This morning was good.  We opened the door to find to three pairs of little eyes staring back.  Hurrah, they were all alive, standing up and stuffing their faces with hay.

While my OH sorted out the door hinge so that we could fasten the door back on itself, I gave them breakfast and mucked out the small dry bumbles of poo plus any wet bedding.  OH also constructed a grate so fresh air would be going in while the ponies were not going out.

The bebbies are eating well.  We bought a bag of mare and foal mix for them, which I will add some dried mares milk to.  They are all looking for their mothers for comfort to suck from – it breaks my heart.

Their coats are getting drier but are matted and damp.  I do not know if they will ever fluff up as they are brittle and hard.  Horrid.

A friend kindly paid for the vet to visit the bebbies and so Jo organised this for midday.   We wanted to know his opinion as well as agreeing on a care plan.

I explained to the vet that they were drinking well (very well, empty water bucket this morning), their pee is like cloudy apple juice and he could see their hard poo, which is now getting softer.  The bebbies were wormed yesterday and I hadn’t found any evidence of worms when I mucked out –  (yes, I was a nurse and yes, I am obsessed).

They each had a thorough check-up and were given the official condition score of 0, like we thought.  The vet said they would not have lasted much longer in this weather.

BeAnne helped.

We are beginning to get to know the foals too.  They are all still very wobbly, especially on their back legs.  I introduced myself to them and they sniffed me back.  When I stroked them I could feel only bones under their skin.  No flesh or muscle anywhere.

We did look for “Rabbit’s friends and relations” (mange/lice) but could see nothing.  They are just scurfy.  If they start itching or we see things move, then we will nuke the crawlies but the bebbies are probably too weak for that at the moment.  It is a fine balance of treatment, reaction or result.

All three are little darlings.  Very subdued and suspicious of us unless we are bearing food.  It will take time, food and lots of tlc.

Care plan – keep them in while the weather is vile with good ventilation, one large yoghurt pot sized cup of food each three times a day with unlimited hay and water.  They can go out and graze in the little paddock if it is a nice day.