Anna's Girls - Updated news.

Miniature Horse Talk Forums

Help Support Miniature Horse Talk Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Chapella was in a grump with us all day yesterday - in a grump because around 10.30am we spotted her making her way to a group of trees down in the far corner of the field, a corner where she fooled us in 2010 and gave birth (at 10.30am!). As we were watching her that day every 15 minutes we were able to spot her and rushed down just as baby was arriving. So this year as soon as I saw her heading off in the same direction, she was captured and brought in to the barn - one very cross lady!! She kept us guessing all day - yes here she goes, no false alarm, I might just lay here all day, I might pick at my food, I need more food/more hay, I need a companion to keep me company (supplied!) etc etc!! Nearly drove us mad! Eventually at around 5.30am today she couldn't control herself any longer and being satisfied that she had caused enough disruption, she gave in, went into labour for around 4 minutes and allowed us to assist her daughter into the world!

Unfortunately the pics that I took immediately on my phone were too dark - no flash - Cathy got a couple with her decent phone and I will pinch them from her this evening. So I had to wait until Chapella and baby went out into their own private paddock for a couple of hours of outside time. Baby has dried from jet black to possibly showing silver??? Sire carries silver. So here are a few quick pics from this morning. Not only are we extremely thrilled by this filly, but I'm also so pleased with the way Chapella at 22 years old has kept her condition and not dropped any weight (just kept her 'dropped' tummy, but after giving us 8 fillies and 1 colt she

is entitled to her matronly shape.

Mar 14 101.jpgMar 14 102.jpg

Mar 14 103.jpgMar 14 108.jpg

Mar 14 110.jpgMar 14 111.jpg
default_hypocrite.gif
 
She looks just lovely!! And some of us are very accustomed to that "matronly" shape!! Looks great to me!

What a pretty little girl -- a wonderful heritage for you -- just like momma!!
 
Thanks for all the congrats folks - we are really thrilled with this little girl. By the way the sire is RNR Cowboys Silver Legacy.

MC is looking very close to foaling, but she is not due until next weekend plus she's a maiden too. Of course I know that maidens can go before their due time but had hoped that she would allow us to have a couple of full night's sleep, after our stint with Capella, before we started the all nighters again! We did actually snatch a full night last night (naughty us!) but I dont think we will be able to chance it again tonight - wide full udder, separate filled teats plus plenty of elongation of her vulva. Also judging on her reaction (horror!) when she saw Chapella's baby, I'm not too sure what the reaction to her own will be like - she's a bit of a dimlow - Cathy calls her Dilly Dolly Daydream and wants to call the foal Dolly Mixture!!
 
Congratulations on your beautiful litlle filly!!!! Pintos are my favorite!! She has some pretty markings for sure!! Keep the pictures coming as she grows!!!!!!!!
 
MC unexpectedly produced a colt out in the field this morning at around 11.30am. We just happened to be watching her so were able to assist. Chestnut colt, white star - no spots as yet Diane, sorry! - Cathy is offering Spotbum for sale for 50p (sterling) at the moment LOL!!

Pics and all details later this evening, but both Mom and son are doing fine.
default_yes.gif
 
AWESOME!!!! Congratulations!! And we know that many times appies develop spots if they are not born with them~! LOL
 
Well today was a day we wont forget in a hurry! I will also say that God was looking kindly in the right direction too. Such a series of lucky 'moves' got us in the right place at the right time! This morning we put MC out in a different paddock with some friends (next to Chapella in her private paddock). I returned from the local shop to say that we had better move MC into a different paddock as she had had a couple of hours on some pretty long grass and I didn't want her to get 'overfull' or an upset tummy this close to foaling, so we moved her across one into a small paddock I sometimes use as an emergency outside space for my man Mootie, so she still had her friends next to her but not actually in with her.

Cathy and I went off to tidy up the stables and to make a cuppa. Approx half an hour later we decided to take our cuppas and have a discussion and take measurements of where we hope to site our new barn when it gets built - this was a sudden decision as Cathy had been going to do some clearance work with the JCB that we have borrowed from her partner and I was going to walk across the fields to check on the main herd - thank God we decided on the cuppas near the barn site.

We sat down on the grass chatting away and just happened to glance across to the small paddock housing MC. She was lying down "resting after her extra grass eating"??? Cathy, whose eyesight is that bit better than mine, said that she was not resting but having contractions!! Panic!! Tea mugs went flying as we shot to the field gate, the slowed our pace so as not to frighten her, talking to her so we could get close. Yes she was in labour but nothing was happening. She looked really perplexed as to what was happening to her - told you she is a bit of a dimlow and we always wondered if she even realised that she was pregnant! But we also had the feeling that she could turn a bit 'nasty' towards any interference by us, especially once the foal arrived, supposing of course that she even accepted the foal anyway. However she seemed pleased to see us and very soon the little white bubble appeared (first hurdle over - not a red bag!) Then we culd ee one foot - hopefully a front one? Then a second foot and yes both are fronts! All this was of course vey quick but she seemed to be getting a bit stressed and in a panic so we just kept talkig quietly to her while Cathy had a feel for a nose - yes nose is coming so we are all good to go. Nose half way out and up she got, luckily only moving a few paces before throwing herself down again. we crawled after her on our hands and knees and took our positions again. She was getting frantic again with her contractions and we had quite a job to ease the head through, praying that she wouldn't get up again and perhaps move off across the paddock away from us. But no, the head suddenly released and the rest of him followed very smoothly. (his ittle eyes are a bit red tonight as that was quite a squeeze but they will clear in a day or two) We moved him a little so she could reach his nose - she sniffed and squeaked and tossed her head, but had another sniff and gave him a lick. He snorted at her and made her jump! She stayed down so I left Cathy watching them and rushed back to the stables for scissors (should they be necessary) and hibbiscrub for the cord - of course we had nothing with us! But he got up and the cord broke, so I just got back in time to swab it before he was up on is feet followed by her. She started to sniff and lick him and we made the decision to take ourselves away and to leave her to it, hoping that nature would click in and she would be ok. She didn't need us to interfere if she was going to bond successfully with this little alien being and him with her. I made another cuppa and fetched some biscuits and we watched them from outside the field for the next two hours. The weather was perfect for the new little one, warm sun, gentle breeze and the odd cloud passing over to stop things getting too warm. He pooped (a massive amount!), she dropped the afterbirth, and he got the feeding lark going inspite of his momma squeaking and biting his bottom! In the end we left them out all the afternoon as MC has never been interested in actual grain food and as far as I was concerned she was therefore better grazing the grass to get her system moving properly again (mushy feeds would not have been eaten) so leaving her out to graze seemed like the safest thing.

By the time we went to get her, Chapella and old Heidi in for the night, MC seemed totally in love with her new baby thankfully, and apart from being a little upright on his hind feet he seems happy and healthy. What more could we ask, but I'm still giving thanks that we happened to change our plans and were right where we were needed at the right time!

Couple of quick pics - more tomorrow - sorry they are a bit dark!

Mar 14 113.jpgMar 14 116.jpg
 
Congrats! can't wait to see the pictures in better light tomorrow, what I can see he looks cute.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top