In Sickness

I've occasionally bragged about just how straightforward my boy has been.

Zac has lived in all sorts of setups, engaged in most disciplines with some success and brought so much joy... he has been fully shod, barefoot, and has had just fronts on for several years now, donning a full set for busy summers spent competing on grass.

My Wings - Royal Welsh 2018

He is also known for his lack of vet bills... I have only once called a vet for non-routine issues, and that call was made about 12 years ago following a slip in the field.

Bareback Woodland Stroll

Until now.

It began as a minor cough. This came and went, with fairly obvious triggers, and caused him little to no discomfort. This then escalated, with two short incidents of laboured breathing.

The first of these incidents left me STRESSED. I got no sleep that night and actually rocked up to the yard just before 5am the next day (apologies to my wonderful yard owner, Sandra!) In an attempt to fetch him in to check him over.

In true Zac style, he wasn't interested in coming in - heck, it was still dark when I arrived! - and two hours later I needed to get home and ready for work. A tearful call to my dad, and a plan was made for him to head up there.

An hour or so later, my dad spent all of 3 minutes wrangling the feral beast and bringing him in. All reports positive, Zac definitely himself, lots of dragging dad around to the best grass and harassing him for polos.

Later that day, I arrived to find a second episode in swing. This time I felt I was all out of strength to take another sleepless night worrying, so I called the vet at 8pm on a Sunday (epic timing). 10 minutes later, the vet arrived!

In this short time, Zac had developed a rattle in his breathing, to accompany the increased RR and abdominal effort.

A decent vet bill later, and he seemed on the up for almost a week. Full of attitude, deciding that the best way up the road on one short ride (he was really that well!) was sideways in Piaffe, bright and cheerful and naughty. Just how we love him.

Another day, another episode. A fellow livery called me to let me know he had been down and his breathing laboured again. She'd got him up, removed his rug and stayed with him for long enough to know he was 98% back to normal. Wonderful person that she is.

I'm back and fore with vets, carrying out tests and making plans for his treatment. He is extremely precious to us all, having been part of the family for my entire adult life. The boy is LOVED and will get the best there is to offer to help him feel better.

Anyway, my apologies for a long post. I hope you'll stick with us through the twists and turns.