On Wednesday I went to the airport to pick up my sister. The day had dawned well, clear and dry and a relief from all the recent rain.
When we pulled into the farm, my main barn help guy ran up to the truck, frantic - we had two dead horses in two separate fields. Each horse had bloody foam covering the nostrils, and a shaving-can full of white foam from the mouth. Each were two year olds, with all their life ahead of them. We removed the remaining horses from both fields. But later one colt showed symptoms of poison - we administered antibiotics and banamine but he later died. We dealt with the body removals, but I took the last colt to Lexington for autopsy - and it was hydrothorax - mold. We had just recently got round bales (two days before) and I also took hay samples. We always inspect the bales and these LOOKED bright and clean. But they killed three of my two year olds.
The mold was in the hay- obviously deep enough in a 1800lb bale that I could not see nor smell it.
What a BLOW and what an awful time here. We've buried the other two.
I guess this is a warning
Moderators: Roguelet, hpkingjr, WaveMaster, madelyn
I guess this is a warning
So Run for the Roses, as fast as you can.....
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photofinish
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spex4me wrote:Madelyn,
I am so sorry to read of this. It is horrible and heart wrenching. Our thoughts are with you. But thank you for sharing your story, even if it is far more sorrow than one should have to endure.
Well put. I am shocked. I didn't think a bit of mold would bother them much outside. I thought they would just ignore it. Thanks for the warning and I am so sorry for your loss.
I had half a dozen [110lb] bales of oat hay get wet a few months ago. A few bales only had 3-4 inches that were affected and I thought I'd very carefully try to save what I could of those bales. The amount of heat that was produced from the growing mold amazed me, it radiated 12+inches away and when I grabbed what looked like good clean hay it was so warm I thought I'd stuck my hand into a nest of something and jumped backed. That heat convinced me to give it all to someone who had cows.
It's bewildering this could happen to someone like you who is so experienced, hard working and attentive to your horse's needs. What do you do now with the other bales? Send it back? Take them apart? Can you use a thermometer on a stick to check for heat inside them?
It's bewildering this could happen to someone like you who is so experienced, hard working and attentive to your horse's needs. What do you do now with the other bales? Send it back? Take them apart? Can you use a thermometer on a stick to check for heat inside them?
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TrueColours
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I am so so sorry madelyn ... 
That is simply terrible news ...
That is simply terrible news ...
www.TrueColoursFarm.com
Breeders of unique coloured Thoroughbreds & Sport Horses - standing Guaranteed Gold - 16.1hh cremello TB stallion - CSHA and AQHA, APHA, ApHC listed
Breeders of unique coloured Thoroughbreds & Sport Horses - standing Guaranteed Gold - 16.1hh cremello TB stallion - CSHA and AQHA, APHA, ApHC listed
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wilf
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Oh MADELYN, it never rains but it pours in a life of caring for animals. I also euthanised a 5yr old mare yesterday, she was covered in dapples 3 weeks ago but hurt herself playing in the sand roll. I brought her home to a larger corral for a week and to keep her fit as she was racing, this would keep her leg from swelling up and freshen her and the plan worked for a few days until she rolled into a fenceboard and drove a wooden spike clear up into her foot where all hell broke loose depite all my efforts and hours of nursing. We all second guess what we could have done/should have done and my vet said that it was hopeless from day one. I feel for you Madelyn,sometimes it doesn't pay to get out of bed.