The morning broke with howling wind, driving rain and even a spatter of snow! Long gone were the beaming sunny days but the weather couldnt damper my spirit as I lay under the covers, cat in situ upon my chest, because this day Chico was coming home.
I would have to wait until my dad finished work before we could set off to retrieve my boy. After a few hours sorting paperwork, getting irate at pestering cats and freezing without central heating I finally set off to the yard.
At the vets Chico again put up some resistance to loading onto the trailer, a fact which myself and the two girls helping me didnt appreciate in the freezing weather. Finally on board, with goody bag in hand (containing all manner of lotions and potions), we set off home.
Chico's face upon unloading at HIS yard was a picture. He practically dragged me down the yard towards his stable. You would have thought he hadnt eaten in a week such was the voracity he went at his haynet! Our yard manager came to welcome him home and got a nudge in the ear for trouble, Chico's cheeky ways were as sharp as ever.
The vet had removed his tummy bandage, telling me that as he was so active the bandage kept rolling up and as he was doing so well they just took it off. I had to keep a close eye on the wound, which looked tiny compared to the horrendous image i had in my mind, to ensure it was clean and infection free.
Removing his cotton sheet gave me a giggle. Chico was now sporting a very fetching bald patch on his side. A not so neatly shaved patch (where they had scanned him before surgery) was no pride of place, no in hand showing for us this year!!
6 weeks of strict box rest are to follow. Grazing out in hand each day but other than that Chico was in for a very boring 6 weeks. I felt sorry for him, being such an exuberant boy with a love in playing with his horsey friends such a term of 'solitary' was going to be hard for him. I promised him I would walk him around the yard everyday to say hello to his friends in their stables.
I had to keep a watch for signs of discomfort and of course colic symptoms but Chico was in such good spirit I was optimistic of a trouble free recovery, but only time will tell....
Here he is, back safe in his stable, he had clearly lost some weight but with all the stress of the last week he wasnt to only one to lose a few pounds. He was so boisterous in the stable, clear photos were not easy!
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