Tonto's keeper

Since my honeymoon Sof and Tonto have been in separate fields. This has worked beautifully for Sofie – she has slimmed down to a healthy weight and is happy in a field with her mate Jessie and new bf. Her feet are looking much better and her mane is growing back.

Skinny Tonto having a cleantrax bath - stood like this for an
hour and a half

Unfortunately Tonto has been miserable. He is pinning for sof and is loosing more and more weight. He looks very lame and thin and is just soo sad. I tried leaving him out in the field for a fortnight to get him used to being away from Sofie – but he would forlornly whinny as I walked away leaving him at the gate and I could hear him calling for Sof from the distance. I cracked last weekend and brought him in. He was so delighted to come into the yard and see Sof but it also gave me a good chance to assess his awful condition. He is ribby, his back end is entirely withered and tucked in. His coat is dull and his eyes are sad. Just breaks my heart. I gave him a long cleantrax foot spar as his feet were black with thrush and a good cuddle. He was nuzzling me and falling asleep with his face in my chest, but wasn’t interested in hay and did just seem tired. He is in pain, and it just isn’t fair anymore. I asked him if had had enough, I got the feeling his answer was yes.

When I went to put them back out again he first marched us off into the field of green grass rather than follow the track to his field. I decided to humour him and grazed sof with him. When I went to continue to the field he refused to follow and just stood calling to us. He couldn’t have made it any clearer – I want to stay here with you.

I couldn’t bring myself to force him back to his field, not when he so unwell and the terrible decision seems to be looming near. Tonto is unlikely to make this winter, so lets make his last months as good as they possibly can be. Sod the cost.

The only way I could see of getting him the TLC he needs and keeping him with Sof that he loves without ruining Sofie’s health is to put them BOTH on stable livery. It will cost me a fortune, but for Tonto I’ll do it.

In November Liphook are coming to do a health check. I am going to ask them to look at Tonto with the view of – is there anything that can be done to improve his quality of life. If the answer is no, which I expect it will be, then I plan on letting Tonto out of his pain.

Funny how things work out, turns out Sofie’s ligament damage has come at just the right time. It has allowed her to be a comfort to Tonto and me when we need it most.