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Discussion on Healthy Foal
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Member:
Bmwatson
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 4, 2003 - 11:43 pm:
Dr O
I have never made a post on this site before, but today I felt that I was required to do so.
Last night around 10:30 PM my eight year old mare gave birth to a healthy colt. This was the mare's, as well as my, first foal. Needless to say I was extremely nervous about the whole ordeal, but thanks to you and all the members of Horseadvice.com, everything went well.
Every night for the last three weeks (my mare was three weeks over the 11 month gestation period) I would log on to this site with a multitude of questions. Not once did I have to post a question due to the fact that the answers to my questions were always contained in previous posts.
I really wanted to see the foal being born but that did not work out. Last night around 8:30 PM I checked my mare and she was not showing any signs that were different from every night for the last three weeks. When I went out again to check at 11:30 PM, the foal was just standing up. I was a little bit disappointed that I missed the birth, but extremely happy that everything went well.
I was a little bit concerned about the amount of collostrum that my mare was able to produce, so I took your advice and had a vet come and do a blood test on the foal. I am happy to report that all is well.
I guess I am posting this message to thank you Dr O for helping to keep me sane with the wealth of information that is contained on this site. I send thanks from the bottom of my heart to you and all the other members of Horseadvice.com for helping me get through the last three weeks and more. There is no doubt in my mind that the information I was able to obtain from this site had a direct impact on my end result which was a healthy mare and foal and a sane owner.
I am attaching a picture of my mare Blacky and her colt Jake who is about eight hours old in this picture.
Thanks again and please take care.
Barry Watson
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Member:
Pones
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 5, 2003 - 3:28 am:
Congratulations! Glad that all went well!
First foals are quite often 'late' - up to 12 months gestation.
A friend of mine has just been through the same experience as yourself - first foal for their pony mare and she was 20 days late. Their foal was born during the night out in the field - thankfully the weather was nice and all was OK!
Hope your little one continues to bring you pleasure! Have you got a name yet?!
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Member:
Imogen
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 5, 2003 - 10:47 am:
Jake looks great, Barry - don't be shy, now you know us all I hope you'll post again and keep us up to date with how he's getting on - we don't bite (well, not often!)
All the best
Imogen
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 5, 2003 - 10:19 pm:
Thank you Barry and congratulations on your colt, a toast to continued good health.
DrO
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Member:
Conniep
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Posted on Friday, Jun 6, 2003 - 8:25 am:
Barry,
I share your appreciation for this site. Though I have never posted concerning the birth of my mare's foal, I read a lot of GOOD info that let me "survive" the birth. My mare didn't have a good birthing process, we had to call the vet because she didn't pass the afterbirth. But because I had read on here on long the process should take, I called the vet early and we had no complications.
I do have a question now. The foal, a filly, is 4 days old and has decided that she can bite and kick at you when you walk up to her. Will this behaviour go away? It is definitely a defense mechanism she is learning to keep away predators. But since she is so young, I don't know whether to try to correct it. She had to be held for about 30 minutes when the vet was working on her mama and she may have unplesant memories from that.
Advice,please???
Connie P.
P.S. I am also the owner of "the barrell racing horse that bucks".
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Member:
Bevpolo
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Posted on Friday, Jun 6, 2003 - 8:55 am:
Connie,
they may tell you to start your own post...but, on your question, I think you need to get in with that filly now. The more time you spend with her the better. Put a halter and leaDrOpe on her so she won't turn and kick you and rub her all over, a lot! You have to teach her that you are not the boogie man and you do that by getting her comfortable with you. She shouldn't have any unpleasant memories from being held, that should only help. Of all the foals I have had, it appears that some are more prone to be defensive than others, but after handling they start to become trusting and will not kick. The biting is pretty natural. They love to bite and feel things with their mouths. On that, just don't give them the opportunity. Hold her head with the halter so she can't reach you and don't 'feed' her your fingers. Do all this now while you have the strength to overpower her and you won't have a problem later. Start picking up her hooves too and the farrier will love you!
Have fun and be safe!
Bev
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New Member:
Murrer72
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Posted on Monday, Jan 15, 2007 - 10:48 pm:
I am a new member and also going to be a new horse Mom in May. And YIKES!! both the mare and I are "maidens", so to speak. My kids don't seem in any hurry to make me a grandma so I decided to breed my six year old. I did my research, she is a thorobred mare that was slaughter bound as she wasn't fast enough and I fell in love with her on the spot and bid three dollars over the killer buyer and so far its been the best hundred & three dollars I have ever spent. She is great with kids, and more importantly takes care of her aged owner as in we don't bounce well after fifty we break. I bred her to a reining stallion out of the Lena line, he had quite of a stretch standing at 14'3 with my mare who is 16'3, but he got the job done. The stallion in the most of the foals he has thrown have been small which is what I hope will happen with my mare and I also thought would be a good thing for a maiden mare. Her due date is May 14th and as I was reading all of the posts on the subject I think I may have a heart attack! I have three horses an older appaloosa mare who is twenty-three and a sixteen year old quarter horse appendix gelding who is used as a therapuetic riding horse with two autistic children. My greatest concern is that the app and the gelding have positve lymes titers and are on the doxycycline treatment. The vet came out last week and drew a titer on my pregnant mare and every time the phone rings I jump right out of my skin! Does anyone know what if anything can be done if she has a positive lymes titer and will the foal be ok? I guess all of you that read this will be certified psychiatrists after this mare safely delivers a healthy foal. Thanks!
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 - 9:27 am:
Hello Denise,
Remember folks post their problems and so don't use them as an indication that everyone has then. Do study the articles on Mare Care, Pregnancy and Birth, they will help you. You should post your question about Lyme's in a new discussion.
DrO
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