any time now

valjoe · Postby **valjoe** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 11:37 am

well, she's finally standing for the foal to nurse but he still can't get a hold of it, i managed to milk her and fed him about 10 oz, hopefully he'll learn soon

springboro · Postby **springboro** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 3:16 am

valjoe wrote:well, she's finally standing for the foal to nurse but he still can't get a hold of it, i managed to milk her and fed him about 10 oz, hopefully he'll learn soon

yikes, hope she's cooperating more now! My mare has had two other foals (she was bred to a Fresian and a Connemara) so at least knows how to be a mom.

valjoe · Postby **valjoe** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 4:54 pm

ya we're out of the woods, they are a happy family now

springboro · Postby **springboro** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 6:04 am

nada. zilch. nuttin'.

at least I can say we're one day closer to this birth!

springboro · Postby **springboro** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 6:09 am

if anyone wants to see Helen's other foals (I didn't breed these) you can see her Connemara cross at http://www.mandalifarm.com/My_Homepage_ ... age23.html

Her Friesian can be seen at http://www.mandalifarm.com/My_Homepage_Files/Page5.html

she definitely stamps them with her little star on the forehead. Roguelet, I'm betting plain bay with this small star for this one!

And never an easy keeper, I see a lot of ribs on her with a foal at 4 months. She'll be on very good pasture, but I'm making a note to bump up her feed this summer!

soft hearted · Postby **soft hearted** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 7:37 am

STILL nothing??
Tell that girl that ransom is NOT a negotiable item here!
C'mon... we wannnaa SEEEEEEEEE!

springboro · Postby **springboro** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 7:48 am

I talked to the former owner. Apparently this is a known issue with Helen. She loves to keep 'em to herself for a long as possible. She hates her udder touched. She is a wonderful mother and mellows greatly with "happy" hormones.

soft hearted · Postby **soft hearted** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 8:00 am

So... holding her nose tightly and giving it a good blow won't send the baby flying out the other end?

Had one a couple of years back. Wished the old owner had told me just what (exactly) the mare was like for foaling. Day 375, I blink and she's got a lovely, healthy, leggy boy trying to stand.
After 65 days of watching ... and I literally BLINKED. She got a new name after that. Not one I can mention :wink:

But, apparently anything from 350 and over was NORMAL for her. But no, here I was, concerned that she'd go EARLY. :oops:

springboro · Postby **springboro** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 8:05 am

375? She better not even try that with me. I think today is 358 for us. If I can't lead her to water and make her drink, I doubt very much the blowing in the nose is going to work. Oh, that and the fact that she would take my nose and lips off!

Postby **Roguelet** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 8:10 am

Aw, c'mon... she's not THAT bad. Maybe she's holding it in until you say something NICE about her. :lol:

And bay with a star is a pretty good bet, since that describes both mom and dad. (Now watch her spit out a chestut with a ton of chrome...)

soft hearted · Postby **soft hearted** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 8:31 am

Yes, 375.
I called the old owner (also breeder of foal) in case there had possibly been a mix up in cover dates, or a later one, a typo .. anything.No. ONE cover - ultrasound, everything hunky dory.
Mare just kept getting bigger and bigger.. never did wax up either. Cow.

springboro · Postby **springboro** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 8:39 am

Roguelet wrote:Aw, c'mon... she's not THAT bad. Maybe she's holding it in until you say something NICE about her.

And bay with a star is a pretty good bet, since that describes both mom and dad. (Now watch her spit out a chestut with a ton of chrome...)

Helen is such a good sweet girl... she'll foal any day. ugh, that doesn't even sound remotely sincere!

Does Indy have any chestnut foals??

Postby **Roguelet** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 8:45 am

springboro wrote:Helen is such a good sweet girl... she'll foal any day. ugh, that doesn't even sound remotely sincere!

Does Indy have any chestnut foals??

A for effort.

Yep, he's got plenty of chestnuts out there. So, if Helen is carrying that gene too there's a 25% possibility of a chestnut... right? (Genetics class flashback)

springboro · Postby **springboro** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 9:07 am

Helen's father carried a chestnut gene - now whether he gave it to Helen is anyone's guess. With her crossbred foals, I know the Friesian was coal black in the pictures and the Connemara was a plain bay like mom. I have no indicators!

as this is the only foal this year from 3 breedings (the other two resulted in twins) I seem to have all my Easter eggs in one basket. Lord, please don't make me have to wait until Easter and then name this baby something silly like Indy Easter or Moody Bunny.

soft hearted · Postby **soft hearted** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 5:11 am

Well.. It's now Easter Sunday, do you have an easter prezzie yet?