Black Colt  

aborted: 11th February 2001

(This page was last updated 22/08/07)

Sadly we lost Velvet's foal.   She suffered a very late abortion 25 days from term.  She had waxed up so was under observation and at about 11.30am yesterday (11/2/01) she started to show signs of labour.  She quickly presented the first foot but on examination we could only find the two feet and no nose!   We knew we had a malpresentation so called our  vet, Helen Papworth.   This is the first time in 202 foalings where we have called the vet to a delivery !   Initially we had t establish if this was a breach delivery or a head back malpresentation.  As we could feel the knees we decided that the head was back but neither Malcolm or I or the vet could feel the head to correct the position.  We were also now sceptical that the foal was alive as there was no movement.  We had to act fast for the best course of action for Velvet.  She would soon get tired with straining and unable to make progress.  The vet quickly recommented we load her up while she could still be moved and get her to Fellows Farm Equine Clinic at Abbots Ripton near Huntingdon.  We arrived at the clinic about 2½ hours after Velvet had first shown signs of labour.  After an initial examination on arrival by Matthew Tong it was agreed the only course of action to save the mare was a caesarian and she was taken straight to theatre.  The foal was removed within about 30 minutes - a beautiful black colt - but it was dead.  It then took another 1½ hours to carefully stitch everything back together.  Matthew made a very neat job of this and this will hopefully give her a better chance of breeding again in the future.  We put the dead foal in the stable where Velvet would be staying after the surgery so that she could come to terms with the fact that the foal had died.  Velvet recovered well from the surgery and seems very calm about things.  The vets have concluded that the late abortion was caused by premature placental separation causing the blood and oxygen supply to the foal to be cut off and therefore the foal died.  The foal was laying in the position illustrated above.  It is difficult to say if the foal had not died whether it would have managed to correct this position.  We have always said over the years we have been incredibly lucky with trouble free foalings and with the law of averages we knew we would have a problem one day - This doesn't take the dissappointment away but hopefully the rest of the season will run smoothly.

Update 10th March 2001.  We are pleased to announce that Velvet is recovering well from her caesarian.  She stayed with the vet for a week and then had to be on box rest.  Her stables were removed after 10 days and last week she was allowed to back in with her friends in the mare barn.  She does not seem to have been traumatised by the loss of her foal and will make a full recovery to be able to breed again in future years.