In early March, 2008, Lyn and I agreed to terms on the purchase of a palomino quarter horse mare, MIA MAGIC,
Q-26841, from her then owners in Victoria.
A deposit was paid and as we had arranged a holiday in New Zealand shortly thereafter the balance was to be
paid upon our return.
This was done and in the second week of April 2008 Mia arrived at our property, initially to be a riding horse for
me after she had foaled.
Mia, who has some very impressive blood lines herself, was at the time in foal to BOOGIES THUNDERNDRUMS,
PHAA9355, a double homozygous black and white stallion who had been imported from the USA.
Mia, who stands at 15hh, was in good health when she arrived and after worming and fitting her with a rug she was
introduced to the rest of our broodmares, where after the normal period of adjustment, things settled down and we
both looked forward to the day that she would foal down for us.
Getting Mia to our property was a lot smoother than getting the relevant paperwork for her and it took a number of
months, phone calls and e-mails before the service certificate that would cover the foal that she was carrying
finally arrived .After reading it we expected her to foal approx. 15th October 2008.
The due date came and went and as each day passed we were watching her more closely for any signs of
possible delivery. I checked her around 11.45pm on the 2nd of November and felt that there would not be any
delivery that evening and retired to bed.
Q-26841, from her then owners in Victoria.
A deposit was paid and as we had arranged a holiday in New Zealand shortly thereafter the balance was to be
paid upon our return.
This was done and in the second week of April 2008 Mia arrived at our property, initially to be a riding horse for
me after she had foaled.
Mia, who has some very impressive blood lines herself, was at the time in foal to BOOGIES THUNDERNDRUMS,
PHAA9355, a double homozygous black and white stallion who had been imported from the USA.
Mia, who stands at 15hh, was in good health when she arrived and after worming and fitting her with a rug she was
introduced to the rest of our broodmares, where after the normal period of adjustment, things settled down and we
both looked forward to the day that she would foal down for us.
Getting Mia to our property was a lot smoother than getting the relevant paperwork for her and it took a number of
months, phone calls and e-mails before the service certificate that would cover the foal that she was carrying
finally arrived .After reading it we expected her to foal approx. 15th October 2008.
The due date came and went and as each day passed we were watching her more closely for any signs of
possible delivery. I checked her around 11.45pm on the 2nd of November and felt that there would not be any
delivery that evening and retired to bed.
| .....Simons Story..... |
Due to us having a commitment in Queensland that
weekend it was arranged that they would be picked up on
the afternoon of Sunday the 7th of December, 2008. This
would be one day short of 5 weeks that they had spent at
Scone. The staff was happy with this as it gave them a little
more time to teach him how to drink out of a bucket
properly.
We duly presented to the clinic early in the afternoon and
asked for Johnno and his dam. The staff looked quizzically
at us and it was only when we mentioned Mia that they
knew who we were looking for.
As it turned out they all had come to know him,
affectionately as SIMON as in Simple Simon, due to his
inability or stubbornness not to follow the usual script and
latch onto Mia at some point in time. Both of us appreciated
the wit and humor in their naming of him so much that we
have decided to keep that paddock name for him and he is
now known as SIMON to all and sundry.
Once home Simon and Mia settled into their paddock and
stables and the routine commenced. It did not take long to
notice that we would have to keep Mia out of Simon’s stable
as she was eating all of his hay and chaff so with a small .
weekend it was arranged that they would be picked up on
the afternoon of Sunday the 7th of December, 2008. This
would be one day short of 5 weeks that they had spent at
Scone. The staff was happy with this as it gave them a little
more time to teach him how to drink out of a bucket
properly.
We duly presented to the clinic early in the afternoon and
asked for Johnno and his dam. The staff looked quizzically
at us and it was only when we mentioned Mia that they
knew who we were looking for.
As it turned out they all had come to know him,
affectionately as SIMON as in Simple Simon, due to his
inability or stubbornness not to follow the usual script and
latch onto Mia at some point in time. Both of us appreciated
the wit and humor in their naming of him so much that we
have decided to keep that paddock name for him and he is
now known as SIMON to all and sundry.
Once home Simon and Mia settled into their paddock and
stables and the routine commenced. It did not take long to
notice that we would have to keep Mia out of Simon’s stable
as she was eating all of his hay and chaff so with a small .
At 6am on the 3rd of November 2008, 19days after her
expected date, I checked her from our back door and to
my delight she had a foal standing at her side. After letting
Lyn know I went to inspect the arrival.
To our delight Mia had had a buckskin colt and he had two
blue eyes. We checked Mia over for any problems that
may have occurred to her and then proceeded to inspect
the foal and he appeared to be fine. All of the necessary
materials were found on the ground along with his first
motion.
During the day everything seemed fine yet late in the
afternoon Lyn started to have doubts as to whether the
foal was drinking from his dam. By the next morning her
suspicions were confirmed as the foal’s condition had
deteriorated and we were sure that he was not drinking
from his dam.
expected date, I checked her from our back door and to
my delight she had a foal standing at her side. After letting
Lyn know I went to inspect the arrival.
To our delight Mia had had a buckskin colt and he had two
blue eyes. We checked Mia over for any problems that
may have occurred to her and then proceeded to inspect
the foal and he appeared to be fine. All of the necessary
materials were found on the ground along with his first
motion.
During the day everything seemed fine yet late in the
afternoon Lyn started to have doubts as to whether the
foal was drinking from his dam. By the next morning her
suspicions were confirmed as the foal’s condition had
deteriorated and we were sure that he was not drinking
from his dam.
Shortly thereafter our Veterinarian inspected the foal, which we had named JOHNNO, and her advice was that he
needed specialist treatment which required him being taken to SCONE VETERINARY HOSPITAL as soon as
possible.
With Lyn’s help, before she had to leave for work, Mia and Johnno were loaded onto the float and I headed off to
Scone. During the trip I was advised that we were to go to the Intensive Care ward which was a little way past the
surgery.
Once there I was met by a team of workers who had to carry Johnno in to the stables as he was not in good
shape. The team, headed by JANE AXON, then went to work on Johnno and all I could do was stand back and
marvel at their skills and co-ordination in an effort to stabilize his condition.
Once he had been settled and fully examined Jane explained his problems to me and said that he was what was
called a “DUMMY FOAL” and at that stage the immediate road ahead was difficult as he also had an infection
that was not helping.
A dummy foal does not form a bond with its dam nor does it drink from the dam immediately however usually does
after a few days. WELL, Johnno was about to prove that theory wrong and over the following weeks he was to
become probably the most frustrating and difficult patient that the centre has had to deal with in a long time.
I left Johnno and Mia in the staff’s capable hands knowing that if he had any chance at all he was in the right
place. After phoning Lyn and explaining the situation I headed home, with a heavy heart, and after that all we
could do was wait and hope that things would turn out successfully.
We were regularly kept up to date, via e-mails and phone calls, either by Jane or one of her Vet staff and at no
time did we feel that we were left in the dark or wondering how he was progressing. Lyn & I managed to visit him
and Mia a couple of weeks later and whilst his condition had not improved all that much due to further
complications we were prepared to continue with his treatment
needed specialist treatment which required him being taken to SCONE VETERINARY HOSPITAL as soon as
possible.
With Lyn’s help, before she had to leave for work, Mia and Johnno were loaded onto the float and I headed off to
Scone. During the trip I was advised that we were to go to the Intensive Care ward which was a little way past the
surgery.
Once there I was met by a team of workers who had to carry Johnno in to the stables as he was not in good
shape. The team, headed by JANE AXON, then went to work on Johnno and all I could do was stand back and
marvel at their skills and co-ordination in an effort to stabilize his condition.
Once he had been settled and fully examined Jane explained his problems to me and said that he was what was
called a “DUMMY FOAL” and at that stage the immediate road ahead was difficult as he also had an infection
that was not helping.
A dummy foal does not form a bond with its dam nor does it drink from the dam immediately however usually does
after a few days. WELL, Johnno was about to prove that theory wrong and over the following weeks he was to
become probably the most frustrating and difficult patient that the centre has had to deal with in a long time.
I left Johnno and Mia in the staff’s capable hands knowing that if he had any chance at all he was in the right
place. After phoning Lyn and explaining the situation I headed home, with a heavy heart, and after that all we
could do was wait and hope that things would turn out successfully.
We were regularly kept up to date, via e-mails and phone calls, either by Jane or one of her Vet staff and at no
time did we feel that we were left in the dark or wondering how he was progressing. Lyn & I managed to visit him
and Mia a couple of weeks later and whilst his condition had not improved all that much due to further
complications we were prepared to continue with his treatment
By this stage he was drinking half of his milk
formula and the other half was being
administered by a tube which had been inserted
in his nose. He had not fully learnt to drink out
of a bucket yet and had not made any attempt
to drink from his dam.
Finally, after four and a half weeks we were
contacted and told that Johnno, despite still not
drinking from Mia, had improved enough to be
able to come home so long as we were fully
aware that he would require 24 hour care and
fed every three hours.
formula and the other half was being
administered by a tube which had been inserted
in his nose. He had not fully learnt to drink out
of a bucket yet and had not made any attempt
to drink from his dam.
Finally, after four and a half weeks we were
contacted and told that Johnno, despite still not
drinking from Mia, had improved enough to be
able to come home so long as we were fully
aware that he would require 24 hour care and
fed every three hours.
Since then we have now settled Simon in to being
fed his milk formula 6 hourly and a constant supply
of water, chaff, hay and pellets are available in his
stable and he continues to share his dam’s hay with
her after his milk is consumed. He has learnt to know
the sound of our tack yard gate being opened and is
always ready in his stable when it is time to be fed.
He has gone from being very tentative at the bucket
to attacking it with great gusto especially at the 6pm
feed when some pellets are mixed in with the formula.
This brings us to today, being the 27th December
2008, and whilst we know that we are not out of the
woods yet we are well on the way and look forward to
the day when he can stand proudly in the paddock
with his peers and who knows maybe some day
stand at stud for us here.
This portion of Simon’s life can not be signed off
without us paying tribute to our own visiting Vet,
Kimberly Booker of Singleton Vet Hospital, who
rearranged her morning to see to Simon straight
away and to counsel us on the course of action.
Kimberly then arranged for his admission to Scone
as soon as she got back to Singleton.
fed his milk formula 6 hourly and a constant supply
of water, chaff, hay and pellets are available in his
stable and he continues to share his dam’s hay with
her after his milk is consumed. He has learnt to know
the sound of our tack yard gate being opened and is
always ready in his stable when it is time to be fed.
He has gone from being very tentative at the bucket
to attacking it with great gusto especially at the 6pm
feed when some pellets are mixed in with the formula.
This brings us to today, being the 27th December
2008, and whilst we know that we are not out of the
woods yet we are well on the way and look forward to
the day when he can stand proudly in the paddock
with his peers and who knows maybe some day
stand at stud for us here.
This portion of Simon’s life can not be signed off
without us paying tribute to our own visiting Vet,
Kimberly Booker of Singleton Vet Hospital, who
rearranged her morning to see to Simon straight
away and to counsel us on the course of action.
Kimberly then arranged for his admission to Scone
as soon as she got back to Singleton.
Our biggest thank you must go to the team at Scone Vet Hospital, headed by Jane Axon the Director of
Clovelly Intensive Care Unit, whose expertise, efficiency and dedication have gotten us this far and were
always there to answer questions and advise us no matter what time we enquired about Simon.
Clovelly Intensive Care Unit, whose expertise, efficiency and dedication have gotten us this far and were
always there to answer questions and advise us no matter what time we enquired about Simon.
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
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modification Simon came to have his own bachelor pad and he could still share his dam’s stable when he wanted
to.
to.
| July 5th Update: I must readily admit that I have been putting off this follow- up segment, of Simon’s Story, for a number of reasons with the main one being that I wished to show my wife, Lyn, that I can and have changed from the very brash, in your face, don’t care who I offend by telling “It” how it is type of person to one who can get the same message across in a more subtle way. This in itself is a big admission by me and one that I do not mind making. With Simon appearing to be doing well we felt that the next step would be to see if Mia may be interested in our resident QH stallion, Treena Boom Deck, Q-23904, as she had had a bit of a holiday whilst Simon was being cared for. Also bearing in mind what we had read and been told the task would not be easy to get her back in foal. Mia was allowed to graze in the paddock next to Junior, along with Simon who took no notice of her, and she was presented to Junior on the 26th & 28th December 2008 and was not interested at all. Disappointing as I thought that I had calculated her cycle correctly. It was during this time that a visitor who was looking over Simon closely found a fully engorged tick under his offside shoulder, which was quickly removed. We felt that this may have been a reason why he looked slightly off colour. |
During February we posted the first installment of Simon’s Story on our website so that the world could read that
“Dummy Foals” do exist and maybe some could recognize the symptoms and seek help as needed. We certainly
were not aware of them and it was a steep learning curve for us, not to mention the costs involved which have to
be taken into consideration also.
It was wonderful to hear him answer with whinnies each time his name was called and he would come to me for
pats and cuddles along with the food, of course. Quietly we were both starting to feel that maybe we had turned
the corner with him and whilst there was a long road ahead maybe, just maybe we could look to the future with him.
Like all dreams a dark cloud started to show up on Monday the 23rd March 2009 when I went down to feed out.
After the compulsory calling and answering by Simon when he came up to me I felt that “Something was not right”
as his breath had a different odour to it. However, we carried on feeding the important one first and then the rest
of the herd.
“Dummy Foals” do exist and maybe some could recognize the symptoms and seek help as needed. We certainly
were not aware of them and it was a steep learning curve for us, not to mention the costs involved which have to
be taken into consideration also.
It was wonderful to hear him answer with whinnies each time his name was called and he would come to me for
pats and cuddles along with the food, of course. Quietly we were both starting to feel that maybe we had turned
the corner with him and whilst there was a long road ahead maybe, just maybe we could look to the future with him.
Like all dreams a dark cloud started to show up on Monday the 23rd March 2009 when I went down to feed out.
After the compulsory calling and answering by Simon when he came up to me I felt that “Something was not right”
as his breath had a different odour to it. However, we carried on feeding the important one first and then the rest
of the herd.
On the 30th Dec. 2008 we had a visit from our vet who was to check Mia
and another mare for us to see where they were up to with their cycling.
As a result it was found that she was cycling normally and was not far
from “being interested” so the wait was on. To my surprise we did not
have to wait long as the next morning she was camped outside Junior’s
fence whilst Simon was off with a couple of other mares eating the grass.
With Simon off “Doing his own thing” Mia visited Junior, daily from the
31st Dec. through to the3rd of January 2009, then showed no further
interest in proceedings. Fingers crossed we were hopeful that she may
have taken. She was then paddocked in one of our day yards with Simon
to await the outcome of her visits.
For the next couple of weeks life seemed normal with Simon looking after
himself and having a good appetite. I was off to a number of locations to
pick up mares and foals that had been away for serving whilst Lyn cared
for those at home and the numerous chores around the place as well as
upholding her commitments outside the property.
On the 20th January 2009 our regular vet from Singleton Veterinary
Hospital, Mr. Matt Mullen, paid us a visit to scan two mares and to our
surprise and delight Mia was confirmed “In foal”. We had the feeling that
this was a sign that 2009 would be a better year for us and after
congratulating Mia she was put back in the back paddocks with the other
mares to start cooking. Meanwhile Simon was doing well and grazing
around the day yards and at the end of the month had another weanling
with him to keep each other company.
Through the month of February Simon was progressing well, despite a
mare and late foal not wanting to share a paddock and feed with him, to
the point that he was given his course of tet/strangles needles. He was
filling out well, eating all his hard food albeit slowly over the course of the
day as he had no competition for it and he had gotten used to the
sounds of me coming down to do the morning and afternoon feeds.
For the next couple of days Simon started to go down hill with his breath
getting worse, his appetite slowing and he started to slobber around the
mouth. Despite this I was still greeted each time with whinnies even though it
was taking a little longer each time to come up to me.
I talked to Lyn about this on a number of occasions and after discussions we
felt that the old two steps forward, one step back syndrome may have kicked
in and we were just going through a rough patch with him.
Then on Saturday 28th March 2009 as I went to feed I became alarmed that
there was no response from Simon despite calling him a number of times. As
I got to the tack yard I found the answer in that Simon was lying down
alongside the shelter in the foaling paddock, his head raised, and with one
look from him I knew that it was time to make an extremely tough decision.
I went straight back to the house to get Lyn, as we never make the hard
decisions without consulting each other, and asked her to come and see
Simon. As soon as Lyn saw him she made the same decision that I had come
to. It only took one look into his eyes to see that he was saying to us that he
could not go on any further and he needed help.
getting worse, his appetite slowing and he started to slobber around the
mouth. Despite this I was still greeted each time with whinnies even though it
was taking a little longer each time to come up to me.
I talked to Lyn about this on a number of occasions and after discussions we
felt that the old two steps forward, one step back syndrome may have kicked
in and we were just going through a rough patch with him.
Then on Saturday 28th March 2009 as I went to feed I became alarmed that
there was no response from Simon despite calling him a number of times. As
I got to the tack yard I found the answer in that Simon was lying down
alongside the shelter in the foaling paddock, his head raised, and with one
look from him I knew that it was time to make an extremely tough decision.
I went straight back to the house to get Lyn, as we never make the hard
decisions without consulting each other, and asked her to come and see
Simon. As soon as Lyn saw him she made the same decision that I had come
to. It only took one look into his eyes to see that he was saying to us that he
could not go on any further and he needed help.
With very heavy hearts we went back into the house and contacted our Vets
to arrange a visit as soon as possible. Subsequently John from Singleton
Vets called in and he also took one look and agreed with us that it was time
for him to go to sleep.
John showed such compassion and kindness for Simon that he sat down
with him, Simon not having moved since I found him, placed Simon’s head
on his lap and quietly carried out the task ahead of him.
Simon was so weak that it took very little time for him to slip away from us
and we both knew that he would never be in any pain from now on. After
John was satisfied that his job was finished he gave Simon a quiet pat and
quietly left us to look after Simon’s remains.
He was put to rest later that morning and the remainder of the day was
nothing but a blur to us and not one that we want to relive in a hurry. Both
Lyn & I are fully aware that “Where there is life, there is death” and in
breeding this comes with the territory however when you become so
attached with one young animal it is hard to put your emotions aside.
I will never forget that Saturday morning or the lessons that Simon taught
me, both in life and death. He had such great dignity in not once did
complain or shy away from any type of treatment that was administered to him from the day he was born. He was
always happy to have company and shone in the attention given to him. When the time had come to stop fighting
the battle it only took one look from him to know what he was saying and he did not even fight against that.
Lyn and I have carried on as we have to with all the other animals needing care and attention and we can only hope
that the foal that Mia is now carrying is half as good as Simon was.
Having gone through this ordeal I can assure you that “Big Boys Do Cry” and I am not ashamed to admit this. The
lessons that we have learnt with Simon have been invaluable to us and have increased our knowledge in animal
husbandry which may be useful in years to come.
Even though we have lost Simon he will always be in our hearts and thoughts.
always happy to have company and shone in the attention given to him. When the time had come to stop fighting
the battle it only took one look from him to know what he was saying and he did not even fight against that.
Lyn and I have carried on as we have to with all the other animals needing care and attention and we can only hope
that the foal that Mia is now carrying is half as good as Simon was.
Having gone through this ordeal I can assure you that “Big Boys Do Cry” and I am not ashamed to admit this. The
lessons that we have learnt with Simon have been invaluable to us and have increased our knowledge in animal
husbandry which may be useful in years to come.
Even though we have lost Simon he will always be in our hearts and thoughts.
