Feral Rescue in Foal

[SullivanPoint]

Hi Everyone!

I am new here and glad I found this forum. I rescued a mini from slaughter in October. She is basically feral and you cannot get close to her or touch her without a huge ordeal. I had a pregnancy test done via bloodwork when she was in quarantine (blood drawn on October 18). The vet confirmed that she is pregnant and could be somewhere between 100 and 150 days based on results. She said her best guess was closer to the 100 day mark. Well, that was 143 days ago...

So, she could be anywhere from 243-293 days. She is enormous and has been holding her tail up for several weeks and bag started to develop about 6 weeks ago. Any advice on what to do during labor/delivery with a mare that will not allow anyone to come near her or touch her? I am nervous that she is going to need help and we won't be able to do so... She does come in every night when she is ready and we watch carefully and close the stall door once she is in.

Note: we work with her everyday to get her used to being with people and build trust. She has made very little progress in the last 5 months.

 

[SullivanPoint]

Cannot seem to get any photos to load. sorry.

 

[SullivanPoint]

This is from 2 days ago. I can't get a photo from behind unless far away.

 

[SullivanPoint]

 

[jeanniecogan]

oh, she is soooo pretty. my idea would be to get her in a small area and take a bucket or stool and sit in there with her, stay 20 minutes and leave, leave your seat in there. several hours later go back and do it again, ddo it as often as you can making the staying time longer, eventuallly she will come over to you. curiousity . you could have a piece of carrot in your pocket, but don't be to quick to acknowledge her getting closer. let her do it herself. maybe you could put the carrot on your knee. it works and it works well as long as you DONT RUSH HER. im telling you to go in every few hours because we usually do it once or twice a day. this wayit could work before foaling. dont scare her or even try to touch her until she comes right up to you several times, then slowly move your hand and touch her, whereveer is closest to your hand. even if you dont get that far, she will get used to you being around and may trust you enough to let you help her if she gets in trouble. i wish you the best

 

[SullivanPoint]

 

[chandab]

Keep an eye on her and don't intervene unless she needs help; she'll probably be more agreeable to assistance if needed, once she is already in labor. You enclose her at night, so at least she can't go hide to have her foal. She may come around better a couple weeks after she foals. [My pregnant mare that I bought last fall is the stand-offish type and while she was receptive to me handling her, the last week or two she has become less so and I'm guessing she'll get worse before she foals. And, then hopefully, once baby is out, she'll be friendly once again.]

 

[Mona]

What a pretty little mare. I sure hope that her attitude will change after she foals. It is so strange that after 5 months she still has not made much progress. Sounds like maybe some natural horsemanship, although now it's not something you can really so until after she foals. Keep her in a small pen or large boxstall, and make sure to always keep the foal between yoursel and her so she will not try to kick you or anything.

 

[Ryan Johnson]

I cant see the pics for some reason.

I agree with what everyone else has commented. From your above descriptions , you are most definitely getting closer.

Jeanniecogan has a really good suggestion and this actually worked with one of my mares. When you say she is "ferral" is she nasty , as in will try and go for you ? Or is she more "frightened" of people ?

Good on you for taking her in, unfortunately it is really hard when you have no idea of her history and what she has been through to be like she is.

I think your best bed would be to actually speak to a vet and see what they advise you should do.

Please keep us posted on her

 

[SullivanPoint]

Thanks for all of your input. Georgia isn't mean at all, just terrified of humans and appears to not have ever been handled.

I do spend time with her sitting in her stall almost every day. When I am not able to, the barn manager does. She is located 45 minutes away from me and I have a 2 year old and 4 year old human babies. We bought a new house with land and are in the process of building her a barn. I think once she is at home with constant attention from us, she will start to come around.

The vet came out and tranquilized her a few months ago to get her up to date on vaccines, etc. She was able to palpate her and feel the foal.

She just started taking treats from me within the last few weeks. I will continue to work with her and hope that in the event she needs help, she will trust me enough to do so... The real question is do I trust myself enough???

 

[LRMiniatureShetlands]

Take a t-shirt or hat that you have worn a lot and hang it in her stall. It needs to be one you have worn for some time so it has your scent on it. This will really help her get used to you.....just leave it hanging there for a couple months.

I also like to sit with them while they eat their grain, just watching, nothing else. If they come to me, I give them a treat. All of my horses and ponies go crazy over Purina Apple and Oat horse treats. If they back away from me, I back away from them but just a couple steps. If they want their grain, they have to eat it with me close by. I also sing to them in a soft voice.....

I have tamed many wild ponies this way....hope this helps. Good luck with your mare!

 

[Ryan Johnson]

Great suggestion ^^ . I am another with a mare like this , she is absolutely petrified of humans. It took a great deal of time and persistence to gain her trust. She has always had trust and anxiety issues with humans.

I would suggest that contact is made by you and you only at this stage , the more people trying to interact with her , the more it will freak her out.

Your right, when she is with you all the time at your place you will find that she will really progress with your trust.

Hope this helps

 

[SullivanPoint]

Take a t-shirt or hat that you have worn a lot and hang it in her stall. It needs to be one you have worn for some time so it has your scent on it. This will really help her get used to you.....just leave it hanging there for a couple months.

I also like to sit with them while they eat their grain, just watching, nothing else. If they come to me, I give them a treat. All of my horses and ponies go crazy over Purina Apple and Oat horse treats. If they back away from me, I back away from them but just a couple steps. If they want their grain, they have to eat it with me close by. I also sing to them in a soft voice.....

I have tamed many wild ponies this way....hope this helps. Good luck with your mare!

What fabulous suggestions LRMiniatureShetlands. I love your soft approach and cannot wait to put them into practice. We believe our girl is a grand-daughter of Boones Little Buckaroo and has been nothing more than a baby maker her whole life. :-(

 

[SullivanPoint]

This photo is from today. Lots of udder development in the last 2 days.

 

[SullivanPoint]

This is from last week. She has dropped quite a bit since then. I will upload a side shot from today in a bit.

 

[SullivanPoint]

 

[madmax]

You are getting so much terrific advice and you have done well with her on your own. Keep talking to her, also singing to her also worked for me as well. She is a lucky horse to have you.

 

[Miniv]

I'm a "head nut" and am admiring her head and large eye. Also agree that she's lucky you are her new mom!

 

[Cayuse]

She is beautiful. What a ROUND belly she has in the picture you posted yesterday

 

[Ryan Johnson]

How is she coming along ?