We are in foaling season!

Foaling season tends to bring more rescues on the range. Sometimes the rescues are reuniting mares and foals who got left behind, sometimes it involves treating the foal on the range, and in dire circumstance it involves removing and treating the foals off the range. No matter the rescue, it is always done with all the horse’s best interests in mind, and with the expertise of the Least Resistance Training Concepts’ Technical Large Animal rescue team, and coordination with Wild Horse Connection, and LBL Equine Rescue.

Here are their stories.

Sinclair

Sinclair was being assessed for an eye injury that had been reported to the range manager, Corenna Vance, when it was noticed that her mother’s milk had not come in. Sometimes timing is everything and in this instance the responders checking on her arrived when, without any colostrum or milk, she no longer had the strength to get up. At Corenna’s direction, she was rushed to Comstock Equine Hospital where she had a blood test and received a plasma infusion, IV fluids and meds, and learned to drink formula from a bucket. When she was released, she was transferred to LBL Equine Rescue where she continues to thrive, full of sass and big personality for such a little girl! 

Goliath

Goliath was discovered by a couple of dedicated photographers. He was cast with his legs uphill in the deep tire rut of a dirt road in the hills, unable to rise. The first thing the rescue team members noticed was that this newborn, with his hoof feathers still in tact, was huge with incredibly long legs. At less than a couple of hours old (mom’s placenta was on the ground nearby), rescuers tried to help this tall newborn colt to his feet only to discover he could not stand. At the direction of range manager Corenna Vance, he was transported to Comstock Equine Hospital where he too received a plasma infusion. An examination determined that he had contracted tendons in his front lower legs which was the cause of his inability to stand. They placed splints on his legs and gave him medication to help his tendons relax and monitored his blood levels. After two nights he was released and transferred to LBL Equine Rescue for some intensive care and was followed up by another veterinarian. After his splints were removed, he went into foster care with a member of the LRTC rescue team who converted her garage into a foal nursery. He is cared for by a few team members who take shifts round the clock to see to his needs. He is meeting new horses, exploring his world, and winning hearts with whoever meets him.

Carter

Sometimes skirmishes on the range end up separating babies from their mothers. This was the case with brand new Carter who was found with a band not his own. He was trying to nurse off any horse willing to let him, but they were pushing him away. Another foal in his family band had just been reunited with her mother the day before after a stallion skirmish separated the pair. Attempts to reunite Carter with his family band and mother were unsuccessful and range manager Corenna Vance, knowing he could not survive alone, made the decision to remove him. Taking no chances as to whether he had had colostrum, he was taken to Comstock Equine Hospital for a blood test, which revealed he had indeed had colostrum and his blood levels were good. He was initially transported to an LRTC team member for care. Several team members spent hours working with Carter to get him to drink milk replacer either from a bottle or bowl. He was not keen on taking anything from his human caregivers at first, but would stand near a large garbage bin for comfort, even trying to head butt it and suck on it for milk. One of them quietly stood next to the garbage can and held his bottle up against the side at the correct height. That did the trick! For the next few feedings, little Carter would go to the garbage can to eat, earning him a nickname of Oscar (Sesame Street). Of course he quickly adapted to the bottle in general and was transferred to LBL Equine Rescue when Goliath moved into foal nursery care. Carter and Sinclair are now roommates. They play and run and nap in their outside turnout together, and sleep together at night. They are doing well and have big horse friends who keep watch over them over their fence. And of course these two get lots of love and round the clock care from the LBL care team.

Stitch

Stitch was born one afternoon to a volatile world of stallions fighting over his mom. Observers and responders watched to make sure things calmed down and the little baby was safe. However, the next morning things must have heated up again and little Stitch was found caught in a barbed wire fence. Once again, Corenna Vance called out the rescue team to respond. They got baby Stitch free of the fence, but his cuts were severe and he was losing blood. He was rushed to Comstock where he was treated and sutured. Initially they hoped to be able to return him to his mom, but the vet said he would be at a big risk of opening his wounds on the range. Now the question was could they get mom to put them in holding together until his wounds had healed enough. Unfortunately, the band was too skittish and active to safely remove his mom. However, a post was noted on Facebook - a wonderful couple had a horse who had lost her babies at birth and they were looking to have her take on an orphan, which she had successfully done a few years prior. The union was smooth and Stitch is healing with his new surrogate mom until he is old enough to wean and doing well.

Wild Horse Connection continues to financially provide for and make decisions for the babies, while LBL Equine Rescue and the LRTC team provide the essential hands-on care these babies need! You can donate to WHC for milk replacer, veterinary expenses, and rescue costs or toward an upgraded foal nursery at LBL Equine.