Page 68 of Rocky Mountain Cowboy Christmas
“Q is showing signs of colic,” he told them, his voice serious but calm. Maya sucked in an audible breath, her face paling as he continued. “I’ve already called the vet, but I could use your help.”
She hurried to jam her feet into her boots, and Camille and the other kids followed suit. In worried silence, they yanked on their coats and hats. Everyone looked upset, reminding Camille that Q wasn’t just Maya’s pony. All of the kids had learned to ride on him, and they were all obviously torn up with concern.
In a solemn group, they trooped down to the barn. As they got close, Maya hurried ahead, sliding open the barn door and rushing down the aisle to Q’s stall. Camille followed, her stomach tightening with concern when she got a glimpse of him. The pony looked miserable, his coat dark with sweat and his head low. Steve and Maya went into his stall with him, while the rest of them stayed in the aisle, looking in.
“Poor Q.” Maya’s voice was shaky, but she wasn’t crying. Camille was impressed, knowing she wouldn’t be nearly as calm if it’d been her horse. After Maya slid a halter on Q, Steve took the pony’s temperature. Q nipped at his side before hanging his head again.
“No fever,” Steve said. “Maya, what else should we check before the vet gets here?” He asked the question in a patient, teaching tone.
“Um…temperature, pulse, gut sounds, the gum thing—”
“Capillary refill,” Will offered, and Maya nodded. As she listed and then checked her pony’s vital signs, she grew steadier, and Camille began to understand why Steve had asked for her help. If she’d stayed inside, she would’ve worried, but now she had something to focus on and a feeling that she was doing something, rather than being powerless.
“How serious is this?” Camille asked Micah in a quiet voice.
“Hard to tell,” he said, raising one shoulder in a shrug.
“Isn’t colic just gas pain?” She felt a little silly for the question, especially when Steve answered.
“It can be, but it can also be impaction colic—kind of like constipation—or even a twist in the intestine causing the block.”
She winced. That sounded so painful. “What happens if he has that?”
“He’d need surgery.” Maya had gotten pale during their discussion, and Steve gave her a glance before saying, “I doubt it’s that serious, though.”
Camille didn’t want to see what a serious colic situation looked like, if this wasn’t one, since poor Q was obviously in a miserable condition.
“Should we walk him?” Maya asked.
“Can’t hurt. Let’s cover him up first so he doesn’t get a chill. He’s still sweating a lot from the pain.” Steve moved out of the stall so Maya could lead her pony into the aisle, and Micah hurried to grab the fleece blanket and buckle it on the pony. Their small group huddled together, watching as Maya and Q made their slow way down to the other end of the barn.
“Were you just saying that so Maya wouldn’t be scared?” Zoe said quietly. “About it not being serious?”
Steve wrapped his arm around her and pulled her against his side. “No. I wouldn’t lie to her. Once the vet gets here and gets some pain meds and mineral oil into him, he’ll feel a lot better really fast.”
After twenty stress-filled minutes, the vet arrived. “They always seem to decide to get sick on a holiday, don’t they?” she said as she headed down the aisle toward them, bundled up in insulated coveralls and a stocking cap. As she examined Q under Maya’s anxious supervision, Camille ran inside to make some coffee for Steve and the vet. While it was brewing, she filled two travel mugs with warm cider for the kids.
Being in the warm house made her realize how cold she’d gotten, and she worried about the kids getting chilled. She grabbed a couple of fleece blankets and carried them and the hot beverages back to the barn.
“If it doesn’t pass in a few hours, you might try taking him on a short trailer ride. The motion sometimes is the best thing for an impaction.” The vet peeled off her gloves and tossed them in a nearby trash can. “I need to go to Ebba for a mare having some trouble foaling, but call me if anything changes.”
“Coffee for the road?” Camille offered the vet one of the travel mugs.
“You’re a goddess,” she said, accepting the coffee before hurrying out of the barn to her truck.
“I just gave away one of your mugs,” Camille said as she handed the second coffee to Steve, who took it with a grateful smile. “Sorry about that.”
He waved away her concern. “Don’t worry about it. I accidentally steal my share of travel mugs when I’m on calls, so it all works out.”
“What’s the verdict?” she asked, handing one of the ciders to Zoe after noticing that she was looking pinched with cold. Micah and Will both looked more comfortable, so she wrapped one of the blankets around Zoe’s shoulders, getting a grateful smile in return.
“The vet agreed with Dad.” Maya was the one who answered from her spot by the open stall door where she was watching her pony. “He does look a lot better now.”
“Drugs are amazing things,” Camille said absently, handing the other cider to Maya before wrapping the second blanket around her. When Steve cleared his throat, she realized what she’d said. “Oh. Um…just prescription drugs are amazing, and only when used legally and responsibly.” Glancing at Steve, who looked amused, she asked, “Okay?”
“Good save.” A smile snuck out that he hid behind his coffee mug.
“You guys are going to have to share the cider,” she said, taking up a spot next to Steve where she could see into Q’s stall. “I ran out of carrying hands.”
