New to this Forum- Expecting 5 foals

[Sandy B]

Hi Everyone! I have been on the Main Mini Forum and was invited to step on over here since my daughter and I are expecting 5 mini foals this year. I think many of you are familiar with our story fro last year but long story short.... 2011 was our first year expecting miniature horse foals. I have had horses for 35 + years and showing, breeding & foaling Quarter Horses for 20. My daughter got her first minis a couple years ago. We bought a AMHA stud and gelding and then quickly added 3 mares. We settled two of the mares for 2011. I knew going in to breeding minis that there was a higher risk of complications. I warned my daughter (who was 11 years old) but honestly did not think that in our very first year expecting mini foals and only two at that, not to mention that our stud is 30.5" and the mares were 32 & 34", that I would have complications. The first mini mare was acting like she had colic (no udder and we pasture bred that first year, so guessing on a due date) as she was about 10 months along at the farthest. I gave her Banamine and we hand walked her and it was then that her water broke and she presented with a red bag. I grabbed scissors and immediately cut through and dove in to grab legs to only find the vagina empty. Vet was called as I was trying to figure out what was what inside. Vet arrived 30 minutes later and all I managed was to get one front leg out after I had straightened a sideways, neck back foal. Even after slinging mare up and 2 hours of trying, the vet could not get the head through the pelvic ring, and the mare was so in shock, we put the mare down. Then the next mare was shaping up like clock work and I knew she was close to foaling anytime. She had been out grazing and I brought her and her buddy in to the barn in the afternoon and she was scarfing around looking for food and acting normal and 30 minuted later my daughter finds a mini foal in the sac. We tried like heck to resuscitate the foal for 15 minutes, to no luck. She was a gorgeous bay pinto. Needless to say my daughter freaked out as she wanted a mini baby so bad and had waited all year long. We almost gave up, but the wonderful mini world stepped up. Sandy from Cavallini Farms gave my daughter a foal (that was not even born at the time) and it was a buckskin filly. Then Kathy Morlang called me and offered to give my daughter two mares and when we got there we ended up taking three home, all had shown and one was even a AMHA Res World Champion. So 2011 ended up being a busy year teasing an hand breeding 7 mares. We settled 6 and one mare aborted at about 8.5 months pregnant. So we have 5 remaining mares due to foal with 340 due dates starting from April 25th and going until June 1. Right now we have two mares, due 4/25 & 4/26 under cameras and wearing our recently purchased halter monitors from Equipage. I do have to say I am pretty anxious about this mini foaling deal. Luckily I have a great vet that lives a few miles down the road from me and is on "alert". We have already made a hoist in preparation as well. I hope to God we never have to use it.

Unfortunately, we do not have high speed internet where we live so we rely on a wireless card, and I am unable to use Mare Stare because we are only allotted so much air card time. I was told that I could still come to this forum and post pictures and you guys could give me advise or opinions as we go along. I will post each mare there own topic page and take pictures periodically. Thank you all ahead of time! I am so grateful that we have somewhere to go to mingle and get advise and help from the more experienced. These minis sure make me appreciate the ease of my quarter horse broodmares

 

[Eagle]

Hi Sandy and Welcome

This is a great place to come and chat and get reassurance

We love to help out and if you aren't on cam regular photos will do just fine.

You story touched my heart last year cos your daughter is the same age as my son, I am praying that this year your little girl gets her dream foaling year

Renee

 

[cassie]

Hi Sandy,

I am so glad you have come onto here, I remember your story and was so sad to hear of it

we love to watch and chat. but seeing as we won't be able to watch your lovely girls we will still chat, look at piccies and support you. We have grown quite close this last year and are quite an excellent support group (If I do say so myself lol)

would love to see pics of your lovely mummy's to be! and also updates on udders and tummys if you please

so glad you have foaling alarms on them! what a relief! come on girls! your mummy and daughter need some gorgeous safe healthy foals this year!!!

 

[griggsmel]

Hi, I am so sorry for what you went through with your first foalings with minis. I am also new to this forum and expecting 4 mini foals this year. I have had many large foals and one previous mini, but this year I'm quite nervous, too. I was curious if you were planning on examining the position of the foal after the water breaks but before it starts to appear to try to prevent position issues quicker? I'm trying to plan as well as possible for mine, too, and just don't know if this should be done.....

 

[targetsmom]

Welcome Sandy and Gracie!!! Keeping fingers crossed that you have a great foaling season this year! Yes, please post photos of your girls and who they are bred too. Photos of udders are good too, as are about any photos you post I think!! If you want ideas about what to post - and how helpful this forum is - check out my post under ... @On Target Miniatures (with a changing title).

 

[LittleBittyBritches]

Welcome to this forum! (both of you) I agree this is a wonderful group of people who all work together. Pictures are awesome, it helps us get more "involved". I too have 2 out of 2 foals not make it last year, which was our first mini foaling year, we almost gave up but to butdidnt and I am so glad we didnt. We have been watching Stormy like a hawk on her camera as she is showing signs of getting close. This forum has been so helpful and supportive.

 

[MountainWoman]

Sandy, Welcome to you and your daughter. I'm so sorry to hear of your experience last year and I hope this proves to be a wonderful, successful foaling season for you. I don't have high speed internet either so I've been posting pictures and everyone has been so kind and welcoming to me. I'm glad you're on this board.

 

[Eagle]

Hi, I am so sorry for what you went through with your first foalings with minis. I am also new to this forum and expecting 4 mini foals this year. I have had many large foals and one previous mini, but this year I'm quite nervous, too. I was curious if you were planning on examining the position of the foal after the water breaks but before it starts to appear to try to prevent position issues quicker? I'm trying to plan as well as possible for mine, too, and just don't know if this should be done.....

Hello and welcome to the nutty nursery. Please start a thread for your mares as we would love to have you join in the fun.

Renee

 

[a mini dream come true]

HI Sandy and Gracie, Welcome to the nutty nursery as Renee said. We are very glad you joined us. Your story really torn my up last year. I also lost a foal, but it was nothing compared to what you and Gracie went through. I am so very glad that you didn't give up and are here to join us this year. Happy safe foaling

.

 

[Sandy B]

Thank you all so much for the warm wishes for Gracie and I. Gracie is in fact out checking her two girls right now- Udder-check, Belly-check, Whochie- check.

I will see what she reports to me. Since today is a ugly windy rainy day I will get the pictures up and start a thread for each girl a bit later. I took pictures yesterday afternoon. First I have to run to my parents house and get the heat on and the refrigerator plugged in as they are coming home from their winter retreat. Love it that they are coming home to one of the worst storms yet. Meanwhile I will post a picture of Gracie and her jumper and one my QH mare and her foal that was born a month ago.

 

[Eagle]

wow Gracie looks so grown up

what a great photo and wow look at the stride on that little foal, amazing.

As Diane said it would be easier for everyone if you keep them all on this thread, that way it is quicker for you to read updates. There are starting to be lots of mares due now and it can get confusing

or maybe it is just me that is easily confused

 

[griggsmel]

Thank you all so much for the warm wishes for Gracie and I. Gracie is in fact out checking her two girls right now- Udder-check, Belly-check, Whochie- check.

I will see what she reports to me. Since today is a ugly windy rainy day I will get the pictures up and start a thread for each girl a bit later. I took pictures yesterday afternoon. First I have to run to my parents house and get the heat on and the refrigerator plugged in as they are coming home from their winter retreat. Love it that they are coming home to one of the worst storms yet. Meanwhile I will post a picture of Gracie and her jumper and one my QH mare and her foal that was born a month ago.

Gorgeous horses! Is your QH out of Impressive (all that muscle makes me wonder)? What type of horse is your daughter's? I have several large horses, too, and my daughter does hunter/jumper and eventing. She's 14 and very apprehensive about this foaling year, too. She wants to be the one to go in and check the position, which was a shocker for me!

 

[Sanfords]

I'm surprized, thanks!

 

[Sandy B]

Gorgeous horses! Is your QH out of Impressive (all that muscle makes me wonder)? What type of horse is your daughter's? I have several large horses, too, and my daughter does hunter/jumper and eventing. She's 14 and very apprehensive about this foaling year, too. She wants to be the one to go in and check the position, which was a shocker for me!

My quarter horse is by Dun It With A Twist (Hollywood Dun It) and out of a Holidoc mare. She has won over $92,000 in NRHA events and is all reining and cutting horse bred. Not an ounce of Impressive or halter horse breeding.

She has natural muscle.

My daughter's horse is a Off The Track TB. She will be showing in her first 3 Day Event next month. Being a ranch kid is not easy and it is so hard when things go wrong and we have to deal with our own sadness and our child's.

 

[Sandy B]

I'm surprized, thanks!

You are surprised?????? Did I miss something?? I give up