Gratitude for the healthy ones!

Annie went downhill fast on Saturday night and seemed to slip even further on Sunday morning.

I've been cutting green kikuyu by hand, soaking it and feeding it mixed with grated carrots and soaked lucerne pellets.........and in between the feeds, I've managed to syringe fluids down her throat.

She had her last feed by torch-light last night, but I had to prop her head up on a hay-bale to feed her, because she couldn't lift it herself. I left her sleeping snugly in the straw and went in to bed with a heavy heart.

This morning, I felt the same sense of dread going out to the hay-shed.

There she lay, still recumbent, but with her little head raised and plucking oat hay enthusiastically from the bale in front of her! She's had a better feed this morning than she's had for several days and when I came in to feed the others, her nose...... poking out of the too-big fly mask.......was eagerly searching for the grass in front of her.

Looking out over the rest of my herd, munching contentedly at their hay-nets I realised how blessed I am to have so many healthy, happy animals and in a way.........what a privilege it is to be able to help a sick one now and then!

That deep special relationship that builds with an animal nursed back to health, is something few people ever experience. I'm so grateful to be one of the lucky ones.