Mother Nature…
Is a bitch.
A nasty, heartless bitch.
She took Sun Frosted Badger, aka baby Bam Bam the night of December 27th. My precious baby Bam Bam, the runt of the herd. He’d had it rough from the beginning. Being as he was his mama’s first foal, she wasn’t making a lot of milk for him. Poor guy had had very few good days. The first month he was alive the weather was pretty nice, and he played and bucked and stretched his long, lanky legs. However, being born a late baby has its disadvantages. In September there’s not a lot of green grass left. October graced us with 3 snow storms. November was warmer and things seemed to look up but by the first of December it got cold again, bringing with it single digit temps. His lips got frostbit. More than one morning we woke up in the sub-zero range. The coldest was a -20. that’s hard on any animal, but especially hard on a 3 month old, runt of a colt. I had been bringing him in for feed 2-3 times a day and that seemed to help. Then he got kicked in the forehead by another weanling colt and that provided him with a knot on his pretty little head. As the knot got bigger he went off his feed. The pain medication I gave him didn’t seem to do any good. He spent the Christmas Blizzard in the barn and on the 27th, I decided to blanket the poor little guy as he just couldn’t get his body warm. He wasn’t in poor rig- he wasn’t ribby; he had a fat, happy little belly, he was just runty. So I don’t know why Mother Nature felt like she needed him, but she did. We’re not friends right now, she and I.
I am 0-2 for babies out of my mares this year (remember the Cat Incident); and neither mare is bred for a 2010 baby. So I won’t have another baby until 2011. I hate that it takes so long. Some of you are thinking, “um, but Jenn, you’re surrounded by horses.” This is true, but they’re the ranch’s horses and while it’s a super nice herd, it’s not the same. I dearly love both my mares; for different reasons. Nora is bred like royalty. Shuttle (Bam Bam’s mama) is bred with fire, and legend in her blood and I have had great experiences with both mares. This year, I’ll get to throw a leg over Nora’s baby for the first time as she’ll be 2 in May. I’m really looking forward to that. I was looking forward to seeing how much fire Bam Bam had in him. Now I’ll never know.
Sleep well, sweet Prince. Sleep well.
Sun Frosted Badger
September 5th, 2009- December 27th, 2009
God cares for all His creation 😉 You are a very blessed woman to have the privilege of seeing these beautiful animals come into the world- take their first steps- trot in the snow…all things I’ve yet to see. It may be 2011 before you have another colt but just think of the blessings you WILL have in 2010.
It’s so hard to lose a beloved animal, especially a baby with so much life to live. But now he’s frollicking in the knee high grass and baskin’ in the warm sun of heaven. ((hugs))
Oh my, he was so precious….. Maybe my Emy is taking care of him … that would be a sight….
Oh, very sorry for your loss.
Aw, I’m sorry for your loss! Bam Bam was a fine horse and as you say, Mother Nature needed him. I don’t blame you for not wanting to be her friend right now though.
He’ll always, always, always be your friend. You will have him in your heart, no many how many more foals are born to your mares!
Oh, that is so sad. I’m so sorry for your loss. That was one FINE foal.
We had a foal born in October, right after that horrible cold spell. That mare’s timing was an absolute miracle…and the birth quite a surprise! The mare bagged up in June. We presumed she was open and simply stimulated by the other foal when she did not birth by the end of July. A day earlier in October and that foal probably never would have stood up it was so cold and wet. We immediately pulled that mare and foal up and put them in a lot with shelter under the barn. Within a few days another storm hit . I wasn’t so sure Little Guns was going to make it, he was probably the ugliest, runtiest foal we have ever had born. His mother was a big, fat maiden mare and she sure didn’t put anything into that baby. Guns wouldn’t have survived in the pasture for sure.
It’s always disappointing when a mare doesn’t settle, but it’s doubly sad and disappointing when the foal does not survive. We don’t have anything bred back this year either. Was just getting into the routine of having babies again(it’s been 7 years) and now we will be empty again in the spring. It’s really a depressing feeling.
Awww, so sorry. It is especially rough when we lose those babies, especially when he toughed it out for so long. He was a doll!
“””Sniff, sniff””” so sad for the loss of BamBam. That name must be jinxed. I raised Yorkies for many years and remember a runt puppy that I named BamBam. He survived and I sold him to an older widowed lady. She was thrilled with him! She called several times to tell me how smart he was and how much she loved him. Then one day she called with bad news. BamBam had been laying under the desk at her feet while she was on the computer. Suddenly he yelped and she realizied that he was chewing on the electrical cords. BamBam was electrocuted but survived a few hours longer after her rushing him to the vet. He died in her lap…Mother nature can be cruel…Again sorry for the loss of a BEAUTIFUL colt.
I am so very sorry. I know how much you loved this little guy. It’s just so very, very sad.
Oh man, I’m so sorry! He was so dang adorable. That face! :O
These bodies are rascally things, eh?
I’m sorry for your loss. His sweetness will return to you in another form.
(((((((hugs))))))))
~DeeDee
That is soo sad, I ‘m sorry for your loss.
Mother Nature has some making up to do!
Oh, Jen, I just got back from being away tonight and was leisurely catching up when I read this. I am so sad for you! He was such a beautiful little guy and I loved hearing about him.
And I just learned from you recently how very long it takes to make one of these little miracles.
So sorry…..
xo