Reply to : cindy966
Thanks for the nice story with the happy ending!! Very enjoyable.Janet, maybe it's because my horse is only 3/4 Kiger, but the last thing he would think is "how are you?" Usually it is, do you have any food, or can I lead today, or let's do something. My welfare never crosses his mind. My non-Kiger mustang is even more concerned about her welfare than mine. If I were to slip and fall she would try to run far away so that whatever happened to me wouldn't happen to her. One time I was riding behind another horse that fell on some rocks in front of us. Her reaction was to try to turn around and get out of there. Other more domestic horses I've seen in this situation usually just stand there. Her self-preservation is strong. I don't know about my Kiger in this situation yet. Probably he'd be curious
Hey Cindy
Let me tell you about an experience I had several years ago. We had just bought a group of mares that were not halter broken, Broodmares only, pastured with minimal human contact. (they are all halter broken now and in fact we we load them up with their babies to go to the grocery store and post office to start the foals off right).
Jillian was 4 hours away at college, and one of the mares foaled, I treated the navel, every thing looked ok, he nursed (the mare is a prolific milker} Next morning he was down. almost comotose.
I took the wheelbarrow out to the pasture, loaded the limp foal in it, and wheeled it into the barn, this mare had never been in a building before in her life, she followed her foal, I backed the horsetrailer (three horse slant} up the the barn,wheeled the foal into the trailer and mom hopped in and I shut the door.
It was a Saturday. The large animal vet on call was the owner of the vet hospital, all but retired, he covers weekends sometimes, He opened up the trailer gate and and never closed it until I was ready to return home. He held that baby in his lap, collected blood samples, started an IV for fluids, all with the mare hanging her head over his shoulder to watch what he did to her baby. I did not have a camera but the scene is ingrained in my brain forever. This kiger mare trusted a stranger to help her precious baby, if a younger vet had demanded I take the mare and foal inside or even just the foal all hell would have broken loose.
We tested for adequate cholostrum levels(they were ok). The foal was given gentamicin and sent home with IV fluids and antibiotics.
The mare remained calm all during treatments and handling. she was in an isolation pen apart from her lifelong herdmates, and accepted this calmly and quietly. I never feared for my safety, she just kept her nose to her baby and watched every thing I did, I had to treat him with antibiotics IV every 4 hours.
Her baby died the next day. He was a dun stud colt with incredible markings, he had a ventral stripe. (a dorsal-like line on his belly, from chin to tail, only the second we have had.
The mare has since produced healthy foals. she is the best to allow us to treat navels and inspect foals.
And I would say she has an incredible bond with humans!
Janet
