Maybe, maybe not expecting HMM guessing game UPDATE FOAL IS HERE !!pg11

[Never2Mini]

Bought a sweet little mare back in July. She was exposed to stud 24/7 all winter,spring and summer till I bought her. I think she is expecting then at times I wonder ? I am all new to dealing with expecting mares. I swear back around the 1 st of October I starting seeing her tummy move strangely. Been watching her ever since. Haven't noticed hardly any strange tummy movement for a little while but still see and feel some movement once in awhile but not big movements like in the beginning. Guessing foal is getting bigger and not as much room for acrobatics. She is not making a bag yet. This is not her first foal. DH was sweet and for Christmas bought and installed a camera in her stall. I look at her all the time. lol ! All ready for foal except I have not bedding her stall down in straw yet still using wood shavings from TSC. Do have a bale of straw in waiting not sure when I should put it down ? Thought maybe when she bags up but been told sometimes they don't bag till they foal. YIKES ! I hope she gives me a warning so I can get the straw down. Is it real bad if she doesn't give me a warning and has the foal on wood shavings the big flake kind ? I am going to attach pictures of her from day one till now. Do you all think she looks prego ? Do you feel she is getting close ? She was much more round now it seems her belly has dropped and hangs more now. I Sorry so long.

Day I bought her July. Excuse the sun bleaching and dutch boy forelock. Not my doing. She was pasture kept 24/7.




After being with me a month. Still not much in the belly department.




Couple months later. Little more belly look



In November much more belly. She wadded when she walked.




Taken couple weeks ago. Looks like her belly has dropped. Not as round. Sorry not real good angle.

 

[AnnaC]

Oh YES!! I agree with Diane - think you (or rather she!) will be expecting a happy event before too long!! As she has had foals before I would guess that she WILL form an udder before she foals, so you can relax a bit for a while! Keep checking her for any filling - even in the area just in front of her udder as this will give you a (vague) idea of when she might foal.

No, it is not a good idea to foal down on any type of shavings - too easy for baby to inhale any small pieces/dust or to get the same in their eyes. But you have plenty of time before needing to get that straw down.

Oh, sorry, forgot to say WELCOME to the Nutty Nursery - great to have you with us.

 

[Never2Mini]

Thanks for the warm welcome to the Nutty Nursery.

Hope to be able to get better shots soon Castle Rock. Its been raining cats and dogs lately. Sure hope it stops soon. She doesn't seem to be sticking out as far on each side lately but I think her belly is hanging down more. This not knowing a due date at all is going to give me gray hair. lol ! AnnaC she is a little puffy in front of her udders.

The world of Miniatures is new to me and I have fell hard for them.

Had riding horse most of my life. I have 4 Miniatures total , 2 expecting Momma's and 2 colts. Also have a Walking horse gelding. The little gal posted above is 14yrs young and 29 inches tall. We call her Dolly. Registered name is Crestviews Hello Dolly. She was bred to Iles Apache Appy Ace. I was told last breeding to this stud she had a pintaloosa.

My other expecting momma hubby bought for my birthday in Nov. She and I are green broke to drive. She is Amazing Sonrise Heavens Little Star. She is bred to a buckskin Little Steppers BuckandBelieve Billy for a late Aug baby. She is 31 inches tall. Lets see I think I can attach a picture of her.

I also have 2 colts one is a little chestnut Kickapoo's Apache Renegade. He will be 2 this spring. Last measurement he was 28 inches tall. My other colt is a little grade Cremello. We call him Dante. I plan on getting him gelded when drops. The 2 boys are in my avatar.

 

[kehranc]

Oh YES!! I agree with Diane - think you (or rather she!) will be expecting a happy event before too long!! As she has had foals before I would guess that she WILL form an udder before she foals, so you can relax a bit for a while! Keep checking her for any filling - even in the area just in front of her udder as this will give you a (vague) idea of when she might foal.

No, it is not a good idea to foal down on any type of shavings - too easy for baby to inhale any small pieces/dust or to get the same in their eyes. But you have plenty of time before needing to get that straw down.

Oh, sorry, forgot to say WELCOME to the Nutty Nursery - great to have you with us.

I agree with Anna , about the shavings I am new to this so bought shavings and unfortunately didnt have enough time before Molly went into foaling and the vet had non-stop trouble with the shavings. They are not hygenic as they get stuck on everything and in the case where you need to assist internally you have to keep washing your arms so as to not get any inside the mare...Good luck and happy foaling ... and yes get that hay down when you can

 

[countrymini]

Not experienced enough to give a pregnancy opinion but one thing is for sure - they are total cuties!

 

[Lindi-loo]

A big WELCOME from me...What cuties and some gorgeous babies to come im sure..Im no expert by she deff looks wide in the belly area on the November picture

..cant wait to see more

 

[lexischase]

Welcome! I love your mares, and cannot wait for more photos and updates!!

 

[Never2Mini]

Thanks Gals

Cool thanks for the info Castle Rock. Not sure about Dolly and the pintaloosa that the previous owner told me was out of Ace. Maybe it hasn't been registered or he could have got mixed up. He had several Mini's he was selling most due to his health. Would be nice if it comes out spotted some way but ok to if it doesn't. Just praying for it to be healthy.

Haven't got any pictures yet. It was so dreary and raining today. Its hard to see her udders for her fur and being so low. lol ! I have to about lay on my back and look up. I might have to take my clippers and shave around her udders some. Not sure if she will cooperate but might have to try.

 

[Never2Mini]

Though I would share couple pics of my boys since I haven't gotten anymore of Dolly yet.

This is my Kickapoos Apache Renegade. We call him Renegade or Renny for short. He is my smallest Mini but has the biggest personality.

This is his partner in crime. lol ! He is grade we call him Dante. He is the most easy going little fellow. He would make a prefect little kids buddy. He is my hardest mini to keep weight on. He will be 2 in May and my tallest Mini. I measured his legs and it comes out saying he will be 37 inches tall when mature. Not sure how true that way is. He was out of a AMHR buckskin mare 35 inches and a light palomino 30 inch stud. I am having a hard time of thinking of selling him but want to stay with size A mini's. He might be an exception.

He is so easy going once gelded I think he would make a great babysitter for weanlings.

 

[Never2Mini]

Snapped a couple new pictures of Dolly today. Not the best sorry. Maybe this weekend I can get some help holding her and get some better shots. Could not get a pic of her udders. To furry. Need to try to shave around them. She does have swelling in front of her udders.

 

[chandab]

This is his partner in crime. lol ! He is grade we call him Dante. He is the most easy going little fellow. He would make a prefect little kids buddy. He is my hardest mini to keep weight on. He will be 2 in May and my tallest Mini. I measured his legs and it comes out saying he will be 37 inches tall when mature. Not sure how true that way is. He was out of a AMHR buckskin mare 35 inches and a light palomino 30 inch stud. I am having a hard time of thinking of selling him but want to stay with size A mini's. He might be an exception.

He is so easy going once gelded I think he would make a great babysitter for weanlings.

View attachment 14326

How much are you feeding this guy? I mostly have B-size, so have a pretty good idea how much they can eat. At only 2 and difficult to keep weight on, it might be necessary to put him on a growth feed for awhile (usually 16%), or at least a 14% feed.

I have two mature horses that are hard keepers, but both have their own health issues, so I have to be careful what I feed them. the gelding has Cushings, but I think I might have finally found a regime that works for him, he's currently getting 2# Progressive Nutrition Low Carb, 1/2# beet pulp (dropping this soon, as the Low Carb has plenty in it and frankly, I'm getting sick of soaking and rinsing it for him, since I can only get it with molasses, and he can't have molasses) and mix hay (pretty much free choice, but at least 8# daily) plus flax, remission and vit e (the supplements are part of what's recommended for Cushings), oh and plus his Rx (pergolide). In the 6 weeks or so he's been on this feed, his backbone has filled in and he has light in his eyes again (he's been on his Rx for 14 months now). About a month after I started him on this feed program, I started my thin, arthritic, laminitic mare on it, so its still too early to tell how much its doing for her, but so far, she hasn't reacted negatively (she hasn't gotten ouchy on her feet).

[Edited to add; the gelding is about 37" tall, and the mare is about 36" tall.]

 

[Never2Mini]

Thanks Gals ! I just love these 2 boys. Both have such different personalty's.They love each other and are cute to watch together.

I feed Purina Strategy to all my Mini's an Walking horse plus orchard, timothy mix hay. Will have to look forget what percent Strategy is. I started feeding it because that is what Renegades previous owner feed hers and I was already feeding it to my Walker. Makes life easier if they all can eat the same grain. Dante seems to be harder to keep weight on in the warmer months. Once it gets cooler he gets a bit heavier might because he is stalled more then. I think some of the problem might be he is kept with Renegade. Renegade is the boss. They do switch pans some while eating. I might have to start separating them at feed time. It will be a pain but if I need to I can. DH is suppose to ad another stall or 2 in the barn this spring.

I did towards the end of summer add some alfalfa / timothy pellets to his feed. Did seem to help I just recently ran out. Circle Rock I have never given my Mini cubes before but have gave them as treats to my riding horses. With the Mini's do you soak them first before you

feed them ? They seem large and hard for the Mini's I worry they would choke. How much do you suggest to feed at a time ?

Chandab I give him 2 cups Purina Strategy plus a flake of hay morning and evening. In the winter he is stalled and when weather cooperates he goes out for a few hours to play with Renegade. In the summer they get turned out on grass for 2 - 3 hours a day then put in my dry lot with a run-in. As long as its not raining I leave them in the dry lot with the run-in and don't stall them.

 

[chandab]

Chandab I give him 2 cups Purina Strategy plus a flake of hay morning and evening. In the winter he is stalled and when weather cooperates he goes out for a few hours to play with Renegade. In the summer they get turned out on grass for 2 - 3 hours a day then put in my dry lot with a run-in. As long as its not raining I leave them in the dry lot with the run-in and don't stall them.

Purina recommends 1.1# Strategy for a 300# mini. I'm going to guess your guy weighs at least that. My 37" gelding is a tad thin at 325#, my 36" mare is rather thin at 310# (working on her weight). So, the 4 cups daily should be close to 1.25# of strategy (most textured/pelleted feeds I've fed weigh about 5oz per cup, so 4 cups is 1.25#). He should also get around 6# hay minimum per day, if he's 300#; more if he's heavier or should be heavier. [i have no idea how big your flakes of hay are, but if he doesn't have any hay left at his next meal (or at his turn-out time), perhaps he needs more. My hay bales aren't overly large, but I usually give at least 3-4 flakes daily, for me that's 1-2 AM and 2PM.]

 

[Never2Mini]

Not sure if this is going to work. Click link to see video of Dolly's belly moving. Hope it runs smoothly as when I watched it photo-bucket was glitchy. GRR ! Which made it harder to see the movement

http://smg.photobuck...zpsacc175ad.mp4

Thanks Diane

I will see what are TSC carries. I know the ones i use to get for my riding horses were hard. Hopefully TSC will have some better ones.

Chandab Dante isn't 37 inches yet. He is 32 - 33 I haven't measured recently. When I measured his legs from top of hoof to middle of knee it reads he will mature at 37 inches. I am not sure how accurate that is with Mini's. Use to measure my regular size colts that way. It was usually pretty close with them off by a few inches either way.

 

[chandab]

Chandab Dante isn't 37 inches yet. He is 32 - 33 I haven't measured recently. When I measured his legs from top of hoof to middle of knee it reads he will mature at 37 inches. I am not sure how accurate that is with Mini's. Use to measure my regular size colts that way. It was usually pretty close with them off by a few inches either way.

I guess I knew you said you thought he'd mature to 37". Even so, since he is still growing, he probably still needs more feed. Let me recheck the chart for Strategy. Directions say 1% of body weight for growing yearlings, so if he weighs around 200#, that would be 2# daily, so you might need to increase his feed a couple cups per day.

 

[Never2Mini]

I will up his feed.

With the Mini's I am more paranoid about founder. I will have to separate him and Renegade when feeding. I don't want Renegade getting anymore food then he already does. He is a real easy keeper.

Thanks Diane. I wish photobucket wasn't so glitchy it makes it hard to see her belly movement. The video is better when I watch it just off my computer then when I watch it from photobucket. When I watch it right off my computer you can see much more movement. Not sure maybe if I used utube it would be better.

 

[Riverrose28]

If you go to TSC and your guys don't want to eat the pellets or the cubes, (some of mine don't) they also carry bagged alfalfa, either chopped or in a plastic bag like a bale. All of mine like the bale and you can peel off small flakes. It is sort of expensive, but worth it, my hard keeper loves it.

 

[Never2Mini]

I will keep that in mind Riverrose thanks.

My daughter is the assistant manger at are TSC. Yesterday she brought me a bag of alfalfa and timothy mix pellets home. It had got torn open and is only about half a bag. I gave everyone a little with their supper last night just to see who would eat them. They all seemed to really like them.

Next bag I can get straight alfalfa but the price was right on this bag to give it a try.

What do you all think of the 2 video's of Dolly's belly movement ? Sorry I know it is harder to see it through the photobucket it is glitchy for me on there. Yesterday farrier was here and he seen Dolly's belly moving. He said she has a bun in the oven. lol ! He feels I have a few months to wait yet but he is use to regular horses mostly.

 

[Rhondaalaska]

I feed Diva alfalfa cubes, to break them up I put the cubes in her rubber bowl and hit them with a hamer till the are the size I want. Doesn't take much to break them up that way, some are harder than others, some I can break by hand some not. And need the hammer. So I just use the hammer.

 

[countrymini]

I had a look at you video but it's hard to see with all that fur! Then I got distracted with her awesome colour and forgot what I was supposed to be watching lol