Our foal-to-be makes his/her presence known

[Mercysmom]

I have been doing my AM and PM "baby checks" on our new Modern mare since she arrived. She was vet checked in foal prior to our purchase of her and I have been checking her to see if I could get any foal movement at meal time.

Tonight was the night for sure - baby said "I am here" and is growing with a ... rumble, rumble, thump, thump for sure!

He/she is lying sideways so it is easier to feel his/her movement at Intrepid's flanks rather than her navel. Oops, better explain...our pony is registered as "Georgetown's Last Chance" but we call her Intrepid as my older son has a good friend named Chance who would just die to think he had a girl's name or a girl horse sharing his name! She responds to "Intrepid"...while not a derivative (sp?) from her registered name, it fits her well (I am also working on a book of legendary yachts and most of my mares bear the names of yachts). Intrepid is now second in command under our alpha mini mare Mercy and the other mares give her a wide berth, with the exception of Mercy, who yields to no one without a fight and she always wins! Mercy has been like that since she was a baby.....

This impending pony foal is so important to Ben and I... we lost our mini Independence's foal this past February (inconclusive abortion) and had two dwarf foals from two of our minis the year prior (both are doing well in their new home - they will be 2 in March and April) so I would love for a healthy foal to be born for a change. Our mare is in foal to a lovely stallion with a show record and she is a wonderful Modern herself - she can be "hot" yet can be handled easily... and she is a pocket pony for sure!

Intrepid is smart... I like testing her to see what she likes to do. She hasn't picked up Finisterre or Independence's "smiles" at feeding time but she has learned that if her feed dish is close to me, the grain appears that much faster.

Part of the fun of my horses is watching them figure how to train me to do things that they want.

I am hoping Intrepid's return to the show ring in 2006 is enjoyable for her - I hope to let her find her wings and show us what she enjoys doing best - my minis have done that for me, and when I listen to them, it seems they succeed to the max.

Denise

Silversong Farm

 

[hhpminis]

Congratulation Denise, it is always exciting to feel that first kick. You get them ultrasounded or preg checked and then you have to wait to see if they still have it. I am going to put the squeeze on 2 of my mares today and hope for a good swift kick as well.

If it is any consolation to you, shetlands do not typically have dwarves like minis so at least you dont have to woryy about the end of it.

 

[Lewella]

It's always a rush to feel/see that baby move! I've been watching several of my mares sides bounce a lot over the last month.

First one is due March 26 and I'm practically counting the days already!

 

[Mercysmom]

Many thanks... Indy lost her foal after it was kicking up a storm... then things were quiet for 24 hours and I called the vet and scheduled a check but she aborted before the vet got there - or, started the process prior to her appointment.

In both Mercy's aborted foal in 2003 and Indy's in 2005, their bellies swelled quickly prior to the abortion so I watch EVERYTHING. Neither Mercy or Indy had any udder development with their lost foals prior...

Intrepid is "showing" a little - she is almost 7 months along... just love to feel that baby kick away! Merry Christmas to me!

Glad to hear we run a good shot of not having a dwarf pony, too.

Denise

Silversong Farm