Maple Hollow Farms 2013 Foaling Season Complete

Just for the fun of it made these collages today of our two crosses that should be due first

Ok I am officially going crazy waiting for foals. It seems the last couple months always move way too slow. I have been spending my time making foal blankets though and having a TON of fun doing it! Kind of neat to see what all patterns I can find too! And dont worry I know better than to post without pictures of something

Very exciting Melinda - two beautiful foal's expected from your lovely girls! When we pasture bred years ago we simply kept a very good eye on the herd at breeding time to try to get approx dates (which of course you couldn't do!) and then the following year just watched for the mares to change shape. As soon as any udder development was seen, we worked on approx 4-5 weeks for foaling and the mares came in at nights. From then on it was just watching the udder and later any vulva changes until the birth. We had no cameras back then, didn't do any milk testing (still dont), just long nights of regular visits to the maternity barn (every 20 minutes) to check, to pick up droppings, to give more hay here and there as needed and to watch closely for the mare's behaviour. Very tiring for us, but it worked and we very rarely missed a foaling.

I love your foal blankets.

Maple Hollow Farm said:

Ok I am officially going crazy waiting for foals. It seems the last couple months always move way too slow. I have been spending my time making foal blankets though and having a TON of fun doing it! Kind of neat to see what all patterns I can find too! And dont worry I know better than to post without pictures of something

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they are super cool well done ...xx

Thanks for the compliments on our girls and the blankies . Yes between our two farms we have quite a few coming. Only mine will be online to watch for sure. My parents internet couldnt handle the quantity of streaming but they still may try on a couple if I dont have any up. I will start at the top of our page and say which ones I think are bred/open but still not sure till they foal, have had some look bred and then never pop out a baby LOL!

I am 99.9% sure that Monte Carlos Black Diamonds is in foal to Magic, I think I have seen some movement too.

I think Chicky is bred to Magnum but not for sure on her as she doesnt generally show very big.

Of the mares bred to Monte, Mars, Carrie, Chippy (hobbit hills shes all that), and Diamond are pretty for sure, and I feel like Babe and Babs are too they are just carrying smaller than normal if they are. The outside mare should be due sometime in february too so will see if I can get permission to share that one too

For Echos mares, Destiny, Buttons (was vet checked in foal), and Wanna look pretty for sure and I think Naomi is looking bred but she is a 9yr old maiden so just really hard to tell and trying not to get my hopes up LOL!

All of Moms mares for MT are pretty for sure (hers are in green type), Sassy (blue lite special) is pretty obvious, I think ellie (phlash of fireworks) is open, I think Belle is bred but she is another that is hard to tell until about a month ahead of time, and Freckles is hard to tell too, some days she looks bred, some she doesnt so just gonna wait and see!

I am for sure that Electric Lady the first mare due is bred and pretty sure on Fae as well since she seems lopsided a lot but just carries really high.

We always did everything the old fashioned way and still dont always milk test, sometimes you can just tell when they are ready. The cameras are life savers for both of us though, make sure I am there and keep me a bit more rested.

I am so happy both E. Lady and Fae are warming up to me so well, Fae still has a way to go as she was very terrified when she got here but E. Lady lets me walk right up to her and give her hugs and kisses. Not sure she loves the attention yet but at least lets me do it plus getting way better about checking her udder, wants nothing to do with me playing with her tail still though. Fae is pretty good with me messing with her just gets to shaking if she gets too scared so taking it slow. Can check her udder though without her getting too upset now, havent even made attempts for looking under her tail yet, one step at a time, I have a bit more time for her before she should be due I think! E. Lady is getting HUGE though, I definitely expect her to be due sometime in Feb. or early March, if she goes longer than that will be amazing.

Well you asked for em LOL

E. Lady:



Star:





And just because I dont have anymore pics of the bred mares recently, here are some yearlings that I had fun getting pics of

Maestro



Special



Tinkerbelle

I like special and tinkerbelle, can't wait to see them clipped or shed out in the spring.

Love seeing those baby bellies.

What a great bunch of happy, cheeky looking minis!!

Thanks! I really need to get more pictures of baby bumps but just havent gotten around to it! I am getting SUPER excited though, I think that Naomi may actually be bred, I was really questioning it for a while but she seems to be getting bigger in the flank area and seems lopsided at times. I will try and get some pictures at some point, she could be due as early as March with a 300 day of March 7. She is 32" bred to our 29" Echo. Hoping for a buckskin appy . She is 9yrs old and had never foaled, was exposed for what had hoped to be her first foal last year but came up open but the stallion was a pretty good size boy in size and bone structure so not too upset that she didnt settle with him. I plan on continuing her show career just might not be able to take her to the first few shows if she ends up in foal, but will be worth it since she is one of my most anticipated crosses!!!

Here are some pics of her from show season until I can get some current pics

Very pretty lady!

Here is a quick pic of Naomi I took the other day, just to show how wide she is getting! It was above freezing that day so didnt even try for more pictures than that with all the mud from our snow melting LOL!!

Well we are slowing moving along and time is still dragging by. We are at an official 268 (typo fixed ) days for my first mares that I bred (pasture bred purchases not included) LOL!!! Naomi, Babs, and Buttons are up first but feel Naomi will probably go first and still unsure as to whether or not Babs is bred, if she is she is carrying smaller than normal but never had her vet checked in foal.

I will post it when I get it set back up. I will get it hooked up online when someone actually starts acting closer.

Maple Hollow Farm said:

Well we are slowing moving along and time is still dragging by. We are at an official 368 days for my first mares that I bred (pasture bred purchases not included) LOL!!! Naomi, Babs, and Buttons are up first but feel Naomi will probably go first and still unsure as to whether or not Babs is bred, if she is she is carrying smaller than normal but never had her vet checked in foal.

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Ok, is that 368, as in over a year? Or 268, and 6-8 weeks to go? Just checking.

Whoops my bad definitely 268, major typo LOL!!! Sorry about that

I talked with E. Lady's previous owner today and she should be at day 291 today!!! Soooo excited!!!

Let the fun begin I will help watching as much as I can Melinda. Wishing you all the best for an easy foaling season with lots of beautiful healthy babies and mummies.

Well 300 days for E. Lady is today!!! Getting excited. I have her on cam but am not going to put it online until she or anyone else starts acting more seriously as she is my only one that could go this early and have a viable foal. I am able to be home 24/7 once she gets closer so no worries Hope everyone is having a great day!