Calidora GypsyCobs

I truly have no words for the story I'm about to share, but share I will. 2026 has by far been the hardest breeding season in my 21 years of breeding horses. A month ago we lost sweet Elliott to Neonatal Isoerythrolysis (NI), an extremely rare condition in horses. And now another sweet soul has left this world.

I recently purchased a new mare from a good friend of mine. Let me be clear before I continue: this isn't her fault. The mare was being boarded and I don't blame anyone for what happened. I don't think anyone really understood what was happening. We are not assigning blame, but trying to help educate here.

Lumi (Snow White), as she's now called, was sent to our friends at River Lane Ranch for training, in exchange for her 2026 foal.

Two days ago little Sawyer was born. Unfortunately, she showed signs of distress right from the beginning. I know RLR and their vet teams did absolutely everything they could to save this filly, but it just wasn't possible.

The vets believe Sawyer had White Muscle Disease. This is a rare condition linked to a severe lack of selenium/vitamin E in the mare's diet during pregnancy. Selenium is such a finicky thing. Selenium levels in soil and hay vary from year to year, and whether people supplement with it can make a difference. Some areas lack it, while others do not. All horse owners, whether they breed or not, should research their area to see if it is deficient in selenium. It could mean the difference between surviving and... Not... Not only for a foal. White muscle disease can also affect adult horses, though it's less common.

Sharing Elliott's story brought significant awareness about NI to breeders and horse owners alike. My hope is that sharing a small piece of Sawyer's story will do the same. What you feed matters. I have spent the last 2 years deep diving into supplement and feed information, specifically geared towards Gypsies/draft horses (though it's relevant to all horses) and what I have learned has significantly improved my horses' lives. I took their old feed program, threw it out and started from scratch. Selenium is one of those things we DO supplement because our area lacks it.

Check your feed, check your area for selenium deficiency, love on your horses and hold them a little tighter today. Sawyer and Elliott both knew nothing but love and kindness in their short lives. They are loved, cherished, and will never be forgotten.

Just a sneak peek of life here at Calidora. Our mares, some of our previous foals, chickens, and just life around the farm.