The Scariest Moment of My Life with Horses

My life would be so different without Sissy in it. We've been together through thick and thin for 16 years. I wasn't ready to contemplate a life without her, but I had to. I just experienced the scariest four days of my horse owning life, saving Sissy.

The good news: We battled against colic and won the fight. 

​We were very lucky. In fact, we see it as a miracle. Making this video of our journey was therapeutic for me after seeing my beloved horse and best friend over an enormous health hurtle that could have ended so differently.

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Saving Sissy: Our Battle with Colic

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Colic is a condition that all horse owners fear and it snuck up on us last Thursday. A sudden change in diet or weather, stress, too much grass, a foreign object (honestly the list goes on and on) causes a painful and potentially fatal impaction or blockage in the bowel.

Signs of colic in horses can include:

• Frequently looking at their side.
• Biting or kicking their flank or belly.
• Lying down and/or rolling.
• Little or no passing of manure.
• Fecal balls smaller than usual.
• Passing dry or mucus (slime)-covered manure.
• Poor eating behavior, may not eat all their grain or hay.
• Change in drinking behavior.
• Heart rate over 45 to 50 beats per minute.
• Tacky gums.
• Long capillary refill time.

• Off-colored mucous membranes.

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Photo: Melanie Ellis Photography

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Thank you to everyone who kept us in your prayers. Thank you to my husband for holding me up every step of the way. I thank heaven that, with the help of the professionals at the Chaparral Veterinary Medical Clinic, we saved Sissy.

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About Carly Kade

Photo: Shelley Paulson Photography

Carly Kade is an award-winning author, horse owner, creativity coach, and the host of the Equestrian Author Spotlight Podcast. She helps fellow writers start, grow, and expand their author careers. Creative writing makes her spurs jingle!

Carly's In the Reins equestrian romance book series was written with horse lovers in mind, no matter which discipline they ride. The horses are as vital to moving the story forward as the human characters are.

These books are perfect for poolside reading, taking to the beach, or settling down with after a day of horseback riding.

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