse had colic, they
walked them around and this helped to get them better. I asked the vet if this would work with, Paris, but she said, no.
She listened to her stomach again and said that horse's stomach should make noises, which I have heard many times. When they start with colic and their stomachs stop moving and doesn't make a noise, then that is a sign that part of the gut is dead.
She then gave her a rectal examination and said that didn't seem to bad. I was happy to hear that and thought she would pull through this.
The vet went to get two lots of injections for pain. I was feeling a lot better thinking, Paris, would be OK after pain relief.
Then Paris went down again and started to roll and kept lifting her top half of body up and then dropping down again. She was looking at her stomach a lot now. It was heart breaking to watch her. She was sweating so much, her body was wet all over. The vet came back with the injections and I shouted to the vet to hurry as she was in pain. The vet ran over and then, Paris, got back up.
She gave her the injections and she didn't move. Her eyes said it all. She was tired out, sweating and now spaced out. The vet listened to her heart and stomach again and said that her heart rate was high and the stomach was still, no movement at all.
By now I was begging the vet to save her and make her well. I told her to give her more pain relief but the vet refused and said she had given her more then her body weight and any more would over dose her.
Paris, was not Paris. The other horses was in the other part of the field and Pip, had walked to the other end of the field. Ollie, was watching and so was, Rosie. Milly was grazing.
The vet asked what did I want her to do. I couldn't answer. She said she knew if she was to leave there and then, that I would be phoning her within the next hour or two to say, "Paris, is in a worse state" and she would be coming back to put, Paris to sleep. I could hear what the vet was saying, but I didn't want to hear it. At the same time I didn't want to let, Paris, suffer in pain.
I told, Paris, how much I loved her and always will. My heart was breaking for Sweet Paris.
She wasn't really with us at all. Her eyes were hazy and half closed. She was moving from leg to leg and I knew I had to let her go. I said, yes, to the vet and she went to get the injection.
I still cannot believe in such a short time, we lost, Paris, it happened so quick.
We all lost our beautiful, Paris, that dreadful day. Rosie and Ollie, came to the fence and was smelling but, Pip, wouldn't come anywhere near, neither would, Milly.
I wish with all of my heart that I could of saved, Paris.
I never want to see any horse with colic again. It is a nasty, cruel illness for any horse to go through.
I now have, Paris, at home with me. I had her ashes back and my only
wish is that I had her back with her family bossing them around and moving them around the field keeping them safe the way she loved.
It's been a month since we lost her and it is only now that the horses are getting back to normal.
Pip, still cries out now and again, but she was doing it every day and night for the first few weeks.
All the four horses had their heads hanging low for the first three weeks. It worried me so much I phoned the vet to ask what I could do.
They wasn't eating or walking around, but just standing there. It looked very strange.
Four weeks on and they are walking around and eating as normal, apart from, Pip. She is missing her mother so much. I am spending more time to try and help, Pip, through this and now I know she will come through the other end. Love works wonders.
It was an honor to have cared for, Paris. I wish we had more time together. She was so gentle around people and wouldn't put a foot wrong. She always stood lovely for the vet and the farrier and would always let you groom her and take her wormers with no bother at all.
Paris, would always come to greet you as soon as she saw you and would walk with us around the field. I would plait her mane and she would close her eyes and her mouth would fall open whilst I was plaiting her mane, falling a sleep.
Paris, will always remain in my heart and I know she will always be remembered by lots of people with love.
Paris, would always come to greet you as soon as she saw you and would walk with us around the field. I would plait her mane and she would close her eyes and her mouth would fall open whilst I was plaiting her mane, falling a sleep.
Paris, will always remain in my heart and I know she will always be remembered by lots of people with love.