Pedigree Query

I have a new colt (born 5/26/08 @ 0200), who not only has sickle hocks and knock knees, but is now acting like a dummy foal! Does anyone have any experience with this sort of thing? I am quite concerned and not quite sure what to do. The birth was non traumatic, no issues and he acted fine (except for conformation) upon birth and for the first day or so, now he is kind of wandering, does not nurse for very long and seems generally "not right". My mare did not have any problem foaling (this is her fourth) and is an excellent mom, but I am not sure what the heck happened and how to "fix it" or if it is even possible. If anyone has any experience in this area, I would really appreciate their advice (without contrite comments as these do not help). Thanks very much.

call a vet asap

He might be an NI foal. They can live up to two or three days. This is caused by a incompatibility between the blood types of the dam and the foal, and the colostrum "poisons" the foal. You could pull blood from the mare to be sure, she would have NI antibodies. That might be the dummy foal part of your post.

Regarding conformation - have you had any others by Unbridled's Comet?

The vet has been out every day as we are flushing my mare daily and she is on copious antibiotics for retained placental parts. Now I am monitoring her for laminitis....

The colt looks a little friskier today so perhaps I am worrying for nothing. I hope. He will be a gorgeous grey if he pulls through.

This mare has never had an NI problem before, but you're right Madelyn, and I will get that checked asap. However, is it not too late? He has been nursing for three days?


Thanks Springboro and Madelyn, I really appreciate the advice. If you have anything else to offer, please let me know. I am trying to ensure I have thought of everything.

Yes he might be past NI. That's pretty disheartening regarding Unbridled's Comet. A breeder has ENOUGH to contend with the costs of breeding and mare care for a WHOLE YEAR to get a foal. You can't just put a foal back on a shelf because it didn't turn out the way you hoped. For your sake, I deeply hope he will outgrow it!

don't beat yourself up too badly... if i had a $1.9 million sale yearling nearby to breed to, I'd probably give it a whirl too.

are they just big windswept foals? We had a big filly one time that was pretty folded up, but she grew up fine physically. Mentally, a total nut case, but that's another story.

It's so hard to judge the foals when they are so young. I have seen the crookedest, ugly foals when they are weeks old, and not even reconized them as yearlings.. They can surprise you, sometimes it's all a act

Don't give up on him, conformation-wise. All my newborn foals have needed time to unfold and straighten out. I have to say I've seen very few that are born looking as correct as I'd like an adult horse to be. You might be amazed by what fixes itself in the first few weeks.

Thanks everyone! I too have seen crooked babies grow up just fine, so I will try not to fret too much. The vet mentioned splinting if he does not start to straighten out. He is so cute, and today is full of himself, literally running and crow hopping in his stall today, and driving his mama crazy. So perhaps all will be well after all. His sire is stunning to see and does not have any noticable leg problems. The folks at the farm he is standing at are also very supportive and hopeful the colt will be fine.

My mare flushed fairly clean today, but we will flush her again in the morning to ensure nothing is hiding in there. She will continue antibiotics for another four days and thus far, her feet are great with no signs of laminitis.

Thanks again, I feel better about things today, and I will not give up on the little guy. Almost like a marriage--for better or for worse

I highly recommend you start on either foal aide made by buckeye or progressive nutrition's rejuvenade. They are liquid vitamins and minerals that work wonders. My filly was growing faster than her tendons could keep up with and she started buckling over at the knee somewhat. She looked perfectly correct within a week of starting the foal aide. I am making it a staple in my foals diets.
Best of luck to you.

Thanks Laurierace, I have looked for both at the local feed store, but they do not carry it. Do you have any other suggestions as to where I might purchase it?

Not really as I just bought it at the feed store myself. Maybe you can google it and buy it online somewhere? Any feed store that carries either Buckeye or PN products should be able to special order it from their supplier but it may be faster to buy it online yourself than wait for their next shipment. Best of luck to you.

Laurierace wrote:I highly recommend you start on either foal aide made by buckeye or progressive nutrition's rejuvenade. They are liquid vitamins and minerals that work wonders. My filly was growing faster than her tendons could keep up with and she started buckling over at the knee somewhat. She looked perfectly correct within a week of starting the foal aide. I am making it a staple in my foals diets.
Best of luck to you.

Wow Laurie it really happens that fast? A week? Those lil buggers do can turn on a dime physically, huh? I had to give my dog a supplement to take care of a deficiency and we had to wait over a month to see a noticeable change (we were told sometimes you even needed 90 days). Just a whole different metabolism wow.

foothillsequine -

How's the patient doing?

He is starting to straighten up some. His back legs look much better, but his front ones remain knock kneed and he toes out. We are thinking of doing surgery to correct them. I read somewhere on this forum about periosteal stripping but I can't find it. I know that if I do go that route, I will not hide it from a potential buyer. I would hate to think that I am somehow contributing to conformational defects if it is genetic. So, I am not sure what to do exactly. He is very active and full of himself and has a wonderful personality. I did find a vitamin supplement to give him but not the foal aide or rejuvenade mentioned--I have asked our feed store to please order it and stock it, but, I will probably have to order it online and stock up. I have two foals due in the early new year, so I figure I can use it.

Now I am trying to figure out what colour he will be. He is jet black with a huge star and I thought he was going to be a gray, but what I thought was frosting must have been dust His hind legs have what looks like a grulla colour just in front of them (kind of on his belly) so maybe he will be a plain dark bay/brown.

Thanks for asking, and I will post pictures if I can figure out how to do that