Posted on July 9, 2010 - by Hubba

Brownie the Wonder Pony

When I got home from haying yesterday afternoon, Patty Joe wanted to go for a pony ride.  I told Patty that I had to take a shower and shave, and if she was good, we’d go in an hour or so.

I got the shower took and was shaving when Bonnie called.   I hadn’t talked to her for a day or two so we had a long chat.  Two and a half hours later I went to get Patty for her pony ride.  The time lapse could be important in this story.

We couldn’t find Brownie the ancient Shetland pony anywhere.  Finally Grandma suggested that we check in the shop.  Sure enough she was in the shop.  Patty chased her out to me and I caught her.

We’ve been in and out of the shop quite a bit lately, and haven’t taken care to shut the door as a result.  Also Brownie the ancient Shetland pony lives in the yard so if the shop door is open, as we found, she can go inside the shop.  But she’s an ancient Shetland pony so nobody thought much about it.  Well, I never thought much about it anyway.

I should have become concerned when Brownie didn’t eat any of the pellets that I offered her, but for some reason I didn’t.  We saddled her up and Patty crawled aboard.  I should have become concerned when Brownie walked sideways the whole trip, but I didn’t.  Annoyed, but not concerned.

By the time we got back to the house, Brownie had developed a bad cough.  It wasn’t until we started unsaddling her that I noticed copious amounts of mucous running down her muzzle.  I was becoming a little concerned.

We put the saddle away and were standing there watching her when she coughed/sneezed/exploded and about a pint of equine snot went flying just over Patty Joe’s right shoulder.

I sent Patty in to get Cathy.  While she was gone, Brownie and I stood there.  Snot was flowing freely down her nose and periodically her whole body would convulse.  Cathy came out, took one look at Brownie and went to the shop.

By the time Cathy got back, Brownie had walked away from me and layed flat on the ground, the classic “I’m about to die” pose.

Cathy had a used oil can in her hand.  “I think Brownie drank this” Cathy said.  “I’m going to feed her some milk.”

Now I’ve seen horses do stupid things, but I’ve never heard of a horse drinking used motor oil.  I was convinced that the poor creature had consumed something she shouldn’t have, but I didn’t think we’d found it yet.  But whether or not I agreed with the diagnosis, I did agree with the treatment, and besides it wasn’t a good time to stand around arguing.

I formed a plan of action of my own.  Patty was still standing there, all alone and somewhat forgotten now, watching her pony as it appeared to die.  I could see how that could be somewhat traumatic, so I took Patty in the house.  Having done that, I decided that for good measure I should call a veterinarian.  I was convinced that whatever Brownie had consumed, milk was as good a cure as any but in case we were on the complete wrong track…

The problem with veterinarians is they just aren’t sitting at home on Thursday evenings.  I had called the fifth one before I got one on the phone.  I launched breathlessly into an account of our ailing pony before she caught a break and asked “Uh, who am I talking to?”  Stupid me.

But by the time we had finished discussing the case, Cathy came back in and said that Brownie was up and walking around.  The vet said she had never heard of a horse drinking motor oil either.

An inspection of the shop later proved that Brownie had indeed drank used motor oil.  She had also eaten some Shop-Dri, a chemical absorbent product.  She may have also drank some antifreeze before finishing with half a bag of grain.  And a quart of milk saved her.  She was walking around this morning like nothing happened.

Well I’ll be damned.