August 2023 Issue

EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN August 2023 Page 11 deliver twins then I would ever be. I was relieved when I heard Blondie was OK.” When the experienced staff delivered the surprise twins, it was immediately clear that they would need additional care. Blondie and her foals were trans- ported to the NICU (Neonatal In- tensive Care Unit) at New Bolton Center where they received the around the clock care they needed to survive. While a typical warmblood foal weighs between 75 and 100 lbs. at birth, the filly weighed about 40 lbs. and the colt only 30 lbs. “The filly was a bit ‘slow’ and while she was nursing, she was not very enthusiastic about it. The colt was quite awake and eager to nurse, however he was so tiny he could not quite reach the udder. They were able to give him a little ramp so that he could reach, however he was still at risk of aspirating milk, so he needed close monitoring,” Klothe said. Survival and nutrition were top first concerns, but because they had been born before reach- ing full term the bones in their hocks and knees were not as well developed as they should have been. To help, the foals needed very restricted movement for at least a week to help give the bones time to develop. They were given their own very small enclosure where the mare could see them while they could stay quiet and rest. “Both of them are really bright and happy. It’s a matter of keeping them confined,” Klothe said. At New Bolton, although they were apart from their mother most of the time, they needed to nurse at least every two hours, which required su- pervisory staff. The mare and foals have been released and are now home and continuing to improve, but there is still a long road ahead. The restricted space the foals shared before birth limited the room for their legs to develop. The colt in particular will need close monitoring for orthopedic issues as he grows, to ensure straight legs. “They’re a little bit under- developed in some ways. The colt may have some orthopedic situations to work out,” Klothe said. “He’s certainly the smaller of the two. I think he was pretty cramped and pretty folded up in there.” Klothe was prepared for the costs of raising a foal from each of her two mares that she had bred. When she was expecting her two mares to each have one foal, she thought she would keep one and sell the other. Now she will be selling the pony foal but the twins are likely to remain. Twin Foals Come as a Surprise to Pennsylvania Dressage Trainer “Now that I have these guys, I suspect we’ll never sell them. They’re our pets,” Klothe said. “They’re incredibly social. They’re very sweet - very interac- tive.” Even though she allowed extra funds for unexpected emer- gencies, Klothe was not prepared for the huge escalation in costs to care for the twins, especially at the same time as they were purchas- ing a new farm. In an effort to find help, Klothe set up a GoFundMe account, which at press time had raised $8,900 of a $50,000 goal. “I am extremely lucky to have such a qualified team to work with to keep them on track, however these expenses quickly add up. I am determined to give these little miracle babies the best chance to have a long, successful life,” Klothe said. (Continued from page 1) Tell our advertisers you found them in East Coast Equestrian!