I could not feel more of a failure to my Shetland ponies.

Yesterday, I took Tiddles and Albie into the small paddock where they will now live as they were walking with a very stiff gait. I was sucking my teeth while my waters were churning.

Today, Waffle joined them.

It seems that whatever I try to do for my ponies is the wrong thing.

I had put all my hopes into track-life being the way forward for them.  The winter weight was coming off beautifully and everyone was running around happily and then suddenly three of them weren’t.

It is a constant juggling act – trying to keep the weight on Vitamoo, while making the others lose weight and stay sound.

Tiddles isn’t even very fat.  Waffle was but has lost weight but Albie is rotund. To suddenly find them getting all the signs of laminitis is incredibly depressing.

How did Albie get fat on the track, while the others are losing weight eating the exact same thing?

I do think, however, that their hooves are all in a desperate need of a trim and the only thing we can do is wait for our farrier’s next visit. I don’t scrimp on trimming, I don’t ever miss a visit – the spring grass makes hooves grow and they could just all be very uncomfortable.  Maybe after a good trim, they will walk better and everything will be alright. We just have to wait until the end of the month for our appointment.

 

So it is back to soaking hay, monitoring everything they eat and worrying constantly that they are managing with no colic and not in pain.  I am so upset with myself.  I thought I was doing the right thing but obviously I wasn’t.