What was it she didn’t like to camera left ?
I am really inspired by your and Peter’s story. I certainly cannot laugh at his videos! I think it is amazing that he got back into the saddle at 56 and has picked this sport back up. It is truly amazing and heartening.
He looks great and looks like he has a good time with it, as I’m sure you do too. Always great to see your updates.
I just spent two hours reading this thread when I should have been doing something more productive! What a great story and such beautiful photos. Thank you for documenting your journey for everyone.
Thank you. Yes, the journey had been hard, and funny, and ridiculous, but I really see the point to keep it as a thread. We were complete beginners (and we still are only at the beginning of this lifetime journey), I mean - absolute beginners (I was searching at the first days on internet the amount of water what horse must to drink). Maybe one day there will be another person who will end up with an unexpected horse on the lap not knowing where to start and this thread about our journey may help then.
Everybody says that you can not learn horsemanship on internet - but look - thank to you, COTHers - we did it!
Each horse in our farm with all their problems are nodding and saying - thank you, COTHers! Without your help we would be dogfood now!
I think you guys have found your calling. How is Puika? He did start it all ya know. What is he up to and how about Shella’s heaves?
Peter has done a wonderful job riding now how about you?
Ivy, Puika is doing great - he is bossy around HIS mares and would chase other boys away - he is having a blast 
Untill comes love of his life Shella (or even little Sonora) and tells him off He has stopped nipping and runs for cuddles like other horses, but still can not be trusted on lead - years when he had the only playmate - a human - had left marks and now he sometimes forgets about basic obedience and wants you to run with him. But all in all he is big, sweet, goofy boy.
Shella had few harder days in spring but all in all she is doing very well, without medications, only on herbal teas, looks in great condition and at the end of June hopefully Sonora will have full sister or brother. Shella is doing really good during pregnancies, and looks very well. She is not the mare who “gives it all” to the foal and becomes like an Oxfam ad in few days. Really easy keeper. And as sweet and charming as always.
About my riding… My knees are better but I know that I have no hope to become a good rider so I enjoy occasional “lift around” on Sigma - another draft horse that we have (she is 20 now, really good condition, and will never canter with a rider if not really strongly asked, so she is a safe , comfy back for me to sit on). But all in all I’m too busy with all the work on the ground to ride.
We have baby boy!
This morning at 8:14 AM Inka had a baby boy! His name will be Sunny Jim.
Sunny Jim was born very fast and easy - at 8AM there were no signs that Inka is close, and at 8:14 he was here! The milk appeared only 30 minutes later.
Baby was up by himself in 45 minutes, and after next 10 minutes did his first canter around mum. I’m… over the moon!
So these are the first 2 hours in Sunny Jim’s life in pictures
Just removed the bag
http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/lillydelully/28-05-10BABY/PICT2554.jpg
A lick
http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/lillydelully/28-05-10BABY/PICT2560.jpg
http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/lillydelully/28-05-10BABY/PICT2567.jpg
Up!
http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/lillydelully/28-05-10BABY/PICT2571.jpg
http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/lillydelully/28-05-10BABY/PICT2608.jpg
Who are you?
http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/lillydelully/28-05-10BABY/PICT2599.jpg
I would say - not bad
http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/lillydelully/28-05-10BABY/PICT2636.jpg
Try say something!
http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/lillydelully/28-05-10BABY/PICT2658.jpg
At least I have curly ears!
http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/lillydelully/28-05-10BABY/PICT2679.jpg
Yeah, mum, you deserve a rest! I will take care!
http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/lillydelully/28-05-10BABY/PICT2692.jpg
All pictures here
http://s965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/lillydelully/28-05-10BABY/
Wooohoo!!! Congratulations!!!
Gorgeous colt…looks big, too. Remind us who his daddy is?
I love the mare…
The colt is expected to grow about 16 - 16.1h, with a good jump - suitable for teenagers - at least all previous Inka’s babies with similar sires have gone that way.
Mare’s pedigree
http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/inka101
No new posh blood at all, just some old Russian lines But Trakenher people must know her grand… sire Pythagoras - he is down at the lines of many well known horses nowdays. Other mix also is interesting cocktail.
Sire lines will not tell you anything, he is Latvian breed, the same stallion as Sonora’s sire last year.
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq222/ozolkalni/09-02-09/PICT9218.jpg
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq222/ozolkalni/09-02-09/PICT9217.jpg
This sire is judged as one of the top Latvian breed stallions at present. He has not so long back as most of them have and also has unusual good gaits for the Latvian breed. (Yesterday here was Latvian breed association commission here who decided that my mare Sigma (Elite class mare) must be bred to the said stallion - they both are worth to be included in the genetic bank of the Latvian breed as well as their offspring. If the breeding will be successful, we as breeders will get even gov grants on this breeding for next 5 years).
Here you can see what I expect to Sunny Jim to grow into it - this is Inkas previous baby who is 6 yo now (quite similar sire)
http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/lillydelully/22-05-10Vainode/PICT2507.jpg
http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/lillydelully/22-05-10Vainode/PICT2508.jpg
http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/lillydelully/22-05-10Vainode/PICT2510.jpg
Congratulations…absolutely beautiful!!!
I want one!!! Congrats!
What wonderful pictures of such happy news!
This morning big, leggy girl was born.
http://s965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/lillydelully/04-06-10chelsea/
Foal is OK, but Giva had serious problems with placenta so now we are looking for few day battle to overcome possible complications and sepsis.
Hope Giva is going to be ok! Fingers crossed…
Darling foal…be sure and take more pics and share - know you’re busy but it’s fun to see how the babies look after they’re “unfolded.”
Congratulations!
Hi Anna,
How is Giva? I hope that she is getting better. Did she retain the placenta? I know you will be living at the barn tonight to keep an eye on her.
She gave you a lovely filly! The baby looks happy and healthy. It looks like Sunny Jim is going to like having a friend to play with.
Big Hugs,
Robin
Thank you!
Yes, Giva was not retaining placenta at all - very unusual and it is not clear what caused that. The foal was born at 7:30 AM, at 8:40 AM she got the first Oxitocini injection, then we waited a bit and as nothing happened decided not to wait anymore but call the repro hospital. ets arrived at 12, tried stimulate more - again nothing. Then they decided to wash and take placenta out mechanically - it was 4 hours since birth and there were not much time left (here vets take max 6 hours for mares - after that statistic is really hopeless).
So it took nearly 2 hours to get placenta out and it looked half roten already - very strange. OK< one idea is - Giva did not lay down at birth so when baby hit the ground it instantly broke the cord thus upsetting the whole process. But there can be many other reasons. So we must wait now and see how it goes and then on the first circle after the foal circle all tests must be done - it must give some answers.
Just returned from barn - Giva had her last injections at 1:30 AM, vet will be here tomorrow morning at 6 AM to wash her uterus again 
And all injections.
It is somehow funny - Giva stands still for uterus washing procedure, says nothing about vein injections, but simple small needle in neck muscles for Oxitocini makes my life so much harder - she goes wild.
So far so good - Giva looks perky, eats well (on hay diet already due to laminitis risk now), drinks, walks, runs - seems OK. Liquid in uterus tonight after washing was more clear than during the day, but still not right.
Her filly is huge thus clumsy and way too slower and clumsier than Jimmy was at her age but vets convinced me today that she is absolutely ok and noting is wrong with her.
Except now she has mild diarrhea due to the medications mum is getting - again, nothing to worry, according to vets.
I do hope that tomorrow morning Giva will be better. I really do.
Little Jimmy is very excited to see a possible playmate - he is already hanging near fence (we separated mares as Giva needs dietary pen, without grass) and calling new girl to play. He is very healthy and perky, and already a big headache for us and his mum.
Giva feels better today and vet check proved it - so we feel much better about the thing. And a little bragg - Peter today won his class at 80 cm. Clear round, the best time Great job on horse which we bought for 300. Gamma is great, just great! (I AM proud for both of them!)
http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/lillydelully/05-06-10Peterthe1stKleisti/DSC01306.jpg
http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/lillydelully/05-06-10Peterthe1stKleisti/DSC01305.jpg
http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae135/lillydelully/05-06-10Peterthe1stKleisti/DSC01304.jpg
Congrats on both!!! Glad to hear Giva is going to make it! (I hope!)
Good job, Peter!! Looks like Gamma wants to go higher!
Great job Peter!
I’m sure it’s because he finally has his red ear net to coordinate with his red saddle pad! (I loved the thread where you said you had to go get him one for the show, as if you didn’t have enough else to do with two mares foaling!)
And congrats on the two babies. Hope everything goes well.
