Meet Hatchet...The newest member of our Family

We bred Hawk to a friends mare last year. She was going on vacation around the time the foal was due so we agreed to do foal watch. We brought the mare to our house and a few days later I rushed her to the vet. She was not able to have the baby herself. He had to be pulled by chains on his front feet. He was kinda skinny but other than that, very healthy. His mom for some reason was not so happy for him to arrive, She totally rejected him. I had to keep her tied to try and get him to nurse and she still kicked him across the stall. I ended up milking her for 2 days to get him the colostrum, but she would not produce enough to fill him up. Had to make a flying trip to tractor supply for milk replacer. His mom dried up so we brought her back to her home and he took up residence in the back yard with the big dogs. His owner came home a week later and gave him to us. She does not have the know how or the time to bottle feed a colt. We are excited to have a baby out of Hawk since the mare we bred did not take. Not so excited about the every 3 hour around the clock feedings. I know why we have our kids while we are young. Now the challenge is to teach him he is a horse and will someday weigh 1000 lbs and he cannot sit in your lap. I guess he will fit right in with the rest of the spoiled critters around here :)

Hawk

 Hawk lost the fight with his illness yesterday. It breaks my heart to know that I could not save him. He was the sweetest ,gentle and Beautiful Stallion I have ever owned. It was so hard to go to the barn this morning knowing he would not be there. I am the animal fix-it person. I am really having a hard time with not being able to make him better. Keith is taking it hard. I bought him Hawk for his Birthday. He was soooo proud of him. We can't even look at each other with out crying. I know we did everything possible to save him, but that doesn't make the Hurt any less. Please keep us in your prayers