# Dead foal : (



## Mega (11 April 2011)

Hi I don't often post, but read all the time. 
This morning I had the most awful shock, my mare had her foal 3wks early (last time she foaled 2wks late) and unfortunately although he looks perfect in everyway, he is dead.
What to do I don't know. I feel numb, weak, don't know what to do with myself and I am sure she feels the same.
I have had conflicting advice. one is to leave the mare and foal together for 48hrs and another to leave them only for a few hrs. What should I do?
Also I have contacted the foaling crisis on Horse Quest and the National Foaling Bank to let them know, just in case some poor little foal needs a mum.
The lovely lady at the stud has told me that I can send my mare back to stud and try again. I just don't know what to do, will that help my mare, or should I just leave it. She has had a healthy foal 6yrs ago (whom I've only just sold). Advice please & if you know of anyone that needs a mummy : )
P.s. we're in Cheshire


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## ThePinkPony (11 April 2011)

Someone on here was looking for a mare with milk urgently. 

So sorry for your loss. Ive had to deliver more than a few dead pups in my time and its such a devastating thing. hope your mare is okay.


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## madmare22 (11 April 2011)

sorry for your loss, heartbreaking


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## AnShanDan (11 April 2011)

Sorry, no advice, but lots of sympathy.

What a shock for you. I hope your mare recovers soon.


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## cruiseline (11 April 2011)

So sorry for your loss, it is just heartbreaking when a foal is lost. (((((((((hugs)))))))))

The advise I was given regarding how long to leave the foal with the mare, was until the mare has lost interest in the foal. She will then have also come to terms with the fact that her foal has gone.

If you are going to offer your mare as a foster, then get some advise from the National foaling bank on how to keep stripping her milk, for the next couple of days.

My condolences on your loss.


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## crellow4 (11 April 2011)

I really am terribly sorry to hear your news. From experience I would leave the mare with her foal for at least 48 hours. If you are prepared to offer her as a foster mum you will need to milk her. The colostrum can be frozen and kept for several years. I had a similar experience 2 years ago. Johanna Vardon was brilliant and matched my mare with a little TB filly. It took 2 days to arrange and during that time I milked the mare and stored the milk. When she left to meet her adoptive foal I gave them a couple of pints of her milk which they then splashed on the foal. Fortunately the fostering was a complete success and the mare was returned to me in foal by way of thanks.
If you decide fostering is not for you, I feel the mare will still need a couple of days with her baby. Good luck with whatever route you decide to take x


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## strada (11 April 2011)

Oh how heartbreaking for you. I am so sorry, i had it happen last year so know a little about what you are going through. There is a facebook page called fosterfoal which is for orphan foals and foster mares? Might be worth posting on there if you are considering it as an option. http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Fosterfoal/122859251124430


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## Simsar (11 April 2011)

Sorry to hear your news. x


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## TheresaW (11 April 2011)

So sorry for your loss.

My mare gave birth to a dead foal last year, and she was hospitalised for a couple of days as she was so distressed.  The foal went with her to the hospital and stayed with her for a couple of days until she lost interest in her completely.  We then took the foal away.

We did send Dolly back to stud, and she took in foal again 1st time, but sadly she lost it between 3 and 5 months.


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## Hebe (11 April 2011)

Very sorry to hear this, how awful for you.  This happened to us once and we let the mare decide.  We left her access to where foalie was so she could go in and out as she pleased,  from stable to paddock.....by the second day she had walked away


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## Minxie (11 April 2011)

So sorry to read your terrible news. 

don't have any advice re what to do with the foal but my thoughts are with you for sure.


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## cliodhna (11 April 2011)

I have fortunately never had to deal with such a situation but have always heard and read that, as the others have said, you should leave the mare with the foal until she loses interest in him. Taking him away before this may distress her further.

What a horrible shock for you and your mare. My sympathies


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## luckilotti (11 April 2011)

What a dreadful shock for you, hugs to you and your mare.  
I would echo the others and would leave her with the foal until she is no longer interested. 
With regards to trying again, i thankfully didnt have to see my mares foal but last year one of my lost it at some point and continued with a phantom pregnancy, I felt like throwing the towel in as the 1st year she hadnt taken etc, i decided to give it a go and if she didnt take after 2 seasons - then that was her body saying she didnt want a foal.  She took 1st time and i am very nervously waiting.  It's still early and you have plenty of time to consider trying again.  (my mare didnt go back to stud until the august).  
Hugs again.


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## Maesfen (11 April 2011)

So very sorry for you.  I hope your mare is ok and can help some other poor mite.  Agree with Cruiseline, leave them together until the mare loses interest.


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## BallyshanHorses (11 April 2011)

I know everyone has given good advice but I would also be looking into why the foal was born early,ie twisted cord or something more sinister therefore I would be wanting to get a postmortim done on the foal therefore having to take the foal away asap.


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## Mega (11 April 2011)

Thank you all for your kind words and advice x


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## Gucci_b (11 April 2011)

so sorry to hear your very sad news ((hugs))


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## equestrianabbie (11 April 2011)

I'm sorry to hear the bad news :-(


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## Sportznight (11 April 2011)

Oh how terribly sad!  I'm so sorry to read your news  

I can't offer any further practical advice to that already given, however I will echo Ballyshan in asking your vet to do tests on the foetus to see why this happened, not least for EHV.


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## kerilli (11 April 2011)

very very sorry to hear that, huge condolences to you.
Johanna Vardon is brilliant at matching foster mares and orphan foals and will advise you what to do. 
meantime, lots of love and fuss for your poor mare.


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## Clippy (11 April 2011)

How awful for you  Maybe the foal suffocated in the bag? If he looked perfect otherwise, it's a likely explanation, and when they foal unexpectedly early like that, well you can't be on hand to oversee things.

I think you are very brave and forward thinking to mention you may allow your mare to adopt an orphan foal to help someone else.

Whatever happens I wish you well


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## dianchi (11 April 2011)

Im sorry for your loss, i hope that you and your mare get over your loss.


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## angrovestud (11 April 2011)

I hope I can understand your loss as we lost one just like you, a bit to early,last year and her fourth foal she had done 3 others just brilliantly, it is very very harrowing and totally sad and I am so sorry for your loss, we left our girl for 24 hours with her daughter we then asked her to join her field mates and big daughter a  2 year old and she did. 
We did try again and I am delighted to say it worked for us, so i hope this gives you hope if thats something to hang on to right now, sometimes things go wrong you can beat yourself till your black and blue but tragedies happen when breeding, like you we saw no major issues nothing to hang your hat on, I do hope you begin to feel better in a few days and can make a decision that will make you happy 
very very best wishes.


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## Springs (11 April 2011)

very sorry for your loss and having been through simlar experiances i know what your going through.

The National foaling bank will give you the best advice on what to do.


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## JaxMath (11 April 2011)

so sorry for your loss.   sending you lots of (((((hugs)))))  xx


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## Whizz105 (11 April 2011)

You've got some good advice here but I just wanted to add my hugs to you, sorry to hear of your loss xxxx

Will you let us know what you decided...? Xxx


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## GinnieRedwings (11 April 2011)

So sorry for your loss x


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## spike123 (11 April 2011)

I'm sorry to hear of your loss. Should you decide that you want to foster your mare out I have just spotted this request via facebook

If anyone out there knows of a potential foster mum, can you please get in touch with Tracey URGENTLY on 01707 651085. Nicola McGivern has a mare in real trouble with an 18 hour old foal.......... Many thanks. Please pass this on


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## me_n_super_abby (11 April 2011)

So sorry for your loss.


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## lornaA (11 April 2011)

so sorry to hear of your loss.


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## Jackpotsstud (11 April 2011)

So sorry to hear your story.  I hope your mare recovers quickly.


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## parkside (11 April 2011)

So sorry that is miserable for you and the mare


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## charliesarmy (11 April 2011)

What a terrible shock for you and your mare, so sorry for your loss


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## devilwoman (11 April 2011)

Sorry to read this, hope you find a baby for her to foster is that's what you decide to do, take care.


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## SusieT (11 April 2011)

Please discuss with your vet re: fostering etc. as many viruses can cause abortion of a seemingly healthy foal and might be worth screening for this (also before going back to stud in case it spreads).
Sorry your waited for event has been ruined


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## Mega (12 April 2011)

Thank you for all your kind words. 
I very much doubt that my mare has got any virus as she was scanned before going to stud and has not been in contact with any horses (apart from her son, who had always lived with us until I sold him in Feb) and she settled well when he went. I'm guessing that the poor foal suffocated. Of course I will have her screened again before & if I send her to stud and if she is introduced to a new foal, although i am guessing that with every passing hour this is becoming more unlikely.
She however does not seem distressed. Yesterday she looked awful and she is still very "tucked up", but she is chewing her hay and even chose to walk around the yard whilst i mucked her stable out this morning, but as I left her, she was back standing vigil over him. Sooo so sad for her, I wish I could take the pain away for her.
I know I am way to emtional about these things!
Am thinking that once she has moved on I will probably send her back to stud in a 6wks or so time. Any opinions?


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## TheresaW (12 April 2011)

I would see how you feel in a couple of weeks.  When Dolly's foal died, I didn't bother with a PM, as I was determined I would never put her or myself through something like that ever again, so what was the point. I was breeding something for me, a part of her to keep when she had gone, and a PM wouldn't have changed the fact the foal had died.

Once Dolly came home though, she was back to her old self within days, and now, almost a year later, it is only me that still gets upset about it.  She hasn't a care in the world.

What I am trying to say is, your Mare will be fine before you know it.  I wish we could bounce back as easily.  As I said in my other post, I did try again once I had calmed down and had time to think about things.


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## firm (12 April 2011)

Just wanted to say I am really sorry to hear about your foal.


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## DRSsporthorses (12 April 2011)

So sorry at your loss. Nothing worse after waiting so long.


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## SSM (12 April 2011)

I've not read all the replies but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let her be a foster mare, without my amazing foster mare my Little ***** would not have half the start in life he had. We took a depressed mare who had foaled a dead foal and a mummified foal - she took to my boy within a few hours and never looked back.

Contact Joanna at the National Foaling Bank

And I am so sorry for your loss, no one should go through it.


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## Mega (12 April 2011)

I've called Joanna and left all our details and keeping my fingers crossed for her, but with every passing hour the chances become smaller.
I'm sure a foster foal would help her and of course I keep telling myself I'm lucky that I've still got her.


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## SSM (12 April 2011)

Channel four racing will put an appeal out for you and get a facebook page going

Good luck, warn you now you might get a few fruitcake messages or text, which I know is the last thing you want when you are so bewildered and upset

Good luck


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## Lexie81 (12 April 2011)

No advice but thinking of you and your poor mare. I really hope she is ok and wish you all the best if you do send her back to stud. ((((hugs))) x


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