An orphan colt whose mother died shortly after giving birth has a new mom – a mare that had tragically lost her foal – thanks to the generosity of strangers and Washington State University veterinarians playing matchmaker.
Pairing an orphan foal and a nursing mare is a challenging task and one that commonly ends with failure. In this case, the connection was instantaneous.
“The mare had only been without a foal for about 24 hours,” Dr. Lisbeth Matthews, an equine medicine and surgery intern, said. “We walked her into the Veterinary Teaching Hospital and past him. He made a noise, and she went, ‘oh, there’s my foal,’ and started making noises back at him.”
It was a surprise to everyone how quickly the mare, named Shelly but affectionally called Mama by her owners, Roy and Faye Lions, accepted the colt. Equine veterinarian Jenifer Gold, who was helping to care for the foal and to supervise its introduction to the mare, said nursing mares frequently reject orphan foals, and when they don’t, the pairing process often takes days.
“She walked in and started nickering at him like it was her own baby – it was unbelievable,” Gold said. “I’ve been doing this for 20 years, and I have never seen it happen that way.”
The foal, which has been named Laredo, was admitted to the teaching hospital by his owner, Spokane resident Rachel Williams, just days after he was born when he started showing troubling digestive issues. Shortly after the colt arrived in Pullman, Faye Lions placed a call to WSU to see if the equine team was aware of any orphan colts needing a nursing mare.
“Our foal was dead, and nothing was going to bring it back, so we were hoping we could help someone else,” Faye Lions said. “It just so happened there was a foal there.”
A day later, the colt and Shelly were introduced.
“For them to be so willing to basically hand over their animal to a complete stranger after experiencing their own tragedy was pretty phenomenal,” Williams said. “I feel like in this scenario it was the worst of the worst for everybody, but there was a little bit of silver lining to the story.”
Williams is also grateful for the care and treatment she and her foal received at WSU.
“I just can’t even find words to say how great the veterinarians at WSU were,” she said. “They went above and beyond. I am just happy I ended up at WSU. I am so glad we were able to match those two up – it is kind of a miracle.”
Shelly will live with Williams until the colt is ready to be weaned, likely in six months, before she will return to her home in Kamiah, Idaho.
“It will be tough to say goodbye because you just naturally start to bond with animals, and she has kind of been my lifesaver,” Williams said. “It will be bittersweet for sure, but I am sure her owners will be happy to have her back.”
During the spring, the equine team at WSU typically sees at least a handful of orphan foals. Equine medicine specialist Dr. Macarena Sanz said orphan foals can be fed a powdered milk formula designed for horses, but those raised by humans typically develop behavioral issues that can become problematic as the animal matures.
“They turn out to be socially weird, have no understanding of personal space, and they are more difficult to train,” WSU equine veterinarian Macarena Sanz said. “The fact that this orphan foal has a mare is really going to make a difference.”
Sanz strongly encourages owners to immediately call their veterinarian if a foal is orphaned, as early care is critical to the animal’s survival.
Sally Field recently turned 76 – try not to smile when you see her today
Sometimes, keeping up with Hollywood glitz requires using procedures like plastic surgery to seem younger. It’s no secret that a lot of celebrities choose cosmetic surgery in order to maintain their youthful appearance and the chances it presents.
Actress Sally Field is among some in the film industry who are unwilling to adopt this trend, though.
It’s safe to say that Field has an impressive career because she has starred in movies like Forrest Gump, Norma Rae, Mrs. Doubtfire, and Sweetheart. She has also been nominated for two BAFTA Film Awards, two Academy Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, two SAG Awards, and most recently, the Life Achievement Award.
She is 76 years old, but she still looks amazing and is content with the way she looks. She accepted her naturally gray hair and looked stunning in black for her SAG Achievement Award speech.
“I felt out of the spotlight, cautious, and reserved. But I never knew what I would say or do when I was on stage. I’d surprise myself,” the actress remarked. “It’s great, but I wasn’t hoping for attention or praise.”
“Acting has always been about preserving those precious moments when I feel whole, thoroughly, and sometimes dangerously alive,” the actress went on. It has never been easy to find a way there.
They gave me the confidence to be vulnerable and revealed aspects of myself to me that I never would have otherwise known. I’ve spent my entire life at work. Over the course of her nearly 60-year career, she said, “I have never been happier to identify as an actor.”
She was questioned in 2016 about her feelings over her portrayal of the venerable and quirky Doris Miller.
“It’s alright, I’m an old woman; seventy is old.” I’ve gained strength from my years; I’ve owned them and earned the right to have them. And it’s okay, even if I don’t like my neck and a lot of other things,” Field said to NPR.
And although there is a serious battle against ageism in Hollywood, Field chooses to remain true to herself when it comes to the natural aging process. “When I watch myself on TV, I think, ‘Oh, I wish that weren’t happening to my neck. In addition, your face is contracting and your eyes are protruding. But then I see some of the women that I used to think were so beautiful—women who have had plastic surgery. I’m feeling right now, oh no. Don’t do that! She had previously stated, “And that would seem disrespectful to who they are right now.”
Field experienced two marriages and two divorces. She wed Steven Craig in 1986, and the two of them had two boys. In 1975, the pair decided to call it quits.
Before she married film producer Alan Greisman, she dated Burt Reynolds. Greisman and Field are parents to a son.
She ultimately made the decision to devote herself fully to her work, but the turning point in her life came when she became a grandmother.
She loved spending time with her grandchildren at her lovely beach house with views of the ocean, and she embraced her new job.
We adore Sally Field.
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