I have zero breeding experience so really have no ideas to offer, but I wanted to pass along my condolences. That is heartbreaking for you and mama.
I hope you get answers as to what went wrong and I hope you find a way to ease mama's grief.
((hugs))

 

would she let you milk her? I was just thinking if she would, at the very least you could get the valuable colostrum, to help out an orphan foal at some time in the future.

so sorry you had this sad thing happen. I'm sure you little mama will get over it, but it must be heart rending to not be able to help her.

 

Maybe a baby goat?????
Just a thought.
Poor little mare. That's sad.

 

You just need to let the mare grieve. In a few hours she will realize the foal is dead and you can take the body away. I would not milk her because it will make the drying up process go slower. Take away all grain for a few days to encourage her to stop making milk.

I am sorry. Miniature horses are at greater risks for birthing complications because of their conformation and should never foal unsupervised. Complications can always happen with foaling and live foals or mares are, unfortunately, never guaranteed.

 

I'm going to look at the mare and foal right now, and possibly pick up a bottle baby goat also. I have to try something. I'll keep everyone updated.

 

She doesn't want anothers baby, she wants her baby. As others said leave the dead foal there until she walks away.
I can't see how a different mare & her foal will help at all.

 

I know nothing about breeding but know some reccmend leaving the foal in with the mother for a day or so. Then she will figure out what's happened and won't be crying for a baby that's not there

 

Not sure what help a full size mare and foal will be for your mare, just leave her with her baby and she'll realize that there is no baby to look after. Sorry for your loss

 

I actually think bringing on another mare and foal pair will make things worse for your mare. I would worry she would try to steal the baby from the other (bigger) mare and wind up hurt.

I am so sorry for your loss, but like the others have said.. leave the foal in there with her for the next day or so and the mare will come to terms with it.

 

If you leave them in with the dead foal for a day or two, they will walk off from it and be OK.

 

If your mini-mare sees that mare and baby, she is probably going to freak out more.
My BO lost two foals this year. The first was stillborn and the second was euthanized. When they saw the other babies they would obsessive call, wondering if it was there own. One was even calling to a goat, which was farther away. We moved them both out of site of the babies.

Leave her for a day or a few hour with the dead body, she will realize its not going to get up. She will still likely scream for her a day or two, a friend is not going to help. Mares rarely take an orphan foal willingly, or easily.

 

I think you got some good advice here. Leaving the dead baby with the mare for a few hours is a very good idea. She is going to have to grieve, I would recommend having her vet checked if you haven't already to make sure she is healthy. Minis are very high risk pregnancies. They baby may have suffocated while she was giving birth, I'm assuming you were not there when she had it. But the advice you have received is pretty good. I agree with not bringing in another mare and baby. That won't help at all.

 

I have had a mare loose a foal before ( red bag ), and they will get over it, in a few days, as soon as that milk and those hormones adjust
You could register her with the mare registry, to match a mare that has lost a foal, with an orphaned foal, but she is a mini, thus can't very well nurture a normal sized foal

 

So sorry for the loss. Everyone else has already given you good advise.

 

Yes, I understand. I guess that plan was kind of crazy anyways, I don't know what I was thinking. I still wanted to try something, so I bought a bottle baby boer goat, and my mini mare really doesn't like her. She's already forgotten about her foal. I had to try something though, and I wanted to get a goat anyways... Thank you all for the advice.

 

Sometimes shock and grief make you forget logic, I know I have done odd things in the midst of a stressful situation. I am glad to hear she is settling down.
And it sounds like you have a welcome new addition to your family, though it was not the baby you expected. Baby goats are so precious in their own way!