Maiden mare

[Fraggle2]

I'm hoping no news is good news, and your enjoying watching mum and baby.

 

[Louisa&Chilly]

Well,
Yes I caught some of the birth, head and front legs were out when I arrived… she showed no signs prior.

Vet has been, we tried to sedate her to no success, we ended up giving drugs to recreate the birth and contractions to attempt to recreate the hormones, this has worked to some extent, the mare is no longer aggressive towards the foal but she isn’t particularly bothered by it. We are still bottle feeding

we managed to get some colostrum into her within 5 hours but it will not have been enough, we have plasma on the way and desperately want to get that into her by 8pm with the hope, with extra colostrum it will be enough to help the little one. The vet is back tomorrow am to run bloods

I still won’t get a nights sleep due to bottle feeding! But for now we have a lovely feisty filly, I pray she stays that way and we will have done enough today ??

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

I hope all settles soon. Your mare must be just shocked by the whole thing, poor girl. Fingers crossed for the plasma arriving quickly. Thinking of you and sending determined vibes to you all.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Breeding can be such a Rollercoaster! I hope things smooth out a bit. Someday you'll sleep again...someday!

 

[Wishfilly]

Wishing you all the best, it sounds like it has been pretty challenging for you. I hope you are able to get some sleep soon!

 

[nagblagger]

Hang in there, you are doing so well. I had to bottle feed a donkey foal, it's mum loved it but wouldn't let it suckle. I devised a 2hrly rota with friends and borrrowed a caravan to sleep up there.(even took it to work, with mum). It is amazing how many friends offered to help and I am sure if there are any hhos local to you they would help, I certainly would.

 

[TheMule]

Well done- new mummies can take a little while to warm to it, especially if the foal wasn’t very active at first, but she will get there.
And the plasma will have gone in with plenty of time to spare so I wouldn’t panic over that

 

[Louisa&Chilly]

Thank you everyone!
We got the plasma in by 8pm and Chilly is starting to look for her baby!
starting to feel much more relieved, fingers crossed her bloods come back ok ??

 

[Clodagh]

Wonderful news.

 

[Gloi]

Lovely. By the morning hopefully all will be well and you can get s good sleep.x

 

[Clodagh]

Btw when I gave birth I wanted nothing to do with the result either ?

 

[nagblagger]

Omg, she's gorgeous..worth the hassle. Now you've got to think of a name on jubilee day..

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

There's going to be hundreds of jubilee themed names in the stud books everywhere.

Sunday Best

 

[Ahrena]

Oh she’s lovely! What a stressful time for you but plasma is in and it sounds like she’s understanding what’s going on a bit more now.

 

[Louisa&Chilly]

Btw when I gave birth I wanted nothing to do with the result either ?

???

yes fingers crossed for a goodnight ?? And good results in the morning, then il think about names and sleeping ?

 

[ElectricChampagne]

Brilliant news, you'll get to enjoy the new arrival now!

Dare I ask? Any thoughts on a name?

Hope you got some sleeps last night and all is well this morning

 

[Bikerchickone]

Congratulations! Hope all is going well today? Gorgeous foal! Have you had some sleep yet?

 

[Louisa&Chilly]

We haven’t thought about a name yet, I’ve been too worried about the passive transfer and I’m worried about it with the mare.

Thankfully, the vet has run bloods this morning and she has a very good passive transfer so that’s a huge relief and no longer a worry ??
however the mare just really will not take to the filly, she follows her, talks to her and looks for her, she stands over her whilst she sleeps but she will not let her near her, she bites and kicks with intent. We are still milking the mare and then bottle feeding the baby, the vets want to keep them together based on the attachment the mare currently shows, hoping it will improve.
I just worry about the foal, she appears to know to keep her distance from mum but it is sad to watch.

 

[TheMule]

Look up 'mare love drug' as lots of people seem to have had success using a drug protocol to get mother to bond better

 

[Four Seasons]

Good to here that the foal is doing well. What a day yesterday for you....

Have you tried taking the mare & foal outside of the stable (turn them out into a paddock or field, different enviroment) and putting them back in? This sometimes helps the mare settle down and accept the foal.

 

[Louisa&Chilly]

We have used all of the love drugs, they have certainly improved things.

they have field access today with the door to the barn open, they do go out together and the mare comes back in and stands whilst the baby sleeps. She has the right idea but she stands at one end of the 10m long barn whilst the foal sleeps at the other..

She just seems to really want to keep the distance, perhaps this is just her way of being a mum. Which would be fine if she didn’t try to take chunks out of it for coming closer!

 

[AmyMay]

Might be time to start thinking about a surrogate

 

[Horses_Rule]

Really feel for you L+C such a sad situation for the foal but at least she’s healthy. Have the vets given you a more ‘long term ‘ plan if things don’t improve? I understand they want to see if things improve but wouldn’t it be better for foal long term to have a better mother role? I have no idea just chucking out thoughts , I really hope things improve for you all and become more smooth sailing ??

 

[Louisa&Chilly]

Yes absolutely, we have had the discussions about surrogate mothers.
She is on a course of pain medication and the vets just want to see if she’ll improve over a few days with this,
If not we will definitely look at other mares as I completely agree, it is not fair on the filly

 

[Asha]

I hope the mare comes round quickly. What a nightmare for you and the filly .
Out of interest Does your mare mind being milked ?

 

[PurBee]

The mare is ok with you milking her presumably as youre bottle feeding? I wonder if when you milk the mare, have the foal coming close, then closer each time, so she associates milking with baby being near. To get to the point where foal is close by her belly while you milk, is just a few steps away from foal being at teat.
This is all under the assumption mare isnt aggressive for you to milk her.
Mare evidently is confused and its all a huge change to just ‘being a horse’, but hopefully soon in these coming hours/days will bond more. It’s only been 1 day, but i imagine it probably feels like lots longer for you.
Youre doing a sterling job, such dedication! Calming hug for you x

 

[Clodagh]

My mare didn’t like the uterine cramps instigated by the foal sucking. Two days of twitch and stick and she got better and then was fine. So I’d persist. Is the vet an experienced repro vet?

 

[nagblagger]

Hope things have settled..?

 

[Louisa&Chilly]

Thanks everyone,

so mare is absolutely fine with us milking to feed the little one, however we could not do this with the foal anywhere near otherwise she would attack it.

we have since blindfolded Chilly and been able to get the baby to latch on and feed 3 times this afternoon!
however the mares aggression has got worse, she picked the baby up and threw her so they have been separated.
we have contacted the vets and will have a proper discussion in the morning but we have asked for arrangements to be made for a surrogate mare.
we will continue to let the baby feed from Chilly until arrangements are made. This may improve things but I am not optimistic

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

Sorry to hear things aren't going as you'd hoped.

I know there was a NF mare who had stillborn today/yesterday, it was on FB Not sure whereabouts you are.