Miracle Baby!

What a rollercoaster ride!  My mare, Asalari, has been on 3 medications for the past almost 2 months, when she showed signs of premature labor.  We did all sorts of tests and ultrasounds and her placenta was quite thickened and she was very close to aborting.  Happily, my great repro vet and all around nice person Dr. Brandi Holohan, prescribed drugs and monitored Slari’s placenta via ultrasound.  We were hoping to get her to 320 days gestation (340 is considered full term), but two days ago I noticed that Slari had milk and was very loose behind.

There was really nothing more we could do, except cross our fingers and tell Slari to cross her legs.  That seemed to be working reasonably well as we hit 312 days.  She hadn’t changed much, so I went off to do errands, leaving Slari and her friend Fia in the arena.  Slari had the slightest bit of wax on her teats, but didn’t seem to be having contractions.

I got back and hour later and peeked out in the arena.  Then, I ran for the arena, as Slari had feet sticking out and Fia was ‘helping’.  Not.  I was able to shoo Fia away so poor Slari had some privacy, but it was already too late and the foal was dumped on her head as Slari didn’t feel she could lie down.  I put Fia in a stall, much to her disgust and watched.

Slari getting to know her daughter.

Baby was standing up within 15 minutes

Nursing within 30 minutes

Dr. Holohan came today, checked her over, did an IGG (best one of the three!) and pronounced her ‘perfect’.  Here is a little video she took while I itched the baby’s butt:

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And, one more photo of the gleaming golden girl!!  She still has a lot of filling out to do, but all the bits and pieces are there and in VERY nice order!  Now to find her a name..