Our blind foal Helen

[backwoodsnanny]

Well pretty uneventful day for Helen but she does come to the whistle tones almost every time and she is kicking her mom and trying to kick at those scratching her. We have training on Wed so did not get pics today but maybe tomorrow as she will be a week old tomorrow. My friend is hoping to be able to finish her ramp by then and Debs from this forum has found me a bell that should work for her mother. I still do not have the paddock Helen proofed yet but soon I hope. She runs around the stall fast enough to scare anyone but she no longer bumps walls well almost never and if her mom would stand still it would be helpful. She also talks to mom when she eats now with that little foal nicker that makes having babies so fun. I guess thats all for now and thanks for continuing to be interested.

 

[ChrystalPaths]

The bell went off priority mail today Nita, I hope it is just what you need. I am sure Cookie and Helen are doing just fine until you get things settled, it is a huge stall after...course there is all that extra stall mucking to do but hey....soon it will be better, I promise!

 

[Miniv]

She must be driving her mom nuts! LOL!

MA

 

[Reble]

Thanks for the update

:

 

[Hosscrazy]

How wonderful!!!! She sounds like a real sweetheart!!! Just curious - do you get the feeling that her mom either knows or senses that her baby cannot see?

Liz R.

 

[virginia]

Thanks for the update!!

 

[backwoodsnanny]

Cookie does know I think but she challenges Helen to do everything a normal foal must do for instance she does not go to her as she did the first day or two. The stall they are in is roughly 12 X 16 and Cookie makes her come to her. If Helen thinks she has lost her and gets verbal about it Cookie will talk to her and let her know where she is but other wise she seems to challenge her to use her senses to find her and Helen does very well. The stall is mapped in her mind according to what everyone has told me and though once in a while she will bump still with her nose she never crashes. I really think she knows what each wall smells like. She also knows me by smell as well as by my voice because Jodi can sit in the stall and only whistle once or twice and she will come to her but same whistle and same notes and she will get to within maybe a foot of me and back off. This is with no voice at all so I must smell different. And yes I do take showers but Im talking about a natural odor whatever it is that tells her this is friend and this is that woman who held me down. My grand daughter also can get her to come right to her using the same whistle. And when I say come right to her she doesnt wander around until she bumps into her she comes to her. Still hesitantly but she does come. Thank you so much Deb for all the help and moral support. I have had normal sighted foals who did not do this this early. Especially if they had a skitterish mom. Cookie is much more verbal with this foal than she was with her last but dont know if that is because Helen is also more verbal or because Cookie knows this is how her baby can find her.

 

[luckymeacres]

Thanks for the update, I was thinking about Helen alot lately. :saludando:

 

[nootka]

Really glad to read a happy update on her. Thanks for taking the time.

Best wishes to her and you.

Liz