On Target Miniatures - foal updates December 2014

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targetsmom

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I debated when to start this thread but decided that since I want to make this as educational as possible there was no point in waiting. Plus I know our mares are just now entering the stage of pregnancy when later term abortions are a possibility. Need I also remind folks here that we swore that no matter what happened in 2012 we would NOT breed any mare for 2013. Because - with your help - we had such a successful foaling season last year, I hold you partially responsible for this!

*********ETA cam link: http://www.marestare.com/fcam.php?alias=ontarget

*********IPhone & IPad link: http://173.192.34.75:1935/ontarget/cam1/playlist.m3u8

Toffee (Alamos Sirs Toffee Snow, a Cross Country Call Me Sirs daughter), bay pinto mare with 2 blue eyes, negative for splash and LWO: last bred 5/25/2012, confirmed in foal via US, and 320 day due date is April 10 (my birthday!): Shown with her 2012 colt Clyde.
Clyde_3.jpg


Dancer (Buckeye WCF Last Dance, a FWF Little Wardance daughter) silver dapple pinto with 2 blue eyes, splash and tobiano. MAIDEN: Last bred 5/28/2012, so 320 day due date is April 13. Confirmed in foal via US and then later re-confirmed with Wee Foal 120 urine test that was about to expire anyway.
Dancer_right_zps593060b3.jpg


They are both bred to SRF Buckshot who had a very busy week last May!!! He is a chestnut tobiano pinto, paternal half brother to SRF Nobility, with Buckeroo and Rowdy breeding. He must carry splash although not tested. He has a narrow blaze and snip and is LWO negative.
SRFBuckshot5_07_zps4cddd177.jpg


If all goes well, mares will be on Mare Stare sometime in March. Happy to be here again.
 
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Lovely mares, can't wait to see what they produce for you in 2013.
 
I thought it would help in the education part to show photos of both mares in December when they were about 200 days along (7 months). At this stage the foal is probably about 14" long and maybe 8" tall, and might weight 8-10 pounds. Both mares got their 7 month Pneumabort shots in December and are due for the last one in February. Neither looked very pregnant, although Toffee has had at least 5 foals. Ironically, we were gone for several days in early January and when we returned, Toffee looked considerably "more pregnant". It looks like the foal changed position while we were away. I will likely get more photos today when the 4-Hers are here for an Open Barn.

Photos of mares at around 7 months pregnant and photo of Toffee's 2102 foal, Clyde) also taken in December. Clyde is already 34" and has outgrown his A papers, but is still R and Pinto registered.

Dancer_12_2_12.jpg

Toffee_12_22_12.jpg

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We have someone who might be interested in a COLT for driving, so a healthy colt (or 2) would be fine! Especially if it moves like Clyde.
 
Both your girls are gorgeous, but I absolutely LOVE Dancer's head!! Cant wait to see these little ones!
 
So glad to see you and your gorgeous horses here! I love all your horses but I think Dancer is gorgeous. Here's to a safe foaling season for you.
 
If Clyde were to stop growing now, would he then keep his A papers? I know at his young age, that isn't likely, but had to ask.
 
About Clyde's papers - He was born with an 8.5 inch cannon bone so projected to be "B" size and with his movement and projected size he should be an AWESOME driving horse. So we don't care if he outgrows his A papers, and I suppose we could have saved a few $$$ by not registering him in AMHA, but we did anyway. We haven't sent the papers in yet, but expect that as soon as we get a non-fuzzy, fairly accurate measurement above 34" that we will. Of course he might stop growing, but I really doubt it. He should not outgrow his R papers, he CAN'T outgrow his Pinto papers, and the American Driving Society doesn't even require papers, so we think we are all set. If he keeps growing, worst case is that he might end up being a pony in Pinto and ADS. Then I might be tempted to ride him!

ETA more education: When we returned from vacation last week, I started increasing the grain ration of both mares as they are now in the last 3 months of pregnancy (or they should be!). They are also getting soaked alfalfa cubes 3 times/day to boost their Calcium levels a bit. Last year one of our mares ended up in the hospital with her 2 week old filly when she came down with "thumps" or hypocalcemia. She was given IV CA++ and then was supplemented with more CA++ when they came home from the hospital. Easy decision NOT to rebreed her for this year, although she and her filly (Bunny) came out of the experience just fine. That's her filly in my avatar, photo also from December 2012.
 
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I look forward to watching these gorgeous girls on camera! Such lovely foals you had in 2012, makes 2013 extra exciting
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Thanks for all the good wishes - we appreciate them.

Photos of our 2 pregnant mares taken today at 8 months of pregnancy. Notice that Toffee (who has had 5 or more foals) looks very pregnant but that Dancer, the maiden, doesn't really look pregnant. But she has been confirmed in foal twice, the last time in mid October, there is really no place for her to abort that we wouldn't notice, and we have felt the foal kick. So I, for one, would not use the size of the mares' belly as an indication of whether they are pregnant or not. Both mares are 34" so much bigger than our 30.25" stallion.

Toffee:
P1070830_zps65b355c7.jpg


Dancer:

P1070833_zps54d9c5ec.jpg


Yes, that is Toffee in the background so you can see her from the side too. Note the change in her side view from the photo in post #3. It is even more dramatic from the front but we don't seem to have a frontal shot from last month. But we did notice the difference when we came back from vacation.
 
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I had a mare come down with hypocalcemia a few years ago. She never got it again, but only had one foal after and that was three years after. This is what my vet told me to do for all my pregnant mares, and I've since not had any problems. Besides the water bucket in the mares paddock I keep two water buckets in each mares stall, one with plain water one with water that has electrolites with calcium added. That way if they need the extra salty calcium they will drink it as needed. Might be something to consider for your girls too. I get apple flavor with calcuim at my local feed store.
 
Since I know you all love photos, I am adding a link to a whole series I just posted on Facebook that are public so anyone should be able to see them. The album is titled "Minis and 4-Hers learn to drive" and features Snappy's full brother Rusty (born in 2010), Clyde's half sister Taffy (also a 2010 foal) and Sox, who joined the group after Snappy was weaned at the end of August. Photos of each attached in case the link doesn't work. If I did it right, they are Taffy (buckskin), Rusty (chestnut) and Sox (black), each a pinto. But I obviously didn't do it right so they are in the reverse order.

The album has more photos and shows the steps in training.

Link to album: https://www.facebook...74&l=973c9f8f48

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taffy-2012_yard.jpg
 
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Just heard some bad news: My sole practitioner vet who lives on the next street (and saved Max and Bunny for us) just broke his leg putting a horse down. Compound fracture, surgery, and he will be laid up for 8 weeks. I am of course in a panic in case our mares foal while he is still laid up and also feel so bad for both him and his wife. Glad I work from home at my computer.
 
The pictures are great Mary - thanks for posting them.
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Hope your vet makes a speedy recovery poor man!
 
I think I will set up the Mare Stare camera in early March so at least if anything happens he can see what is going on and give advice over the phone. Plus his wife used to work for him, so she could possibly help too. And Plan B is the vet office 25 minutes away that includes the vet that does my ultrasounds. I have also suggested that Peter might enjoy Mare Stare and the opportunity to be a hero from the safety of his home. He will need something to do to help pass the time!
 
I'm sure Peter would be pleased to keep an eye on your girls via marestare for you Mary, he's such a caring person! Also in 2 months time, even if not fully recovered, he will surely be hopping around on crutches, so I think you should arrange for his wife to drive him to you as soon as things look as though they are getting 'exciting' - then he can direct and advise while his wife can help you and hubby get these precious babies safely on the ground. Perfect!
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