Weird foal

[Pipsqueak]

Hmm...
My foal is weird! She doesn't seem to be able to stretch down and eat grass any shorter that 6 inches. Also she wont eat hay (and out hay is beautiful).
She has had zillions of problems. Firstly she is an orphan. Secondly she has had an ulcer, two absecess, a huge haematoma, very bad flatulent colic, a bashed eye, a big knee, has been anorexic, pharyngeal dysplasia, botulism and would not suck from a bottle- it took ages to teach her to drink from a bucket. Consequently because she has been so poorly we have been unable to run her out with any of our horses. She improved this week and I out her out with our shetland. Foal just did not want to know her! One at one end, the other at the other. I'm reluctant to turn her out with our boys as they all have asbos. I dont know anyone local with a foal either.
Foal is impecably behaved. Leads, walks, trots on command and will pick up all four feet when asked.
Any experience of:
a) Foals not being able to eat of the ground.
b) Foals not eating hay.
c) Foals that do not know how to interact with other horses.
She is now 9 weeks old. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
She is fed 16 pints of milk replacer and 200g of D&H creep.

 

[_Libby_]

OMG this foal does not have much luck !

 

[seabiscuit]

Have you tried homepathic remedies? lots of aloe vera juice?I assume she's had plenty of B vit and Iron injections?
would a sheep for company help her get used to other animals?

 

[Fahrenheit]

My friend orphan still won't eat hay, PM Navalgem she is on there yard she might be able to tell you some of the things thay have been doing! I would suggest getting a cheap pony foal that already weaned as a companion.

Good Luck!

 

[the watcher]

Firstly, has any of her treatment involved a series of injections to the neck or a drip? It is possible, given her likely low level or resistance, that there is inflammation in an injection site that could be preventing her stretching down, although I would have thought that might be one of the first things the vet might investigate.

not wishing to interact with other horses, or the pony you have chosen for her is also understandable given all the circumstances.

I wouldn't expect her to be too interested in hay at this stage, but see how might present a challenge if you are having to keep her in a lot of the time.

What are the views of your vet? Are they investigating these problems?

 

[Pipsqueak]

HI,
My friend is a Large animal vet and comes to see her almost daily we've given her multivit injections (inc B vits). Also have done routine haematology and all ok there now.
Good idea about the sheep...can sort that one out quite quickly. Might invest in a pony foal. Any idea of where to aqcuire one? Life-long good home awaits!
She is the most special horse I've ever encountered...that could be the sleep deprivation talking but there is just something about her.....arghhh I'll shut up! I'm supposed to be being serious about this!

 

[seabiscuit]

You can get a new forest pony foal for about $50 or thereabouts (so I've heard!) or any native pony type.
Best of luck- do hope that she gets better!

 

[Fahrenheit]

This is the time of year when the welsh, new forest, dartmoor and exmoor pony sales are on......................I'm sure one of the will need a good home.

 

[Pipsqueak]

Yes, she has been on an I/V drip several times! Plus has had subcutaneous injections in her neck. She has not recieved any injections in the last 14 days in her neck region. We are unable to find a focus of infection in her neck. Plus her blood profile suggests inflammation levels are reducing. She tries so hard to eat short grass/ eat creep from the floor (has a shallow bowl on the floor). She almost knuckles over on her fetlocks to reach the creep feed. I'm doing daily phsio sessions with her to try and improve her stretches.

 

[Tia]

Is this the foal you are taking to the show on Sunday? 9 weeks old and to have gone through all of this - she's lucky to be alive.

 

[Anastasia]

I would echo everything that has been said above. I would not be worrying if the foal was not eating too much hay. Secondly with the amount of injections into her neck, even though she has not had any in the last 14 days I bet the poor mites neck is mighty sore.

Dont expect huge things from this foal and give it a chance to interact with something, horses dont just bond as soon as they meet each other and need a chance, especially when she has not been in with anything on four legs for such a long time, she probably does not understand.

Rather than forcing her to stretch onto the ground for anything I would be putting it slightly higher so that at least she can have a good chance of eating.

Orphan foals need time in any situation but because of what your filly has been through she will probably need just a little more.

Good luck and keep us posted on her progress...

 

[AndyPandy]

[ QUOTE ]
Have you tried homepathic remedies?

[/ QUOTE ]

That would be a waste of time in my opinion, as animals don't suffer from the placebo effect.

It sounds like it could be a back or shoulder problem - will probably require an xray. At least get the vet and/or back man out.

 

[Pipsqueak]

Tia, yes we are going to our first show tomorrow. She is incredibly lucky to be alive. We have had some very dark nights. Still, she is a little fighter. Until she was 5 weeks old she could not stand by herself. So I had to stand her up/my helpers would winch her up every few hours. One thing this whole business has taught me is that you cannot do this sort of thing alone. A team of people is required!
Its a very small local agricultural show. The class is first thing in the morning (so not too busy with horses and people) and only a 5 min drive away. Foal is doing so well now physically. She's bright, alert and gallops about kicking her heels up.
Who knows she may even get a rosette!
Anastasia- dont worry I'm not a real meany! I only let her 'struggle' for a couple of mins max when I put her fresh creep feed in. When I see she's had enough I put it up onto another bucket so she can gobble it all up.
I will keep you posted.
Its going to be difficult to get down to a foal sale 'cos I live so far in the north...plus the foal is so time consuming! However, I'm going to try 'the black and white' horsey guys up here.
Thank you to everyone for your advice. I'm going to round up my two pet sheep off the hill and put them out with her.

 

[Shark]

Is there anyone who has a experienced mare that will take on this foal, I have had orphaned foals and I have a couple of my broodmares who immediately take these foals on, I used to have a gelding who would kill for the orphaned foals he brought up from the fist couple of hours it has always amazed me how some horses male and female can bond with any babies, I lost my gelding to old age but he brought up many a colt and a couple of early orphans which made up for the pain he was when in work! I am lucky to have two other mares who take a foal under their wing immediately it never ceases to amaze me, the first time I went through my whole herd to try them all and the join up with the right ones is almost instantaneous, for the eating hay etc, bit it could just be foals learn by example but your foal has had a very difficult start poor thing I wish you all the good luck

 

[Tia]

Good luck today. She sounds like a real fighter.

 

[christine48]

I can't believe you are thinking of taking this poor foal to a show. you should be concentrating on getting her strong and well not dragging her out to a show.

 

[Pipsqueak]

She is fighting fit! She's nine weeks old now and has not been pyrexic, anorexic, lame or in any other way 'ill' in the last two weeks. She was taken with several vets approval; the showground vet was so amazed how well she was looking had to clinically examine her and check her markings to make sure we hadn't swapped her. Plus my friend who is a vet was with us all day helping.
As I said my issues were that she couldn't reach short grass/ struggled to eat creep feed, has bonding issues with other horses and doesn't really 'get' the idea of consuming hay.
Our show was 6 miles away, she romped into the trailer, paraded around the arena (bounced) and the judge (who didn't know her previous history) said she was the finest orphan he'd ever seen in his 25 years of judging.
She met some lovely horses who wanted to say nice hellos (not like my boys who all have asbos) and its improved her confidence so much.
We did have a breakthrough today...she has decided that hay is simply the best thing in the world.
She has had her problems but she is one heck of a fighter.
So to conclude, this foal was not dragged anywhere, indeed it was the reverse (much to the judge's amusement). At all times there was a vet present and we made sure the foal's health and welfare was the only priority at all times.

So for all the people who wished us well...we won a 'special' rosette and were included in the grand parade (which we didnt do the lap of honour 'cos we thought she had done enough walking...so just joined in the line-up)
Will keep you posted on the bonding with horses and her ability to consume food from the floor.

 

[DIEGO]

Its a pity there arent more people as dedicated as you ,my ponys are my life,what an achievement to get her to a show,you have been through so much,your a very special person in my eyes,keep up the good work,and give her a kiss from us,good luck for the future.

 

[Pipsqueak]

Diego, thank you.
I understand, my horses are my life too.
I will give her a big kiss from you.
One day when I figure out the internet I will try and post a piccie of her at her first show.
Many thanks to everyone for their good wishes.