The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Pets & Working Animals => Horses, ponies, donkeys & mules => Topic started by: sabrina on May 11, 2015, 03:58:21 pm
-
Sunshine my Shetland mare was due to foal about the 29th of April. As you know mares are a rule unto themselves and after many nights with very little sleep for me she was showing wax when I checked her at 8pm on Saturday evening. I settled down to watch her on CCTV. All was quite until 11.50pm when it became clear foaling was going to be tonight. Keeping an eye on her it became clear all was not as it should be so I had a quick check. One foot facing the wrong way, could not feel the other and the head seemed not right so a vet job. Vet arrived within 15mins and what a job she had. Foals head was twisted with one leg over the top. After a lot of trying to move things about the vet got both legs, untwisted the head into the right position then with ropes on foals legs we managed to get the foal out. I did not expect the foal to still be alive but alive he was. One big black colt born at 12.24am. 20mins later he was walking around the box as if there had been no drama. Name Westercushnie Stormtrooper. Storm for short. Turned out it was the vets first ever foaling and she did not think she was going to manage . I gave her a big hug and thanked her for doing a great job. Both Sunshine and Storm had there first time out today and you would never know he almost did not make it.
-
That sounds stressful! So pleased you had a good outcome, lovely foal.
-
He looks massive :) Lovely outcome and gorgeous baby :horse:
-
:hshoe: clever mare, clever foal, clever you and clever vet for keeping cool heads in a very stressful situation, none of you will forget that night, what a magical achievement!
-
well done all involved! hes a cracker
-
He is a special baby. Sired by my own homebred stallion who I sold in October to make up a driving team of 6 chestnut Shetlands. Sunshine was my first mare.I sold along with her adult daughter when I got cancer 8 years ago. i bought her back in 2013. Now 18 Storm is her last foal and will stay with me until an adult and broken to drive. Sunshine will be here for the rest of her days. Every one of her 8 foals have gone onto being Champions. She herself is a champion, I bought her as a three year old when my first granddaughter was born and she has won in hand and under saddle. Now planning to break her to drive so we can potter about in our old age.
-
Both yourself and Sunshine have very illustrious proven records :sunshine: many happy sunshine filled days for you all :sunshine:
-
What a little cracker! Bit of a baptism by fire for the vet too by the sounds of it.
-
I am not one for taking foals to shows, prefer to wait until they are a yearling but Storm is such a show off that I am tempted to take him to our own Shetland Group Show in July. He very much has the look at me everyone. I have a two year old, Sunshine's youngster that came with her when I bought her back but as he was July born and his class is for 2/3 year olds I don't think he will do well. Might be better to leave him until the youngstock show in October. Will need to talk my granddaughter into helping if I can get her away from her phone that is. I am not able to do the summer shows like I used to but quite fancy doing this. Its indoors which helps if the weather is bad and there is a food van so a day out I feel is called for.