CHINCOTEAGUE, Va.- The Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company has reported an unfortunate event in managing the wild horse population in foaling season with the death of two foals.
The department says there was a recent loss of two foals, Sunny Skies #54 and Surfer Princess #52. Sunny Skies' foal, initially struggled to nurse, seemed to recover, only to be found dead days later. The foal Surfer Princess' death also occurred without explanation, according to the fire department.
"It’s incredibly hard to determine what went wrong and when to intervene especially on remote parts of the island where there is limited access and sometimes intervention causes more stress on a situation that may just need a little extra care from mom." said the fire department in a social media post.
In a particularly distressing incident, a mare named Fancy Pants experienced complications during labor that required human intervention. Despite the efforts to assist in the delivery and provide subsequent medical care, Fancy Pants succumbed to complications believed to be a ruptured bladder or uterus, said the department. Although, two foals lost out of 60 is better than a domestic average of nearly 7 percent, according to the fire department.
However, a new foal, now identified as #59, was discovered without a mother. After some observation, it became apparent that CLG Pennies from Heaven (Penny) had recently foaled, and this was likely her colt. With careful intervention, the department facilitated their reunion and are now ensuring they bond properly to safeguard their future on the island.