# First foal lost in YEARS...



## Miniv (Aug 17, 2017)

It figures that when the husband is out of town, we lose a foal.........Our mare, "Whisper" was obviously getting close. Checked on her this morning and there was a baby laying by her with the placenta still attached to him. Evidence indicates he was stillborn.

Yes, I'm sad, but mostly for Whisper. We've lost foals before but it's been a long time....... The main reason why I'm posting this is to remind folks how important it is to allow the mare to GRIEVE.

She is in the barn with her dead baby right now, still pawing and nickering at it as I type this. She needs this time to understand that her foal is gone...... That's what's hard for me....Some people just dive in and whisk the dead baby away and I don't believe in doing that. Our four legged ones feel grief just like us in many ways. Just wish I could make her understand, but she needs to figure it out on her own.....

That's all.....


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## Cayuse (Aug 17, 2017)

I am so for your loss and that your mare is grieving. I agree with you 100% in that they are able to feel loss. I lost my mare last year and my welsh pony was inconsolable. He was very upset, stall walking and hollering and ended up colicing. Both the vet and I in hindsight thought we probably should've sedated him, but we both thought at the time "he will work this out on his own" and he didn't. We both felt badly that we didnt share our mutual concern with one another as we could've saved the poor little dude a lot anxiety. It took him a couple of weeks to adapt to the change.

Poor little mare, I feel sad for her. She is very lucky to have you as her owner.


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## Magic Marker Miniatures (Aug 17, 2017)

We had a mare that lost her foal 24 hours after birth. She died during the night and we left her with her mom until morning. Later that morning we sent her out to pasture and deposed of the foal. She nickered and paced the fence for a little while than took off out to pasture. She had her yearling in pasture with her so she was fine.


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## Ryan Johnson (Aug 17, 2017)

Sorry for your loss Maryann. I hope your mare is doing well and im happy to read you also believe in plenty of time to grieve.

big hugs to your mare

Ryan


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## Debby - LB (Aug 17, 2017)

I'm so so sorry Maryann I wish it had not happened. Thank you for bringing this important topic up, I too hate to see people rush the lillte foals out of their Moms sight, it's not right.


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## Miniv (Aug 18, 2017)

I left her with the colt for several hours.... Then, asked a friend to help me move the body and have her go outside. Whisper is not a friendly mare, but she kept running to me nickering every time I checked on her. She allowed me to rub on her and give her kisses..... She did the same at dinner time. Losing the foal for me was only a disappointment, but experiencing Whisper's grief was very hard to take.

This morning she was calmer, but still came up to me and let me rub her neck and back, which is something she would never do before. Hopefully this asking for affection won't change. I'm also glad she doesn't blame ME for her loss.


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## Cayuse (Aug 18, 2017)

Thinking of both you and your mare today. I hope she is doing better.

ETA: We posted at the same time and I did not see your update. Thanks for posting one, I was wondering how you both were doing.


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