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Read ‘Kamikazi & Ari: Part 1’ and ‘Kamikazi & Ari: Part 2’ first!

During delivery, Kamikazi’s foal had injured her causing major pain and discomfort. This is why she was so nervous and wouldn’t let her foal drink for a while. She was in a lot of pain and didn’t want anything, including her own baby trying to eat after she had just had a traumatic foaling. We had finally figured out what was causing her unusual behavior! We began calling vet clinics in the area to ask what we should do to help her heal properly.

The concern of many of the vets we talked to was not only the area healing properly but the preventative measures we would need to take so she wouldn’t get an infection. An infection would have been deadly for Kamikazi. Through patience, time, and lots of gloves we are happy to say that Kamikazi made it through this process with no problems or infection! She went to a vet for surgery last Fall and is back to her old self.

If we hadn’t given her foal the colostrum she needed and monitored Kamikazi closely that following day we may not have had a happy ending for either of these horses. We are so grateful for the people who helped out with this foaling! Kamikazi and Ari are both doing great and it’s all thanks to those who were there throughout the ordeal. Also, shoutout to Lindsey, a previous Rockin’ R employee who picked the name Ari for this young filly!

Thanks for all who read ‘Kamikazi & Ari: Parts 1, 2, and 3′! We hope you come back to hear more about what goes on at the Rockin’ R Ranch!

Read ‘Kamikazi & Ari: Part 1’ first!

At this point we decided the best thing to do was to try to get the two out of the arena into a smaller, covered area where Kamikazi would let the foal stay close and so that the baby could stand up easier. After we got the pen set up the way we wanted it, we slowly walked the two horses toward this area. When we got there we could tell that the foal was exhausted. It was maybe 4:30am at this point and the baby still hadn’t had any colostrum. Kamikazi was still being difficult and we, again, assumed it was because it was her first foal. We decided to collect some colostrum and feed it to the foal in a bottle. Now, before I go on I want to add that we did not make this decision on a whim, it was discussed in depth about the pros and cons of starting to bottle feed this baby. We tried to let them figure it out and we waited for a long time before doing this. We wanted it to be natural and for them to not need assistance but when the foal started struggling to stand up even on the dry ground we decided to act.

Kamikazi let us collect colostrum from her and we were able to get some to the baby. We tried using the bottle but the baby wouldn’t suck so we ended up filling a syringe and getting as much into the foal as we could. After 20 minutes or so the foal stood right up, we were able to help her get into a position to drink from Kamikazi and mamma let her, FINALLY! Two of us stayed up throughout the rest of the night (or I guess morning at that point) to keep an eye on the horses. Kamikazi would still act unusual when the foal would try to eat but eventually she would stand still and let it latch on.

Throughout the following day a few of us would go check on Kamikazi and the baby to see how they were doing. The baby seemed to be doing well, but Kamikazi still seemed uncomfortable. It was later in the day when our head wrangler finally noticed what was wrong.

Stay tuned for ‘Kamikazi & Ari: Part 3’ coming tomorrow!

Kamikazi is one of the horses at the ranch. She belongs to our ranch managers and this is the story of how she became a momma. Kamikazi was born in 2013 and is a palomino quarter horse. Her AQHA registered name is Zans Classical Ziva. Her ancestry can be traced back to Skip Premiere and Zan Parr Bar. Due to an injury when she was young one of her knees has had a little bit of scar tissue. Despite this she has always been a sweet horse and a great ride. In the Spring of 2018 she was bred to an outside stud named SD Socks Prevail. This cross was sure to bring a great foal, however that’s not all it would bring.

We could tell Kamikazi was getting close to her foal date from our horse breeding tracker, as well as some general signs you expect in a broodmare about to give birth. Her udder had filled up and her teats were waxy. As this was Kamikazi’s first foal and our ranch managers were out of town for a couple of days, I wanted to make sure that all was going well for the mare. During the night I woke up several times to check on the mamma-to-be. At 3:00am I went out to check on her and found a sweet little baby lying on the ground next to a very sweaty, very nervous looking Kamikazi. I figured she was just nervous with it being her first time giving birth, however, it was later realized that was not the only reason. We’ll come back to that in bit, but first let’s talk about the baby!

When I walked out and saw mamma and baby I immediately ran to the lodge and called our head wrangler and resident veterinary student. I knew they would want to see the new baby and wanted them to be aware of the birth. As we watched her try to stand we realized that because of the weather the previous couple of days, the ground was very muddy. The baby struggled for a while to stand up so we got some towels and tried to create traction for it to get up. After a while we were able to help the baby stand up and get her close to Kamikazi. Throughout this whole process Kamikazi had barely moved from her position. Still sweaty and not sure what had just happened, we tried to let her and the foal figure things out for a while. Unfortunately, it was not going well. The foal kept slipping on the mud, Kamikazi wasn’t letting her baby get anywhere near her to get the much needed colostrum, and the other mares in the arena with them were starting to get curious about the baby.

Stay tuned for ‘Kamikazi & Ari: Part 2’ coming tomorrow!

The Rockin’ R Ranch is a western guest/working cattle ranch in Southern Utah. We have guests come from all over the world to experience life as a cowboy/cowgirl for a few days. Guests are invited to participate in the activities we provide at the ranch including: horseback riding, river tubing, rock climbing/rappelling, hiking, archery, and so much more! Our staff are trained in facilitating all of our activities and with a straight-forward schedule each day, you can kick back, relax and leave all the planning to us. Whether you are 2 years old or 92 years old we have activities that you will enjoy. Pony rides, line dancing lessons, swimming in the pond, and our band nights are sure to bring a smile to those participating and to those enjoying the time spent with family.

The ranch is located in the perfect place for guests wanting to visit the nearby national parks. Bryce Canyon National Park (45 min drive), Capitol Reef National Park (1 hr 15 min drive), and Zion National Park (2 hr drive) are all within a reasonable driving distance and the views are worth every mile. If you are wanting to stay closer to the ranch there are numerous places to check out the beautiful views of the valley. The drive and view from Mt. Dutton is amazing and the cool and calming effects of the nearby reservoir, Otter Creek, are sure to satisfy your need to be a part of and truly appreciate nature.

At the Rockin’ R we provide a fun-filled environment for small families, youth groups, foreign bus groups, and family reunions during our season (April-October). During our “off-season” we provide lodging to fishermen and hunters alike. This time of year, you will find our guests out fishing on Otter Creek Reservoir or hunting/hiking up on Mt. Dutton or the Boulder.

Be sure to check out our website for questions about pricing/reservations and visit our Instagram or Facebook pages to get to know who and what we are a little bit better. We look forward to hearing from you so please comment below if you have ever been to the ranch or are planning to come visit us soon!

See you in the saddle!

www.rockinrranch.com