‘Once in a million the first time’: two mares are each raising an orphan foal alongside their own
(Image credit: www.cimbri.co)
A small stud has experienced all the highs and lows of breeding this summer as two broodmares died – but both their foals have been taken on by other mares, alongside their own.
Family-run Cimbri Stud usually only has two foals a year but four were due in 2023 as it was the first year it had their own licensed stallion standing, alongside two others. All four were delivered without complications but two of Cimbri’s foundation mares died.
“The other foal was a bit ‘I don’t want a twin sister’ at first, but she was fine very quickly, and they’re now sisters and best friends.”
The third mare due was Smag&Behag Firfod (Smilla), who gave birth to a healthy colt, then foundation mare Didansa had her fourth foal, also a colt.
The days-old foal was standing by his dam and Tea knew something had to be done.
“We’d had it once already and couldn’t hope another mare would take a foal,” she said. “We hoped for another foster mare but Smilla had lots of milk. Didansa’s foal was standing there, not wanting to leave her, but it was getting dark and we needed to get the foal away.
“We let the mares out and they all looked at the mare, and when they went back, the orphan foal went with them. They went into the barn for the night and the foal walked up to Smilla as he was hungry and she just stood there; ‘I’ve got something for you’. He has his depressed moments but he knows she’s Mum now.”
Tea said both mares can frequently be seen feeding both foals at once. She has consulted vets and nutritionists to ensure the mares are being fed appropriately to allow them to feed two foals each, and she and Dan have had weeks of monitoring all six horses round the clock.
“We’d just got to the stage of turning the camera off when it happened again,” she said. “People said it was once in a million the first time.”
Tea believes that part of the reason for the happy outcome is the way she keeps her horses; mares and foals in a herd and “looking after each other”.
Both pairs of “twin” foals are also related; Donnabriar’s surrogate daughter is also her half-sister, and the two colts are by the same stallion.
“Do they know they’re family?” Tea asked. “I don’t know. But it’s amazing, as if the mares have told us ‘This is what we’re going to do’. So it is a success story.”
You might also be interested in:
‘She knew they needed a mummy’: mare fosters three orphaned lambs
Nanny goat ‘adopts’ orphaned foal after tragic loss of mare
‘She’s lovely with him’: Shire mare takes on orphaned colt alongside her own foal
Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round
TOPICS
