When you deal with Founder, you find that even when you make progress, it is slow. Then something happens to really set you back, even though you have made no visible changes in the recovery process, and you have started to believe that things are "better.."

January 15, 2004

I slept in this morning- I was so tired, I just crashed. I got up two hours late to feed and went out to the horses. Racer was standing in the middle of the field and I whistled them in. He looked right at me and flung his head back and forth in rapid succession shaking it saying NO! With a sinking feeling I watched him as I grained Trav, and still he did not move. I whistled one more time, and he tried to walk, and it broke my heart to watch him. He didn't move but inches, his front legs were not on the ground and he was back to the founder rocker stance. I flew into the house and called my vet and asked him if this was normal? To be doing so good, and then to not be able to walk? He told me no, at this stage in founder and laminitis, although Racer should be sore, he shouldn't be immobile! I was instructed to give him 2 bute and wait a bit to see what happened.

I gave Racer his bute. At this point this horse is getting his meds in hot water in his grain pan. I am not feeding him strategy, oats, or anything but hay- valley hay, not the green stuff. He took his meds and we slowly and I mean two tiny steps and a rest, we walked to his stall. I piled up the bedding for him, gave him some hay and fresh water, and as far as I am concerned, he is under house arrest!

The stalls (there are two of them divided) are 14'x16' so he has room to turn around and walk and sleep. I went to pick his feet, and he went down on me. The only thing I could do was back him to the divider and let him prop his butt on the boards to take the weight off. I only cleaned his front feet, not his rear. I have tears in my heart when I write this. 

The vet wants me to call him later this morning after the bute takes effect. I just don't know what to do anymore, I clearly am in over my head with this. I just want him out of pain- it's a simple prayer, I say in daily and nightly. I just want my horse back. Pounding pulses in both legs again, and I am just left wondering what in the world just happened?