Adventures of Shadow The RVing Dog: A foal stands up and walks just a few hours after it is born.

Friday, February 10, 2012

A foal stands up and walks just a few hours after it is born.

I went out to check on Memory around 9:00 p.m. because we all knew she was getting close to deliver. This is the first time I went and forgot my camera.

I walked over by myself, Dave was going to come with me at 10:00 to check on her. I got up to the stall and didn’t see her, that could only mean one thing… She was laying down!

I shined my flashlight toward her and on the ground I saw a little foal inside of what looked like a plastic bubble! It was still inside the sac and the cord was still attached!

She had just given birth, I wanted to stay and see what happens next, but instead I gimped to the RV as fast as I could (I am disabled, so I can’t run) so I could get Dave and my camera.

It only took a couple of minutes to get back so we didn’t miss much! The foals head was now out of the sac, Memory was still laying where she gave birth and the cord was still attached.

Then in the blink of an eye, Memory stood up and the cord snapped right off and that was it! The colt was laying on the ground still half covered, he kept trying to get up, but his legs were stuck inside the bubble (sac).

Memory, didn’t seem too interested in helping the little guy out as she never even approach the foal while he was struggling to get free.

Johnny Brown (the horse expert) was there to give the mare a shot. He didn’t seem overly concerned about the mares behavior toward the foal. He went in to give Memory her a shot, then tore open the rest of the sac freeing the newborn horses legs and identified the sex. The Double S Ranch Has just had its second colt of 2012, Born on February 9th.

We left the colt and mare alone for about an hour, Johnny wanted to come back to make sure that Memory began nursing.

We were all pleased to see that Memory was much more maternal when we returned!

What a beautiful experience that whole process was! I have NEVER seen anything like that in my life! I could not believe how this new born horse within minutes knew his legs were made for standing! He kept trying to get up while we were their the first time.

One hour old and the little guy was just standing there next to his momma!

When Memory got up and walked away the little guy followed her, his little legs were still weak and quite wobbly, but he didn’t let that stop him!

They seem to be born with natural instincts and he knew when Shadow or Shiner came near the stall, that he should be on his feet and near his mother. What made this even more amazing is that the colt could not see the dogs or hear them.