‘It aged me 10 years!’ First for experienced breeder as mare gives birth on verge while en route home
The owner of a pony who gave birth on the way home, on a grass verge – having paused for a few mouthfuls of grass mid-labour – said she has never seen the like in 44 years of breeding.
Both Barkway Tiny Tears and her colt are well and happy after the unusual circumstances of the birth, on the side of Whiteley Lane, but successful show pony breeder Claire Smalley said she “aged 10 years in an hour!”
Claire told H&H she went to collect 12hh British riding pony Holly and another mare from her winter grazing, a few miles from home, on Monday (17 April).
“We had to bring one back as she’s susceptible to laminitis and the grass is growing, and Holly was due in a couple of weeks so we thought we’d get her back too,” Claire said. “This is the fourth foal she’s had here and she always foals on the day she’s due.”
Claire said Holly showed no signs of being near to labour, but on the short journey home, also accompanied by Claire’s daughter Bibi and Bibi’s boyfriend, Holly went down.
“We’ve got a camera in the back and Bibi shouted ‘She’s gone down’,” Claire said. “I stopped and we got in the back and because she was still tied up, she was almost hanging herself. Her weight on the rope had tightened it so we had to cut it. Luckily, we keep a knife in the living – note to everyone, always carry a penknife in the lorry – and she’s got such a good temperament.”
Claire had to drive the small lorry on to a place where she could get the side ramp down, so she pulled in again 10 to 15 yards further on.
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“We got the ramp down and I got my daughter’s boyfriend to hold the other mare,” Claire said. “He’s not horsey at all but luckily she’s so greedy that she thought she’d gone to heaven so he could just stand while she grazed on the verge.
“Then I opened the partition and saw that Holly had about eight inches of the foal sticking out of the back.”
Claire and Bibi let Holly find her feet, on the floor of the lorry that was “awash” from the mare’s waters breaking.
“We got her down the ramp and she decided, being her, ‘I think I’ll have some grass now’!” Claire said. “Typical pony, she stopped having her foal for a quick snack on the verge.”
Claire thought at first the foal had died as his tongue was lolling and he was unmoving. She pulled the bag away and tapped his nose – and saw a twitch.
“Then, after a couple of minutes, she went down, gave three pushes and out he came!” Claire said. “There were cars coming past, people staring, it was surreal. But he stood up quickly, she passed the afterbirth and was lying on the ground eating the cow parsley, she didn’t care. It was probably 10 minutes from her going down to the foal being born. It would have been a textbook foaling, if she’d waited 10 minutes.”
The foal, who was shivering on the open hilltop, was wrapped in a Union Flag blanket from the living, while Claire’s “amazing” friends Jill Ward, Rebecca Sandell and Robin came to the rescue, with another lorry for the other mare, and shavings to dry Claire’s lorry.
Bibi stood in the back holding the foal up, as Claire drove home “at about two miles per hour”. Holly and her son have since been out enjoying the sunshine.
“They’re absolutely fine,” Claire said. “It was just one of those bizarre things, with a very good ending. It was funny though as it was the first foaling Bibi has seen; she’s nearly 18 and she’s missed so many foals being born by two or three minutes. So this was the first one she’s seen born, and I don’t think she’ll forget it – and I’m very glad Holly’s only the size she is!”
Claire added that a number of people have suggested Barkway On The Verge as a name for the foal.
“I think he will be called that,” she said. “And Charles for everyday use as he was wrapped in the Union Flag blanket. And when he’s showing, everyone will know who he is!”
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.