by Ron Hanusa
June
of this year Nancy and Larry Jenson of Bode, Iowa brought Keystone Sahara, owned
by their son Bryce, to Minnamara Farm in Hayfield, Minn., owned by Ron and Susan
Hanusa, to be bred to Karpov.
The mare came with two foals, one being her own foal, a
colt by Kan Am, and the other an orphan filly by Lucky Twenty Five out of
Abrameit owned by Larry, Nancy, and their son Brady. Abrameit died just a few
days after foaling the filly from injuries suffered in a difficult birth.
Keystone Sahara "adopted" the filly on her own in the Jenson's field.
When bringing the mare to be bred they asked if the two
foals could come with the mare since they were reluctant to disrupt this
attachment. This situation was cute and seemed a bit unusual but what happened
next was amazing.
A farm mare, Edna Excel,
had delivered a Karpov colt April 30. She then apparently developed a serious
ulcer problem which did not respond to treatment and died.
Her foal was in the
stall next to Keystone Sahara and her "two" foals. The foal was acting depressed
and Keystone Sahara became preoccupied with him to the point of "obsession" so
we decided to turn the three foals out in a small paddock with the mare.
They all bonded comfortably and Keystone Sahara became a
mother to three! The mares and foals in the next pasture lined up along the
fence, watching in seeming disbelief at the sight of a mare with three foals.
When back in the large foaling stall we have two feed pails and one foal feeder
with foal pellets in it. The mare shares grain and hay with all her "babies".
It can be difficult to get a mare who has lost a foal to
take on an orphan foal much less take on two orphan foals when she still has her
biological foal at her side. We think she deserves the title "Super Mom".
Especially considering Keystone Sahara is 22 years old.
