Remember Ivy and her foal?

[ursula wilby]

Life is not always easy and its good to remember that however much we plan ahead, and however much we dream and however careful we are, it can all come to a very sudden end.

We had started Ivy up after her foal and all was going smoothly.
She loved being back at work, even if it was only in the padock with her foal running next to her.
One night she suddenly got stomach ache. Alexandra walked with her for ages, but instead of getting better, it got worse.
So Ivy had to go to the animalhospital and was operated on instantly. The operation lasted for 6 hours and 6 meters of her intestine had to be removed due to a twisted intestine. Against all odds, she survived the operation and although it was a matter of life and death for a week, she was going to make it!
When we brought her home, she was her usual (hungry) self.
Once again on a strict and controlled diet, she stood in her box calling for constant attention...like...Hey! Someone forgot to feed me! She went for long walks and behaved just as she had before the disaster.

To begin with, there was the small problem of the foal calling and Ivy calling for her foal. She had after all had her whole stomach cut open and could do without a hungry foal. But things were calming down on the second day and day three at home was much calmer.
She was being walked and was very alert.
Until it was feeding time...
Ivy, whos main interest in life was food, would not even look at her foodbowl.
Back to the animal hospital.
And then things went from bad to worse.
She was put down on the 8th of december, only 8 years old.

A brave jumper that never gave up and would have a go at any fence...a super mum (ah well if you dont take into account that she kept trying to steal the foals food).
We are so happy that we at least have her foal...and if the foal is only half as good as her mum, she will be a great horse!

Take care of all the ones you love, sometimes life is far shorter that we think.

[Lise-Lotte Persson]

Hej Ursula
Vilken otur ni hade med er fina häst! Är verkligen ledsen för er skull!
Hoppas allt går bra med fölet, och håller tummarna för att det utvecklas precis så som ni önskar!
Roligt att det gick så bra för din valp i Malmö, grattis till det!

[Rieky van Hal]

i am so sorry for you loss
she was to young to go
she was a beautiful horse
My thought are whit you
rieky

[Dee Rance]

Oh Ursula I have just seen this. OMG I am so sorry for your loss, she was such a wonderful animal, and as you say you still have her baby..I can only imagine how you are feeling, and others have said, such a young girl. You are rite disaster can strike at the most wonderful of moments. Again I am so sorry for you all...

[Angela Roberts]

Had seen this and not commented before as was always in such a rush but feel bad now that you have been supportive to me and I hadn't shown my condolences to you. Ivy was beautiful and her time with you would have been happy years for her and she did look so happy running with her foal alongside, I hope in the short time she spent with her foal she will have passed on her virtues. I have had quite a few ponies and one horse over the years and nearly all of them have stayed until the end of their days so know something of what you must be feeling however the youngest one I lost was 18 years and the oldest 3 weeks short of 32 years old so although it was hard they had a good life. I still have a 28 year old now that I bred so she has lived on my Mums land all of her life, lucky girl.