Farm life can gut you and exhaust you to new levels. Last Friday I was sick and slept in an extra hour. Came out for a lesson to find this little guy down in his field thrashing. Got him up, gave him banamine, had a friend walk him on a bum knee when I finished feeding the horses. Vet came out to tube etc. I was expecting a mild colic but after three tubings, no eating and no manure for FIVE DAYS and waking up multiple times to check him each night praying for 💩, I scheduled Domino to be put down Tuesday morning. Oddly enough, his heart rate and breathing never spiked and he wasn’t showing pain signs, but wasn’t eating or going to the bathroom. We tried everything–electrolytes, lunging, trailer ride, rectal massage, tubing, tubing, tubing, but nothing worked and I didn’t want to admit him based on his age. I was scared something was going to rupture or he was going to become septic and face a horrible demise. So, after much mental back and forth and talking to my vet about a zillion times (I’m not always the best at making the humane call and like to go over every single option with her even when there are none left. Luckily, she is very patient with me), I decided to call it. Stuck the pony out in the big field with his friends for his last night on earth. Scheduled the burial company. Got the pony out of the field in the morning and I’ll be damned but he looked a lot smaller in the midsection. Told the vet over the phone and asked her to do a rectal since we would sedate him before euthanasia anyway. I have no doubt she thought it was wishful thinking on my part and she was truly shocked when she saw him. Lo and behold, rectal was normal. He somehow managed to pass him impaction and was no longer displaced after 5 DAYS! Domino isn’t 100% yet but he has been slowly returning to his normal self the last week, grazing, nickering hello and excited for breakfast. I think I’m still a little shocked the little guy is alive. Sometimes the exhaustion is worth it. A special thanks to my vet team, friends, barn fam, and even Domino’s rescue for sharing in the exhaustion, listening to me obsess about Domino’s health over the last week and going above and beyond. Couldn’t do it without a very special crew! 🤍🖤🤍🖤