Nightstorm and the Grand Slam Read Online Free PDF Page A

“He’s just in so much pain…”
    The guard looked pale with shock. “Well, let’s get him outside into the courtyard. You need to keep him moving.”
    Issie had never looked after a horse with colic before, but like most riders she knew the drill. Keep them walking, keep them calm and, no matter what, don’t let them roll.
    But keeping Storm moving wasn’t an easy matter. The stallion was in terrible pain and all he wanted to do was lie down again. He tried once more to drop to his knees and Issie had to bellow at him and yank sharply on the lead rope to make him step forward and leave the stall.
    Even when they were out in the stony courtyard, Storm was still reluctant to walk. It was taking all of Issie’s strength and patience just to keep him moving.
    â€œWill you be OK while I go and call the vet?” the guard asked her, looking worried.
    Issie nodded. “It’s OK, I can handle him. Go make the call.”
    The guard must have only been gone for ten minutes but it felt like a lifetime as Issie walked Storm around the yard alone. She could feel her own stomach tying in knots. Her horse had colic, but everythingdepended on what happened next. If she could stop Storm from injuring himself further, and if the vet arrived in time, then the stallion still had a chance of survival.
    She thought back to Stella’s comment that the stallion had been off his feed. Why hadn’t she followed through and come down to the stables to check on him? Had Storm been in this state for long or had the colic set in quickly? Issie put out a hand to reassure the horse and realised that his whole body was drenched with sweat.
    â€œIt’s going to be OK, boy, they’ll be back soon…” she reassured the stallion. But inside she was panicking. Where was the guard? He’d been gone for far too long!
    Suddenly there were voices in the darkness. The guard was back – and he had the vet with him.
    â€œI’m Maurice Cross,” the vet introduced himself with a brisk handshake. He dropped his medical case to the ground, dug out a stethoscope and began to examine Storm straight away.
    â€œSo he’s showing signs of colic?”
    â€œHe’s been getting to the ground and trying to roll,” Issie confirmed. She ran through the rest of Storm’ssymptoms while the vet examined his heart rate and breathing.
    â€œHis pulse is very high,” the vet looked concerned. “He’s at over 100 beats per minute at the moment.”
    â€œIs that bad?” Issie asked. “Is he going to be OK?”
    The vet shook his head. “I can’t tell you that yet. There are different types of colic. If it’s just a nervous muscle spasm then he’ll recover overnight. But if it’s something more serious, like a twist in his bowel or an impaction, then he’ll deteriorate in the next few hours…”
    The vet stopped talking and began to hunt about in his bag. He pulled out a hypodermic needle and loaded the syringe with clear fluid.
    â€œWe’ll give him a muscle relaxant and see what happens,” the vet said. “With any luck, he’s having spasmodic contractions and the relaxant will help to ease them.”
    The vet took the hypodermic needle and thrust it firmly into the muscle of Storm’s neck. The stallion didn’t flinch as the needle went in all the way to the hilt.
    â€œIt should take effect in a few minutes,” the vet said.“The main thing now is to keep walking him. It’s vital that you don’t let him roll.”
    The vet gestured towards the security gates at the front of the yard. “They have my number on speed dial,” he told her. “I’ll come back and check on you in the morning. But don’t be afraid to call me before then if there’s any change.”
    Issie watched the vet leave and hoped that a phone call wouldn’t be necessary.
    â€œIs there anything