A coupla years ago ....

In the spring of 2007 my husband and I started riding with a group of real roadies in south Surrey. The area is mostly farmland, which usually means lower traffic volume. So its 9:30 on a gorgeous spring day and pretty much all is right with the world.  Best part is we’re flying downhill besides fields with some horses grazing – I never ruin a good descent by thinking ahead to the part where we have to climb those hills again. 

So we’re flying down a hill and notice that one of the horses is in some sort of distress.  Upon approaching we realize it’s a mare in the process of foaling.  Of course we're all off our bikes in seconds, hanging over the fence-post desperate to help, but not having a clue what to do.  Where's James Herriot when you need him?

The mare was pacing back and forth with the birth sac still suspended from her body, weighed down by the foal.  The mare was trying to dislodge the sac, but the foals lower legs were still inside its mother.  We just gawked. We were absolutely transfixed by the miracle of birth happening before our eyes.

A passing vehicle pulled over and the driver went into the field to help the mare. The doula tore the sac so the foal could breathe and immediately his (I have no idea about the gender actually) mouth reached forward to try and nurse. Of course, in his compromised position he was too far away.  His poor mother would alternate between having a little snack and desperately reaching back to try and reach him. Many of us were teary eyed by this point.

Photo credit: Kerri Kunzli

The mare seemed to just collapse into a seated position from sheer exhaustion.  She appeared less agitated but kept trying to reach back for him. Some moments later the foal slipped into this world in a slurpy mess of placenta, blood and amniotic fluid.  Most of his body was still covered in “saran wrap”, with some of the after-birth tissue still inside the mother.  The doula started to wipe him down but the foal and the mother weren't even aware of her presence. They were so completely enamored with each other just nuzzling and getting to know one another.  Within moments the mother was on her feet licking her baby.  The foal stumbled to his feet and just about collapsed against his mother's hind legs as he nursed for the first time.  The foal would wobble a step or two over to nuzzle his mother and then clumsily make his way back to nurse again.  Watching them connect and get to know each other was pure magic.

I'm not sure if we were there for 15 minutes or 90 minutes.  It was as if time stood still, but once th spell broke it was time to go.  As much as we wanted to stay, we felt like we were intruding and forced ourselves leave.  We picked up our bikes, clipped in, and took one last look back to see the mother and foal nuzzling each other as if even they could not believe the miracle of what had just happened.

I felt so unbelievably lucky to have witnessed this miracle of nature and of love.