Foaling Watch Update – March 25, 2025
🔹 Quick Status Overview 🔹
🐴 Elusive Surprise & Thirteen (Colt) – Day 12 – Bright, active, and healthy overall, though still dealing with some mild loose manure likely related to foal heat. He's being monitored closely and treated with Shiney Hiney to protect his skin. Reminder: Name submissions for his official Jockey Club registration close tomorrow, March 26! 👉 Submit your suggestion here
🐴 Lady Dyanaformer & Ditto (Filly) – Day 5 – Making excellent progress! No diarrhea, gaining strength, and now sporting a Red Boot for her contracted tendon. The HHS team gave her the barn name “Ditto,” and the official naming contest for her Jockey Club name opened today. 👉 Submit a name here
🐴 My Audubon – Day 327 – First behavioral note logged by the overnight foal watch team (increased weight-shifting and glancing at her sides). Still laying down normally and showing no concerning signs, but her pre-foaling veterinary exam is coming up this week to ensure she’s ready for her approaching due date.
Audi: On the Radar
Last night marked the first time the HHS overnight remote foal watch service had anything to report about Audi:
“Audi was shifting her weight a bit more than usual throughout the night, and took some glances at her sides periodically. No further concerns to report though, and she laid down her usual amount comfortably.”
These are subtle but meaningful changes, and with her due date just around the corner, the Horse Husband Stables team is glad her final pre-foaling veterinary exam is already on the schedule for this week. It will include:
Caslicks removal
NI blood test (to evaluate neonatal isoerythrolysis risk)
Transabdominal ultrasound to check fetal position and health
Thirteen: Loose Manure Likely Foal Heat Related
Thirteen had another energetic, affectionate, and playful day. His manure is still a bit loose, and he had a mildly dirty backside this morning. Based on timing and clinical signs, the HHS team and veterinarian believe it’s most likely foal heat diarrhea.
📌 What is Foal Heat Diarrhea?
This mild and common condition affects many foals between 5–15 days old. It coincides with the mare’s first estrus cycle after giving birth—called the “foal heat”—and is likely caused by hormonal changes, shifts in milk composition, and the foal’s developing gut. It's typically self-limiting and not infectious.
The team continues to monitor Thirteen’s:
Temperature
Heart and respiratory rate
Energy level
Appetite
To help keep him clean and prevent irritation, they’re applying Shiney Hiney twice daily.
💡 Shiney Hiney is a spray-on, no-rinse manure remover designed for foals with diarrhea. It lifts and loosens dried manure without the need for a full bath, helping to prevent scalding and hair loss. Just spray on and slick off—perfect for quick cleanups and also helpful for adult horses with fecal water syndrome.
📌 Name Submissions Close Tomorrow!
Wednesday, March 26 is the final day to submit name ideas for Thirteen’s official Jockey Club registration.
👉 Submit your suggestion here
Ditto: New Bandages, Big Steps
Today was full of positive milestones for Lady Dyanaformer’s filly—now affectionately known as Ditto by the Horse Husband Stables team. Her barn name is a nod to how much she reminds the team of Dyana herself as a foal.
📌 Name Contest Open!
We’ve officially opened the submission window for Ditto’s Jockey Club name. Members can submit names now through April 2.
👉 Submit a name here
Clinical Update: Still Stable Despite Low WBC
During her morning veterinary exam, Ditto had her catheter removed and her blood rechecked. The only concern: her white blood cell (WBC) count had dropped again, this time to approximately 3,500.
📌 Why does that matter?
A low WBC can indicate the body is still recovering from an earlier immune challenge. In this case, it’s most likely a lagging bone marrow response following sepsis and partial failure of passive transfer (FPT). According to the vet, this doesn’t point to new disease—and her behavior tells the real story.
Ditto is:
Nursing frequently
Gaining weight
Bright, alert, and active
Passing normal manure
The current plan includes continuing:
Targeted antibiotics
Sucralfate and probiotics for GI support
Close monitoring of vitals and manure
If her clinical picture remains positive and her WBC stabilizes or increases over the next 2 days, she’ll likely be cleared.
Podiatry Plan: Red Boot & Rehab
Ditto also had her first visit from the HHS team’s trusted podiatrist today, who was very encouraged by the progress of her contracted left front tendon.
She was fitted with a Red Boot, a specialized support boot for foals with orthopedic challenges like:
Contracted tendons
Angular limb deformities
Joint instability
💡 How does the Red Boot help?
The boot helps stabilize the limb and guide proper alignment, taking advantage of the rapid growth and flexibility in foals' bones and tendons.
Ditto will wear the Red Boot for 6-hour sessions over the next 24 hours while her legs remain lightly bandaged around the clock. The team will remove everything tomorrow afternoon, send a video update, and reassess. If her progress holds, she may be ready for turnout soon!
Let Us Know What You Think!
The foals are growing fast, and foal watch season is picking up momentum. We’d love to hear your feedback!
💬 What do you love most about The Foal Circle?
💡 What would you like to see added in the future?
Drop a comment below or email us at info@horsehusbandstables.com — we truly value your input.
More updates tomorrow as we track Ditto’s progress, count down to Audi’s foal, and get ready to vote on Thirteen’s official name!
Thirteen is so full of energy. It will be so fun to watch when he has friends.
