A
FOSTER MUM
Stephanie, pinto-arabian horses breeder arrives one
morning in her nursery, the remote place where foals are born. Kenza a chestnut
brooding mare shows an unusual behavior.
“That day, things don’t unfold as usual. Kenza
stands apparently serene. She has just delivered her first filly, Deesse’Spots
who lies a few yards away from her. I was stunned, to find her so far from her
mum. I look around to check the precious meconium ( first manure from a foal)
which enables to conclude if its digestive system functions. I decide therefore
to bring the filly close to her mum so she can suck her milk. Yet to my
greatest surprise, Kenza bares her teeth and pushes her away to the point she
could hurt her. I have to separate them. For a few days, I try to have the
mother accept her filly. She accepts to be milked, which provides the essential
colostrums to the filly which is elementary to its immune system, but she won’t
tolerate the presence of the filly near her.
Kenza is soon running out of milk. I have to turn to a sheep breeder, as
passionate about horses as I am, who provides milk whilst we’re looking for
another solution.”
Every two hour, night and day, we have to give her
the baby bottle who drinks greedily. But this rhythm soon draining. I have to
find longer term solutions. The idea come to introduce her to Tarine, my first
mare, my trustworthy friend for half a century.
A
NEW MUM
Blind, Tarine has given me her all : in jumping, in
cross country, dressage, outdoor rides, in horse ball and finally as a brooding
mare. Tarine’s been retired for four years, and takes part in the breeding of
her daughter, Padisha’s foals, who she is very keen on. When I go and get her,
I whisper to her ear, “Come on my beauty, I have a new mission to entrust you
with”, and I bring her close to the stall door where Deesse Spots stays.
My friend shows no sign of aggressiveness, therefore
I decide to let Deesse step into a little paddock whilst keeping Tarine on a
lunge, close by, then let her loose. First indifferent, Tarine seems to
understand quickly what I expect from her. She comes closer slowly towards
Deesse and seems to really worry about her when we pretend to take her back to
her stall without her. We decide to keep an angle of the stall isolated with
hay stacks so they can get acquainted with each other slowly each on one side
of this natural wall.
The following day, we take the wall off. When Deesse
moves to sneak under Tarine’s belly, I remember thinking :”This is when we can
know if Tarine will accept her or not”. My old mare has lifted one of her rear
legs to let the filly come closer. We’ve won! My eyes were brimming with tears,
to see this wonderful gift she was giving us again. At 28, Tarine has become a
mum for the fifth time. Deesse is now a month old and shares her life with
Tarin, Padishah and Dream Spots, Tarine’s grand son and Deesse half brother. A beautiful
family reshaped.
Stephanie Chaouat.
