At Västerbo stud, in the border area between Sala and Heby, a mare felt successful one night last week, but in the morning the mare suddenly started panting.
- Before we had time to do anything, she lay down and died, says stud owner Michael Demmers.
Michael Demmers immediately contacted the breeding association for trotting horses, which runs a foal and breastfeeding shelter.
- Thereby we found a mare in Skövde, whose foal died a week earlier.
Just a few hours later, the owner had driven the mare to Västerbo.
But it's not just bringing a mare together with a foal that is not hers.
- It is important to be patient and read the signals, if we make a mistake she can try to kill the foal.
Had to give the mare soothing when they were to meet
The most important thing of all is that the mare must not smell the foal.
If the placenta from her own dead foal remains, the adoptive foal should be lubricated with it.
But that possibility did not exist here.
- First we gave her a sedative.
Then we held her head for several hours so that the foal would smell and stroke and once we let go, it went well, says Michael Demmers.
What happens if it is not possible to find a new mother?
- Then we have to bottle feed and they are imprinted on people, have to climb on one and sit on the lap and things like that.
One year, the stud had three foals without a mother.
- Luckily, a kind gelding took on the role of adoptive father.
Some days he competed and then I remember how the foals stood at the gate and screamed, says Michael Demmers.