Penni- Bred- Due ???? - *New Pics - 2/28*

[Never2Mini]

Just wanted to say what a sweet looking little mare you have ! Sorry I am of no help with your questions as I am new to foaling as well but you got good advice already.

 

[AnnaC]

That is such a beautiful picture plus it is just perfect of her tummy.

I agree with the others in that I'm sure you have a little while to go yet - just keep an eye on her udder for any development/changes to give you some idea of her progress.

LOL!! Renee - that's why I hate shavngs (although I have used them at times when necessary), they get absolutely everywhere, in your boots, attached to your clothes, stuck to any horse rugs used, tangled in manes and tails, they waft about in the wind and huddle in the corners of the yard, you cant even brush them up with a broom without them floating off as you try to sweep or filling up the broom head so that they can deposit themselves elsewhere as you carry the broom back to it's 'storage' place!! UGH!!

 

[countrymini]

Looks like you've been rubbing her tummy with balloons and all the hair is full of static

 

[Merogsrha]

Thanks everyone! I really think under her scared exterier, is a sweet loving little mare - she just has those 'kind' eyes. For not recieving very good care the last 6+ months, I am surprised her and the stud arent in worse condition! Glad that despite all that, every still seems to think she looks healthy

Makes me feel a little better!

And LOL countrymini- I swear no balloons were used in the making of the photo It sure does look it though!!

 

[Merogsrha]

That is so cool to meet someone on these forums who knows what I mean when I say NORTHERN NY I have been through Potsdam a good many times as well

I couldnt hack it in Florida- the humidity would LITERALLY kill me. Our summers up here in NY are bad enough! I try to avoid outdoors during the summer once temps start climbing over 70 degrees LOL.

Good news is I have a camera system ready to be installed as soon as I get my nursery area set up. Not sure if it'll make it onto Mare Stare or online, but we shall see

Right now I have it rigged up in my run-in shelter, trying to get the angle/signal figured out

Got a quick feel at the gal's udder last night, and I didn't feel much of a change, though maybe it was a little more 'flabby' feeling - Ill try and get a better feel tonight

 

[Merogsrha]

Sorry for the delay in updates

Been busy busy!

Got the new stall built (not finished yet, but good enough for her to go in) so she can be away from the other horses, and monitored on my camera. Love being able to see her, so I can start seeing what is her "normal".

Been seeing lots of butt scratching, and itching. She lays down several times a day. Still no udder as far as I can see, but then again, I have not been able to TOUCH her down there. Tail still has some strength to it, so she hasnt gotten real loose.

Also took some pictures this AM of the little girl for y'all. And a quick note, YES I know she needs the farrier out to see her (and the stud), but I am trying to get her to the point to where I can at least catch and touch her before we have to lassoo her to get it done. I prefer to try and keep things as little stress as possible for her.

 

[Merogsrha]

Don't mind the background noise Had the TV going so I didnt have to listen to dead quiet. These videos were taken this morning between 9:30am and 10ish am. I figured they would give everyone a view into her routine

I will try and get these videos more often. I know they are not the greatest, but its better than nothin I suppose

http://youtu.be/PKSSt4GpEXU (Sleeping. She started out sternum, then relaxed a bit more, then layed out flat for some good rest

)

http://youtu.be/75z3RQiP2_g (Just as she was getting up.)

http://youtu.be/_0EkQL5g5xM (And this was after she had been up and got a quick bite to eat and drink)

 

[Never2Mini]

Darn the video's didn't work for me said error. Your little mare reminds me of my mare Ida.

 

[Eagle]

not working for me either

 

[Merogsrha]

Hmm let me try something different

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKSSt4GpEXU

does this one work?

 

[Merogsrha]

 

[chandab]

We must use N way too much. While mine still works, the lettering has rubbed off the key.

 

[Merogsrha]

Yep, I think I was copying the wrong URL to share the videos

Don't ya love it when you get a whole reply written out, only to discover something major was amiss? Gotta love technology! And I agree, we use the letter N way too much LOL!

Cant wait to see your reply

 

[Merogsrha]

Same here- no wireless.. and it never fails, every time I need to unplug something, it seems my tower is buried LoL

 

[Merogsrha]

Sounds just like me LOL!

So, did the pictures of video give any further indication on time frame? I cannot see any udder development, but then again, she is VERY hairy under there, so I am not holding much hope on sight being a good indicator until she is FULL LoL.

She had a few up and down sleep moments this AM (two different occasions, opposite sides, for about an hour.) Lots of butt rubbing and belly itching. An occasional tail swish and belly kick. Other than that, not much to report... wishing she would mellow out a bit so I can get my hands on her

 

[chandab]

The keyboard on this Dell has been pretty good, its a couple years old or more and just a couple letters rubbed off. My previous computer, it crashed and burned, I went through I think 3 keyboards in the 3 or so years I had it, might have been longer, I can't remember.

 

[AnnaC]

LOL!! You made me have a good look at my keyboard - I have 'half' E, O, A and yes, N, but also have a corner off the M and the H???? Never realised I used M and H to that degree?

Thanks for re-posting the videos, but I dont think they can show us anything better than your normally posted pictures - nice to see her relaxing for a snooze though. How much hay do you give her to munch on while she is in over night?

And another question (sorry!) - Have just read back through from page one and you say about her run in when talking about stall size. Am I correct in assuming that this will be for the first few days after she foals - you are not restricting her to this space yet are you? The more exercise that a mare can take during the day on the run up to foaling the better - a lot of folks with relatively small areas or with mares who tend to stand around a lot, will take them for 'walkies' several times a day to make sure they are getting plenty of out and about time. (this also lets them find areas of grass for their girls to graze on when grass is not available/lacking on their home properties). Hope you didn't mind me asking, just not sure about your personal set up for your furkids.

 

[Merogsrha]

hehe, I didn't think they would show too much more, except a few different angles that most of ya are familiar with (from viewing the online cams )

Hay is unlimited. I throw a good 3-4 flakes in, and she always has a tiny bit left over in the AM. Mini horse & pony feed 2X day.

At this particular moment, yes she is confined to the stall seen (8X8'). I am in the process of getting a small paddock put up for her, but weather had not been building friendly

I cannot catch (or even touch) her in this stall, let alone bringing her for a walk. Both her and the stud came from a not so great place, and apparently have not had much handling. If I try to reach to touch her, I instantly get the spin around with the feet ready to, or already flying; or she charges me with her ears flat as they can go. Through quick NO's or AH AH's, and just quiet patience, I am hoping to earn her trust before she foals. So far, I have yet to find a treat she likes (nope, not even apples or carrots), so that part of the 'training' has been a little difficult lol.

No worries about asking me question's- I ask everyone here questions also

 

[chandab]

So far, I have yet to find a treat she likes (nope, not even apples or carrots), so that part of the 'training' has been a little difficult lol.

I don't know if you have TSC (Tractor Supply) near you, or not; but their Dumor treats are a huge hit with all our horses (they are kind of clover-shaped and somewhat easily broken into 3 smaller pieces; they come in a couple different flavors). http://tsc.tractorsupply.com/search#w=%22dumor%20horse%20treats%22&asug= Should be the page at TSC showing all three flavors of the treats. Mine also like MannaPro treats, I get the bite size ones:

http://www.horse.com/item/manna-pro-bite-size-nuggets-5lb/SLT207167/ I think I've tried all the flavors, all are liked about the same; these are their favorites, but they'll eat them.

Last year, when Baybe neared the end of her pregnancy, she decided she didn't like the Dumor treats any mroe, but went gaga for ApplezzNOats: http://www.horse.com/item/applezz-n-oats/SLT203910/ [After she lost her foal, she didn't want them any more and went back to the Dumor treats.

] There are others I've fed, but these are the most common. [Also tried one made my the company that makes one of my feeds, they like those somewhat.]

and if you already use hay pellets in their diet, they are fine treats.

 

[AnnaC]

What a wonderful story Diane! I, too, had one like that, but unfortunately, unlike your lady, mine never improved. I 'adoped' her when she was 12 and I thought she was just wild and unhandled, but she had been completely traumatised by someone. She had a 4 month old foal at foot and that was a real nervous little filly, due mostly to her dam's 'outlook' on life. Poor Fey was just beyond help, absolutely terrified of anyone, particularly men, and anyone that she caught sight of carrying a pitchfork/broom/etc had her climbing the walls or running for the far corner of the field, bless her. I just let her run out with my other girls and the stallion chosen at the time. She produced quite a lot of gorgeous foals for me over the years - left her to naturally 'take' or not rather than separate her from her friends. A month before foaling all the mares came in at nights and Fey came to - just following along in the first place, then as the years passed, leading the way each evening up to the foaling barn and putting herself into her own specially reserved stable.

But Fey had one very important redeeming 'feature' - inspite of all her past traumas and unlike your mare, she had absolutely no vices. No matter how frightened she was she never kicked out or bit or even laid her ears back - which made it all the more impossible to guess what had happened to her in the past! Eventually she would take polos as a treat from my outstretched hand but that was the closest i ever got to her. But after several years of simply leaving her alone, she did start to 'trust' me no to try to touch her, and would let me sit in the corner of her large stable at foaling time, quietly waiting for her to deliver, plus letting me help with the actual foaling just to make sure all was well. I would literally get the bag off the foal, dip the cord, check the sex and leave the stable. She was such a brilliant Momma there was never need to do more. When she was in, to keep her stable free of droppings (you know what I'm like concerning droppings left in stables LOL!!) I used to crawl around quietly on my hands and knees picking them up - she just used to walk around in front of me to keep out of the way. When she had foals with her this cleaning up of droppings used to amuse the foals and they were soon following me around to see what I was up to, this of course allowed me to slowly start foal scratches and from then on we never had trouble with nervous foals, although their dam never changed. Sadly one year Fey foaled soon after teatime and I was not ready for it. I found the foal an hour later still in the bag. I sat down one side of the little filly and Fey stood the other side with her nose just touching the body. She looked at me and I swear I could see tears in her eyes. I burst into tears for this very special mare and her lost baby and cursed myself for not being there to help. It took 10 days of me carrying the little filly to the field each day and back to the stable each night until, finally, one morning I watched as I shut the field gate and saw Fey give her little daughter a sweet brush of her lips before walking away to join the other mares. That evening she came in with the others without a back ward glance at her baby.

When Fey reached her 24th year it became obvious that she was nearing the end of her time, the 'spark' had gone and she started losing weight. This posed me quite a problem as I was not going to let her final moments be traumatic ones for her. Eventually I found a licenced marksman who was used on the big estates to cull the old deer, and, bless him, he came and followed my orders exactly - I hid him in a thick prickly hedge, completely out of sight. Then I called all my girls up the field and spread out lots of piles of hay, one for each mare. When they were all relaxed and 'grazing' quietly, he fired one clean shot and Fey was gone. She never saw him nor caught sght of his nasty 'stick like' object. I did so want to go over to her and to give her a stroke to say goodbye, but I just couldn't do what, in death, she would not have wanted me to ever do in life - I had to preserve her wishes.

I still have her last daughter Freya and we hope to breed from her one day. My black pinto mare Prue is a g/daughter which makes little Shiva, born last year, Fey's first g/g/daughter. I have had many many horses through my hands over many many years, but the unusual and very special relationship that I had with Fey was one that I felt blessed to have experienced. She will never be forgotten.

Ooooop's - done it again!! Diane, you really must stop telling tales that set my memories flowing!!