Still Born

 I went out as soon as it was light to check on Galena and found her in labor. Mike was called to help but as soon as we got her in the stall we realized we were going to need more help. The foal was wedged in so tight that Galena was not able to deliver the foal. Joan was called to come help along with Diane. Even having the 3 of them pulling on the foal and me holding Galena we couldn't get the foal out. The kids that came all ended up helping. It was kind of obvious that the foal had died but one always hopes for the best and as soon as we got the colt out started working on him but he never took a single breath. Mike and Joan carried the colt right out of the stall. Usually the hardest part about losing a foal is the grieving of the mother but Galena was never given the opportunity to smell or lick the colt so she didn't grieve. She has not called out or looked for her baby so that worked. Below are 3 of the kids that came over to help, they are watching Joan working on the colt.

We explained to the kids that this is farm life and sometimes bad things happen. I have learned that none of the horses are mine, they all belong to the Creator and I am here to care for them the best I can.   Galena was given fresh hay and 2 buckets of water then left in the stall. Mom and I left for the Berean office and made it there just before 9:00 am. If you would like to read about our morning there click HERE. After we finished for the morning we drove first to Sarah's house to drop off some swim diapers mom found at a garage sale then to Meisters to pick up Anna. Our airbnb guest checked out around noon and we got home around 12:30 pm. They had left a note on the table with a destroyed basket (the basket Anna bought to keep the throw blankets in) and a chewed up remote. Anna went right to work cleaning while I went straight out to the stall to check on Galena. She had still not delivered her placenta. When a foal nurses it causes the uterus to contract which helps dispel the placenta but no foal nursed so we needed to get that going. I drove to Hoerr Vet clinic and picked up a bottle of Oxytocin then stopped at Walmart to pick up a new remote. Anna quickly tried the new remote while I gave Galena a shot of 1.5 mm Oxy. She started some light contractions and I have her on the monitor. She will get her next shot around 6:00 pm if the first doesn't work. Karin along with 5 extra kids arrived to go trail riding just about the time I was taking the skid steer over to bury the colt when the next airbnb guests pulled in. This family has 5 little boys so all of a sudden we had lots of people milling around. Karin had them bring in the riding horses to get them tacked up.

They brought in Mika, Cookie, Oksana and Sally and tied them up for tacking in the arena.

Below Berlica is bringing in Missy.

Below are all 5 lined up.

I couldn't stick around for pictures, the Bibles needed to be dropped off at the Bartonville post office as I didn't take time to do that earlier. It is just about 6:00 pm and Galena is resting quietly in the stall. I need to head out to give her another shot and start twisting the placenta to try to help it to release.