OK, so yes I'm just out for all the sympathy I can muster!!

But I do have a poorly pony who's off for an ultrasound in a couple of weeks, for a suspicious lump in one of her teats....sniff!

Vet is thinking it maybe a rare type of tumour (rare location wise that is), I was thinking it's a sarcoid....oh well either way it's going to be expensive...(warming up the old ebay account as we speak!)

So...thinking ahead, am not only worried about the diagnosis but am also worried about what to do with the little 'un, who gets separation anxiety the minute the other ones head collar goes on! Noooooo!!!! So what to do with just two weeks and only little old me to get the separation anxiety down to a managable level. Don't think I could cope with the stress of not only ferrying Caspar to the vet's practice but also knowing that I'm leaving a terrified Tina behind! She could go too but if she's not able to see or touch Caspar then she may as well be back in field as far as her reaction to the whole situation will be! Not to mention the whole loading debacle....sigh...

Sensibly, I guess it's a case of borrowing someone's horse for a few days so that Tina has some company or finding a wonderfully, marvellous soul to help me work on separating the two....oh dear....off to curl up in fetal position and gently rock back and forth until the problem disappears! (Oh yes if I wish hard enough it really will go away! Honest.....)

Any miracle solutions to how to do this and how to exercise a lame horse, (she has a nasty heel crack and is feeling a little bit tender)as the vet wants some weight off her just in case she needs surgery, gratefully recieved! Spare magic wand anyone?

Sorry to hear this.

First of all, is there any chance you could take them both to the vets together? I have a similar situation with my mare & gelding and when there was a possibilty of having to take him for an xray the vet said it was fine to bring them both.

Or, if it needs to be for a longer period of time and you can't get a temporary companion how about moving Tina to a yard for a day or so?

Something I've found that works well for short periods of time is a Bach remedy, Red Chestnut. Without it my gelding becomes hysterical, foaming at the mouth and colicky, even if I just put a headcollar on my mare. If he has a few doses beforehand I can get as far as taking her away from the yard and although he calls for her a couple of times the difference is dramatic.

I really sympathise with you on this, and I hope things work out for your mare.

Hi Mandy, yes taking Tina is a possibilty but she has problems of her own...she's not a great fan of us humans yet and starts to get upset at even the idea of a barrier between the two of them (a strand of electric tape does the trick!)

So knowing the set up of the practice we're going to I know Caspar will be out of sight...Two ponies, one sedated and the other running about the place screaming? Hmmm.....not good for anyone concerned! I haven't worked on tina's separation anxiety much yet, I think if I can at least make some progress over the next couple of weeks then taking the two of them will be a more viable option....it will after all only be for a couple of hours....hmmm, I think perhaps I need to sleep on this one!

Oh gawd they don't make things easy for us do they!

Is there no way the vets can travel to you to perform the ultrasound? When Jani had a suspensory ligament strain the vet used to come to the yard and do an ultrasound scan in his stable.

Hi Mandy, funny you should mention that....have got to talk to vet tomorrow (maybe that should be today! really should be in bed...hey ho!) Am going to ask if he can refer me to a practice that has got a portable ultrasound.

Doh! Don't know what it is about making sensible decisions regarding my own ponies, I just never quite manage it! What's that all about?? He he!

Oh no, so sorry to hear your news. What a nightmare. No words of wisdom I'm afraid but thinking of you and if I have any I'll email you.
Got to go as having work nightmares but good luck..