09/17/2026
Late arrival at our Cross Three Quarter Horse ranch in north central MT. A beautiful healthy foal this morning albeit a little late in the season (older mare). While searching for the placenta to make sure the mare cleaned properly I came across some rare finds. The second photo is a hippomane (often called a "milt" or “foal bread”) which is a normal, harmless collection of protein, cellular debris, and urinary deposits formed during pregnancy. It’s considered good luck to find the hippomane. The 3rd photo are white pieces of “fairy slippers”or eponychium, which are soft, rubbery coverings on a newborn foal's hooves that dry up and/or wear off within 24 to 48 hours after birth.
Ok…That’s your lesson for today in equine perinatal events.
