update on dummy foal he was a blessing

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indebtedfarms

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I posted yesterday about my colt that we believe was a dummy foal. We had him put down this morning but I wanted to tell everyone what I learned from all of you and from him. This mare aborted her first 2 babies at 9 months. We didn't give up we tried one more time--this time we gave pneumabort and she carried to term but the cord was twisted and it took it's last breath as it was born. (we didn't know how to give mouth to mouth to a horse so I mistakenly blew into her mouth.) The forum told me the proper way to do it should I ever have to again. We were not going to breed again but felt so strongly she deserved a live baby. So we bred again. She didn't take right away and so we assumed she was not bred. 3 weeks ago she looked pregnant so we took her to the vet and sure enough she was.

She started labor last night around 4 in the afternoon. I was reaching in because if this baby was alive I wanted it to stay alive. I felt his little hoof pull back. After about 20 minutes of not much progress I decided it was time to look closer. I have never had a red bag delivery but I have read about them many times on the forum so when the water bag didn't look quite right I said, "I think this is a red bag and I need to get him out." So after some struggling I broke the bag and blood shot all over me and clear across the barn. I have never seen that much fluid come out of anything. It was water mixed with a lot of blood and I guess there was between 5 and 10 gallons of water. I have never seen anything like it. But I reached in and found his legs and thought his head too but after my husband started pulling he told me there was no head. I reached in and couldn't find the head and knew we had to hurry. So I told him to pull and we pulled him out completely breech. He was not breathing. So taking the forums advice this time I did mouth to nose recusetation-sp??. He started breathing after not too long and we thought we had saved him. At first he looked around and seemed like a normal foal just one that is tired from a hard birth. After an hour he still couldn't stand and was already going down hill from no milk. We milked momma and fed him. After 3 hours I took him to the vet and they tube fed him. After 30 minutes he really perked up and even tried to stand a little. The vet said it was hydrocephalus and that he was probably retarded. We took him home and fed him all through the night but after 16 hours he could no longer hold his head up and was in bad shape. I took him to the vet this morning and asked that he put down. The vet strongly agreed with my decision.

In the 16 hours he was alive he lived like a king. He was bottle fed every hour or so and for the first several hours I slept in the barn with him and we shared a sleeping bag. I got too cold so I brought him in to our bed. He curled up next to me all night and every now and then would raise his little head as if to give me a little kiss. He was a blessing to us because I have always wanted a baby horse that would curl up with me and none of mine will but he did. Also, his momma finally got to be a mommy even if only for a few hours. And she really seemed to love it. I hate it when things turn out this way but he gave us one of the best days of our lives. And we truly loved him with all our heart. Thank you for all of your prayers because in a way I feel they were answered. We got him for 16 hours longer than we were supposed to mostly because of the advice of this forum.

THANK YOU!!!!!!

also, she will never be bred again. She will just be our pet.
 
Oh my, I'm in tears. I am so glad you had some time with your baby, but I am so sorry you lost him so quickly!
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So sorry, but yes, you had a blessing for a short period, sure which it had been longer for you.

Thinking of you in your time of need
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my my my..you also have me in tears..what a sweet sweet moment for you..to share his little life and give him the love you have...this forum IS a wealth of information and lots of shoulders to cry on..and many hands to help you up, dry your tears or others to pat you on the back when needed....we are family..and as family i am so glad to know you..you are a good soul. I won't call his little life a loss as it truely was a Blessing in its own way (((hugs)))
 
I am sorry you have had so much trouble with your mare. It is so hard to lose the foals after you have them born alive & have tried everything to keep them that way. We had a mare that was similar to yours so we designated her as non breeding also.
 
How beautiful and how sad at the same time.......I'm so glad you and your little mare got to love him for even that short time.....and while he was with you he was loved in return. Now the tears are coming for you........

PS: I just wanted to add -- Where ever there is love, there is a purpose. I truly believe that.
 
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I'm so sorry you lost him and so happy for you that you could appreciate the joy of having him even for a short time. We can only do the best we can and make the decisions we feel must be made when the time comes. I believe that what love you give in this world will one day return to you many times over. You deserve so much for loving him so well while he was with you and letting him go when the time came.
 
I'm so sorry that you lost him too. I'll bet he knew that you and his momma truly loved him, hugs.
 
Thank you for sharing your experience as I know we all are blessed in different ways and should not take anything for granted ... with tears falling, I am able to look out and see mine ... feeling very blessed myself knowing that I came very close to losing my foal if I had not been there to deliver him.

What beautiful moments and memories you will have of your little one. I am very sorry for your loss.
 
I'm so sorry for your loss. ((((HUGS)))) It isn't any easier if you only had them in your life for just a little while it hurts the same.
 
I truely understand & feel your loss
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Jan. of 07 my best show mare delivered her 1st foal.

I was there & it was a tight fit but we did make it. We named her CJMM Blue Boys Believe in Color.

Little Evie was very slow, didn't want to get up & nurse. I milked Miriah & fed her. She was fading fast.

We had the Vet out and she said Evie was a dummy foal & we should put her to sleep. I put little shirts on her to keep her warm and I stayed with her round the clock feeding her with a syringe. I would rock her in the stall & sing to her. Her Mom didn't want anything to do with Evie. It was like she knew & was keeping her distance. Of course Evie passed and I still haven't gotten over it. I couldn't even talk about it for so long..

But a month ago Miriah gave birth to a healthy little boy and we are so happy with him. Every time I have

the blessing of a safe live foal I thank God that he didn't need them more than me. cjmm
 
I'm so sorry about your foal. I was praying for a happier outcome. But I'm glad you had the opportunity to love him and for him to know he was loved. I'm sure it was a bittersweet special 16 hours. You did everything you could for him including helping him across rainbow bridge...one of the hardest but most loving things you can do.
 
So sorry for your loss. I'm happy though you can see the blessings in this foals brief time with you. What a fabulous job you did making his short life so very perfect.

Lots of wonderful thoughts and prayers for your family and thank you for sharing this story.
 
Back on after some time and just read your story... so sorry for you and your mare but the fact he was able to be with you for a bit of time and share the love...as one other poster said, he is not a loss but a blessing, if only for a moment.

{{{{HUGS}}}}

Denise

Silversong Farm
 

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