It’s a crisp February afternoon at Diamond A Farm near Versailles, Ky., and Emmett Davis backs his red pickup truck and trailer up to a foaling barn. Inside the trailer is a 6-year-old Rocky Mountain mare named “George.” As Davis puts his truck in park, an 11-year-old Thoroughbred broodmare named Yekaterina (by Strawberry Road) is led blindfolded out of the stall she shares with her six-day-old foal, a colt by Deputy Minister. George is led into one corner of the stall followed by the new foal; two farm employees keep the mare and foal on separate sides of the stall. After a few minutes of looking around, the foal is led toward George. He begins to nurse. When he is finished drinking, the colt is led out of the stall to test the bond created with his new mother. George immediately notices the foal is gone and begins to nicker around the stall and squeal for his return. The colt is returned and the bonding process continues.

When foaling goes smoothly, the outcome is a healthy, energetic foal and an attentive mare. Unfortunately, not every birth goes as planned and the above scene is played out on farms everywhere during foaling season. When problems arise resulting in a foal not having its mother’s care, immediate action is needed, leaving the owner with two options—bottle-feeding or acquiring a nurse mare