This young lady was found the other day not in the maternity paddock but in one of the prebirth paddocks. She was born a week or so early but wasn't particularly prem. She was probably born at sunrise and we found her tucked in a depression in the field around 11am. All dry, all fine except she didn't stand up. Then when she was placed on her feet she didn't seem to know where her legs were. Every time she went to move forward her back legs swing in front of her front ones and she tips back in an ungainly mess and lands on her bottom.
Only one solution. So here I am teaching her to walk. Forgive the shorts I am well aware it's not a great look. This light touch harness cobbled together from a lead rein stuffed through the support strap of her cria coat kept her on her feet long enough for her to gain some awareness of where her legs were and how they might work. A couple of ten minute sessions and she was getting herself up on her feet- so it works.
Each day she gains a little more confidence but she remains a bit 'special'. It's a worry and we can only hope that she will improve enough to be productive, we shall see. Mum is attentive but cria seems disinterested so is not feeding off her, We are bottle feeding the cria and she is doing real well. However she is still sometimes a bit wobbly on her feet and seems to wander off from her mom far too often. She is walking and running on her own now but she wouldn't win any prizes for style!
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