Foaling Season 2008 on the Baby Boomer's Arabian Horse Breeding Farm Part 5

Part 1 starts here

Two hours after the Arabian mare had foaled, Dave and I still hadn't gotten the foal to nurse. That window for absorbing antibodies was decreasing in size so I decided that I would milk the mare and hand feed the filly her colostrum. Supposedly that would take the pressure off and give us some time to get this filly nursing like she should.

The only problem with that plan was it, too, required co-operation. Foals I have done this with in the past, have always relaxed and participated as soon as the warm liquid hit their lips. They were happy to suckle it down without any form of protestation but that was not the case with Lucy's foal.

The Arabian mare was fine with being milked but the filly had her own opinions about being hand feed. She really resented the handling involved. Shaking that head and trying to escape she made it clear she was not pleased with any part of this process. What we did manage to get into her mouth she used for blowing bubbles if she could.

Of course, the little princess didn't like the "feel" of the bubbles on her lips. She really was offended at it foaming up into her nostrils. (I have to say that nothing quite foams like colostrum!) The red filly was pretty convinced her discomfort was all our fault. That just made her more determined not to co-operate. She'd pull her head away and clamp her lips down tight stomping one front foot repeatedly when she wasn't trying to sit down on the floor.

None of this was conducive to getting the liquid into her stomach. I did manage to get at least a couple of ounces down her. Don't ask me how I did it. I know it was more luck than sense. It sure didn't happen because she wanted it too.

According to my calculations that was only about a quarter of what I needed for her to have any kind of shot at getting her antibodies up. I was worried that trying to hand feed her any more would only end up with the precious liquid on the ground. We were stuck with either getting her to nurse on her own or calling the vet.

I've learned in the past that sometimes just backing away can turn things around. Dave and I took a break and headed to the house. We'd leave the mare and foal together in hopes that they'd get it worked out on their own. I could keep track of their progress on my computer via my live webcam

Unfortunately, Lucy took advantage of our departure to lay back down. Despite the filly's efforts to get her to rise by running around the mare and even kicking her a time or two, the mare would not get up. There was no way this was going to work any time soon. It was back to the barn again.

Previously, I had tried to give Dave instructions on how to lead the filly to the mare's udder using his fingers and her milk. He hadn't been open to how to accomplish this procedure so I decided it was time for me to take over. Dave could hold the mare while I worked with the filly.

As usual there was a problem with the plan. And again this problem was the filly. She had gotten it in her brain that Dave was her man. She totally refused to be helped by me at all. I tried to guide her towards the back end of the mare and she promptly went the other way. Everything I tried she did the opposite. It was clear this filly wanted NO part of me.

Just think about this for a minute. I saved this filly......pulling her from the mare in a shoulder locked position..........then I released her from a sack that had her caught tight.........I'm her savior............right!....... well, not in her eyes. That little varmint clearly rejected me in no uncertain terms. No way was she going to nurse if it had anything at all to do with me! Give me a break! You want to talk primadonnas..........this red filly takes the all time prize! Remind me not to wish for anymore chestnut fillies!

We probably spent another hour with dear daddy, Dave, trying to guide this filly to nurse. She actually co-operated with him a bit more once she'd managed to rid herself of me. If I sound a bit snarky here..........wouldn't you be...........rejected by a two hour old foal! What in the heck is that????



On one hand I'm worried about the minutes ticking away and on the other hand, I'm no longer wanting Dave to have the satisfaction of being successful. Things were getting just a bit personal in this current episode on the baby boomer's Arabian breeding farm.

Dave probably spent another hour trying to get this darn filly to nurse. She was now letting him guide her towards the mare and headed toward the right location but still not happy about getting hair on her face or up her nose. Also, it turns out, this filly did NOT want to work. When she did touch a nipple she immediately pulled away. She didn't once ever try to latch on. A little bump, no milk...............she quit trying!

That filly was coming out from under the mare with milk everywhere except in her mouth. At one point it was dripping off her right ear. Another time she had it in her left eye. Both situations were cause for a temper tantrum or two. I think she even tried to kick Dave because she didn't like milk on her face.

Did I secretly chuckle that she was abusing him? You're darn right I did. I was beginning to think the two of them deserved each other. Calm, cool, collected Dave was beginning to get rattled. For two hours I'd been telling this filly that she was making the colts look good and now Dave had joined in. I heard him tell her "......and I thought that colts were dumb!" Names I had never heard from Dave's mouth (but most certainly from mine) were flowing as fast as milk should have been.

It did my heart good to see that Dave wasn't fairing any better than I had done. His composure was totally destroyed by one 100 pound filly. I've never seen him so exasperated with a horse. It was clear it was time for another break. Again we headed for the house and the clock keeps on ticking..............

To be continued...............

Part 6

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