Lost our foal yesterday

[PromiseAcres]

Yesterday my husband (he had been laid off of work on Friday) called me frantically at work that our mare Cheyenne was foaling at 289 days. He enjoys the horses but isn't a "horse" person so to speak. So I told him to get a hold of one of our neighbors who live down the road and have foaling experience. He got her to the stall and called me back after the neighbors got here, Chey had a sack presented and was contracting and pushing with all her might but nothing was progressing. So he tried to get a vet, and finally found one willing to come after 20 minutes of calling w/o luck... I finally left work an hour after his first call. When I got there Chey was still contracting, had decent gum color but would thrash if we let her, the vet was on his way but had a 20+mile drive. I got a sleeve on to see if I could move the foal, at this point I knew it was probably already dead. All I could feel was what I thought was a butt and I couldn't move it and could barely feel a leg. This was my first "bad" foaling experience all others have been normal w/o issues, but I knew what could go wrong and the signs. Chey's temp was dropping so we covered her up and kept her down to keep her from thrashing. Every few minutes she contracted and cried out... her gums were looking more and more pale. I told Josh to get ready the gun... as Josh was coming out with it the vet showed up. He gave her some sedatives and then examined her... he figured out that it was the foals withers presented with her head down and the legs tangled. He gave her a tail block and started to work on moving the foal. Finally he got the legs out and then had to chain them... finally with the vet and my husband pulling they got the foal out. Both men falling from the release. Chey was flushed and put on antibiotics, silly girl she started to eat hay immediatley. As of this morning her temp is better and she's eating, pooping... doing great as I really thought she was dying and too far to save.

I want to say that Chey is an experienced broodmare & had been bred to my stallion prior, no issues at all. He is w/in a 1/2" of height and not chunky. The foal was just too big. I don't know why she went into labor yesterday.. she had been grazing at 7 when I checked her before leaving. She didn't bag up but the placenta came right out, intact. Going early probably did save her life, my husband being laid off did save her life. I had things mostly ready but not 100%. I was going to seperate her from the other mare today. The foal was a blue roan colt, just what I wanted. He was to be my son's first pony. My son is only 7 mos. He was my first home bred colt. I've got some decisions to make... Chey won't be bred to this stallion again... not sure if I will rebreed her. Not sure if I'll stick with breeding now... But she does love being a mom and is only 11. I just thank God that the vet showed up... I just couldn't handle her suffering. She's such a joy to me.

Thanks for letting me share. Danielle

 

[Royal Crescent]

I am so sorry for your loss.

Hugs to you

Barb

 

[Cathy_H]

I am sorry that you lost the foal. Most of us here know what you are going through and it is heartbreaking

Hope the mare will be ok.

 

[mama 'n me minis]

I can understand your thinking. I had a dystocia yesterday and it is very upsetting. I am so sorry your lost your colt but am thankful your mare is still with you.

 

[Magic]

Oh wow, my heart was racing reading your post; I've been through something very similar several years ago with a foal that was aborting and it took ages (it seemed) to get the vet out, and the agony my mare was going through was just awful. My mare survived too, thank goodness.

I'm so sorry for your loss, but so glad that your mare came through it ok.

 

[Genie]

Thankfully your mare is okay. These dystocias are my worst nightmare.

Sorry for your loss

 

[wc minis]

Hi, so sorry for your loss but hoping your mare will pull through. We just went through almost the same thing a few weeks back except I wasnt home when the mare went into labor, so she had been laboring for a while. When the vet got here, he didnt think my mare was going to make it, but as soon as he got her foal out, she started showing improvement immediately. It does seem like forever while you are waiting for the vet and there is nothing that you can do but watch your mare be in pain and suffering. In my mares case, I am not sure why she aborted early, but her foal was small.

 

[Mona]

I am so very sorry for your loss, and so happy your Chey is OK! Great work to all involved!

 

[kaykay]

Im so sorry for your loss. Just heartbreaking. That trip down the birth canal is the most dangerous trip a foal will take. If everything is lined up perfectly big problems follow

Im glad your mare is okay and improving

Kay

 

[Filipowicz Farm]

Sorry for the loss of your foal but glad that your mare is ok.

 

[Filipowicz Farm]

Sorry for the loss of your foal but glad that your mare is ok.

 

[Reble]

So sorry you had to go through such a terrible time.

So glad the vet came when he did, and your husband was there to help, who knows what

could of happen without him being home. (((HUGS)))

Give your self sometime to think about everything than see,

what the vet thinks about re breeding. So glad the mare is OK.

 

[Maxi'sMinis]

I so feel your pain. So glad your hubby was there for Chey, thank goodness. So sorry you lost the baby.

 

[Basketmiss]

so sad you lost the foal but glad your mare is ok. She sounds very sweet and means alot to you..

 

[Jill]

I am so sorry

 

[shelly]

So sorry you lost your colt...glad Chey is ok. {{{HUGS}}}

 

[sedeh]

I'm so sorry you lost your colt.

Glad to hear the mare is doing okay. I had a mare that was 9 mo preg and looking fine, gave her a pneumobort K shot and the next morning I went out to feed and she was down in the stall, soaked with cold sweat, gums blueish and still pushing. She had delivered the bag of waters and the placenta! But no foal. I immed called the vet but with a 40 min response I knew I had to do something or she'd die. I gloved up and went in....foal was upside down with a butt presentation. Felt like forever but I finally got the foal repositioned and out. She also immediately started improving. She did have a live foal 2 years ago but she's really hard to get in foal.

I'm so glad your husband was there! Give him a big hug....he saved your mare!

 

[Dona]

I am so sorry.....you have my sincere condolences.

I know EXACTLY what you went thru, as I just came back from the barn where my Mare Deja Vu did the same thing.

I have 3 mares due anytime within the next couple of weeks, so have been checking udders at least twice a day, looking for changes. Deja's milk turned amber & sticky this morning...so I figured she would be the first to go....but not for at least a few days. I put them all out in the pasture for a few hours around 9:00 & did barn work. I left around 11:00. Went back at 1:00 to put them up, as a storm was coming in, and found Deja on her side near the gate. As I got closer to her, she started pushing, and I could see she had part of the sack hanging out of her. I immediately got her up & into her stall so I could go in & try to see what was going on. All I could find was one foot & what felt like the butt, so called the vet right away. Then I went in again & tried to determine what was what, but everything was so crammed up inside....I was getting nowhere in repositioning. I felt so bad for Deja....she was in so much pain, and pushing so hard with no progress.

Once the vet was there....he had a hard time figuring out exactly what position the foal was in too, at first. Then he found the head. It WAS in a face forward position, but the head was bent down & back with a leg over the top of it....and the rear legs were folded under in a dog sitting position. He finally was able to maneuver the head & legs so he got the front half of the foal out., but then it jammed again....probably hiplocked, but turning him didn't help. Had to pull him the rest of the way out with a chain. Of course, the foal was dead by this time....but I was more concerned about my dear mare, Deja. She was given banamine for pain, antibiotics & flushed out.

She was pretty shaky for a long time...but seems to be resting comfortably now. The foal was a solid chestnut colt, and I left it in the stall with her for now. Will go back tonight and remove him from her stall.

Oh....she was early too. Not really due for another couple weeks. She normally foals at 320-330 days. She was only at 308 today. She is also an experienced broodmare who has never had any problems in the past. Just goes to show...you never know when something like this will happen, and you need to be prepared.

I hope I have better luck with my other two mares.

 

[PromiseAcres]

I hope I have better luck with my other two mares.

Dona thanks for sharing and I sincerely hope that your other mares do fine. It is definately amazing how things go wrong so fast.

I feel better now and Chey continues to amaze me. I hardly got out of bed for 4 days after my son was born...LOL

Thanks for all the support

It has really helped to read everyones posts today.

Danielle

 

[HGFarm]

I have lost a couple from dystocias too, so sure know what you went through. It is scary and heartbreaking!!!! I am glad that your mare is fine, and of the couple that I had, the mares went on to be mama's in the future with no problems.... it's just that that pregnancy turned out badly.

Hugs to you and yours and your little mare. It is just a horrible thing to go through.