Foal Watch 2021 - 'Tis the Season!

[Montanas_Girl]

Milk test this afternoon read 100 ppm Ca and pH 7.2. She’s moving right along! I realized as I was doing today’s test that I inadvertently only diluted 3:1 yesterday instead of 6:1, which explains why yesterday’s Ca reading didn’t make any sense. Oops.

So here’s the fun dilemma she’s created for me. I’m supposed to travel ~5 hours away the last weekend in March to work a large horse show for which I’m on the planning committee. That trip is looking highly unlikely at the moment! I’m going to need to let the show manager know asap if I’ll be able to make it. Law of foaling mares says if I cancel, she’ll either speed up and foal even earlier or hold out until well after the show, but, if I go, then she’ll absolutely foal that weekend. Argh. I reached out to her previous owner to try to get some kind of foaling history (i.e. does she build a bag like a milk cow and then hang out forever before foaling, or does she build rapidly and foal shortly thereafter). The only reply I got was, “I think she usually waxes.” That’s super helpful…

[Montanas_Girl]

So…umm…Arielle’s milk pH is 6.8, bordering on 6.2, this afternoon.

She just doesn’t really looks ready to me, though, and her Ca is still only 100 ppm. Plus she’s only 314 days. We’re supposed to get some minor thunderstorms tonight and then severe ones Wednesday night. Who wants to put money on a St. Patrick’s Day birth?

[EventerAJ]

Last year, maiden mare Bodacious Barb looked not quite ready, but I tested her milk anyway…it was in the 6s! Stayed there for a whole week. During that time, her bag got really big, and progressed to dripping milk the final 24 hrs. Calcium increased as expected when she was ready. Not sure why the pH was so low, but maiden mares do weird things?

I forgot to update, but Ultimate Class had a chestnut colt by Texas Red on March 10, at the unexpected hour of 5pm! And she has a nice update to her page since we bought her in January: her 4yo by Jack Milton is 3 for 3 this year, and updated earnings of $120k!

Other foals are doing well, now all outside together. New mare Harlan Shuffle is sitting at 344 days and getting closer day by day.

[Montanas_Girl]

Still at 100 ppm Ca and pH on the low side of 6.8 this morning. Tail head ligaments are starting to look sunken. She also nickered at me and nuzzled my head while I was milking her. I moved her turnout buddies into a neighboring pasture, and she’s not overly concerned. She’s usually extremely herd bound, so that’s also a behavior change.

My gut says maybe tomorrow, with the storms we have rolling in. But I’d really prefer she hold off until the weekend, since she doesn’t hit 320 days until Sunday. I put straw down in her stall this morning. That should delay her, right? The more prepared you are, the less likely they are to foal…

[EventerAJ]

More foal pics!!

(upload://lYBHXnxCal4Q6AVz4bPrbI2ShPv.jpeg)

[SadieRidingHorses]

@Montanas_Girl good luck! Exciting!

[skydy]

If that photo is any indication of his normal expression, I can see why you aren’t looking forward to prepping the Khozan colt. He looks pretty serious.

[skydy]

Sheza’s Saketini colt is a stunner.

[EventerAJ]

Khozan colt is a real piece of work…I would not want to be the first one to sit on him! He can really corkscrew!

[Blugal]

I’m just here for the foal pics - they are adorable!

[skydy]

I can see the attitude, just from the photographs. Perhaps it will serve him well on the track. His expression at this age would not endear me to the prospect of being the one to back him.
He does look more handsome now than he did newborn. How are his knees?

I had one (TB but not race bred ) that had a major attitude as a foal, mean to his mum and very mouthy. I bought him as an unweaned foal from a farmer and, seeing his attitude, taught him to lead, well before he was weaned. I knew I wouldn’t be able to start him when he was any older. The farmer and his wife brought their lawn chairs out to watch every session. They were afraid of him and I guess they thought there would be entertainment value in watching. There wasn’t really. He flew like a kite at first but settled pretty quickly.

He was “studdy” and mouthy all his life. He never offered a buck or a rear throughout, but was sensitive and easy to start and train. He was a quick study and the easiest one I’ve had to learn his leads and changes. Spooky out hacking, he defended his pasture and paddock from dogs like a lion, but was terrified of any sort of large bird/poultry. He enjoyed the company of people though, and was always ready to go for a school or a hack.

I only went off him twice in 18 years, both times out hacking, once a sideways leap upon seeing a dead deer (that I didn’t see) laying in tall grass and the other spooking at god knows what, but he never purposely attempted to part company and he was the only one of two I’ve had that stayed with me and waited for me to remount, instead of heading home. I miss him.

Goes to show you never can tell.

Yours certainly has a no nonsense facial expression.

[Jenerationx]

@Blugal

I’m just here for the foal pics - they are adorable!

Me too. They’re all adorable!

[weixiao]

Oooh look at that face. I kind of love it… as someone who is safely a few hundred miles away from having to deal with it.

@Montanas_Girl how is your girl looking this morning?

Man, all these cute pictures. I’m debating breeding my mare this spring and when not looking at this thread I can be rational about it and, while I’m leaning towards doing it even when thinking rationally, I can also see the logic in not doing it. When I’m looking at this thread all logic goes out the window and I’m ready to call up the stallion owner and the vet and get going! haha

[Mersidoats]

I am loving all of these baby photos. Have to add my own. My maiden mare delivered a lovely bay colt this morning. She waxed yesterday morning, had milk dripping by 9pm, and baby was on the ground at 1:30am. She was a little perplexed at the new creature on the ground, but he was up and nursing soon enough.

[AllTheCarrots]

A huge thanks to all those who have shared (or will share) baby pictures! It is cold and dreary and pandemic-ly monotonous where I sit, and these reports are a ray of sunshine.

[skydy]

Congratulations!

[Montanas_Girl]

@weixiao, my mare appears to be in a holding pattern. Milk is still thin and more yellow than white, testing at 100 ppm Ca and pH somewhere between 6.8 and 6.2. Udder still needs to do some filling for sure. Her body does not look ready to me yet, either, though she is absolutely miserable.

We’re supposed to get some pretty nasty severe weather tonight, so I’ll be on alert and keeping a close eye on her, but I think she’s still several days out. Which is good - her 320 day is Sunday. She’s had three previous foals, all between 335 and 340 days gestation, and two of those were full siblings to this foal. But the last one she snuck in on her previous owner in the middle of the day with no warning. So I really have no idea what to expect out of her right now.

[EventerAJ]

Looks like tonight may be the night for Harlan Shuffle. Dripping milk this morning, huge milk cow udder, belly is dropped and soft.

Bella’s filly came in with a huge swelling on her cheek. Vet ruled out abscess, dental problem, and fracture. Could be insect sting or snake bite? Treating with dex and banamine. Poor little girl isn’t feeling great, but still nursing and nibbling at hay. Always something with horses!

[Montanas_Girl]

Awe. Poor little filly. I hope she’s feeling much better soon. Good luck for an uneventful foaling tonight, @EventerAJ!

[skydy]

Looks similar to my gelding’s snake bite, but there were obvious fang punctures. We had to keep on top of the swelling so it wouldn’t affect his airway. He wasn’t a foal, but he recovered completely.

Poor little thing. She’s a nice one.

Remind me of the Sire of Harlan Shuffle’s foal? You’re so lucky to have a Harlan’s Holiday mare!