An orphan colt whose mother died shortly after giving birth has a new mom – a mare that had tragically lost her foal – thanks to the generosity of strangers and Washington State University veterinarians playing matchmaker.
Pairing an orphan foal and a nursing mare is a challenging task and one that commonly ends with failure. In this case, the connection was instantaneous.
“The mare had only been without a foal for about 24 hours,” Dr. Lisbeth Matthews, an equine medicine and surgery intern, said. “We walked her into the Veterinary Teaching Hospital and past him. He made a noise, and she went, ‘oh, there’s my foal,’ and started making noises back at him.”
It was a surprise to everyone how quickly the mare, named Shelly but affectionally called Mama by her owners, Roy and Faye Lions, accepted the colt. Equine veterinarian Jenifer Gold, who was helping to care for the foal and to supervise its introduction to the mare, said nursing mares frequently reject orphan foals, and when they don’t, the pairing process often takes days.
“She walked in and started nickering at him like it was her own baby – it was unbelievable,” Gold said. “I’ve been doing this for 20 years, and I have never seen it happen that way.”
The foal, which has been named Laredo, was admitted to the teaching hospital by his owner, Spokane resident Rachel Williams, just days after he was born when he started showing troubling digestive issues. Shortly after the colt arrived in Pullman, Faye Lions placed a call to WSU to see if the equine team was aware of any orphan colts needing a nursing mare.
“Our foal was dead, and nothing was going to bring it back, so we were hoping we could help someone else,” Faye Lions said. “It just so happened there was a foal there.”
A day later, the colt and Shelly were introduced.
“For them to be so willing to basically hand over their animal to a complete stranger after experiencing their own tragedy was pretty phenomenal,” Williams said. “I feel like in this scenario it was the worst of the worst for everybody, but there was a little bit of silver lining to the story.”
Williams is also grateful for the care and treatment she and her foal received at WSU.
“I just can’t even find words to say how great the veterinarians at WSU were,” she said. “They went above and beyond. I am just happy I ended up at WSU. I am so glad we were able to match those two up – it is kind of a miracle.”
Shelly will live with Williams until the colt is ready to be weaned, likely in six months, before she will return to her home in Kamiah, Idaho.
“It will be tough to say goodbye because you just naturally start to bond with animals, and she has kind of been my lifesaver,” Williams said. “It will be bittersweet for sure, but I am sure her owners will be happy to have her back.”
During the spring, the equine team at WSU typically sees at least a handful of orphan foals. Equine medicine specialist Dr. Macarena Sanz said orphan foals can be fed a powdered milk formula designed for horses, but those raised by humans typically develop behavioral issues that can become problematic as the animal matures.
“They turn out to be socially weird, have no understanding of personal space, and they are more difficult to train,” WSU equine veterinarian Macarena Sanz said. “The fact that this orphan foal has a mare is really going to make a difference.”
Sanz strongly encourages owners to immediately call their veterinarian if a foal is orphaned, as early care is critical to the animal’s survival.
Keith Urban: A Musical Fairytale
The adored Australian musician Keith Urban has won over admirers all around the world. But what really enthralled us all was his enchanted romance with actress Nicole Kidman. These two lovebirds met in a story out of a fairytale, despite all the odds.
It all started in 2005 when they met at a star-studded celebration of Australian accomplishments called “G-Day LA.” Many people were unaware at the time that Kidman was secretly engaged to someone else. But destiny had other ideas for her. After that accidental encounter, Kidman and Urban became engaged in three months.
Kidman reflected on their brief romance, saying, “There was a great attraction at first, and after three months, we got engaged, and then we got married really quickly.” However, we weren’t actually acquainted. They were able to fully explore the depths of their connection through marriage.
Kidman continued, “I think that meeting at a certain age makes a difference.” “And I believe in my instincts. I had the impression that I had found my home the moment I laid eyes on him. And he experienced the same emotion.
Raising two beautiful girls, they have created a beautiful life together. However, there have been difficulties along the way. Robert, Keith Urban’s father, had a big influence on the guy he turned out to be. Sadly, Robert’s fight against prostate cancer was lost.
In 2018, Keith Urban went to the Toowoomba It’s A Bloke Thing luncheon to commemorate his father’s memory and to spread awareness about prostate cancer. He made it apparent that his devotion to this cause was steadfast, even in the face of worries from his admirers regarding his wellbeing.
Keith Urban was personally impacted by prostate cancer, as his uncles and other family members were also impacted by the illness. It is simply amazing how committed he is to raising awareness and helping people who are affected.
Urban graciously consented to perform for free during the benefit, which helped raise an unprecedented $2,024,000. This deed of kindness demonstrates his genuine nature as a talented musician, a kind partner, a committed parent, and a person with a golden heart.
Keith Urban is a very blessed person who uses his position for good in the world. Let’s spread the news about his amazing effort by forwarding this article to our family and friends on Facebook.
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