Got word today that one of my mares, as well as her foal, died during birth yesterday. The farm manager, who's been foaling mares for 30 years, said the foal was the biggest one he had ever seen. He didn't even make it all the way out. What's interesting is that the mare--who had three previous foals without any problem--was not a tall mare (15.2), although very muscular, and was not particularly large before foaling. She foaled almost exactly 11 months from her LBD. Absolutely no indication that this foal would be so enormous.
Conversely, I've had large pregnant mares who waddled like a walking blimp produce small to average size foals.
Just goes to prove that you can't always foretell the size of the foal based on the size of the mare's belly.
You never know
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Thanks, I guess I have become somewhat hardened over the years about the inevitability of losing some horses before their time. Of course, not living on a farm anymore makes the losses a lot easier to handle. I guess the most important thing for me is to always try to learn something from the experience, and from the experiences of others. Then again, sometimes there is no lesson other than acceptance.
I drove down to the farm where I keep most of my mares and young horses last night, and spent today going over them. Talk about "you never know"--a good mare of mine who came home barren last spring suddenly delivered a big strong colt this week! We didn't know until last week that she was in foal, a fact determined after she failed to come in heat at all this year. So, a foal we weren't expecting replaces one we were expecting.
You never know in this business!
You never know in this business!
- Green Hills
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- Green Hills
- Starters Handicap
- Posts: 653
- Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2004 11:37 am
- Location: New York
- Contact:
Michael wrote:I drove down to the farm where I keep most of my mares and young horses last night, and spent today going over them. Talk about "you never know"--a good mare of mine who came home barren last spring suddenly delivered a big strong colt this week! We didn't know until last week that she was in foal, a fact determined after she failed to come in heat at all this year. So, a foal we weren't expecting replaces one we were expecting.
You never know in this business!
Well...hooray for some good news!!!!!