Growing Pains for a Pregnant Pony
Growing Pains for a Pregnant Pony
My mentor and friend Dr. George Platt had been an equine vet for 43 years. I was in my third year of practice and had just confirmed a 13hand pregnant pony had accidentally been bred to an 18hand Belgian draft horse. I needed his advice.
George still hadnt quite gotten used to talking on cell phones and I winced as he answered his phone at his usual volume. It increased twofold when he realized it was me.
WELL HOWDY COURTNEY WHAT DO YOU KNOW?!
I held the phone away from my ear.
ITS SUNNY HERE RIGHT NOW BUT I SEE CLOUDS MOVING IN AND DANG IT IVE GOT COLTS TO GELD!
GEORGE I NEED TO ASK YOU A MARE QUESTION I bellowed.
Once in a while George remembered to put his hearing aids in but today was not one of those days. I explained the situation at the top of my lungs and asked if it was safe to allow the pregnancy to continue.
THAT FOAL WILL GROW TO THE SIZE OF THE UTERUS. ITLL BE BORN NORMALLY AND THEN WHEN IT HITS THE GROUND ITLL REALLY GROW! George boomed. AND TELL LONNIE TO QUIT FEEDING THAT MARE ALL THOSE DANG SUPPLEMENTSONLY THING THOSELL DO IS MAKE HER FAT!
George knew that Lonnie was an indiscriminate user of feed supplements and her barn shelves were lined with every possible product powder granule additive and oil. He made his opinions clear to Lonnie and he liked to joke that she probably used a supplement dartboard to guide her protocols.
Incessant Calls about the Pregnant Pony
Lonnie was still worried about her pregnant pony although she was grateful for Georges advice and the waiting game began. We had an estimated four months to go plus or minus.
I think it might have been the longest foal watch of my career. Lonnie made sure the pregnant pony stayed on my radar with many helpful evening and latenight calls informing me that the mare had lain down twice and groaned several times or that her udder wasnt tender yet or that she hadnt finished her alfalfa hay in the same time frame that shed finished it the night before.
I liked Lonnie but I started letting the calls go to voicemail after a while as having my dinner interrupted to be told that the mare was scratching her butt on
