If it wasn't for bad luck...

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~Palomino~

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Hello Y'all. Its been a little while since I've posted on here, but I wanted to post this to hopefully help out some people in the future, or to help you feel better if your in the dumps and think you'll never even come close to living your horse dream.

This year I was supposed to have 2 foals, and thought in my head well if I have two colts I bet I can make $1000 of each colt and that will be the perfect amount to buy some new fencing, pay vet bills and buy hay. On April 18th my first baby was born. I posted pictures some of you may remember him. Well the day he was born his mom was laying down, a LOT, we finally took her over to a vet and she ran ever test possible on her and found out ($300 later) she was dehydrated and just in pain. We pumped some water into her and everything was fine and dandy and she said bring him over tomorrow for an IgG test. From what I have read 99% of the time the foal for sure got enough colostrum and a lot of people don't even waste their money on them. Well that $40.00 test could have saved my colt had I known that it could be fatal. I won't go into details cause it was flat out tiring and just emotionally exhausting. We paid around around $580 for a plasma transfusion and the vet thought he had some kind of infection in his brain. I had had surgery the day he got sick and that night I went out every two hours and milked his mom and syringe fed him. He passed away 2 days later. This colt was a month and a half old and till he got sick was the healthiest, happiest, go lucky colt, but because that lack of colostrum (which I made sure he had nursed) died:( That was loss number 1.

About 3 weeks ago I had gone out at about 10 PM to put the horses away, I knew my FAVORITE mare Sierra was getting close and I was getting ready to start watching her, and I went out to put her in her stall and I could hear her in labour. I flashed the light on her and could see she was in labour and ran and grabbed my parents, ran out and I could see only one leg and head was presented. Talk about scary. Both my dad (who are full grown 6' tall, and my dads an ex college football player) would take turns reaching up there trying to find this leg. We finally located it, and my dad somehow got this baby out. I thought he was dead. But I didn't care this was my favorite mare I just wanted her out of pain. But when he popped out he was still A live. I was very happy. Had vet come out do IgG on the baby and he was good, she SAID that the mom looked good and charged me $175 and left. Long story short I finally took her to my favorite vet, and they did a belly tap and there was blood. So I had to make a decision to have this $2000.00 surgery done on her or not. My favorite horse I said DO IT. She had a 50/50 chance of living. Sadly, she passed away that night:( Talk about wanting to give up. My FAVORITE horse, who I just loved to death is gone. I watched the whole surgery and her whole uterus was filled with infection, and a part was dead. So here I am stuck with this 5 day old colt and my favorite horse is dead. We went and picked him up the next day and took him to a friends who had a mare who's colt was a lot older and the colt was doing so well she said take her and try and get her to accept him. 2 weeks later, she has finally accepted him!

With all the sadness I have had some good come out of it! So I want to introduce to you Carlsens Rocky Road. Pictured at a couple days old with is real mommy!

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Also Bandito arrived in the midst of it all.

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Oh and when they say bad luck comes in three's? This happened in the middle of it all too. Scribbles my newest mare who is kind of nosey somehow did this!

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It has definitely been a Rocky Road (hence the babies name) and for a while I was so jaded and just wanted to get out. But hopefully I am praying I'll have 2 healthy babies next year, And finally this mare accepted my little baby, and Scribbles leg is starting to heal up. I think at the end of the day it is worth all the sadness.

Sorry for the novel but just wanted to warn new breeders about IgG and just to hopefully give someone out there hope who might feel the same way I do. It does have to get better!

Thanks for letting me share!

Gage
 
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Sending sympathy, I lost my mare and then her foal this year too.

I'm glad things are getting better now though. He looks lovely.
 
I really dont know what to say - it seems so unfair that so much bad luck should strike in one place. I'm so sorry for you.

I love your little boy, so glad you managed to find a mare to look after him, bless him.

Sending hugs and saying prayers for a positive and happy future.

Anna
 
I'm so heartbroken for you Gage. I don't even know what say. You are always the nicest, sweetest person and I know your horses are the world to you. I'm just so sorry about your lovely mare and also the lost foal. I hope Rocky continues to thrive.

Hugs to you.
 
Wow Gage, I'm SO sorry you lost your colt and then your favorite mare in such a way.
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{{{{Hugs}}}}

I'm glad Rocky made it and has a step mom to take care of him! He's a nice colt!

Hang in there!
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I am so sorry for your losses! That is a lot to have to handle at any time; much less in such a short time frame!

I'm glad your colt is doing well with a "new mommy".

This should also be a "lesson" to those who are new to Minis and breeding...thinking that with each new baby comes money. Rarely does a new baby equal "making money". Yes, if you have a nice quality foal and nothing "goes wrong", you can sell the baby for some money, but...in the general scheme of things...you won't make money breeding horses. Just a thought for those who are "thinking of getting into breeding".
 
Oh no how very sad. I am so sorry for your loss and the stress and trauma that you have been through. Fingers crossed things have turned a corner now and you can look to the future and look forward to 2 healthy foals next yr.
 
Oh man, that is just a lot to deal with. So much loss, so much money. I'm so sorry.
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Hang in there. Things balance out, so there should be some rainbows ahead.
 
Oh, Gage, I am so so sorry
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I hope Bandito will do a lot ot help you have reasons to smile going forward -- he is so beautiful! HUGS!!!
 
I am so sorry you have had such a tough year. Praying things will stay on the bright side now.

Your colt is very beautiful!
 
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I'm so sorry, Gage. You're definitely due for some happy times, now, though
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Thank you all so much! You all are to sweet. It has been one of the toughest times. 3 months ago I was DYEING to have my first baby and so looking forward to have 2 mares with 2 little babies to play with, and then here I am with 2 less horses than I thought I was going to have. I do know its inevitable, and they're are going to be hard times and thats just the way that it is.

Thanks again!! You all are awesome.

Gage
 
I am so sorry for your losses! We lost two foals and a mare this year too so we can relate. There have been so many miniature mare and foal losses it is so tragic for so many.
 
Sorry for all your bad luck. However as for Scribbles, the leg should heal up fine with bearly a mark. I had a black gelding do this, pretty much exactly the same. In the end only mark left on him was a little bit of white hair. He also survived falling out of a trailer down the freeway so is a lucky guy.
 
Sorry for all your bad luck. However as for Scribbles, the leg should heal up fine with bearly a mark. I had a black gelding do this, pretty much exactly the same. In the end only mark left on him was a little bit of white hair. He also survived falling out of a trailer down the freeway so is a lucky guy.
Thats what everyone has been telling me, Im not worried about any white hair as she is a pintaloosa so would look normal. Just hope it doesn't leave scar. Right now it looks like Raw Hamburger! Its sick. I've been cleaning it and putting this stuff the vet had me get on it everyday so hopefully sooner or later it will start to look better!

Thanks again everyone!

Gage
 
It will take awhile. If I remember right on my gelding it took well over a month for it to totally heal. There wasnt even a dent in his skin where it happened, aside for the hair color there would have been no evidence of anything happening.
 
Gage, I sure know how you feel!! The past year I've had my vet on speed dial, and we saw each other regularly! I lost a mare and foal in February, you aren't alone. I sincerely hope things turn around for the better for you, I know it can be a challenge to rise above it. Go spend some time with Bandito, that has to help you feel better!
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