Home » Plants & Animals » Horses » Midknight Zone

Midknight Zone

© Marta Towne

One of our mares, Midknight Lady (a black Egyption related Arabian) was due on the 6th of April. For several days, we had watched her, she was definately in labor, but nothing was happening. She was having regular contraction, was dialated and dripping milk with each step, but still no foal. So the day after her due date, we called the vet out to see her. He had a long day with many other calls. It is Springtime and he is primarilly a large animal vet. He told us he would be out as soon as he could, but he still did not arrive until after 10 pm. He agreed to induce labor on Lady, mainly because we were worried about her since she had lost last seasons foal. He gave her the shot and we sat back to wait. My mother went to fix him a sandwich and my nine year old daughter and I stood around the barn with him and watched the mare. He warned us it would take a least an hour and perhaps more, but we were GOING to see this baby born.

Less than half an hour after the shot, Lady lay down and prepared to have the foal. The poor man didn't even get to finish his sandwich.... After she was down, it took only a few minutes before the foal made her appearence! As we watched, enthralled with this miracle of new life, the Vet pulled on the long, slender legs and tore the sack so the filly could draw her first breath of air. He left the stall and Lady got up and began to nuzzle her new daughter. As we watched, Lady dried the foal off and the foal, who we named Midknight Zone, tried to control her impossible long legs and get to her feet.

Even for a foal, her legs were long! She is a tall filly, and most of her height is and was in her legs! I know, all foal's legs are long, but hers were more so than most! It took her quite a while to figure out how to get those long, skinny sticks to respond to her will, but eventually, she made it to her feet. Now, just for your information, Lady is the only horse we have who is not people oriented. Lady is quite a "touch me not", and her filly started off life that way as well! After a few false starts, and quite a few falls (most of which she landed on her nose!), she made it to her mother's side. Then she had a problem.......she had no idea what to do then! We tried to help her by showing her the teats, but the mare and the foal both shied away from us, finally, she was in the proper position and grubbing under mom's belly for the "fountain"! We gently held the teat over to her and all of us stifled a shout of joy as she grabbed on and started nursing! It was a beautiful moment, and one I will never forget. The sounds of her contented sucking, the mare grinding her grain and the hushed tones of all of us lucky humans who got to watch, those sounds will always live in my mind. It think our Vet said it best, "No matter how many times I see this, it is a miracle, and it reminds me of just how lucky I am to be able to be here!"

The copyright of the article Midknight Zone in Horses is owned by Marta Towne. Permission to republish Midknight Zone in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.