Another chapter in the filly story … we’ll have the “name” winner by the end of the week … as soon as EL gets back … from who knows where this time!
Each time the filly rose to her feet the hind fetlock bore more weight and therefore put more pressure on the delicate joint. I called Linda. Linda has been my veterinarian since moving to Florida. She specializes in equine reproduction but has the added dimension of common horse sense…a quality missing among many vets. This filly’s mother has a unique bloodline, one generation removed from a horse considered a “desert classic,” but very difficult to get in foal. After a midnight run to the Orlando Airport to retrieve the AI canister, I met Linda at the farm at 2am and the mare conceived that night eleven months ago.
While waiting for Linda, two old friends arrived to look at the filly. Word travels fast down here in the horse community. One was a retired veterinarian, Doc, from up north and the other was a long time breeder of Arabian horses. They both looked at the leg with concern whispering to each other adding to my growing uneasiness. Doc finally looked at me and said, “We need to get this filly up to the University as soon as possible. I will get my trailer and we can be up there in three hours. The longer you wait the less likely the operation will be successful.” They both had much more experience with foals and foaling problems and yet my instincts kept telling me to wait. “I need to wait for Linda.” I could tell my response was not what they expected. They turned to leave and gave me a grim reminder of the consequences of my action. “That is an awfully nice filly, I would hate to lose her if she were mine. Give us a call if you need help but don’t wait too long.” They solemly climbed into their pickup and left without another word.
The filly was trying to nurse but balanced on three legs. I tried to hold her up but she collapsed in an exhausted heap not getting enough colostrum essential for her life. I was ready to call the two men back and accept their help when my cell phone rang. It was Linda. On her way to the farm her office had called with another emergency. I could see the dust raised by her truck from the stall door.
She wasted little time looking at the leg. “I think the leg got twisted in the womb. The tendons, now taught won’t let the leg go in the right direction. The first thing we need to do is see if we can get those tendons to relax. I am going to put a tight wrap on this leg from the hock to the foot slightly bending the fetlock into the correct position and hoping this will cause those tendons to relax. By the way, this is the nicest foal I have seen in a long time. She’s gorgeous.” I held the filly down while Linda applied the bandage and explained what my two visitors had suggested. She said nothing but worked the bandage up and down the leg until the fetlock was turned in the correct position. We picked the foal up and she immediately began nursing. “Let’s give it two days and then we can consider the other option. It’s a risk. While she is nursing let’s look at the placenta.” She took the placenta and turned it inside out and then carefully looked for any tears or ruptures in the tissue. “It looks perfect. Nothing was left in the mare. Tomorrow we will do an IGG to test if the foal is getting enough colostrum and take another look at that leg. Keep them in the stall.”
It was only eleven o clock in the morning. The filly was barely seven hours old. I was tired but could see the foal was already beginning to adjust to the bandaged leg…. (to be continued)