David is the world to me

This is me and Davy Boko (alias David), a Dutch race horse (standardbred). On 25-8-13 he had to race the biggest race for 3 year old horses in Holland, the Derby. He was one of the favourites, but a couple of weeks before this race he stopped with eating. He ate, but not much. He was not happy and vital anymore and we knew there was something wrong. 

So we brought him to several vets and nobody could exactly tell us what was wrong. So the day of the big race we were all very nervous of course, it was now or never… 
The race went well for him and in the last turn he took him out and he won very easily. So end good all good we thought. We were in the clouds, so happy with our lovely horse and that he did so good despite he was not 100%.

Only 3 days later we fell off that cloud…. He had a fever of 41,6 degrees. He was so sick… couldn’t even walk anymore and we feared the worse. We had to bring him to the clinic (and normally he should not be able to be transported, to weak). He did not want to eat and drink, so the fever stayed also (around 40 degrees). 

Firstly we could not visit him because he was in quarantine, but finally they told us maybe it will be good for him to see people he knows. I saw him standing in the box and I felt terrible, there was nothing left from this beautiful young stallion. I filled a bucket with water and instantly he started to drink, I gave him food and he started to eat. And he didn’t eat for almost 3 days…. 

From that day on I almost visited him every day (together with the mother of his trainer, she loves him also very much). Every day he was getting a bit better. And we could have a little hope. But still it was not certain he would survive. Finally the vets came with the conclusion that he had a very bad stomach ulcer, so bad that it could have been fatal for Davy. But now he has been treated for that and after 2 weeks we could finally bring him home. I thank God every day that he spared us and gave me my little boy back. I have been so frightened to lose him, couldn’t eat or sleep… my stomach hurted so badly so eventually I went to the doctor and he told me that I had a stomach ulcer…. I thought this cannot be true… 

I have the same problem as David… How do you mean solitaire to the horse… 
David is the world to me.

The race: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35h3Ywn63e8

Jennifer Jenna Michaela Hills, Netherlands