Another Grieving Mother

Last night was another hard night. Marika delivered at 10:22pm and I barely made it there for the delivery. She laid down, let out a grunt, I went out to check and here she was in the process of pushing the foal out...Which should be a good thing right? In the first picture below I hadn't realized yet the problem.

 But the next look my mind shouted, "what in the world!" Check out his head in the picture below.

Mike and Diane were sent a text while Mark was called. The colt's lungs were filled with fluid and the colt needed to be lifted upside down to help drain them. The top of this little guy's head is soft, the skull has not closed. He was very lethargic and could hardly hold his head up. Never seeing anything like this before both Mike and Diane got on the internet to try to figure out what this was and what we could expect. Not getting answers there Mike called Dr. Hoerr's emergency number. Dr. Pallen soon called back, asked some questions and finally told us more than likely this was foal with hydrocephalus. She told us what to expect and offered to come out but if there was nothing to be done except put him down we determined to wait it out and see if he would be able to get up to nurse. He is still alive this morning but has obviously not able to ever get up. Mark is out digging a grave with the skid steer and the stump removal attachment as the yanmar is at Middle Grove.  We haven't yet removed the colt from Marika, she will be another grieving mother soon enough.
The picture below was taken this morning a few minutes ago, it won't be long now before he is laid to rest.

It has really been hard this year. We bought Marika in foal to an unrelated stallion, spent 8 nights on foalwatch anxious to see what this new little life would be like. Equine Hydrocephalus is not an inherited disease but even so we will breed Marika to one of our stallions and for sure keep her until we see her produce a perfect foal.