Patient Stories

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Faithful Anticipation

By Ginny Palmer

I have been using Unionville Equine Associates for several years now, and they have been great for the routine things and the unusual things. This story is about the foaling of my Arab-Trakehner mare, Melody’s Summer Soulstice (Sammy). Dr. Patty Blakeslee did her prepurchase exam on August 26, 2005. Little did we know then the journey that we would share with this mare.

In the spring of 2006, I decided to breed Sammy to a Dutch New Forest Pony stallion,Forrest Flame, who at the time was in Florida. Dr. Blakeslee confirmed the mare was in heat on May 4 and needed to be inseminated on Saturday, May 6. Of course none of us knew what a SPECIAL day that would be for equine enthusiasts all over the country, but particularly in Chester County. It was Kentucky Derby Day and Barbaro was in the running. Dr. Berkowitz was on that weekend, and we both agreed that the breeding of Sammy could not interfere with the watching of the race. The minute the semen arrived I loaded Sammy, and we were off to Unionville. It was my choice to go to the clinic because Sammy had not been especially cooperative with her palpations, and their lovely facilities would make it much easier to safely do the insemination. The insemination went like clockwork, and Sammy was back in her stall and I was in front of the TV in time to see Barbaro win the Derby. What a great day!

Dr. Blakeslee did the normal ultrasounds following the insemination, and everything was fine. I was sure there would be no interference with the watching of the Kentucky Derby next year with Sammy’s EDD being April 10, 2007. Now all we had to do was watch and wait. What I did not know was how long we would be watching and waiting.

Sammy did have several minor events before she delivered her foal. She reacted to her third Pneumabort-K vaccine. I was at work when this happened, but one of the Unionville vets skillfully coached my husband, a non-horse person, through the event, and by the time I rushed home everything was fine.

We were back to watching and waiting. April 10^th came and went with no major changes in Sammy. April 18^th Dr. Blakeslee palpated Sammy and determined the foal was viable but small. We were relieved, but worried because the mare was still not showing any major changes in size or in udder formation. More watching and waiting.

On April 27 I could tell Sammy was not herself. She came in from the pasture, circled her stall, and promptly laid down and did not move. I was sure she was foaling. I madly dialed Unionville’s number. Those ladies that answer the phone are so nice, because I am usually very excited and rambling. Within minutes I had a call back from Dr. Blakeslee who was on another call, but told me the backup vet would be there to check Sammy. Dr. Moore did a thorough exam and concluded that it was a mild colic. Her palpation found no fetal movement and a smaller than expected fetus. I was still sure Sammy was in labor, and this was not colic. Guess what – I was WRONG and the vet was RIGHT!!!!! I, of course, spent the night in the barn and Sammy returned to her normal self around 2:00 am. Another night without a foaling.

We were back to watching and waiting. Little did I know that Sammy’s foaling would not interrupt the watching of the Kentucky Derby on May 5th, or the Preakness on May 19^th. I occasionally would call Dr. Blakeslee and give her an update – No change! My husband asked me why I was still going to the barn multiple times a day, and my horse friends had told me all of the abnormal foaling stories that they knew. I tried to be positive, but was having some doubts since there continued to be no change in the mare’s size or udder.

I was beginning to think we were still going to be watching and waiting when the Belmont was run on June 9^th, when Sammy surprised us all. You guessed it - she foaled on May 25 at 6:15 am!!!! The anticipation was over. When I entered the barn that morning, Sammy was down and had delivered the head and shoulders and the rest followed. I immediately called my husband for assistance, and then did another one of those excited calls to Unionville – My mare finally foaled!!! It was exactly 383 days. Dr. Blakeslee arrived just as the barn was filling with family and friends who had been waiting for the moment. I knew we were not out of the woods yet. The foal could not get up, she appeared emaciated, and the mare had no milk. What I did know was that the foal was bright and alert, and I would give her every chance to survive, but I desperately needed Dr. Blakeslee to guide me through this. The foal weighed 40 pounds. Based on this we calculated how much supplement to give with a bottle and lamb’s nipple. She was tubed and given colostrum. Dr. Blakeslee cautioned me about foal failure and not to get my hopes up until after 24 hours. The foal continued to gain strength and when the mare’s milk came in, Dr. Blakeslee assisted the foal in finding her mother’s milk. This was the first viable foal for the mare, so we were also dealing with a maiden mare who did not like anyone at her rump area. Sammy soon became comfortable with her new role as mother without any kicking or rudeness.

Within three days the foal was independently getting up and down and nursing from her mom. I packed up my things and moved back to the house. It was easy to select a name for this foal. We call her Faithful Anticipation, aka Faith.

A big thank you to Unionville Equine Associates, and especially to Dr. Blakeslee. It was a long journey and a great lesson in watching and waiting. My horse friends also have another foaling story to add to their repertoire.

Faithful Anticipation

05/25/07

C Square Farm

We at C Square Farm are thankful to Dr. Christine Foster, Dr. Patty Blakeslee, Dr. Steven Berkowitz, Dr. Susan Crane and Dr. John Lee for getting our mare, Hughes' Star into foal three times. At one point in 2005, after numerous attempts and a barren year, they were able to suggest a local stallion, R Johnson, who was very fertile and would suit our breeding needs.

The result was a beautiful filly foal, R Star. She was born in late July in 2006. We hope for wonderful things for her, and it has already been suggested she be shown at Dressage at Devon.

Lazy J Sport Horses

We bred 12 mares this year AI with one being frozen and got 100% conception rates!!!! One mare lost her baby later but that was a foal heat breeding so not that uncommon. Two of the mares were sold and the buyers wanted my "great" repro vet to reinsemminate before they left. Both caught. One caught with twins and the new owner hauled the mare back to my farm to have my "great" repro vet pinch one, which she did and the mare retained the other pregnancy, yeah! Oh, and they are bringing the mare back here to foal so my "great" repro vet can oversee, so who is this vet, well, Susan Crane of course. I have been breeding for many years and I have to say she is pretty darn good...oh did I mention that one of the mares still in foal here is 24 and a "problem" mare even when she was young? Anyway, I love Susan, she's the best and only a phone call away.