I was at CSU this week to drop off horses, pick up other mares from breeding, and to visit Fleur and her new filly! The filly was only about four hours old, having been born just that morning.
The foal has a muzzle on because of a difference in the mare and foal's blood types. Because of the different blood types, the foal can't have the colostrum from Fleur (antibody-rich milk from the mare). If she were to nurse and get this from Fleur, it would transfer antibodies to the foal that would cause her immune system to attack her own red blood cells. Fortunately this blood type issue was caught before Fleur foaled, so the filly has received colostrum from a different mare who has the same blood type as the filly. Once the filly's gut has closed (no longer receptive to the antibodies in colostrum) and Fleur begins producing regular milk, not colostrum, the filly will be able to nurse freely without the muzzle.
We're grateful that this was caught early, as it has ensured the foal will have the best possible start to her life, instead of the great difficulty and possible loss of a loved baby which would happen otherwise.
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