Rupert; eight year old warmblood gelding

One of the extra stresses that sometimes face animal Homeopaths is the chilling statement: “if you can’t fix my horse in three weeks, he is going to be shot.” It is not often that parents bring little Samuel into the clinic and say: “you have 2 weeks to fix him – if not we will just have to bump him on the head”!

This was the case with Rupert. He had developed a large malignant sarcoid on the margin of his eye, which was a fraction of a millimetre from scraping on the cornea. It was inoperable because of its position and obviously untenable to let him suffer such agony.

The sarcoid was growing at a rapid rate, hence the three week deadline.

The most outstanding observation on meeting Rupert was that he absolutely did not want to be observed. This included anyone even standing near his left side – he would run backwards, rear repeatedly, and look totally anguished.

He had gone from being an affectionate easy going horse, completely at ease in his herd and with a close relationship with his owner, to being severely depressed, isolating himself from the other horses and humans, and reluctant to be caught.

After about 15 minutes of talking with his owner, still unable to look at what it was I was being asked to treat, she was called away and I was left alone with Rupert.

Studiously NOT looking at him, I was gazing out across the fields desperately wanting to find a way to help this horse when I felt a warm breath on the back of my neck - for the next 5 minutes or so, Rupert stood close with his muzzle pressed into my shoulder. When I finally turned around, he allowed me to look at his eye. At this point, I fell helplessly in love with this horse - in a dramatic sentimental way I had not experienced before with horse clients. The trust he had given me was so incredibly special.

In working on Rupert’s case, LOOKING had to be a major consideration:

-  his owner did not want to look, as it was so distressing
-  I wanted to look
-  Rupert was adamant that no one must look.

M; Mind; LOOKED at, cannot bear to be; agg. mental symptoms:

While I could not absolutely vouch for Rupert’s feeling towards me, I decided to include mine for him…..

M; Mind; SENTIMENTAL, (see Romantic):

S; Skin; ERUPTIONS; crusty; horny: 

F; Face; ERUPTIONS, facial; crusty:

Prescription:

Rupert was given Antimonium crudum 200, twice daily for 3 days.

The second photo was taken 3 weeks after the remedy.

The third photo – 5 weeks after the remedy

Rupert – 2 years after the remedy.

Equally as beautiful as the disappearance of the sarcoid was the reappearance of the old Rupert. He rejoined the herd, lost that tragic depressed expression in his eyes, and his affectionate close relationship with his owner was recaptured.