# my mule is here! the mare left it and is not taking her *Update: baby passed on.



## shandasue (Nov 22, 2011)

about 1pm today i happened apon the afterbirth and found the foal 20ft away barley alive. the vet got here around 5 and got some food in her. we sadaded the mare to milk her cause she wouldnt let us. she has stood by herself for a minute but isnt walking yet. Im praying she makes it. i have her in the living room right now .
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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Sometimes the teats are very tender. Are you milking her out? She'll need relief from a full bag. I'd be temped to hobble her back legs with a soft rope and a knot that will release. Sometimes the delivering animal goes in to shock for a while. Had that happen. When it passed she was hollering for her young 'un. I'd keep the baby fairly close to the mare, supervised, and hopefully the baby's cries will win her over.


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## shandasue (Nov 22, 2011)

she doesnt even have very much milk. we did milk her so the foal could have that first milk. vey told us to keep her away from the foal. im to affraid she will hurt her sence shes not completly okay yet
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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

does the vet think the foal will make it? Have you been able to get a milk replacer? Hugs & prayers coming your way!


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Please keep us posted.


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## shandasue (Nov 22, 2011)

we got some of the milk stuff from tracter supply and mixed it with what we got outa the mare, but sadly she didnt make it, she passed at midnight. i honestly think she was laying down to long. I kept trying to get her up but i couldn't do it by myself and my dad had to do this and that before he would help and by that time she wasn't even trying to stand. she also wouldn't eat and she was drinking from the botttle fine erlier. before she died she kept throwing her head around and hitting it on the floor hard. i was stoping her when i could but she was surprisingly strong. I just wish i could have done more
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## Breella (May 26, 2012)

It sounds like maybe your mare delivered while standing up and the foal had some head trauma. How did the umbilicus look? was it too short?


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Sometimes animals know when the newborn isn't right and will abandon it. Our Irish Setter delivered 13 puppies and refused to acknowlege one pup. If my mother put the pup to a teat, the ***** would move the other 12 puppies. The pup died within 24 hours. I've seen this in cattle as well.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Sorry to hear that the poor little baby did not make it. Sometimes, the ending to the story is not the good one. How very heartbreaking.


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

My condolences.


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## shandasue (Nov 22, 2011)

thankyou. Is it bad that i dont want anything to do with my mare right now? i know i will get over it but im really mad at her, but i also feel sad for her.
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## DutchFeather (May 9, 2011)

I understand that you are upset about losing th foal and I'm very sorry for your loss *hugs*... 

That being said, you have to remember that it isn't the mares fault. It sounds like the foal was weak, especially if it didn't try to stand after being born. If the mare didn't have a lot of milk, the foal also could have been born premature. Regardless, try not to blame her, and remember, it's her loss as well.


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## redpony (Apr 17, 2012)

Sorry for your loss (((hugs))) Your little one is now off to greener pastures. Also remember your mare is an animal and doesn't have the same reactions we do.
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## shandasue (Nov 22, 2011)

I understand that. She tried to strike at the foal when we let her near. Someone said there could have been something else wrong so that could be why she acted that way. I know its not her fault. I think if I would have went out sooner she would have made it... and the foal seemed to try more when there was about 20 people around encuraging(sp?) her then when it was just me with her. This is so hard..
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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

It sounds to me that you are just trying to make sense of a very sad situation. It's neither your fault for not being there sooner or the mares. It's just a terrible shame, and you have my condolences.


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## jessiebutcher09 (May 23, 2012)

I'm so sad for you and your mare... Sometimes the mother just knows when something is not right, it's nature...I know that it's hard for you but try not to blame your mare...she lost the foal as well


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## DimSum (Mar 28, 2012)

So sorry for your loss! But forgive the mare, she doesn't understand what happened and she is also dealing with shifting hormones after the delivery. She probably doesn't feel well at all. She doesn't understand why she hurts, and only knows that she hurts.


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## shandasue (Nov 22, 2011)

thanks guys. how long should i wait to ride my mare? im not in a hurry and dont plan on riding her soon but my 'friend' i know will try to talk to into it. 
also, should i milk her? she has alredy been milked but it filled up sence then. or would that make her produced more milk?
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## DimSum (Mar 28, 2012)

No, let her milk dry up naturally but leaving it alone, if you milk her she will produce more. I'd ask your Vet when it would be safe to begin to ride her again.


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## HorseCrazyGirlForever (Apr 27, 2012)

Oh no! I am so sorry to hear this... I breed dogs, and we have lost 3-4 this year due to the Mother's not taking care of them properly. But I guess that is nature's way of keeping sick animals out of the world. Will you be breeding the mare again?

Have strength my friend!


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## Kawonu (Apr 24, 2011)

From my experience with many animals, usually there is something wrong with the foal when a mother tries to kill her own baby(s) without much known cause. That, or she knew she was not ready to be a mother (aka. motherly instinct didn't kick in as it should have). I see something being wrong with the foal being the latter from what I have read. Horses, as I have witnessed, can and will do something about another horse if it's ill.

So sorry for the loss of your little foal.


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