MITAKOLA TOKALAH

July, 2004




Tokalah continues his training as DL tightens the girth. 
February 2, 2004

I couldn’t have chosen a more appropriate name. For "Georgia" delivered a chestnut colt, the color of a red kit fox. His ears were forward, he was sprightly and alert, and appeared to be healthy. I left the stall to get a shot of Banamine, and when I returned, Tokalah appeared to be sleeping. I administered the Banamine, tied up the placenta and prepared the enema. When I approached Tokalah, I realized that something was terribly wrong. His chest was still, and there was no indication that he was breathing. He was limp as a dishrag, his legs felt cold to the touch, and I could not find a pulse.


With the help of my husband Bruce, and our friends Mary Lou and Kathy, we immediately began to rub his entire body, trying to stimulate him. Much to our surprise and relief, he soon responded and it was not long before he was sucking my finger and looking for food. I milked a bottle from the mare, and when he drank heartily, my hopes were renewed… but it was not to last.

Again, he went limp and did not respond. Again my friends repeated the process while I tried to contact my local veterinarian. My regular vet was not available and the veterinarian on call did not know how to get to the farm, nor did he know anything about my animals or my background. After giving him directions, I returned to the stall and was pleased to see that Tokalah had again come around and was now trying to rise. But again this was not to last. For the problem would occur two more times.


By the time that the veterinarian arrived, Tokalah was on his feet and was nursing the mare while the veterinarian was looking at me as though this were the first foal that I had delivered and that I had panicked, calling him out at 2:00 a.m. when there was no evidence of an emergency. Before he left, I requested that he draw blood.


My friend Kathy and I slept out at the barn as we always do for the first three nights following a delivery. We were both exhausted, physically and emotionally, but Tokalah appeared to be as healthy and happy as any normal foal, and I knew then that I had chosen his name appropriately. Not only did he look like a Red Kit Fox, but he was a Warrior, through and through.

Tokalah, July of 2004
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Tokalah with his Mama ~ May, 2005


 

In all my years of experience with foaling, never had I witnessed anything that resembled what had occurred with Tokalah, and having spoken with several veterinarians following his birth, neither had they. Four times we had lost him, and four times he had returned to us. Four is a Sacred number, as the four seasons, as the four directions of the Medicine Wheel. The Circle of birth, death and rebirth... Little did I know at that time, that Tokalah was to lead me on an incredible spiritual journey to my Vision Quest.

Six weeks later I was to learn that the experience that occurred on the night of Tokalah's birth would not be the last of his troubles. But as I said, Tokalah is a Warrior. Today he is healthy, strong and happy, and is the first of our foals to remain on the Farm indefinitely. With the help of my dear friend DL Lemm, he is now being trained under saddle. He is a wonderful companion... and I feel in my heart that our journey has just begun... Or should I say "Continuing, as we walk our sacred path."

The photos below are of Tokalah and I as I braved the challenge of riding him in the small paddock at the end of the barn. The first photo is when DL lead him with the chain shank. The second photo is when I braved it alone with my boy...

He's a real treasure.