Vets are not infallable..

First off, let me say I love my vets, they are the greatest. They are super enthused about their job, go above and beyond, and have a clinic with equipment out of Star Trek.

BUT..

They told me my mare wasn't in foal, palped her, etc. But July 10 she foaled a huge black colt just to prove them wrong! It was great, the vet who palped my mare happened to be the one who responded to my 'New Baby' call and said "Isn't this the mare I checked in Feb. as not in foal?"
I replied "Yes, does this mean I get a refund?" No reply. This often happens as many people don't think I am as funny as I think I am. :-D

Fortunately this surprise baby was very healthy, and has flourished in all of his 2 weeks of life. Click Here for a slideshow of photos.

The long story is that mom is a registered Morgan mare who was pulled out of a meat dealers yard with hours to go before making the long trailer ride. She was spotted by a couple of rescue groups, Another Chance for Horses and Forever Morgans, and they worked together to rescue her. I came on the scene when they didn't have a place for her to go. I offered to take her, and drove up to PA to get her.

When I got her I thought she looked pregnant, she had the belly. I got her back and had my vet check her out, and see if she was in foal. I was worried because she was only 3 years old, and 14.2, and you never know what they have been around in a dealers yard. Drafts, donkeys, etc. I was more concerned about size. But, the vet assured me she wasn't in foal. Well, that was good news! I gave her time to settle in, wormed her, worked with her a bit. She was supposed to be broke to drive so I got a cart and harness offered to me by a friend. All good, but in the meantime, she's getting rounder and rounder, and hasn't been in season. With visions of mules and draft crosses, I called her last recorded owner, to see when she was sold, and how long she had been making the auction rounds. I found out from him she has been bred in Aug. to his lovely black Morgan stallion, so yes she was in foal, and Yay! it was a nicely bred cross.

So I picked up the late pregnancy shots from the vet, and got my foaling kit together, and started waiting. We had milk, the baby was in position, but instead of foaling she just kept getting bigger. Finally she foaled, of course surprising us by not showing a single sign she was ready, sneaky mare! She was fine with anyone coming up to her baby, great with everyone until I went out with a halter to catch her for the vet. We then had 30 min of running around the pasture before I finally got her herded into the barn. That's when the baby got named Rocket Man, because he was sure flying around the pasture! The whole time the vet was checking everyone over, she was shaking her head wondering how she missed on the check.

Rocket Man now has 4 teeth, has discovered butt scratches, and playing with the hose.