Windy Hill ~Izzie **Colt pics pg 36**

[jessj]

She has had a big lump there, but now it looks like two smaller lumps....i don't know. I think I will be bald before this baby finally gets here! :arg! It will be worth it tho! Especially if I end up with a Tink! I have this idea in my head of what I want and it is either a Tink or a clone of Diane's Little Lola Rey...with blue eyes. I will probably get a solid colt...lol!

 

[Bonny]

How is Izzies udder tonight?

 

[jessj]

I have afternoon Izzie pics. These are from around 4pm. I know that she has a ways to go with her udder but the muscles around her tail head are starting to look relaxed. I tried to get a good pic that shows it, but she is too fuzzy and it doesnt show in pics. She also doesnt look wide from behind and if it makes sense her topline looks different. Almost like its pulled down or bony??

lol...bonny I was adding pics when you were posting i guess

 

[Bonny]

LOL, Kates done the same thing and went slab sided today, and her tail head is relaxing too.

I have a hard time seeing the tail relaxation when they are fuzzy too.

And the bony thing, I see that a lot in some minis when they start to relax. Thats a good sign shes getting closer! Hows her V look?

 

[AnnaC]

Sorry to disagree, but in any brood mare, loss of weight over their backs/spine/top line means they need more quality feed (not hay) and quickly. The only 'weight loss' look, if you can call it that, will/may happen when the foal 'drops' into the correct position for delivery and the mare can show a 'flat' area on her flank just below and in front of her hip.This is when they can/may look 'slab sided'.

Yes you will see a lot of mares with that 'pulled down' look as they get to the last stages of pregnancy, and you will get told "oh she's heavy in foal and they always look like that". Not so! Imagine taking a racehorse or other competition horse away from it's summer break with no conditioning and sending it out to compete in a race/competition requiring violent exertion - it wouldn't look very good at the finish! Well a mare is about to have to produce a similar 'violent exertion' during labour and birth, but not only that, she is then expected to produce good quality milk for her new baby for several months afterwards - maybe also expected to get in foal again.

Keeping a close eye on our brood mares (as Jess is obviously doing) allows us to spot any little changes in their condition and to correct it We need to make sure that our girls are in tip top shape for the 'big effort' ahead of them.

 

[countrymini]

Is this a flat looking flank area or not quite? Bindi has hollowed out quite a bit just there. Topline is still all good tho.

 

[jessj]

Izz is on Strategy and alfalfa pellets with a little bit of boss and free fed hay. I have upped it, but will slowly up it some more. Do I need to go ahead and up it to the reccommended amount for lactation? This is her udder this morning.

 

[Bonny]

Good to see she is getting the alfalfa pellets. I am sorry I made the comment it seemed I was meaning different things. I was thinking you meant from relaxing of the muscles. I usually feed mine several small meals by the 275 day mark, I also dont feed traditional feed anymore, I use a ballancer. I find with mine its hard to get enough feed in them to meet the nutritional requirements and with the ballancer its a smaller amount given, so I can add the alfalfa pellets.and be sure they get all they need. A friend of mine also feeds stratgey, which I here is great feed, but hers tend to loose the topline come foaling also on her harder keepers.

Izzies udder is loking great!

 

[countrymini]

Bindi is on Breeda, lucerne chaff and oats, morning and night. I copied that recipe off Bree I think, so it should be a good mix.

 

[jessj]

Izzie's udder this afternoon.

 

[AnnaC]

Ooooooo looking good!!

 

[jessj]

Izzie's 6am udder. We seem to be in a holding pattern...not growing, but not really shrinking either. I did try to get a pic of her girly bits, but she was not a fan of that. She isnt the most trusting mare anyway with the past that she has and I had to lure her back to me with apple flavored treats after that. I could halter her and get a pic, but I would rather have her trust than the pic!

 

[kehranc]

man they are really filling up now ..wooohooo..Come on Izzie

 

[Bonny]

Actually the back of her udder is much fuller this am! its starting to loose the separation! Whoot!

 

[jessj]

Thanks everyone...its nice to have yall to share my excitment with! Here is Izz this afternoon at around 5pm. It is cold and rainy and was almost dark when I got home. I am going to try to move the cam this weekend and get it set up. I haven't moved her over yet, but I think that I will start feeding her in the stall. Both pics are from this afternoon...she had just moved around and changed position, so it looks longer in one.

 

[Bonny]

Wow! making progress during the day!

 

[jessj]

7am

 

[Bonny]

Looking good!!! Keep Up the good work Izzie!

 

[lexischase]

Come on Izzie!!!!

 

[countrymini]

Torment time is over, you can have that baby now Izzy..... anytime now would be good........(is she even listening!?)