I received this letter today from Sweden and would like to share with you an
amazing story of the dedication and love that breeders have for their foals and
the hard work that our vets and farriers accomplish to help save the lives
of these magnificent creatures. We are
lucky to bring you this good news…..Thank you Jessica ! Let me know if you
wish to add or edit your letter ! Tomorrow is Sunday and I will be working
on the computer, take care and thank you for sharing your good news, Karin
Beluga Vena is beautiful and enjoying the fields in Sweden, Congratulations!!!
Dear Karin Reid Offield
I am writing to you to tell you the story of our Lingh foal.
We started our breeding in 2004 when our newly built farm was almost
finished. Our new farm was a part of the horse world that opened up to us
many possibilities.
The first year, we covered three mares and over the years after we came up
with eight mares on top. Since the economy in Sweden and the rest of the world
is not what it was, we have decreased our breeding to meet
the customer demands.
In 2009 we bred three of our own horses and they performed the three year
old test. They all performed well and one of them won the regional test and
competed both at Breeders and the Mare of the Year Competition. Her name is
Xanadoo Vena and her breed is Topaasch – Galliano – Favorit. We decided to
cover her with Lingh.
When we were in the middle of the process to make her pregnant we got an
offer from Flyinge to cover one more mare, and of course we
said yes !
We covered Xtreme Vena too. Her breed is Zardin Firfod (a Danish, Gribaldi
offspring) – Schwadroneur – Ibikus, she was Class One at the test but did
not show her self well that day, though she has got amazing hindlegs.
Both mares were pregnant and were supposed to deliver within a week in
between, all in June 2010.
In late February to our great sorrow, Xanadoo delivered a dead foal. She was
really ill during all spring but has now come back to health and work again.
She will now enter the sport for at least a couple of years.
In mid May Xtreme injured her hind leg quite badly, and the wound got infected and
the bacteria was an antibiotic resistant one. She ended up at the clinic,
where she had to stay for two weeks.
Sunday the 30th of May our dear friend, also our vet, called and told us to
bring the mare home. He was certain that she would deliver very soon. The
same night, she gave birth to the most beautiful little colt we ever had,
brown, white on his fore head and a lovely conformation. Lingh’s foal.
Unfortunately, the foal had a very low immune level so he got plasma on his second day of
life. On the fifth day we noticed a swelling above his left hind fetlock, and
the morning after there were swellings in both hind knees and the left hock.
He was immediately put on antibiotics but it was a fact, the bacteria from
the mothers wound had travelled to the joints and growth zones of the foal.
It was very critical for the first ten days, the foal and his mother was
stabled at the clinic for almost five weeks before we could see some light
in the situation and bring our horses home.
All during the process, the vets and us were totally agreeing that we
would fight the outmost for this foal as long as he showed the will to live,
because he has something extra ordinary, not only a great looking and moving
foal but he has a little of “that”. You turn your head after him.
Three weeks ago we removed the permanent needle, and we continued to
medicate him for another week and for two weeks now he is off the medications.
His fetlock grew crooked during his sick period but one of the best farriers
in our country, together with our vets has been and are still working hard
to fix this. Now remaining is that his left hind hoof is pointing more
outwards but we probably have three more weeks before the growth zone will
close. I think this will not be an issue in the future.
Today, and this is why I decided to write this letter to you, our foal has
for the first time since his first days in life, been let out on the field.
There is a long way to go before he is three years and in riding but with
the mentality of this little horse, contact seeking, calm and yet awake and
with as we say in Sweden ‘a fox behind his ear’ (the look that he is up to
something) I am sure this will end up well.
I am really sorry that we can not show this foal this year, because with the
performances of his mother and her sieblings combined with your stallion, he
would have done well.
The foal is named Beluga Vena with nickname Bacill (“the bacteria”). There
are some photos and videos of him on our webpage and now when he is doing
well, there will be plenty more. I will see to that you receive some.
This is a really long letter and I am not the kind of person who writes
these things, but your interest in your horses offspring encouraged me to
write. I hope you find the story of our foal and his journey until today
interesting even if it is not all sunshine.
Best regards
Jessica Nordin
Vena Dressage Centre, Sweden
www.vena.se
