# little miracle [story]



## Cheyennes mom (Aug 6, 2010)

I love it keep on writing!


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

Summer knew, from the first foal, that the sack the foal was in was meant to be white. This time, it wasn't - it was what was known as a 'red bag' delivery. She knew what had to be done and she knew that even if the rest of the birth went well, she would have to call the vet to do tests and make sure that the foal was ok.

A red bag delivery was when the placenta came out first, and it had to be broken open. It was way too tough for fingernails to rip, but thankfully Summer kept a foaling kit not far away, and in that kit, there were sharpened pop-sticks. She ran to it, dialling her vet's number as she went, and grabbed some of the pop-sticks, and a pair of scissors if the sticks didn't work.

As soon as the vet picked up, Summer blurted, "Emergency. My mare's foaling, it's a red bag birth."

"Do you know what to do?" the vet asked urgently.

"Yeah, I've just got the scissors and stuff out of my foaling kit. The reason I'm calling is because the foal might be weak and I want to have a vet here just in case."

"I'm on my way."

Summer's vet was also a good friend of her family so he knew her voice and he knew where to come. Summer smiled despite the sense of urgency.

"Thanks, I really appreciate it," she said as she used one of the pop-sticks to break open the bag so the foal could breathe. She could see two perfect little hooves, one white and the other black.

For the next ten minutes, Summer pulled while Banana pushed, and together, mare and owner got the foal out past its shoulders. It was big, for a newborn, and Summer could now tell that it had a blaze and one white stocking on its left foreleg. It was a creamy kind of colour and its coloured foreleg was sort of silver. That was telling - it meant that the leg would be dark.

"A little buckskin, Banana," Summer said. "Good girl."

The vet arrived about then, parked his pickup, and strode briskly over. "How's she going?"

"Almost there," Summer said to the vet, then turned to Banana again, "Come on, gorgeous, you can do it."

Banana gave one last tremendous push, and the foal tumbled out, struggling weakly. That was a bad sign. Summer got out of the way so Banana could get up and clean her baby.

"It's weak," she said.

"He'll make it," Jaden, the vet, assured her. "Banana's a good momma."

Summer looked at the foal again and saw that it was a colt. A perfect buckskin colt. "He better."

"I'll just take some blood to test and give him a few things that will make him stronger. He'll be fine, Summer. It'll be hard, but he'll make it. See the fight in his eyes?"

Summer nodded. There was a kind of spirit in those big brown eyes, the sort of spirit that all the best horses had. He was a battler, that colt. Still, she knew the next few days would be touch and go, and there was a high chance that he might not make it.


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## Cheyennes mom (Aug 6, 2010)

aww cuute! I can just imagine what that colt would look like!! Great description  can't wait to hear more if you're still writing


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

After work that day, Summer jumped out of her car, running towards the paddock. She had been distracted all day worrying about Banana and the colt.

The big buckskin foal didn't have a name yet - Summer and her mom had decided not to name him until he was out of the woods. If he had a name, they would get attached, and be all the more upset if he didn't make it. Summer didn't like thinking that way, but with a red bag foal, it was necessary.

The vet was standing by the gate, smiling. "Hey, Summer. I got the results from the blood test. Looks good, but keep an eye on him, just in case. He got a name yet?"

Summer shook her head no. "Mom and I decided not to name him just yet. Just in case. After what happened with Scotch..."

Scotch was the first foal Summer had bred, from her bay mare Trinity by a perlino stallion - bred specifically so he would be buckskin, named Butterscotch for his perfect creamy golden colour. The name Butterscotch had been shortened to Scotch to make sure he sounded like a colt rather than a filly. It was complications from the gelding procedure that had killed Scotch, and Trinity had died from colic not that long after. Jaden had been out of town at the time, attending some big vets' conference on the other side of the country.

This colt was a different shade of buckskin, darker and more golden, and had a lot more white - a blaze and three stockings, plus a belly splash. He was steady on his feet already, but a little sluggish in his movements. Test results, perfect as they may be, were not enough to ease Summer's concern.

"After what happened with Scotch," Jaden noted, "you'd think that this little guy would have been textbook. It's hardly fair."

"Some breeders can breed for years without a single red bag," Summer said with a sigh. "And the same goes for gelding-gone-wrong. You're right, it's not fair, but what can I do? More than I already have, I mean."

"Nothing," Jaden replied. "You did everything right. This time around, and with Scotch. Sometimes, these things just go pear shaped."

Summer felt a little bit better after Jaden's assurance. None of it was her fault, none of it was anything to do with the care she gave her horse. "So you think he's going to make it?"

"I know he is," Jaden reassured her for the tenth time. "He's real strong for a red bag. I've seen weaker foals pull through, and he's a real fighter. It's their spirit that defines them."

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Almost exactly twelve hours later, Summer woke with the strong feeling that something was not how it was supposed to be. She dressed all in a rush, shoved her feet into her boots, and ran out the door, through the gate, then into the pasture.

"Banana!" she called, eyes scanning for her golden mare and the perfect buckskin colt. "Peppermints!"

The mare called out, and Summer's scanning eyes found her, but she stood completely still at the other end of the pasture. There was a small golden shape at her feet.

"Oh, no," Summer murmured, lurching back into a sprint. "Get up, little one."

The perfect colt lifted his head and whinnied weakly, before slumping back to the ground.

Summer's fingers fumbled over the buttons of her cell as she frantically dialled Jaden's emergency number.

"What's wrong, Summer?" Jaden's friendly voice greeted her.

"The colt's down. He's weak. Hurry!"

"I'm there."

Summer dived to the ground by the foal's head, stroking his perfect pink muzzle. "Come on, little guy."


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## Jessskater (Mar 16, 2011)

I love this story!


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## FreeDestiny (Jul 3, 2011)

More ! I love it ! 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## tbstorm (Dec 16, 2010)

ohh keep it coming its so good!!


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## DustyDiamond (Mar 18, 2010)

Keep going! It's very good


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

I don't know how believable it is :\ I've never even bred my own foal, let alone had a red bag, so I don't know THAT much about this kind of stuff. But hey, I'm having fun writing it, so I'll keep going  Just not tonight, it's 10pm here and I have to be up in the morning so can't stay on the computer all night writing.


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## tbstorm (Dec 16, 2010)

oh thats fine! its pretty believable, well i dont know much about breeding but i would believe it! your really good cant wait to read more


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

The colt was still down when Jaden arrived a few minutes later, despite Summer's best efforts to get him up. Summer knew that if she didn't get the colt on his feet soon, his chances of survival would be that much lower.

"We have to take them to the clinic," Jaden said, completely forgoing the usual courtesy of a greeting. "You can't be here all day and all night, it's just not possible, but at the clinic there'll always be someone watching."

Summer nodded, though she didn't see how they were going to get the horses across town. The colt was not strong enough to be put in a trailer and Banana would panic without him.

((((Sorry it's so short, I don't really have a huge amount of time on my hands today so I'll be working in short increments))))


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## tbstorm (Dec 16, 2010)

no problem im loving this


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## LovesMyDunnBoy (Aug 11, 2011)

I had to log in just to tell you how amazing this is!!  it's great!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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