Colicky weather

While doing the mornng horse-housekeeping & feeding realised something wasn't right with Sultan. Started with him not greeting me & the dogs with his normal neigh, then he didn't finish his feed, started pawing/scratching on the concrete floor and finally went out, laid down on the grass and didn't get up when I went to him.

All typical signs of a colic attack, potentially deadly. So on with the halter and off we set for a walk. Didn't even have time to put collars on the dogs. Luckily Sultan's bowels "moved" shortly after we entered the forest, a good sign. He was still not himself, following way behind rather than being his normal cheeky self.

However minute for minute he seemed to be improving and when a tractor loaded with a tank of slurry came around a corner a great speed and only just managed to stop, his problem was solved. He treats every tractor as if it was a very large brown bear. His "dance" as we found a spot to get off the track was subdued but enough to pump enough adrenalin to get him fit.

Farmer gave a friendly nod and shot off. It was the father of the same tractor/slurry combination we met in the forest last year. Later just as we were nearly home we saw him again and I quickly thanked him for his patience and he was just as friendly as his son.

Blip was taken near end of walk when I allowed him to steal a few blades of grass. This alone was a good sign - at the start of the walk he had no interest in grass.
Kept an eye on him during the day but no further problems. He has almost certainly been eating things out of the hedgerow and something is poisonous. He does this as soon as he gets bored with the grass on a field. Although home late, Angie did take him out for a ride in the evening and he went well. After that opened up a new field so as to avoid a repeat.

Weather continues to be major talking point. Today spotted exactly the same "Autumn Crocus" (Naked Lady) that appeared on Blip last year on 11th September. On looking through "this time last year", it is quite depressing. Only good thing...it can only get better....please!