The brisk morning air calmed Cheyenne's nervousness as she opened the broodmare barn door. Most of the foals were still sleeping as the mares were awaiting their morning meal. A quiet neigh echoed softly as she rubbed her hands together to warm them up. It was an unusually cold morning for Spring. Gottcha Back or "Wish" poked her head out first, eager to eat, her little one, Cleopatra's Back was up as well, nursing earnestly. Cheyenne stopped and rubbed Wish's face. "Good Morning" she whispered, hoping not to wake any still sleeping horses. The board beneath her feet creaked as she stepped away, causing a grunt to come from the next stall. It was Golden Pheonyx. She was startled awake and apparently not happy about it. As she stood up, she shook her head causing bedding to fly into the air. Cheyenne cleared her throat as Pheonyx had a smug look on her face. "Very funny Pheonyx" Cheyenne said.
A few more stalls down was the reason why Cheyenne made the early trip to the barn this morning. Rohirrim's Bubblewrap was due any day and Cheyenne wanted to check on the soon to be mom. Her stomach turned as she peaked inside the stall. Bubblewrap was standing there, panting. As Cheyenne looked over Bubblewrap, Cheyenne realized that Bubblewrap had indeed all ready given birth. Bubblewrap was nuzzling and licking at the dark little foal beneath her feet, trying to get it to breath. Cheyenne cautiously hurried in to check on the foal. This was Bubblewrap's first foal so Cheyenne was not sure how Bubblewrap would react to her being there. Cheyenne saw the fear and sadness in Bubblewrap's eyes; as if she all ready knew. She bent down to assess. The foal was nearly dry, clearly delivered some time in the evening. Cheyenne didn't have to do much to know, with her head low, she turned back to Bubblewrap. "I'm sorry girl" she said as she rubbed her neck. For the moment, she let Bubblewrap and her foal be together and called for Dr. Rowley.
Once the team was together, they went to work. Bubblewrap was in fine health and the delivery as far as Dr. Rowley could tell, the delivery was not too hard on her. The foal had looked healthy as well, but sometimes these things happen. Its never easy to accept, uncertainty never is. The question why can sometimes be answered but it never changes the truth. The loss of a foal, of a little life cannot be replaced.
Bubblewrap would recover, of that we all know; but for now, she would mourn the loss of her baby. All cleaned up, she was returned to a clean stall to rest. She kept her head low as she entered and closed her eyes to take a well deserved rest. Cheyenne stood there for a while, just watching her in silence. Cheyenne has never taken the loss of a foal lightly and this one was especially hard. She held her hands tightly around her waist, as if guarding a precious secret of her own...
A few more stalls down was the reason why Cheyenne made the early trip to the barn this morning. Rohirrim's Bubblewrap was due any day and Cheyenne wanted to check on the soon to be mom. Her stomach turned as she peaked inside the stall. Bubblewrap was standing there, panting. As Cheyenne looked over Bubblewrap, Cheyenne realized that Bubblewrap had indeed all ready given birth. Bubblewrap was nuzzling and licking at the dark little foal beneath her feet, trying to get it to breath. Cheyenne cautiously hurried in to check on the foal. This was Bubblewrap's first foal so Cheyenne was not sure how Bubblewrap would react to her being there. Cheyenne saw the fear and sadness in Bubblewrap's eyes; as if she all ready knew. She bent down to assess. The foal was nearly dry, clearly delivered some time in the evening. Cheyenne didn't have to do much to know, with her head low, she turned back to Bubblewrap. "I'm sorry girl" she said as she rubbed her neck. For the moment, she let Bubblewrap and her foal be together and called for Dr. Rowley.
Once the team was together, they went to work. Bubblewrap was in fine health and the delivery as far as Dr. Rowley could tell, the delivery was not too hard on her. The foal had looked healthy as well, but sometimes these things happen. Its never easy to accept, uncertainty never is. The question why can sometimes be answered but it never changes the truth. The loss of a foal, of a little life cannot be replaced.
Bubblewrap would recover, of that we all know; but for now, she would mourn the loss of her baby. All cleaned up, she was returned to a clean stall to rest. She kept her head low as she entered and closed her eyes to take a well deserved rest. Cheyenne stood there for a while, just watching her in silence. Cheyenne has never taken the loss of a foal lightly and this one was especially hard. She held her hands tightly around her waist, as if guarding a precious secret of her own...