Spring brings babies. I was waiting for our first foals, due in mid April, but did not anticipate such an early arrival. My seasoned mare delivered her 11th foal 25 days early on a very cold April Sunday morning at 4 AM. It was about 25 degrees out and I had checked cameras about 2AM - nothing. I checked again at 4AM and she was licking at a small brown foal. I had been a little concerned about placentitis as she had bagged up very early. We tried to slow labor with Regemate and treat with antibiotics but when they are coming, they are coming! A month premature is very early for a horse and usually before 320 days they do not make it, so I was dismayed to see the little fellow. Quickly putting up heat lamps and toweling off the foal's silky coat, I immediately noticed his floppy ears and slightly domed forehead. Classic signs of a premature foal. I watched and rubbed and hoped he would come around. Mom was being great and licking him but he was obviously too weak to stand. He was downright floppy actually. I wrapped him in a foal blanket and thank goodness for the belly band because that was the only way I was able to get him on his feet. About 100 pounds maybe, I could only help support his weak back legs by letting him "sit" on my thighs as I stood behind him. He seemed to have a good suckling reflex and finally about 4 hours after delivery I was able to get him to nurse. The vet basically said that he needed to nurse every hour and it was 50-50 in any case that he would make it. It was going to be a very long night. The mare would not let anyone else in the stall so setting my cell phone alarm, every hour I struggled the little fellow to his wobbly, supported stand and he would nurse. Very little the first 24 hours, but he did nurse. Several times he was like a rag-doll when I tried to get him up. As if there was nobody home, he was completely limp and legs flopped every which way. I would smack his butt smartly and suddenly, like a light switch thrown, energy would come back and he struggled up. It was surreal and completely terrifying when it happened. By the next 24 hours I was so tired that the next night I tried every 1 1/2 hour, and by the 48 hour mark he was nursing much better. Still needed support and a stabilizing hand on his flank , but he was butting mom and trying to kick me a little! Never happier to see a baby try to kick me! By the 72 hour mark he was almost getting up by himself, just needing a little guidance to mom. By day 4 he was jumping up by himself when I came into stall and that was good because I was completely done-in from lack of sleep and I soon crashed. The ones who get rushed to vet medical clinics have round-the-clock volunteers to do this nursing and premature foal support but it also is really expensive. So I was thanking my lucky angels that I had managed to get this little fellow up every hour and he seemed to be on his way. The reality is it is still a long way to being completely out of the woods but we are on the path!
Which brings me to the other little fellow in my life- my 5 month old grandson, Benjin. I was able to help babysit this week, after the colt was nursing himself, and I can honestly say there is nothing sweeter than a baby going to sleep in your arms. He is a delight and growing so fast.
Spring brings babies. I was waiting for our first foals, due in mid April, but did not anticipate such an early arrival. My seasoned mare delivered her 11th foal 25 days early on a very cold April Sunday morning at 4 AM. It was about 25 degrees out and I had checked cameras about 2AM - nothing. I checked again at 4AM and she was licking at a small brown foal. I had been a little concerned about placentitis as she had bagged up very early. We tried to slow labor with Regemate and treat with antibiotics but when they are coming, they are coming! A month premature is very early for a horse and usually before 320 days they do not make it, so I was dismayed to see the little fellow. Quickly putting up heat lamps and toweling off the foal's silky coat, I immediately noticed his floppy ears and slightly domed forehead. Classic signs of a premature foal. I watched and rubbed and hoped he would come around. Mom was being great and licking him but he was obviously too weak to stand. He was downright floppy actually. I wrapped him in a foal blanket and thank goodness for the belly band because that was the only way I was able to get him on his feet. About 100 pounds maybe, I could only help support his weak back legs by letting him "sit" on my thighs as I stood behind him. He seemed to have a good suckling reflex and finally about 4 hours after delivery I was able to get him to nurse. The vet basically said that he needed to nurse every hour and it was 50-50 in any case that he would make it. It was going to be a very long night. The mare would not let anyone else in the stall so setting my cell phone alarm, every hour I struggled the little fellow to his wobbly, supported stand and he would nurse. Very little the first 24 hours, but he did nurse. Several times he was like a rag-doll when I tried to get him up. As if there was nobody home, he was completely limp and legs flopped every which way. I would smack his butt smartly and suddenly, like a light switch thrown, energy would come back and he struggled up. It was surreal and completely terrifying when it happened. By the next 24 hours I was so tired that the next night I tried every 1 1/2 hour, and by the 48 hour mark he was nursing much better. Still needed support and a stabilizing hand on his flank , but he was butting mom and trying to kick me a little! Never happier to see a baby try to kick me! By the 72 hour mark he was almost getting up by himself, just needing a little guidance to mom. By day 4 he was jumping up by himself when I came into stall and that was good because I was completely done-in from lack of sleep and I soon crashed. The ones who get rushed to vet medical clinics have round-the-clock volunteers to do this nursing and premature foal support but it also is really expensive. So I was thanking my lucky angels that I had managed to get this little fellow up every hour and he seemed to be on his way. The reality is it is still a long way to being completely out of the woods but we are on the path!
Which brings me to the other little fellow in my life- my 5 month old grandson, Benjin. I was able to help babysit this week, after the colt was nursing himself, and I can honestly say there is nothing sweeter than a baby going to sleep in your arms. He is a delight and growing so fast.
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