It’s the most wonderful time of year for horse owners as spring brings the promise of warmer weather and, of course, long-awaited foals begin making their way into the world.
Accompanying these spunky little creatures is a slew of new possibilities for the future and new opportunities to be reminded of the immense joy horses bring to us. But, as every breeder knows, sometimes the path to that joy isn’t so smooth.
This spring, a maiden mare at Rosenfeldt Quarter Horses gave birth to a healthy colt named “Fizz Bomb” but soon rejected him. Through Facebook, long-time breeder, Paige Quarterman was able to locate a nurse mare for the young colt, but that option proved no better. Again, Quarterman turned to Facebook for advice in search of a solution. Amidst the dozens of responses came an answer, a phenomenon in the form of a palomino mare, Good In Gold, better known as “Peach”.
Peach has played a variety of roles in life, everything from a show horse to a pasture pet doubling as a best friend, but she truly shines when she has a foal at her side.
“Peach is a mother, she loves babies,” owner Tiffany Wilson said. “I think if she could ‘steal’ away other mares’ babies, she would. She just has strong mothering instincts.”
Despite these strong instincts, Peach has been unable to maintain a pregnancy the past two years, but she played a crucial role in the upbringing of an orphaned Righteous Invitation foal last year. Although the foal took to milk replacer, she still needed someone to raise her and Peach suited the role perfectly.
Peach’s stellar performance reviews landed her another gig this year, and it didn’t take long for her to live up to the expectations.
“We stalled them side-by-side the first night,” Quarterman told GoHorseShow. “The next day we put them in a small pen. When it was clear she wouldn’t hurt him, we turned them loose. They didn’t connect right away, but she kept an eye on him. We put them in the same stall that evening. He was scared and just stood in the corner with his ball and stuffed bear. She would circle him and check on him and then go back to her hay. Then, once he finally relaxed, he zonked out. That’s when I looked in and she was standing over him.”
Peach was brought in solely to be a companion to the lonely bay colt, but she quickly proved to be so much more. After just five days together, Peach, who was dry, came in with her milk.
“While they were cohabitating well prior, once he nursed, the connection was as if he was her foal,” said Quarterman.
Wilson added, “She’s just a gentle soul. She’s never given me a hard time about anything. She gives pony rides, she can go out on the trails and, of course, she is the best mom ever. I was, of course, happy for Paige, Bill, and the foal, but I was also happy for Peach. She needed the colt as much as he needed her. ”
About the Author: GoHorseshow intern, Jayne Burnett is currently studying multimedia production and journalism at Belmont University in Nashville. Follow her on Instagram @jay.burnett
