Mary's Pregnancy & Foaling Thread- SHE FOALED 5/22~~~FILLY~~~!!! New PICS pg 56

[mthowdy]

Morning Renee and Ben.

I think she has a little way to go yet - 10 days or so??? But as she has had foals before she could move a lot quicker, who knows!

Do let us know what she thinks of her new pen. Oh and did you ever find out about the fescue?

Morning!

AH! That is so much sooner than I was thinking! That totally makes me panic...I should go check on her before I go to bed.

I will be sure to tell you guys! I have a question about that too (imagine that, another question!). About a third of her new pen is gravel, is there any problem with that? It is like bigger rocks, not river pebbles or small gravel. I couldnt think of a reason it could be a problem, but I'm not the expert! When I have put her in there temporarily she seems to like standing in that part...

I totally forgot to tell you guys what I found out- how could I forget?!!!

Apparently I was a little over concerned, but it turns out we do have some endophyte infected fescue- all in the places I suspected. Luckily the pasture where she has spent about 70% of her time only has a very small amount of the fescue in one corner (leaking from the other pasture). I plan to either find a safe spray for it, or spend a couple days each week weed whacking it down to try and prevent the endophyte from growing. (or whatever it does)

Now I'm off to check Mary!

 

[Eagle]

what time is it there Ben??

 

[mthowdy]

what time is it there Ben??

12:42 am. Why?

She is just standing there. I think I can sleep for tonight, but tomorrow if things are looking more progressed I am going to start hourly checks.

 

[Eagle]

just curious. You go get your beauty sleep

Night night

 

[AnnaC]

OK Ben, from now on keep an eye on the colour inside her vulva - the normal salmon pink will change to deep red and this will tell you that baby is very close/on its way! Check twice a day as the colour may change slowly over several days or fast over several hours.

In all my years of foaling we only had internal cameras for 2009 and 2010 (not last year) so Daughter an I used to manage mare sitting between us (at least there were two of us!) One was always awake while the other slept through the 24 hours. The sleeping one used the sofa and kept their clothes on especially through the night! Mares were all outside grazing throughout the day with 20 minute checks, and stable at nights again with 20 minute checks. During the night one of us would go to the barn (50 yards from the house) and walk the line of stalls picking up any droppings that had been done since our last visit (clean stalls are a must if a mare is going to foal!) We would then also give another handful of hay. Then we would spend several minutes standing quietly just watching. The idea being that (mostly) mares who were likely to foal in the next hour would not be that interested in a fresh bundle of hay!! This method worked so well fo us and for the mares - they got to have a regular supply of hay throughout the night to nibble at, plus they got used to us coming and going at regular intervals so that when we were needed as someone foaled, the mare was happy and used to our being around and the other mares took no notice - also those mares laying down having a snooze never bothered to get up when we were in with them picking the droppings!! But it is the standing, watching, observng and knowing your mares normal behaviour through the night that will help you know when foaling is likely to happen.

In 2010 we had 13 to foal, had one red bag and 2 partial red bags, plus a lost leg, but, though completely exhausted through being awake when it was our 'turn' to get some sleep, we managed to get 13 healthy foals safely on the ground using this method inspite of having the luxury of the internal cameras. Never leave to make a cup of coffee or even for a loo visit because that sneaky mare will foal as soon as you do!! LOL!!

 

[Eagle]

Thanks Diane, that is exactly what I was trying to do

lack of sleep has turned my brain off

 

[mthowdy]

Ok...here's another update!!

This morning her udder seemed to be fuller than yesterday. Her hooha is about the same, and I think her belly is too- but what do you ladies think?

I checked her vulva, it is a light salmon pink color. I will continue to check that along with everything else twice a day. (much to her displeasure it seems- she wasn't very happy that I added another thing to the list for messing with/taking pictures!) she wasn't being very cooperative this morning, so I didn't get a shot of the vulva- I will next time.

I think she is moving along nicely, and after I run to the store for some groceries and a couple other things for her new pen, I'm going to put her in there for good (at least until she foals).

I'm thinking in another couple days I will start doing a more intense watch over her, and then as soon as her bag is a little bit fuller and her hooha is a tiny bit more relaxed, I will step it up to checking every half an hour or more.

Fortunately my brother seems to want to help, so hopefully he will help me with the watches so I'm not too exhausted. I'm going to pick up a video baby monitor today (used) and install it in her area- that way I can check on her without having to disturb her.

But I really like the way you did it- with handfuls of hay an everything. I will probably do the same thing so I can get a better judgement on foaling time

Hopefully those dang foaltime strips help me too, but I'm not even sure I'll be able to get milk from her!

Alright, enough talking...here's the pictures.

(oh and excuse all the mud and the wet horse- we are having a miserable rainy day, and it is supposed to last all week! I hope she holds out for a sunny day!)

(her head was a little bit turned in this picture so it isn't totally depictive of how the foal is riding, but it isn't far off)

What does everyone think?

 

[Eagle]

I think she is progressing very nicely

 

[AnnaC]

Moving nicely, making steady and normal progress.

 

[mthowdy]

So glad to hear everyone thinks she is progressing nicely

She has really stepped her game up in the shopping department in the last two days- its amazing to me how I can see her udder from behind now!

I just wish her hooha would catch up! When I checked her vulva tonight it was darker than this morning, but just by a little- and since this is only the second time checking the color, I'm not exactly sure what her normal is yet.

Still think about 10 days or so?

I'm trying to put off the sleepless nights for as long as possible, but I don't want to miss it, and better safe than sorry. As soon as I feel like she is really starting to get ready (hopefully in a couple days!) then I'm going to start watching her like a hawk- hourly checks throughout the day, and twenty minute checks throughout the night. I'm even contemplating setting the tent up out there and just sleeping next to the pen so I am right there if anything happens! Haha

I rrrrrreally hope she holds out til the rain stops- in about a week it is supposed to get really nice, so anytime after that is good with me

 

[mthowdy]

Many of us have slept in the barn waiting on the girls to foal -- I know I have. It's much easier to just be there then try to set your clock to get up every 20 minutes, go outside and come back. You'll wear yourself out very quickly with that routine.

Once her hooha gets dark red, and the milk/fluid get really sticky -- then she'll be ready to spend sleepness nights watching!!!

Yeah luckily the barn isn't far from the house, but walking back and forth every twenty minutes will get tiring I'm sure!

Right now she is still really salmon pink colored and I can't get anything out of her udders...so I guess I can rest up for a couple days without worrying too much

Hopefully by the time my foaltime strips arrive I will be able to get something out of her to test!

 

[mthowdy]

Yes, she's looking good, and baby is certainly low -- so I would still check on her during the night -- but certainly not every 20 minutes! I think you've got a little wait coming -- not long now, but some time. Once the strips arrive, I'm sure she'll be producing some fluid for you to check. Remember, it may not be "white" milk -- colostrum is kind of yellowish -- and before foaling you may never see white milk. Sometimes you do, sometimes you don't. The key is the stickiness -- colostrum is really sticky! Makes you feel like washing your hands right away - sticky! So, I'll bet you can rest easy for just a little bit more!

I'm going to be checking her every two hours from now on, and as we get closer I will add more checks

Hopefully you are right and I can get something to test. What exactly does the test break it down into? Like each color means 12 hrs away/24 hours/48 hours or what?

Once her milk gets sticky I will check every twenty minutes until the foal comes

Thanks for the info!

 

[mthowdy]

Well that sounds easy enough! I hope she follows the rule book

Today I was watching her from my room (if she is in the right part of her pasture I can see her from my bed) and she kept trying to kick or scratch her stomach with her back foot. It was pretty weird...what do you think she was doing?

I'm starting to get anxious and nervous...I am definitely going to start checking on her every two hours from now on.

 

[LittleBittyBritches]

She really is making progress. I would think her nipples would fill in a little more to separate, but getting much closer!

 

[mthowdy]

Here are some new pictures from just a minute ago

I'm probably over doing it on pictures, but I can't help myself but post them now that I figured out how to!

 

[mthowdy]

She really is making progress. I would think her nipples would fill in a little more to separate, but getting much closer!

As soon as her nipples start to fill in more, I'm going to start watching her more intensely! (change from every two hours to every hour)

Every time one of you say she is getting closer and progressing nicely it makes me so happy!!

She really put it into another gear- her udder went from barely there to four times the size or more in like five days.

Here are some pics for comparison-

The first picture was taken April 22 (8 days ago)

And the second picture was taken on April 29, I think- so about a week apart. I guess that isn't vey fast- but I was quite impressed!

 

[mthowdy]

Just did a midnight check (well actually 11:45 but I couldn't wait anymore) and all was well.

I went in and checked her out and her udder is getting bigger but I can't get anything out. Her hooha is still very pale pink so I think it is safe to sleep tonight. (hope no one thinks I'm horrible!)

I'll update in the morning.

 

[Eagle]

sweet dreams Ben and No you are far from horrible

 

[AnnaC]

I think you are quite safe to enjoy another night's sleep Ben. Her udder has filled fast for just a week so maybe it will go on filling fast and give you a foal before you know it! LOL!!

Her nipples will separate more as her udder fills, but dont rely on waiting for them to fill - actual filling of the nipples can happen the day of foaling, although usually a day or so before. Also dont worry about not being able to get any 'milk' from her yet, I'm one of those folk who never try for milk as I'm old enough to have been taught in the olden days never to break the natural seal on a mare's teats due to the faint possibility of infection/germs entering. Anyway, back then we never had foal/milk testing strips or the like, so no point in trying to get milk samples. LOL!!

She'smaking great (and normal) progress, so sit back and enjoy the ride!

 

[mthowdy]

Oops