Top story of the week: Equestrian community bands together to unite orphaned foal with a mare
KYALAMI – Equestrian community witnesses miracle as nursing mare, which lost its foal, adopts a new foal which lost its mother.
The equestrian community recently witnessed the most beautiful story of hope and new beginnings.
When a mare in Kyalami and a newborn foal in the Midlands each lost a loved one on the same night, riders and stable owners provinces apart worked magic to make a miracle happen.
Lola G was born a beautiful foal at Shawne Goetsch’s stable on 23 November.
However, her mother Evie died that night due to birth complications, and with no mare able to nurse her there was little hope of survival for the foal.
On the same night in Kyalami, Charley Crockart’s mare, Fantasy Flight gave birth to a foal which died shortly after birth.
The heartbreaking moment was short-lived, as Goetsch and other Samaritans posted a plea for help on social media which spread far and wide and reached the attention of Crockart.
In less than two days, members of the equestrian community had organised to transport Fantasy Flight down to the Midlands in hope of her accepting the foal as her own, and nursing Lola G until she was of age. They were successful.
“The two are wonderful together,” said Goetsch, now the owner of the mare and foal. “Fantasy Flight is nursing and protecting Lola G. It has all gone perfectly, her milk is perfect for the foal.”
Goetsch described the loving bond between the mare and foal as a fairytale ending to what was initially a sad story. She said Fanstasy Flight was previously a racehorse that had suffered an injury that put her out of racing.
Goetsch added that her being able to rear Lola G had given her a ‘second chance at life’.
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