Caring for Flicka: Ideas ?

[JFNM miniatures]

Hello everyone.
I think you are all aware that my sweet little mare doesn't have her foal by her side anymore (see her pregnancy thread. I don't want to say it all here).

Flicka came home yesterday afternoon from the vet school.
The people who did her transport said she seemed to know she was going home because she did not have any trouble boarding the trailer.
When she got home, I ran to her and hugged her tight. She was so happy to see me and to see her friends.

I used to keep her with Jumper, because Nougat couldn't get along with her, and I didn't want an accident to happen, as she was pregnant.
Now, though, I put her with the other girls and there was absolutely no quarrels. I am amazed how the other horses seem to know what happened and how she is grieving and needs them. Jumper, by the way, is in the adjacent paddock where he can see them and he is ok with that.

Faculty professor at vet school told me not to give her grain, not to take milk out of her udder (although to keep an eye on it) and provide plenty of exercice.

But I want to know... what else can I do to help her heal from her hard experience ?
In some sense, I'm also asking this question for myself. What can I do with her to help me heal alongside with her ? Any ideas ?

 

[elizabeth.conder]

Still so sorry for you! A rough first experience but that’s not how they all go. I will say, I usually express a bit of milk everyday after weaning just to take a bit of the pressure off. Just enough to relieve the pressure but not enough to keep stimulating the production. But that’s just me. You might ask around and see if there has been a recently orphaned foal if that is something you’d be interested in. Again so very sorry.

 

[Ryan Johnson]

I'm still very sorry for your loss also. When we lost a foal at 10 days old earlier this year the Vet also told me to just let her udder be and that it would decrease by itself, to which it did. The best from of medicine for your little mare is to be with her friends, lots of walks TLC etc.

for your healing , only time will help that ( I lost my heart horse last August and whilst it still saddens me still ,it does get easier over time)

 

[JFNM miniatures]

Hello everyone.
I'm sorry I did not answer earlier.
So, I did consider looking for a orphaned foal who needed a mommy. I even told my vet in case she knew of someone. But I soon changed my mind because Flicka's vaccines are not up to date. I got her when she was already pregnant, and precious owners had had not vet take care of her and Jumper in the past, so no deworming or vaccines. My vet did not want to take a chance and have Flicka react negatively to the vaccines, so she said we should wait until she was not pregnant anymore. So because her vaccines were not up to date and I did not want to have to move her again (hospital experience has left her very nervous and she doesn't want to be seperated from the herd anymore), I decided to bring her home and take care of her. Of course, I'll soon schedule the vet for her vaccines, now that she's not pregnant anymore.

Now, I do have a question. Flicka's been having a bit of discharge for the last few days since she was home. It's not smelly or bloody. Just this purple-ish brown color. Normal ? I'm guessing this might just be her cleansing herself, but just wanted a second opinion. Vet had examined the placenta and had said that everything had been expelled.

 

[Taz]

It sounds like it's just old blood to me but it's been a while, you might want to call your vet and just ask if that's OK.