Anxious and worried

[Giddie]

I have to say l am totally new to the breeding lark and was expecting our first crop of foals this year.. Now both the mares due to foal were maiden mares.. Eppynt Summer Breeze did foal on the 4th of May a beautiful big grey colt with four whites but unfortunately this was found dead on the morning of it's birth. I have to say my worse nightmare and my reason for not breeding before.. She foaled outside as she refused to be nursed in a stable..

Pontgam Sweetheart is due to foal on or around about the 15th June now unrealistically l am terrified that the same thing will happen again. I know no one can do anything but just nice to express.

[Julie(luke3)]

giddie, I am so sorry for the loss of your foal. I know it's hard, but try and look forward to your next mare foaling. xx

[paulal]

Ah how sad - x rip x

[holiday]

Im so sorry to hear of your loss, however you were unlucky and it would be (although possible) for this to happen again. All I can stress is observe, I would say mainly the same to you as I have posted to Lovepink in her recent post. Good luck!!!!

[ceri]

so sorry to here your sad news
we had the sae problem last year with are 1st foal of the yr
the bag never broke off the nose and we lost him
we ended up spending hrs sat in the jeep etc
with flask just waiting (thats if they were close to foaling)
and glad we did aswould have lost another 2 as they stayed in the bags
they wouldn,t rip by hand so luckly we had a small penknife which we use
for cutting he haylage else they would have died is well

[Guestless]

What a horrible experience giddie. Did you get the vet out to look at the foal at all - chances are it was nothing to do with him being born outside.

I've bred 4 (all Fells) and all have been born outside as my mares would definitely be more stressed being in. It is much harder to keep an eye on them when they foal outside - I've missed each one of mine being born - but for natives, particularly, it is more natural.

There are always things to worry about. For me, I was more worried about AFTER my foal was born this year as both dam and sire were tested positive for FIS when the test became available in February this year. I spent a very tense 4 days waiting on my foal's results to come back, which were thankfully in his favour.

I hope that in a couple of weeks, there is a joyful post in here telling us all about the safe arrival of Sweetheart's foal.

[suzee]

Best wishes for a lovely foal from Sweetheart

[kayjayem]

Oh dear Giddie what a horrible first experience. Can I ask was the foal still in the bag and still connected to the placenta as if this was the case it could be that the placenta detached itself from the uterus before the foal was born and therefore starved it of oxygen and it would have been dead before it was born. This is not very common but it is thought that this is why some people find the foal dead in the bag and it had not broken free as it had already gone. The chances of this happening twice out of 2 must be about the same as being knocked down crossing the road on the way to and from the shop. RIP foaly and look forward to your next one!

[vjc]

How very sad, it does sound like the bag did not break, i agree with what has already been said that the chances of it happening again have got to be remote. I always try and foal my mares outside in a small paddock adajent to the stable, when they have foaled most mares are only to happy to be brought inside for a rest and security. My heart goes out to you having lost your foal it is so distressing. I am sure all will go well with the next foaling but just observe as closely as you can. ((((hugs))))

[sparkle]

This was my biggest fear and I spent weeks and weeks up at night with my mare so I made sure I didnt miss it!

She sure enough gave me all the signs (bagging up/waxing/kicking her belly, digging around) and glad she did as she was 5 weeks over due, had to have a hand to pull her filly out and we broke the bag too.

Good luck and I hope this next foaling goes smoothly for you

[ollie120984]

I use foaling alarms and cameras, quite reliable and you can hire the alarms that call your mobile, always worked for us, so sad about your foal xx