Foaling Watch Update: March 28, 2025

🔹 Quick Status Overview 🔹

🐴 Elusive Surprise & Thirteen (Colt) – Day 15 – Bright, active, and playful, but still experiencing mild diarrhea. All other vitals remain normal, so the Horse Husband Stables team and veterinarian continue to monitor him closely, assuming it's related to foal heat and/or adjusting to exploring his new environment.

🐴 Lady Dyanaformer & Ditto (Filly) – Day 8 – Ditto thoroughly enjoyed her second day outdoors with Dyana in the round pen. She's continuing to wear supportive leg wraps 24 hours a day, but the podiatrist is very pleased with her progress. Ditto confidently showed off her strength by bucking, spinning, and acting just as tough as her mom.

🐴 My Audubon – Day 330 – Audi had her final pre-foaling veterinary exam today and everything went perfectly. She tested negative for Neonatal Isoerythrolysis (NI), had her Caslicks procedure reversed, and a transabdominal ultrasound showed a strong fetal heartbeat with excellent positioning. Fresh straw bedding was layered over cardboard in her stall in preparation for foaling. Overnight (Thursday into Friday), the remote camera watch noted Audi didn't lie down—a notable change from her usual routine that the team is closely monitoring.

🩺 Audi’s Final Pre-Foaling Veterinary Check

Audi’s last veterinary check before foaling confirmed she and the foal are in excellent shape:

• Negative NI test:
  Audi’s NI test was negative, meaning her foal will not be at risk for neonatal isoerythrolysis—a dangerous condition where the mare’s antibodies could harm the newborn foal’s blood cells.

  📌 Why test for NI?
  Neonatal isoerythrolysis (NI) happens if the foal’s blood type conflicts with the mare’s antibodies, causing anemia and serious complications. Testing ahead of foaling ensures this risk is managed appropriately.

• Caslicks Procedure Reversed:
  Audi’s Caslicks procedure (a temporary closure of the mare’s vulva during pregnancy to prevent infection) was reversed today to ensure no obstruction during foaling.

  📌 Why is this important?
  Reversing a Caslicks before foaling is critical to allow a clear, safe birth canal for the foal, preventing potential injury to mare or foal.

• Healthy Transabdominal Ultrasound:
  The ultrasound showed Audi’s foal is healthy, with a strong heartbeat and correctly positioned for birth—head and forelimbs pointing toward the birth canal.

As part of final preparations, Audi’s stall bedding was freshly layered with straw over cardboard bedding.

📌 Why straw for foaling?
Straw provides a soft, warm, and forgiving surface ideal for a newborn foal. However, since straw alone doesn't absorb moisture well, the cardboard bedding underneath helps keep the stall dry, creating a healthier environment.

The overnight foal-watch service noticed Audi didn’t lie down on Thursday night (March 27), which differs from her typical behavior. Although not immediately concerning, this subtle shift suggests foaling is getting closer, and the team is closely monitoring her.

🌱 Ditto’s Strength and Confidence Growing

Ditto had another successful day of turnout with Dyana in the round pen, clearly enjoying the opportunity to stretch her legs. Though she's still wearing her supportive leg wraps 24 hours a day, the podiatrist expressed satisfaction with how well her legs are progressing.

Today, Ditto proudly demonstrated her increasing strength by bucking, spinning, and acting as spirited as her mom.

Meanwhile, Thirteen and Surprise continue enjoying extra space in the larger oval paddock. Thirteen loves zooming around, showing off how comfortable and confident he's becoming in his environment, despite still having mild diarrhea.

More updates tomorrow as Audi gets closer to foaling and we continue monitoring Ditto and Thirteen’s progress!

Audi’s fetal heartbeat on ultrasound

Ditto enjoying being able to stretch her legs in the round pen