Fin

Rosvold Farms Presents RF Medley's Painted Finale
Born: April 21, 2007

This is a bittersweet foal for us; beginning about a week before his birth we could tell that something wasn't quite okay with his dam, Rosewall Medley. She went into early labor and passed away a few hours after the colt was born. In twelve years of raising foals, we had thankfully never lost a mare. Due to circumstances we did not have colostrom on hand, but were fortunate to find some with a neighbor, of whom we greatly appreciate her kindness and generosity. We split up the feeding schedule between us and rearranged work schedules (and of course sleep) to try and save our tiny colt. Two days after his birth, a friend's mare foaled, and we decided to see if we could get her to adopt Fin, as he is now called. The mare was very tolerant and allowed Fin to nurse, but he couldn't quite understand that he needed work a little for his food, as it had always come right to him and flowed very easily from the bottle. Our other problem was that he would just wander off and the mare was not concerned if he stayed or not as he was not her foal. At our farm, we had been waiting for a mare to foal since the first of the month. We figured that she was our last and best chance to find an adoptive mother for Fin. Finally at 10 pm on Tuesday, April 24, Zelda foaled a large bay tobiano filly. Everyone jumped into action. The filly was immediately pulled from the stall, removed from the birth sac and towel dried. Fin was brought from the house and rubbed down with the birth sac. Then both foals were presented to Zelda. Despite looking a bit bemused, she went into mother mode and nuzzled, nickered, and stood patiently for both foals to attempt to nurse. Fin took quite a bit of human encouragement to grasp a teat and suckle, but it was apparent that he had learned a little at my friend's house with her mare. After a couple hours watching it was determined that Zelda had accepted both foals as hers. We went to bed for a couple hours and returned at 2 am to encourage Fin to nurse from Zelda again and to make sure the filly was doing well. At the 4 am feeding, Fin stood and looked for the first time for Zelda's teat on his own! When we came back at six, he was up and nursing when we entered the barn! Of course we are still supplementing him with the bottle and we have more markers to pass, but we encouraged that we will be able raise Fin.

Rosewall Medley, a wonderful pony, always patient and gentle, she raised several great foals that now reside in multiple states and serve as lesson ponies and as dear pets of the children and adults who own them. Medley herself was a fantastic children's pony and broodmare. We will greatly miss her. Photo taken April 2007

Fin at about two weeks of age.

Fin in September 2007. Fin is the sweetest little colt. He is very affectionate and easy going. The children love him and he soaks up all the attention that he can! We are very pleased with him and feel exceptionally fortunate to have been blessed with such a special pony.