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

[lilysmom]

Mary...I cam eon here looking for foal pictures......you must have been waiting for me to get back in town. OK Im home so you can foal tonight

Lets go your driving your daddy crazy! Dont wait as long as lily did.

 

[mthowdy]

Nothing to report this morning.

The rain is pouring down like crazy- and Mary is just out there standing in it like its a warm sunny day. She has full access to her nice, dry barn but nope- she would rather be all wet.

I dont really want her to have this baby during all this rain, but it is supposed to last about a week and I'm not sure I can wait another week to see this baby! But maybe the pressure change and this weather will help move things along.

 

[AnnaC]

Thanks for the update on Murphy - the fact that he is walking around happily is brilliant!!

As for Mary - well I expect she will foal just when you have given up completely and are indoors having your supper or taking a shower> LOL!! She's obviously enjoying all the attention you are giving her!!

 

[Equuisize]

No Mary, wait, don't have the baby tonight in the awful rain.

It sounds like we're in the same weather pattern ::: Ugleeee.

We've had almost an inch of rain and all the progress towards drying out

is history. Gotta love the Pacific Northwest!

Good to hear Murphy is healing so well.

Baby steps till closer to the week end when the weather changes back up would be so

way more pleasant for all concerned.

It will happen Ben, honest!! Just have to wait for the oven timer to go off.

 

[mthowdy]

pH the same. I wouldn't mind a foal-less night with all this rain, but I won't complain either way!

 

[mthowdy]

Mary's udder is looking really big tonight. Her hooha is a little darker inside, but pH IS STILL THE SAME!!

Now I'm starting to wonder (&worry) if this is fescue related. I hope this isn't an indication of any kind of problem going on in there. Everything else is normal, but this pH is just being stubborn I guess.

Another night in the car!

 

[cassie]

if it was fescue related Ben she wouldn't bag up... don't worry she is moving along really really well, it won't be long now and you will have a gorgeous little heatlhy baby beside your gorgeous mare

be patient, I know its hard but don't stress, it will stress Mary and we don't want that this close to foaling...

 

[Sandy B]

Like Cassie said, if it was fescue related she would not have that nice udder. It is so hard and frustrating not knowing the actual breeding dates. I am sure you are tired, but I bet until her PH gets lower you could get a couple hours of sleep at a time. There was only only one time that my halter alarm triggered me to know the mare was foaling but her milk was testing ready to foal. Can you get someone to keep an eye on her for say 4 straight hours so you can get some uninterrupted sleep?

Mary is baking that little one perfect and when that baby is ready Mary will deliver. Hang in there!

 

[Eagle]

Ben I know just how you feel but waiting until after the rain is a good idea, I have Britt and Merlin stuck in their stable cos of the storms and it is awful, they should be outside in the freshair.

 

[AnnaC]

Ben, I think you must start putting your trust in Mary, she has done this before, she knows what she is doing and she will give you this new little baby when he/she has been cooked to perfection.

I do hope she hangs on to the end of the worst of the rain you are having - as Renee said, there is nothing worse for a mare and foal to be stuck inside due to bad weather, when they need to be outside grazing and enjoying the fresh air!

 

[LittleRibbie]

Ben, i keep coming back to you and Mary....you both have a special place in my heart. I was having...well not me..Peanut WAS HAVING our first foal and I was also going thru the difficulties of having a very sick dog to also worry about. So I do understand your worries and concerns.especially when we want to see the baby and be assured all is well but our mares just havent completed their decorations. On top of all that, you sleeping in the car and not having Mary on Cam so others can give you a little relief. I have no idea how old you are but just want to say "you are an awesome guy and the care and love you show your animals is such a wonerful example for others to follow"

I hope the rain lets up alittle for you. Hows your other little one doing w/physical therapy?

 

[mthowdy]

Thanks for the reassurance everyone. I figured if it was fescue related she wouldn't have a bag at all, but I had to ask to make sure!

I am definitely going to put my trust in Mary and quit questioning everything, unless it needs to be.

Last night was uneventful, again. But I did manage to sleep for two hours and then check on Mary, so I am feeling a little more rested today.

My brother has also agreed to watch her throughout the day for me so I can take a nap for a while.

I do have some exciting news though! This morning I tested her pH with the pool strips and it was lower than yesterday!!!! Normally as soon as the drop touched the strip it went dark immediately, but this one took a second and then went really light green! Her one teat also looked shiny and it had some milk on it- my waxed, but maybe that's what it is doing? Her milk isn't very sticky yet, but it comes out super easy.

I think I will use my last foaltime strip tonight and see what it says

The rain is supposed to let up this weekend, so of she has it tonight they won't have to stay stabled for long. I actually haven't been closing her in there at night, because it seems to stress her out a little. She would rather have access to her grassy run then be shut in there all night- so hopefully when it comes time for foaling she will do it under a roof and not out in the middle of the run.

I will get some pictures later today and update you all. I'm going to test her pH with the pool strips a couple more times before tonight, and then for the last test I will use a foaltime strip- keep you fingers crossed it stays yellow!

 

[mthowdy]

Ben, i keep coming back to you and Mary....you both have a special place in my heart. I was having...well not me..Peanut WAS HAVING our first foal and I was also going thru the difficulties of having a very sick dog to also worry about. So I do understand your worries and concerns.especially when we want to see the baby and be assured all is well but our mares just havent completed their decorations. On top of all that, you sleeping in the car and not having Mary on Cam so others can give you a little relief. I have no idea how old you are but just want to say "you are an awesome guy and the care and love you show your animals is such a wonerful example for others to follow"

I hope the rain lets up alittle for you. Hows your other little one doing w/physical therapy?

I am 21, going on 22 years old

It means a lot to hear that, so thank you! I try to do everything I can for my animals- I promise every single one of them when they come to my house that they will alway have what they need, and I will do my best to get it all.

Next year, or if I ever do this again, I will definitely get marestare hooked up so all you amazing people can help out! Haha

sleeping in the car isn't too bad, but it's almost been an entire week so I am ready to sleep in my bed for 8 straight hours.

Thanks again, I'll update soon!

 

[mthowdy]

Just tested pH for the second time today, and it dropped again! It is very light green on these pool strips, and for the last two days it has been very dark.

Her milk is also getting stickier and her hooha is puffy and swollen.

I'll get some pics! She has done some rolling today, and with all the rain she is dirty and wet. I'm going to brush her out and redo her tail braid and wrap it. Ah- I'm getting nervously excited!!!

Tonight might be the night!!

 

[Eagle]

How exciting, I am sending prayers for a safe and easy foaling.

 

[mthowdy]

Just went out and took some pictures. She wasn't being very cooperative, but clingy instead.

She was also very vocal to Rowdy when she saw him through the fence, she was basically screaming at him!

Her milk is almost dripping out just by touching her udder, which is pretty hard but it could probably be tighter.

Im going to take a shower while my brother watches her, then I'm going to sit in the car and wait the rest of the day out. I'll retest pH in another couple hours.

Anyways, here are the pictures!

She puckered up when I lifted her tail, but there isn't much resistance when lifting her tail.

Not standing very straight on, but her belly does seem to have dropped and looks a little flatter on the sides- but I guess that could be from the rain wetting her coat down.

I'm trying not to get ahead of myself or get too excited, she might very well hold out for another week- but I'm hoping to see a baby in the next 48 hours! I'll be updating a lot today, every little sign- so I hope you are all prepared, and won't be annoyed! Haha

 

[Sandy B]

Great news Ben!!!!!! The dropping PH is a great sign!! I can't wait to hear what she tests at with the Foal Time strip!! Her udder looks great. Has the milk changed color yet? I have found that on the mares that it actually turns milky colored, that it gets less sticky than when it is yellowish.

 

[mthowdy]

Great news Ben!!!!!! The dropping PH is a great sign!! I can't wait to hear what she tests at with the Foal Time strip!! Her udder looks great. Has the milk changed color yet? I have found that on the mares that it actually turns milky colored, that it gets less sticky than when it is yellowish.

It has been killing me not knowing what the foaltime strip would say! But I only have one test worth of a strip left, so I want to hold out til the last possible time. I will test her at 8 pm tonight, unless she changes sooner.

Her milk isn't very yellow, more clear but sort of cloudy. The milk isnt sticky right when it comes out, but if I spread it around on my fingers or palm and let it dry for a second it becomes very tacky.

She keeps meandering from her stall to her favorite spot in her run, munching on hay and grass along the way.

Her hooha is pretty red inside, but she has been rolling so it could be from that.

I'll post pH every time I test it- I'm going to test in another hour

 

[Wings]

Good luck Ben

It's kind of confusing with the pool strips

Over here all my poll strips have an orange ph square not a green one, yours sounds more like my fish tank testing one with the green colour so I have to keep thinking of that instead!

She's looking good, I don't think she'll keep you waiting for long!

 

[lilysmom]

sounds close...lilys went from yellow and sticky to a clear maybe slighty cloudy watery substance about 2 days before she foaled. So thats a good sign...maybe mary will progress faster since she has done this before