Rachel Alexandra has baby #2

[Danzig]

How does a horse express 'no means no'? Maybe we can teach Rachel to paint it like a Moneigh.

no idea. i want to know how to get a horse to change it's mind. bribery? threats to release horse porn from the year before with curlin??

i wonder what the home looks like of the person who wrote they were 'praying with every heart beat' for rachel? i'm figuring crocheted afgans everywhere, with either stuffed animals or cats on them.

[ateamstupid]

Really hope she makes it. One of my favorites.

[TheFlyingFilly]

Posted at noon ET today on Twitter--Rachel enjoying another mint at lunchtime. Looks like she's hanging in there.

[GenuineRisk]

Bloodhorse update:

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...-some-progress

[GenuineRisk]

Originally Posted by Merlinsky

How does a horse express 'no means no'? Maybe we can teach Rachel to paint it like a Moneigh.

I saw someone point out that by the time Rachel recovers, she'll have lived on decreased grain for awhile and her milk will have dried up. It's not as much knowing the nurse mare as 'mommy' that's the issue. The foal simply wouldn't have food to eat. I heard Rachel was raised on a nurse mare herself because even when Lotta Kim has healthy foals, she's not a particularly motherly type, i.e. her babies are, forgive the Latin butchering, equus non grata.

Maybe some of those posters will propose that the foal be switched to formula so that Rachel can still "mother" her. Heh.

Re: Lotta Kim- RA was her first foal, and she did reject her. Her second died (wobbler's syndrome- I don't know what that is) and her third (Samantha Nicole) she took to okay. I guess some mares need a trial run before they figure it all out.

[Merlinsky]

http://www.viddy.com/video/e56534bc-...b-fb5a4bee4aca

Here's a video from Stonestreet basically taken when the picture of Rachel getting her mint was. It's just a few seconds, but it's great to see her.

Originally Posted by GenuineRisk

Re: Lotta Kim- RA was her first foal, and she did reject her. Her second died (wobbler's syndrome- I don't know what that is) and her third (Samantha Nicole) she took to okay. I guess some mares need a trial run before they figure it all out.

She had at least one other foal die from a virus or something because the Wobber's sufferer, apparently named Empire Ruler per the Breeders' Cup website, was just one. She was barren in 2008 (or at least that's what I assume happened when there's "Horse Not Found" for that year. 2009 she was pregnant to Any Given Saturday but no surviving foal. 2010 barren. 2011 Samantha Nicole, 2012 pregnant to Elusive Quality at some point, no surviving foal. There's a reason Lotta Kim's known for having problems. One foal dying is bad luck, 2 or 3 with maybe a miscarriage in there = problem child.

[Danzig]

I am not sure how long after the wobbler was born that they euthanized him. But yeah, lotta kim doesnt get pregnant easily.
As for rachel, i am somewhat surprised that people are saying she has had complications with both foals. They took her to the clinic last year for pain-if thats a complication, then every animal who has ever given birth has had complications.
Perhaps many who are posting on drf, etc, just dont realize how treacherous life off the track can be.

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by Danzig

I am not sure how long after the wobbler was born that they euthanized him. But yeah, lotta kim doesnt get pregnant easily.
As for rachel, i am somewhat surprised that people are saying she has had complications with both foals. They took her to the clinic last year for pain-if thats a complication, then every animal who has ever given birth has had complications.
Perhaps many who are posting on drf, etc, just dont realize how treacherous life off the track can be.

Probably true. They think horses are mainly at risk because of the big bad people making them run all the time. I saw someone on youtube saying they were glad that Genuine Risk's foals didn't make it to the track because they were spared the risk of death they'd most certainly face out there since, as we all know, racing = doom. Pretty much that Barbaro and Ruffian were the horses they knew about so tragedy must be the norm.

The thing is, I'm not sure if last year was bruising or what. "Pain management" is really vague. Something happened that doesn't seem to be public. She came home after 3 days or so, though, so whatever it was didn't require surgery. It makes you think that maybe there was bruising but she just got over the pain of it, then when it happened again they felt they had to address it because this time there's an infection.

When both times she foals there are complications, it's gonna make you squirm about what could happen in the future. The PR would be terrible if she were bred again, had natural foaling, then died from complications because they had a hint this might happen. People keep talking about how they hope they'll just stop breeding her, but foaling complications can be dealt with if they're willing to do things like C-sections. Maybe have her foal AT Rood and Riddle so she could be watched and moved directly into surgery if need be.

[Danzig]

i just read a post which said RA is a national treasure. sheesh.

and the wobbler colt lived 2 years, so it wasn't an immediate issue, nor one that can be tied to lotta kim.

it's obvious that some 'fans' are just really weird when it comes to the horses. they aren't race fans by any means. and a lot of them seem clueless when it comes to animals and nature, and instinct vs emotion.

as for future breeding-if the vets say she can, i see no reason not to. hell, mares have easy foaling for years and then bam. there are no guarantees in this world, for anyone.

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by Danzig

and the wobbler colt lived 2 years, so it wasn't an immediate issue, nor one that can be tied to lotta kim.

Some forms of Wobbler's can be hereditary. There are a few factors than can lead to it and genetic predisposition could play a part even if it wasn't the primary issue. Males tend to get it more than females as well for some reason. We don't know that he didn't get something from his dam that made its appearance as he got older. The growing process could've started things up that were waiting to happen.

I don't know that I want to jump straight to the 'don't breed her again' bandwagon, but if you didn't she definitely wouldn't die of foaling complications...that is, in fact, guaranteed so that's why there are fans thinking of it. I don't blame them, but that's not the only possibility. There are other options besides taking your chances too. I don't know how C-sections would work given how she's already been operated on and had her insides messed with. Maybe there's a reason she'd not make a good candidate, but it's worth thinking about since I assume her reproductive area wasn't the problem. She's thus far having foals that aren't just healthy but fairly large. Breeding/monitoring her and later making a judgment call about C-section or natural foaling with medical supervision isn't unreasonable. If she has to effectively give birth in a hospital, that might be the best thing besides pensioning her.

[GenuineRisk]

Originally Posted by Merlinsky

http://www.viddy.com/video/e56534bc-...b-fb5a4bee4aca

Here's a video from Stonestreet basically taken when the picture of Rachel getting her mint was. It's just a few seconds, but it's great to see her.



She had at least one other foal die from a virus or something because the Wobber's sufferer, apparently named Empire Ruler per the Breeders' Cup website, was just one. She was barren in 2008 (or at least that's what I assume happened when there's "Horse Not Found" for that year. 2009 she was pregnant to Any Given Saturday but no surviving foal. 2010 barren. 2011 Samantha Nicole, 2012 pregnant to Elusive Quality at some point, no surviving foal. There's a reason Lotta Kim's known for having problems. One foal dying is bad luck, 2 or 3 with maybe a miscarriage in there = problem child.

Oy. That's a heck of a bleak record.

[GenuineRisk]

Originally Posted by Merlinsky

don't know that I want to jump straight to the 'don't breed her again' bandwagon, but if you didn't she definitely wouldn't die of foaling complications...that is, in fact, guaranteed so that's why there are fans thinking of it. I don't blame them, but that's not the only possibility. There are other options besides taking your chances too. I don't know how C-sections would work given how she's already been operated on and had her insides messed with. Maybe there's a reason she'd not make a good candidate, but it's worth thinking about since I assume her reproductive area wasn't the problem. She's thus far having foals that aren't just healthy but fairly large. Breeding/monitoring her and later making a judgment call about C-section or natural foaling with medical supervision isn't unreasonable. If she has to effectively give birth in a hospital, that might be the best thing besides pensioning her.

Interesting article about C-sections on horses:

http://www.chronofhorse.com/article/...tion-your-mare

Well, should she pull through, she'll certainly get this year off.

Not to connect humans to horses, but I'm tired of reading over and over that no one can be sure that the foal's size had anything to do with it because "some" mares have delivered larger foals with no problem. Yeah, and a friend of mine delivered a ten-pound baby with no pain killers of any sort. That doesn't mean most women can do it.

Barbara Banke certainly seems very emotionally attached to RA; I find it hard to believe she'll do anything she doesn't think in the mare's best interest.

[Merlinsky]

For those wondering about the nurse mare situation: http://www.stonestreetfarms.com/info/?page_id=144

I bet poor Barbara's had animal rights nuts convinced that she had some foal butchered so Rachel's could have milk. They must've been keeping the phones hot over it. Rest assured, nurse mare's baby is doin' swell and is a rather beautiful Palomino.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Merlinsky

For those wondering about the nurse mare situation: http://www.stonestreetfarms.com/info/?page_id=144

I bet poor Barbara's had animal rights nuts convinced that she had some foal butchered so Rachel's could have milk. They must've been keeping the phones hot over it. Rest assured, nurse mare's baby is doin' swell and is a rather beautiful Palomino.

actually, i saw several posts on drf about nurse mares and their poor foals....'left to die' was how they put it.
i know when i want facts on something, i tend to listen to the shrill voices of the hysterical.

[GenuineRisk]

Cautiously positive news:

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...ndras-progress

[casp0555]

Originally Posted by GenuineRisk

Cautiously positive news:

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...ndras-progress

Thx for the update GR!

[Danzig]

Saw the promising update on bhorse. Rachel took a short walk outside, feed had been introduced, she ate some grass, all vital signs normal. Hope she is upgraded from serious condition soon. Good news, and hoping it continues.

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by Danzig

Saw the promising update on bhorse. Rachel took a short walk outside, feed had been introduced, she ate some grass, all vital signs normal. Hope she is upgraded from serious condition soon. Good news, and hoping it continues.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater

Here's Stonestreet's picture of her outdoor visit with her doctors. She's giving the camera that very Rachel look.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Merlinsky

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater

Here's Stonestreet's picture of her outdoor visit with her doctors. She's giving the camera that very Rachel look.

gotta say, she looks good in that picture.

[SundayStar]

great to see her getting better