PHOTO EPIC: Meet Mt. SAC’s Newest (and Cutest) Residents

March 30, 2022 - 04:53 PM

The Equine Center has welcomed two new foals to its stable of horses. The births, three weeks apart, begin to fulfill a long-range goal for the equine center to breed horses for sale to offset the costs of the center.

The two Mt. SAC mares, Reba and Smarty, were bred with the UC Davis stallion “The Only Escape” last year. 

Horses are used by Mt. SAC’s Veterinary Technology and Ranch Management programs.

On March 5 at 11:25 p.m., Reba gave birth to a colt. Reba and her baby are doing great and the yet-to-be-named colt is getting bigger and stronger every day.

 

Mom is showing her baby the ropes. 

And the colt is quite strong and healthy. 

Foals can grow fast and will soon become quite spirited.

 

 

And right across the barn, on Sunday, March 28 at 10:10 p.m., a quite pregnant Smarty finally decided to deliver her foal. 

 

This beautiful little colt has already been named Dutton, after his coloring, which in the equine world is known as a dun color. Wikipedia has an entire entry on the dun gene that gives this color.

Dutton initially had some trouble standing up, which foals need to do in order to feed. A veterinarian was consulted, and Dutton was taken to the Chino Valley Equine, where the doctor advised assisting Dutton until he gains his legs.

But almost immediately after getting some of his mother’s milk, he showed signs of improvement and can easily nurse on his own now. 

In a couple of weeks, the two youngsters will be playing together in a day pen, but for now, both mothers will watch over their colts in their respective stables.

Visit the Equine Center website for more information.