# jj in foal? new mares pictures/soon jewel too!



## crisco41 (Feb 2, 2013)

ok here's the new thread for us. I will start with pictures of JJ. Old owner said she saw the breedings take place. She thought around July ish? I just got her today..and have not had a chance to bond. She steers clear of me in the corral but did come to the fence later tpo check me out. A good sign. I have her papers and will put soome info on here once I get them out of the truck








next is daisy. Daisy is also shy,,but I think she will be easier to break thru to. She seems curious. She has snowflake the 8 month old filly with her. I am most worried about snowflake.




all at the salt block




I will be posting about snowflake on the main topic..as i am not sure I should on this foal watch one..and have broken a forum rule just the other day,.I would appreciate if anyone has a mind to to follow it over there.I could use some honest advice


----------



## chandab (Feb 2, 2013)

You can post snowflake here, we don't mind, matter of fact, we insist on seeing her.




The Aunties here on the MareStare forum are pretty flexible, and always insist on pics. [Just check out any of the foaling threads, and you'll find we veer off foaling sometimes while we wait on those mares that take forever. My thread has quilt pics, pics of the boys, pics of open mares and so much more. I guess about the only big rule, would be a whole board rule, and that is you can't post pics of horses that don't belong to you, or at the very least you must have permission to post the pic (such as the case of a foal's sire, when you don't own said sire). ]


----------



## crisco41 (Feb 2, 2013)

snowflake is about 8 months old..out of the skinny dunalino. I am sure her nutrition and all has been bad.She is VERY skinny under her hair. Has recently been wormed according to seller. I know she was at auction with her momma..and who knows if she had an injury. The lady that I got her from said at 1 point all her friends said to put her down. But that she did physical therapy excersizes and message and she was all better..Think she said she had stifle lock very severely?

well she is not all better and I hadn't seen her move until I went to pick her up. She is very weak on the rear. But Much improved from her former condition and will be fine according to seller.

I am going to start a nutrition program. They were very hungry and crazy over the salt block today.

what do people think would be the best way to do this? thanks in advance


----------



## Danielleee (Feb 2, 2013)

Pretty girls!



I'm sure they will warm up to you very soon. Glad they're with you now so they can get some proper nutrition!


----------



## chandab (Feb 2, 2013)

Very slowly. Lots of questions, tons of question... What feeds do you have available to you (type, brand, hay, cubes, etc)? What are you currently feeding your first mini (what she gets may or may not be appropriate for those that need weight)? What were these mares on before you got them? [if you don't know, see if you can find out.] Are they all thin? Or just the Daisy and Snowflake? Might be more questions, but these will keep you busy for awhile.


----------



## crisco41 (Feb 2, 2013)

looks like JJ is in good condition. I can't see or feel ribs. So just daisy and snowflake. My Misty is fat on hay. She gets bermuda right now and mixed grass. That is all,Mineral salt block of course

I have alfalfa pellets here..and also a local mill mix I like for my big girl. Oh and mare and foal ( will need to look up brand) that I got when I thought misty was bred. and bought calf manna, beat pulp pellets and vitamins today

I am going to slowly start all of them on soaked beet pulp as I love the shine and health it puts on them. And it was recomended to me by a very knowledgeable mini breeder for the horse I am getting from her. I would think it would be good for my skiniies.

Lady told me she had snowflake on like a cup of calf manna a day.

Both times I was there I saw no hay for them. of course that is just assumption

the weakness in her rrear has me worried...why do I ALWAYS do this to myself. Could have just walked awaay


----------



## chandab (Feb 2, 2013)

Let me know what brand of mare and foal you have, so we can figure out how much is appropriate for Snowflake and probably Daisy as well. Sounds like you have a buffet of feeds to try. Soaked beet pulp is a good choice and easy to digest. Was Snowflake getting anything else with her cup of Calf Manna? What vitamins did you get? [i'm talking details, name brand for certain, not all vitamins are created equal.]

How big is snowflake? how big is Daisy? How old is Daisy? [And, we know Snowflake is 8 months.]

I don't know what to do about Snowflakes weak backend, but good nutrition will go a long way to helping her, I'm sure.


----------



## AnnaC (Feb 3, 2013)

Quick reply as I'm in a rush! Start any new feed very slowly, plus I would be careful with the salt block, if they are going mad for it they could get 'oversalted' just like we can! Perhaps put the block with them every other day for a short while, or add a small amount of salt to their feeds until they get the balance right and stop devouring the block when you offer it?

For the moment I would not worry about the locking stifle - make sure the little one has 24/7 access to turnout and give her several months to slowly build up her strength generally and then we can look at the problem again. Also once you can handle her easily, get your farrier to trim off the toes of her back feet, but this needs to be done carefully - never get involved in a struggle when picking up her back leg, the leg and foot should always remain level/under her hindquarters when being cleaned or trimmed.

Good luck - they are pretty girls and very lucky to have found you.


----------



## Eagle (Feb 3, 2013)

They are adorable and I too am so happy that they have found you. You have received excellent advice already about feeding so I will leave it to the American girls as they know what types of feed are available to you. The only thing I would suggest is that you do a worm count just to be sure that they were actually wormed and correctly, also I would do a sand check as often starving horses will eat anything which can form a build up of sand in their tummies. Get a plastic see through bag (like the once you use to freeze food in) and put in some fresh poop that hasn't touched the floor (turn the bag inside out, put your hand in it and pick a bit of the top poop then turn the bag the right way) add some warm water and move it around and wait till the poop goes liquid, leave it still for a while then see at the bottom of the bag if any sand has settled.

I can't wait to see how they blossom under your care.


----------



## crisco41 (Feb 3, 2013)

this is what I have here.

Dumor vitamin gold

standee alf cubes

a few pieces left in standee timothy alf cubes bag

purina omalene 300 growth

high protein bermuda grass hay and also mixed grass

calf manna

beat pulp pellets standees

today used a little measuring cup that when its full will hold 6-7 ounces of omalene.

I put 4 beat pulp "cups" 4 "cups" omalene mare and foal. about 14 part cubes of alf/timothy cubes, 1 "c" manna, 1/2 scoop of the vitamins( 1 scoop is for 1 big weanling) Now remember my cups are not actual cup size..I mixed it together soaked it..and gave everybody a few bites. Then I gave daisey and snowflake some extra. Not alot..maybe 2 real cups each. I have at least 3/4th of the mix left. Figure to spread whats left over today...with 2 more real cups( its all expanded) 2 more times today.

If I don't use it today I will put whats left in the freezer tonight and thaw it for morning feeding.

It sounds like a lot..but it didn't look like much. Also pretty much keeping hay out for them non stop.\

Hope this made sense.

I am sure snowflake has conformation problems that probably are extreley aggrevated by starvation

snowflake is very small.I am not sure of ht or wt...someone said she may be dwarfy by her pictures? I don't know. Nothing but bones and fur...

momma is around 31- inches or so I would guess. I couldn't imagine to guess what her wt is.Very finely built.


----------



## crisco41 (Feb 3, 2013)

oh ages JJ 9 I think and daisey I think is 7 or 8 yrs old


----------



## chandab (Feb 3, 2013)

crisco41 said:


> this is what I have here.
> 
> Dumor vitamin gold
> 
> ...


This sounds like a good place to start, and they can probably have all of that to share in one day; go with that amount for a few days before increasing it to probably that much each for the two skinny ones (slowly increasing your amounts over the course of a week, so you don't go too quickly for their systems). [Just watch them, they'll let you know if they can handle eating more daily, as long as they aren't wolfing it down.]

If Daisy is about 31" and fine built, I'm going to guess she should weigh around 175# (if thin, she probably doesn't weigh that, yet), maybe a bit more (definitely more with pregnancy). [My 31" fine built stallion weighs 175#, rarely more than 5# either way from that and looks really good at that weight. If you'd like to see his pic, either check out my HC Minis thread here on the board, he's somewhere on the last couple pages of my thread. Or, check him out on my website (link in my signature), his name is Paper Mache`.] Mares tend to weight a bit more than stallions of the same size and build, and defintely will weigh more if pregnant.

make sure you soak the beet pulp pellets before feeding, the pellets have a tendency to cause choke in prone individuals (horses that have been starved in the past are good candidates for choke as some tend to bolt feed to be sure they get it). If its available to you, Standlee also has a shredded beet pulp, and those can be fed dry, if you prefer to feed dry.


----------



## rabbitsfizz (Feb 3, 2013)

JFYI Daisy is a Silver Buckskin, not a Dunalino!

I would work on weaning the foal ASAP as then she will start eating properly, and ditto the mare- also, there will be nothing in the mare's milk now, anyway. You do not want to emotionally stress her too much until you have wormed, pared, got her feeding and at least started on halter training, but make it a priority.

Build her feed up slowly, she doesn't need her digestive tract over loaded, either, but this will be so much easier when she is separated, too.


----------



## crisco41 (Feb 3, 2013)

thank you all. A silver buckskin? So really she is a silver buckskin pinto,,,cool! She has the prettiest little face. I will have to look it up. Can you explain what makes her that? She does have 1 partial blue eye also,

Her papers say palomino and she was sold as a dunalino. I think. If nothing else about mini's I am learning colors are all over the board.

baby is not nursing..mom is dried up.Wether it was an intentional weaning at some point in her history, or just that momma dried up,,I have no idea.

I am working on halter trainiging her. She is a good girl and won't take long. I brought her out in the yard for about 10 minutes so she could eat the little bit of green grass we have in the yard. It is bitter cold so I didn't stay out there long. Tomorrow is suposed to be warmer. I think she and I will be going for a nice long walk and do a little in hand grazing. She is starting to like me. JJ has actually warmed up a little more bravely to me then Daisy. I am very surprised by that. JJ is very much a wide load.

we have been so focused on my problem child..does anyone have an opinion oj=n JJ the bay pinto and pregnancy status? thanks!You guys are truly the BEST!


----------



## jessj (Feb 4, 2013)

Oooo...I love all of your new girls! Especially JJ! So glad they have you now, and praying that proper nutrition will set little Snowflake straight!


----------



## lexischase (Feb 4, 2013)

All I do is rescue horses each and every week so I am completely in love with all these new gals! So happy they found you, and I am sure we will all be seeing a HUGE improvement in them very soon. Keep the photos coming!


----------



## crisco41 (Feb 6, 2013)

snow flake has a bad cough and so I started her on tucoprim yesterday,.If it is not better in a few days we will have to go to the vet.

Someone advised I take the toe off her long feet. I did the best I could..didnt want to take off too much but got a bit off. Boy do her joints click:>( I did groom all the horses today and call me odd but I can see a healthier shine to their coats. It s not "there" but it is peeking out.

everyday they seem to get friendlier.

Jewel will be probably ultra sounded this week..and notthis weekend but next we are going down to get her. Excited

had to mention my dear sweet misty. I rigged up a surcingle and have enclosed a picture of what a gem I have. We are ready to progress on:>) I LOVE this horse, I my have been dissapointed she wasn't in foal..but I sure am not dissapointed in her. A great deal fo rme and she will always have a special spot in my heart


----------



## crisco41 (Feb 8, 2013)

didn't hear snowflake cough today. She actually ran a little yesterday. although she is still very bony, it feels like her hip bones aren't sticking out quite so far. I can still feel them well..and every bone in her spine. I have an adorable picture I will add later after hubby uploads them off my camera.

Gorgeous Jewel was Ultra sounded today and is due somewhere the end of may first part of June. I am glad she has a little while to go before she foals. It will give me time to let her get to know me. And also if everything goes according to plan we may be at our 32 acres before she foals and she will have time to adjust there.

JJ has gotten very friendly and now allows me to toucch her all over. , misty comes when called and is a love bug, baby is giving her feet and showing a healthy curiosity. Her poor momma is afraid of human touch and just shakes when you touch her. we are working on her fear.

And there's my mini farm happenings:>)


----------



## chandab (Feb 8, 2013)

I know a lot of people shy away from hand feeding treats, but it has worked wonders to help bring my two stand-offish horses around. One a stallion that was not handled much before I got him, the second a mare; both think treats are just wonderful. I'm still working on the mare; it was more important to get the stallion comfortable with me, than the mare, since he could do more damage and was worse about it, initially.


----------



## crisco41 (Feb 8, 2013)

jj and daisy


Does she look lopsided to you?


misty and snowflake snoozing




had to go make sure misty wasn't dead in this one




and homemade surrcingle..it's working good!


yes i have been hand feeding...I will worry about any bad habits later


----------



## Riverrose28 (Feb 8, 2013)

I just got my computer back from the shop last night and am playing catch up. You have received some great advice, and your mares are adorable. God Bless little Snowflake, hope she comes around with some good groceries. I got a filly like like a few years ago, so skinny she now has scars on her back from rolling and compressing her spine. Now she is the picture of health, (fattness), HAHA!


----------



## chandab (Feb 8, 2013)

crisco41 said:


> yes i have been hand feeding...I will worry about any bad habits later


And, you might experiment with different types of treats; my horses really have their preferences. Last year, the little mare, while pregnant would only eat one type of treat; she won't touch them when she's not pregnant. Right now, she's enjoying 3 different flavors/brands, her least favorite is the peppermint treat, not sure which she prefers of the other two, she takes them equally.


----------



## crisco41 (Feb 14, 2013)

a few pictures of my gang. I decided to shave snowflakes face so that i could see what I had under that fur. ( i was encouraged by seeing rhe transformations on the shaved before and after pictures on the forum.) she is cute!. I can't wait to be able to do her moms face as she looks to have a gorgeous head!. JJ the pinto was supposedly seen breeding a small black stallion multiple times in June. Does she look about right for that? She was housed with the stallion prior to that..but I have no one to ask about if they had bred.


----------



## crisco41 (Feb 14, 2013)




----------



## countrymini (Feb 14, 2013)

Lovely


----------



## Eagle (Feb 15, 2013)

Can we have some pics of JJ from behind to see how wide she is and a full profile pic (head included tree not)





What an adorable little face snowflake has


----------



## crisco41 (Feb 20, 2013)

hi. I will be posting pictures later today, But for now I have a question. All my hay has fescue. I had reserved non fescue timothy hay( 50 bales) for the pregnant girls but the folks sold all but 20 bales out from under me, which I can not get until next week as they are unavailable. I have decided on a stradegy..what do you all think.

for the 32 inch..i would guess maybe 300 pounds? 1- 1.5 % of body wt..3-4 1/2 pounds of feed a day

other is over sized..guess 35 or 36 inches and stocky. . guess of 400 pounds? so 4 to 6 pounds feed per day

I am going to figure about 4 1/2 to 5 pounds of feed Each per day...

how does this sound for per horse per day split in 2 feedings

1# 7 oz timothy cubes

1# 8 0z chopped timothy alfalfa (chris cox forage blend from lacerne)

1 # 3 oz beet pellets

7 ounces omalene 300 mare and foal growth.

My vet warned me about jacking up too much grain based mare and foal as she does not want large babies.

will also be throwing a little long stem hay/..right now it does have fescue..next week it will not.

Does this sound like a decent maintenence feed for 2 minis due late May early June..or in J's case whenever?


----------



## jessj (Feb 20, 2013)

I feed strategy now. I used to feed omolene, and my horses looked great (except my stallion who became overweight). The problem that I had with it is that it made my horses very high strung. I switched them from the omolene (sweet feed) to strategy (pelleted feed) and saw a HUGE difference in attitude.


----------



## crisco41 (Feb 20, 2013)

i am not too worried about 7 ounces of omalene 300 making them hyper. If it does I will change it out.

I am more concerned that this is a balanced ratio for bred mares, with correct nutrients and fiber and of close to the right amount of feed.


----------



## chandab (Feb 20, 2013)

crisco41 said:


> hi. I will be posting pictures later today, But for now I have a question. All my hay has fescue. I had reserved non fescue timothy hay( 50 bales) for the pregnant girls but the folks sold all but 20 bales out from under me, which I can not get until next week as they are unavailable. I have decided on a stradegy..what do you all think.
> 
> for the 32 inch..i would guess maybe 300 pounds? 1- 1.5 % of body wt..3-4 1/2 pounds of feed a day
> 
> ...


Doesn't sound like too bad of a mix, however, lets make a few adjustments to hit each's likely weight. Non-pregnant weight for the 32" mare is probably around 250#, so into winter and pregnancy 300# probably isn't too far off. Non-pregnant weight for stocky 35-36" mare is probably 325-350#, so 375-400# pregnant isn't too far off. With pregnancy, they should definitely be getting at least 1.5% of their bodyweight daily, and perhaps with winter even 2%.

Looking at Purina's feeding chart, and while they recommend Omolene 200 for pregnant/lactating mares, we can extrapolate to Omolene 300#; and I'd go with at least 1# each to be sure they are getting their minimum mineral/vitamin needs met. Beet pulp is high in Calcium, so I wouldn't go over 1# daily, or you have to start adding a phosphorus source to balance that Ca; not to mention 1# beet pulp that has been soaked makes a hefty sized meal (even 1/2# per meal then soaked makes a pretty good meal for a mini).

32" mare - we'll go with 300# to be sure she isn't shorted during pregnancy and winter (1.5%BW):

1# omolene

1# beet pulp (I'd even consider dropping htis down to 1/2#).

1.5# timothy cubes

1.5# tim/alfa chop

35-35" mare - we'll go with 400# to be sure she isn't shorted during pregnancy and winter (1.5%BW):

1# omolene (perhaps a bit more, like 1.25#)

1# beet pulp

2# timothy cubes

2# tim/alfa chop

If you don't want to go with that much Omolene (which is the minimum amount suggested by Purina), then you would have to top dress with a vit/min supplement like their 12:12 mineral or go with their ration balancer type product (I think its called Natures Essentials or something like that, I don't feed Purina, so not sure of all their product names).

If you plan to soak the timothy cubes (I usually have to soak my cubes, as they are too hard to feed dry), you could soak them with the beet pulp pellets. No need to soak the chop or omolene (although, if your horses aren't used to beet pulp, sprinkling the dry omolene over the beet pulp would likely help them eat it).

I'd also recommend a slow feeder of some sort for their long-stem hay, so they don't blow through it in no time. There are many kinds out there. The Hay Pillow is really nice, and she came out with mini size the first of the year: http://thehaypillow.com/

Here's a pic of my mare's trying out hte hay pillow:




I have two mares I have to attach theirs to the fence or they throw it over the fence, but otherwise they work pretty good. [i can't attach the gelding's to anything or they destroy them.]

There are also nibble nets and busy snackers (I think that's right on the second one); they tend to be safer than regular hay nets.


----------



## crisco41 (Feb 20, 2013)

If I wanted to add dumor vitamin Gold pellets as it has 42ppm selenium and other goodies and followed the instructions on the tub would this be good?

Both mares appear to be in good condition right now

I am more then happy to decrease the beet pulp..and yes I do soak the BP and the cubes together before adding the chopped hay and grain.

Those hay feeders are amazing. I am going to try and make one. I had some old netting around for about 10 years that would work grreat....But I am thinking I threw it out about 1 month ago,. Figures! Thanks for your help Lori


----------



## chandab (Feb 20, 2013)

crisco41 said:


> If I wanted to add dumor vitamin Gold pellets as it has 42ppm selenium and other goodies and followed the instructions on the tub would this be good?
> 
> Both mares appear to be in good condition right now
> 
> I am more then happy to decrease the beet pulp..and yes I do soak the BP and the cubes together before adding the chopped hay and grain. Thanks for your help Lori


You probably could do that, but you'll want to give a mini sized dose, and if you keep the Omolene in there (even at a reduced rate) you'll want to feed even less. The directions say to give 2 oz to pregnant and lactating mares, so mini dose would be 1/4-1/3 of that depending on the size of the mini (so 1/2-3/4 oz), and if you going feed them some omolene you'll want to decrease it again so maybe like 1/4-1/2 oz daily). Read the directions and make adjustments. If your mare's don't get hot on the omolene, they should do just fine on the 1# (to 1.25#) of that daily with little need to add the Dumor.

You may have to make adjustments, up or down, to what I mentioned above; its just a starting point. And, don't forget to change them over slowly to not upset their systems.

Mine pretty much just get grass hay and a small amount of feed, but we don't have fescue problems here (or so my previous vet told me, he retired). I've had no problems feeding the mares our homegrown grass hay, so I'm hoping he was right.


----------



## crisco41 (Feb 20, 2013)

I would love nothing more then to find a good source of non fescue,. It would be cheaper and a heck of a lot less fuss. I am not really into fuss if ya know what I mean. If the vitamins are not needed it isn't hurting them at all to sit on the shelf. one less thing I HAVE to mess with.

well unless I hear something to make it contraindicated guess this wil be my starting point. Hoping to have them off fescue hay by next week.Hoping that will be enough time to avoid foaling problems


----------



## chandab (Feb 20, 2013)

crisco41 said:


> I would love nothing more then to find a good source of non fescue,. It would be cheaper and a heck of a lot less fuss. I am not really into fuss if ya know what I mean. If the vitamins are not needed it isn't hurting them at all to sit on the shelf. one less thing I HAVE to mess with.
> 
> well unless I hear something to make it contraindicated guess this wil be my starting point. Hoping to have them off fescue hay by next week.Hoping that will be enough time to avoid foaling problems


You could probably feed just the tim/alf chop and the omolene 300 and be just fine. Although, I think I'd probably still suggest adding a slow-feeder of fescue free grass hay just to give them something to occupy their time. [i know Diane is an advocate of straight alfalfa hay, but that type of feed program hasn't worked well for me. I prefer either all grass or grass/alfalfa mix.]

Can you get the compressed bales at TSC? They might be an option as well. I know price plays a part in our choices when we have to buy much of our feed at a store, so sometimes mixing this and that to get the best bang for a buck is necessary.


----------



## crisco41 (Feb 20, 2013)

going to look at hay friday. He said he seeds for orchard grass, a little clover,etc not fescue but can't promise NO fescue as his neighbors sow fescue.Are small amounts of fescue ok?

I surely will be glad to resolve this feeding problem


----------



## crisco41 (Feb 20, 2013)

Thank you everyone. I guess I am just going to go with the chopped hay. It's $20.00 for 40 pounds. 40 pounds ought to last 2 mini;s awhile esp if i add in some beet pulp.

I mean honestly it has Chris cox's name on it.LOL. I do worry about there not having enough to chew. I mean soaked beet pellets, soaked cubes...doesn't give them much to do in between.I have never given any pellets or cubes unsoaked. That is just asking for problems isn't it? Could I feed them there good food and give them a little straw to chew on. Or will that constipate them? I noticed they liked it when I put straw in their stall before.

I believe my last 90 days before foaling are beginning NOW>jewel is due end of May first of june..and I am not sure when jj is due. Supposedly around dsame time but she looks very much more pregnant to me.

see pictures below


----------



## cassie (Feb 20, 2013)

gorgeous girls!

some mares will look more pregnant then others depending on height, whether their a maiden how fat they are how big the baby and how much fluid they carry lol (Diane can give you more advice on that lol)

they both look good I'm guessing JJ is the bay pinto she is lovely! and yes she looks more pregnant in the pics but can we get some of Jewel standing straight side on like how you have JJ standing? thanks



and congrats again! yippee for two babies! always better then 1 (if you can help it



)


----------



## chandab (Feb 20, 2013)

I feed pelleted feed and hay pellets dry and haven't had any issues; however, I wouldn't feed beet pulp pellets dry.


----------



## crisco41 (Feb 21, 2013)

Diane..not impressed a lot with the cubes..certainly would not feed not soaked. got another lead on hay.If I can find some non fescue..It would just be the best option for us i think. I would still supplement..but not with all of thiss tuff i bought ugh


----------



## chandab (Feb 21, 2013)

crisco41 said:


> Thank you everyone. I guess I am just going to go with the chopped hay. It's $20.00 for 40 pounds. 40 pounds ought to last 2 mini;s awhile esp if i add in some beet pulp.
> 
> I mean honestly it has Chris cox's name on it.LOL. I do worry about there not having enough to chew. I mean soaked beet pellets, soaked cubes...doesn't give them much to do in


Got to thinking about it, and I think you misunderstood when I said just the chop and omolene; you'd still need to feed taht 1.5%BW; so like 4-5# chop for one and 6-8# for the other, which is about 2 bags per week. [The mix might be cheaper.] Does your TSC carry the Standlee mini cubes? While still somewhat hard, not near as bad as the hard full-size cubes, and the hard ones soak up faster than the big cubes.


----------



## crisco41 (Feb 21, 2013)

chanda

No it hinkI understood you. I mixed up your recommended feeding and divided it in half. I want to start them slow. When i said I would just feed the chop..I meant give up on hay totally and feed the chopped hay in its place. But I intended to keep up the other feeds you so kindly gave me amounts of. So I hope i got it right. Am still feeding some hay. until i get them switched or find nonfescue supplier I may have no choice. thanks all.

have never seen the mini cubes..i will look on next trip


----------



## chandab (Feb 21, 2013)

crisco41 said:


> chanda
> 
> No it hinkI understood you. I mixed up your recommended feeding and divided it in half. I want to start them slow. When i said I would just feed the chop..I meant give up on hay totally and feed the chopped hay in its place. But I intended to keep up the other feeds you so kindly gave me amounts of. So I hope i got it right. Am still feeding some hay. until i get them switched or find nonfescue supplier I may have no choice. thanks all.
> 
> have never seen the mini cubes..i will look on next trip


I think I gotcha. And, starting slow is always good.

If your TSC has the Standlee mini cubes, the bag should look like this:




Looks like the mini cubes only come in tim/alfa mix, but that would be just fine. I've tried them once or twice; my closest TSC is 3 hours one-way and I hate going to that town since the oil boom (its just scary with traffic, these days); so, I don't get standlee products too often.


----------



## paintponylvr (Feb 23, 2013)

Can't wait to see more pics of your little ladies!

Really like both the pinto mares (I'm a sucker for pinto spots & silver dapples, LOL) and your other little mare looks like one of mine (the one that looks like may be a silver buckskin - dam of Snowflake).

And snoflake looks alot like a cremello mare I have, too.

We had lots of problems with that filly - first when I saw her in the breeders pasture and she followed us arouund - she had a huge abcess in the left side of her check - right in front of her jaw bone. Also her left hind leg was mis-shapen - thought maybe she'd been stepped on "early-on" (maybe at birth) and the strange look was new bone growth grwoing over the bruised/injured, possibly broken, bone... Well, he said if I could catch her, I could add her to the group I was buying (for a low price...personally should have been 0). Well, that turned into a wrestling match - both of us ended up upside down in the dirt, manure and dust of that pen - but I got the culprit out of her jaw (a huge, thorny, thisle pod) - when I cleaned it - hole went all the way thru her cheek. And I put her in the back of the trailer. 4 of the 7 ponies on the trailer weren't halter broke or handled at all - 3 were that year babies, 2 had basic halter handling skills but loading the trailer was one whale of a rodeo!! One mare was "wet" and nursed the other two foals all the way home (1200 + miles). We'd been on the road back, spent the nite at a truck stop, and 1/2 thru the next day when I got the frantic call that I had the wrong foal and that the "little white one" was only about 5 or 6 weeks old... Well, I said if she lived it would be a miracle (she was not doing that great and I was worried), and that the other mare had adopted her and was nursing her - no problems. 2 weeks after we got back, I weaned the mare's real colt and the other filly off of her and kept her with the "little white one" - she'd been started on antibiotics when we got back. Off and on, the filly would come down sick and the first 1 1/2 yrs were rough! A lot of vet visits and sometimes lots of extra special care from us - while still trying to leave her to live like a horse.

Now I can say - she's finally developing into a nice little horse! She's almost 3 1/2 yrs old - still smallish (may take her with us to the AMHR show in NC in April to see if she'll measure in) and very refined. She'd been for sale, but recently our oldest daughter intimated that she'd like to have a foal out of little "Kechi" - so may be pulling her off our our sales list and thinking about breeding her. She has a good bite and her other legs are good - so stillthinking that the "funky" left one is due to an early day injury rather than a genetic deformity. If you have followed any of the driving horse threads, she's pictured there as I recently had her 1st three hitches. If you want to see more pics - her name is Kechi and she's on our Jr mares page, then click on her and go to her page.

So, Snowflake should be coming along really nice!! Glad that she's in your hands now - that is the most important.


----------



## crisco41 (Feb 23, 2013)

kechi is adorable.

Thank you for sharing your experience. Hairey! glad it all turned out.

Snowflake has put on some wt. Not a lot. She is very sweet. I am concerned about her though..her bad leg..well..even the hoof looks funny .a little. .smaller..like it hasn't really formed properly from her not using it as strong as she should.

question on the mini cubes..can you NOT soak these? thanks


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 2, 2013)

do you think I should give my 2 bred mares shots? at least the pneumobort? and tetanus? know they aren't current but not sure of their histories.

both ESTIMATED due end of May first part of June ..although I wouldn't be surprised if jj goes sooner as she is getting big..at least to me.. Tummy will be on one side one day..then the other the next


----------



## Jamie Hunt (Mar 2, 2013)

What about chaffhaye? I feed it to my goats and horse, instead of pellets and I love it! All my girls look better on it vs alfalfa pellets. I think they do a coastal version too. Where I live it is affordable compared to baled alfalfa and more reliable than pellets.


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 3, 2013)

I was at the vet the other day..however my regular vet wasn't there and so waiting to ask her.I know you all are so sick of me and my questions..the same ones over and over again..i am just confused cuz i have had so many folks tell me opposing things.

I remain so confused on feed. My vet told me no straight alfalfa for my minis..and also not to be graining them. She does not want the foals to get too big prior to birthing. Ok so fine by me. Neither one has a need to gain weight. But I want them to get all the vitamins. proteins and minerals they need. My hay is so -so..and it does have fescue. It is a round bale with 24/7 access. I will be pulling them off fescue with in 60 days of foaling. Have heard everything from 45 days to 90 days.

Right now all the horses are getting a lil soaked beat pulp ( like 1/2 c to share between 5) and 4 pounds of soaked timothy /alf cubes divided between them. I am adding in 1 c of omalene 300 and 1/2 c calf manna for the skinniest mare daisy and her 11 month old skinny half starved snowflake to share. Daisy is finally almost where I want her, and snowflake is not so boney but has a way to go still. I would think snowflake as a higher protein need...could i fill that by giving more straight alfalfa cubes? I have started the vitamin dumor vitamin gold..at 1/4th the dose as a large horse/ foal. They also have a regular salt block and a mineral salt block,,,

ok feed guru's. Help me finally put this issue to rest. I have had mature bighorses for ever...basically hay or grass , water and a mineral block. NEVER had these issues to deal with before/


----------



## AnnaC (Mar 3, 2013)

As I'm in the UK I cant really give you much info regarding the feed you have available over there, but one thing I will say - that vet wants shooting!! Research shows that for a mare to go through labour and birth is on par with a fit racehorse running a very hard race and, as we know that racehorse is not going to be able to perform without plenty of good quality food!!

It sounds to me as though you may be mixing too many types of feed together - making things more complicated for yourself than is necessary. Do you have pasture (of any sort)? If so keep them out on it as much as possible it will help them 'trickle' feed which is good for their wellbeing. Then settle on a good quality feed with a 14-16% protein level and preferably a low starch level and feed this at the recommended amount for those who are underweight, young or breeding, and a little under the recommended weight for any who are looking good body wise. Find a good quality mineral lick - many horses are not that keen on the 'blocks', preferring those that come supplied in containers - and leave it with them free choice.

Soaked beet pulp can be good for them - some of mine cant stand it! - but remember that your minis might not be able to cope with more than 3lbs of feed in any one meal, and once you get them to the full amount of your chosen feed, adding the beet pulp may push the total amount of feed per meal too high. Of course this can be solved by increasing the number of feeds given! Likewise if feeding alfalfa cubes/other high fibre cubes to help with fibre levels (depending upon the grass available or lack of it) will require these to be fed separately so as not to overtax their tummies or digestive systems. If you can get a new supply of safe hay then they can have free choice access to this (if no pasture) as once used to it, they will 'trickle' feed as necessary, just as they would on grass.

Give them as much space as you can to move around in - a lot of folks with dry lots put hay out in small piles dotted around so that the horses move around between piles - horses ultimately get fat through lack of exercise rather than the amount of food supplied in my opinion!

Hope some of this may be of help to you - you are doing a wonderful job with your little ones, keep up the good work.


----------



## Eagle (Mar 3, 2013)

I too am in Europe so I can't help much with types of feed but I totally agree with all that Anna has said. It is hard re-learning everything when you go from "big" horses to minis but we have all had to re adjust so don't worry about being confused as most of us went through the same situation when we switched to minis.

Good for you for wanting the best for your chips


----------



## chandab (Mar 3, 2013)

crisco41 said:


> I was at the vet the other day..however my regular vet wasn't there and so waiting to ask her.I know you all are so sick of me and my questions..the same ones over and over again..i am just confused cuz i have had so many folks tell me opposing things.
> 
> I remain so confused on feed. My vet told me no straight alfalfa for my minis..and also not to be graining them. She does not want the foals to get too big prior to birthing. Ok so fine by me. Neither one has a need to gain weight. But I want them to get all the vitamins. proteins and minerals they need. My hay is so -so..and it does have fescue. It is a round bale with 24/7 access. I will be pulling them off fescue with in 60 days of foaling. Have heard everything from 45 days to 90 days.
> 
> ...


To be honest... Ask 100 horseman, you'll likely get 101 answers as to how to feed horses.

Personally, I don't like to feed straight alfalfa, and prefer straight grass or grass/alfalfa mix. I feed a low volume grain (small amount packs enough punch to get their nutritional needs met for the average to easy keepers). [i do feed a higher volume commercial feed to two hard keepers, and senior feed to my senior stallion.]

Minis are still horses, and many should be able to eat like you fed your big horses with hay/grass, water, and salt block being just fine; but sometimes there are exceptions. I came to minis from big horses, still have 2 big horses (they get hay/pasture, salt and water); and I still have problems with my feed program, not really sure why I think all my minis need "grain", except perhaps because they are on drylot most of the time, so I feel sorry for them, and give them grain as compensation. I really don't know.

At the moment, I'm rather happy with my feed program after a few years of trial and error (changed from one program that was working due to rising feed costs). I feed homegrown grass or grass-mix hay (we have cattle, so put up our own hay, and I pick the best grass or grass mix bales we have to feed the horses), an extruded horse feed (I think its 12% protein, and the 8 horses on it are doing well on just 3/4# daily) and I have been feeding beet pulp (will be dropping it after my current supply is gone, its a hassle to get and a hassle to feed for me and I haven't seen that much benefit for me, just feel like I'm lining the feed guys pocketbook). The two hard keepers are on a high-end Low Carb feed; its doing wonders for one and ok for the other (she has lots of issues, so its always trial and error to get it just right), along with the same hay. And, the senior stallion is on senior feed, he does great on it; he can eat hay, but goes through bouts of pickiness and won't eat it, so I have to increase his senior to keep his weight where it should be. Last summer, when the mares were pregnant and lactating; I top-dressed their normal ration with Triple Crown Growth, just 1 cup 2x daily for each did the trick to keep them in shape (I have to special order all Triple Crown products, so don't use them excessively, even though I really like their products). [FYI - my mares are mostly B-size, so larger than what many have. All three pregnant/lactating mares last year were large B-size mares, all 38" tall.]

I'll just share a couple pics of the shape my mares were in last summer on this program; which they also got daily grazing time while nursing their foals.










Misty, the silver dapple, is my chunky momma and she is always heavier than the others; she looked the best I've seen her while caring for her foal (and she still looks pretty good now).


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 3, 2013)

your horses look wonderful

I have no pasture to speak of right now. I should have a small amount this sumer for them to graze. I will have to dry lot the bred mares soon to get them off any fescue.

Things are further complicated by the fact I am hoping to move in May...so need to get there place set up there as well as having someplace for them now. I have been looking for non fescue grass hay. So far not much luck. Perhaps that is my most difficult problem. My big horses have never been bred..so a hay mostly diet has alwatts been adequate. If I do find non fescue hay..my problems will pretty much be solved.

I truly am not comfortable using hay cubes as an only source of roughage. My vet said it would be fine..a breeder lady with big horses said its fine..but something in my gut tells me it is wrong.....not that I know squat mind you


----------



## Eagle (Mar 3, 2013)

Chanda you seem to do things different than most of us here. I will leave feeding advice to you as I don't know enough about Crisco's horses, location or exercise received to feel comfortable.


----------



## chandab (Mar 3, 2013)

Eagle said:


> Chanda you seem to do things different than most of us here. I will leave feeding advice to you as I don't know enough about Crisco's horses, location or exercise received to feel comfortable.


I think the biggest difference is probably what's available; both for feed items and pasture or drylot situation. There are huge differences between here in the states and other countries; and amazingly different ideas just here in the states. [Diane swears by alfalfa, I typically swear at. A large part of the differences comes down to what's available and what you are comfortable with.]


----------



## chandab (Mar 3, 2013)

crisco41 said:


> your horses look wonderful
> 
> I have no pasture to speak of right now. I should have a small amount this sumer for them to graze. I will have to dry lot the bred mares soon to get them off any fescue.
> 
> ...


Thank you.

If we didn't put up our own hay, which many of you would likely not feed your horses (some of it is a bit coarse or overly mature when harvested), I would likely buy more hay cubes or even bagged chopped forage products; but since we do put up our own hay, I'm going to use it and put that savings towards other care expenses.

Hay cubes can be the only source of forage in a horse's diet, and 99% of horses do just fine on it. There is nothing wrong with an all cube diet; but since we have access to decent hay, I'm going to feed hay.

Oh, and we have no pasture at this moment, its winter, there is no grass, everything is dormant and won't be trying to green up for at least another month (maybe longer, winter lasts so long here, I just can't remember when spring actually comes). And, even though I have grass in the summer; I don't have mini safe permanent fencing, so I move portable panels all summer around our hay yard and a few other areas that aren't fenced for cows, so that the minis can spend part of most days on grass (they are in their drylots at night for safety).


----------



## Eagle (Mar 3, 2013)

chandab said:


> I think the biggest difference is probably what's available; both for feed items and pasture or drylot situation. There are huge differences between here in the states and other countries; and amazingly different ideas just here in the states. [Diane swears by alfalfa, I typically swear at. A large part of the differences comes down to what's available and what you are comfortable with.]


Yes I agree


----------



## Eagle (Mar 3, 2013)

Yes we had a very sad story here a while back with 2 pregnant mares that were on fescue





A little piece of info for you all, alfalfa here in Italy is called "erba medica" which translated means "medicinal grass"


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 3, 2013)

posted on main forum how our nice little sunday mini walked turned in to an attack from a GSD. We are all so very lucky. shok up but lucky and will be prepared next time


----------



## chandab (Mar 3, 2013)

Eagle said:


> A little piece of info for you all, alfalfa here in Italy is called "erba medica" which translated means "medicinal grass"


Very cool information. Thank you.


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 3, 2013)

well heck..i have loved that vet for 18 years





ok then I will just go ahead and find some alfalfa hay. I see a ton of it advertised just been afraid to get it. I imagine it would be good for my coming yearling skinny filly also?


----------



## chandab (Mar 3, 2013)

Can't overly fault most vets for limited nutrition knowledge, unless they seek out extra classes and schooling, they typically only get a semester or maybe two of nutrition classes, and if they aren't an equine specialist, then those classes probably cover all species they may cover in their practice.

There are numerous good books on nutrition out there, there is always the internet (gotta take some of the information with a grain of salt), feed companies have nutrition specialists (although, they will promote their brand over others - many of the company websites have fantastic information sections). [Progressive Nutrition has a pretty good "library" on their website with informative short articles on feeding, yes they are somewhat geared towards feeding their products, but still good reading. http://www.prognutrition.com/library.html ]


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 9, 2013)

ok its been awhile since I posted pictures.

Most of them will be JJ..she is the one who was seenbred in June many times..but was running with a stallion before that. We have some softness in front of the udder..but really thats about it. She now allows me to touch her anywhere...even to check the color of her girl parts. What a good girl.


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 9, 2013)

Jewel has some udder softness..is due about the same (est end of May begining of June) time as JJ but she barely looks pregnant to me. Both have foale din the past I think. For sure jewel has.

then just a quick one of daisy the very skinny mare I got with JJ. She is gaining weight and looking good.

and pf course my sweetie Misty filling her pie face in the background:>)

JJ seems to have dropped some. I wasn';t going to say anything to see if anyone else sees it....


----------



## Eagle (Mar 9, 2013)

Wow, here is a pic from the 21st Feb and then today

/monthly_02_2013/post-45019-0-87832800-1361412793_thumb.jpg/monthly_03_2013/post-45019-0-91278400-1362867727_thumb.jpg

Look how her tummy has dropped






/monthly_02_2013/post-45019-0-76015400-1361412736_thumb.jpg/monthly_03_2013/post-45019-0-50773400-1362867790_thumb.jpg


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 9, 2013)

does she look like she will go to end of May first part of June. ? i wish i knew if she was breeding in june but was already bred...does that happen?


----------



## countrymini (Mar 9, 2013)

She doesn't look like she could you hold out that long but you never know! To your second question, yes, it can happen. My mare was bred in May. After that she kept coming into season every 3 weeks like clockwork so in October I put her back with her man and then he was sold straight after. She stopped coming into season so I thought she'd taken. Here we are in March and she's massive and started shopping for an udder so she obviously took in May but is the type of mare to want some even if she's pregnant.


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 10, 2013)

It would be nice if she goes sooner, but i think the back shot may be a bit deceiving. She looks pretty big on the sides today...oh the fun of waiting


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 12, 2013)

I think I need to get pictures on here of JJ. Maybe imagination is going a bit wild..or maybe some small changes happening. She see4ms a lil sunken in where hips are? Saw her yawning 6 times in a row (anyone else stand there and count yawns) she lifted tail like 4 times , did a lil swishing as I watched her and stomped back feet a few times...I said flies..hubby said no way this early in the year..is it my imagination or is hoo hoo more elongated? Will try for pictures when I can Maybe tomorrow.....


----------



## AnnaC (Mar 13, 2013)

Sounds exciting - pictures asap please.


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 13, 2013)

i took these of jay jay today












what do you all think? I haven't seen anymore yawning or kicking or anythimg but was awful busy today. Appetite good.


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 13, 2013)

[attachment=16358SC04852.JPG[attachment=16356:jewel.JPG

Jewel ultrasounded to be due late May early June..same time as jj,,but i am beginning to think jj bred while already pregnant>? and due earlier??what cha think?


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 13, 2013)

you are scaring me diane. How can that be.....excited to have it coming and dreading it at same time.

what would your "guess " be? I mean..how will i know it has moved forward? Did you see how her hips have sunken a bit? do you see anything else? Does her privates look like they are getting ready? does she look puffy, elongating? her milk bar? How fast do you think this might happen? I want a baby i just don't want to go thru the foaling.

I want to be there..i need to be there....soon? a week? maybe a month. panic panic..


----------



## AnnaC (Mar 14, 2013)

Totally agree with you Diane - in fact both these girls could be 'getting down to business' before very long in my opinion!! Cant remember but have you got them stalled at nights? If not, then I woud be getting that sorted right away!

Other than that I would just be keeping a very attentive eye on them, watching for any changes - tummies moving 'forward', behaviour changes, udder changes/filling (although mares do vary with this, so dont rely on udder development alone), and watching for vulva's changing colour which will probably be your 'final' warning!!

Good luck - they are both looking great!


----------



## Eagle (Mar 14, 2013)

I agree with you both



please don't panic. Just keep posting pics and we will help all we can. Do you have a vet you can call and ask for help? I don't remember if you said,sorry. Keep a close eye on JJ's vulva colour as Diane said and make sure you have your foaling kit ready. If you need to know what to put in it let us know.


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 14, 2013)

Just made an appointment for my puppy and found out my vet has retired. She has slowly been phasing out. The new vet is inexperienced in horses. I do have a number of a new friend that does foaling for hire...I think she would help me if t hings get rough. Not sure she could get here in time if there was a problem tho. I need to put her number on speed dial.

Jewel was ultrasounded a lil while back and her due date was estimated to be end of May beginning of JUne. Not sure how accurate they can get. I hope she is a long way from ready!

As for JJ,,,i have not been stalling..I will start tho at night. I am prepared to sleep in the barn on the hay with a sleeping bag..when it begins to look like she is ready. I have no camera..and no electricity to set one up. Unless i set her stall up in my little shed...hmmm...at least i would have electricity in there. It is large enough to foal in..but probably not for both of us to sleep in.

As for her vulva color..I have a question. Is it a gradual change or does it go from pink to a dark red quickly? Like will I see signs of darkening gradually..over a period of time?

I think I have everything in my birthing kit.

tetanus vaccines, dental floss, little pair of scissors, gloves, ky jelly, have a dog blanket on order..hope it works well, betadine, a pill bottle for the betadine, vet wrap for tail, nipples several kinds, bottle , cotton balls, think thats it. I have no colostrum ....does the powdered kind work? What would you get ads a colostrum replacement? what else have I forgotten?

I need to empty out my horse trailer..as I loaded it up for a run to the dump and need to have it ready.

ok..I am only a Little bit panicky today. She is getting ready too fast for me,. I had planned to pull her totally off fescue with in a few weeks. It would have been enough time had the pregnancy been at the stage I was told. Now I have waited too long and she will have it in her system. That is one of the major reasons I will have to be present for the birth. If I have a bag that doesn't open or a redbag and lose a foal I would feel so horrible. 18 years is a long time to have waited for a baby.

thank you for all your help guys. I appreciate the aunties more each day!


----------



## Eagle (Mar 14, 2013)

I personally wouldn't give one of my pregnant mares fescue, period. It is just too risky, whatever anyone says believe me if you were to lose your foal or even worse foal and mare you would never forgive yourself. Unless you bred the mare by hand and therefore know the exact dates I would get her off it now. If you can't find good hay try getting some pellet hay. Just my opinion after having watched 2 mares on here that were fed fescue by mistake.





The vulva colour changes quite quickly so you will notice it when it happens



You said you don't have electricity in the barn so make sure you have your torch handy as she will probably foal at night. I would prepare the area in your shed just incase you need her where you have lights.

Foal kit: Ky gel is no good so try and get something like Vaseline oil (Diane will advice on what you use in USA) also add liquid soap (I use this with warm water for enema) plenty of towels. The American girls will have to help with advice on where to buy colostrum, normally it isn't something I buy but with the fescue issue it wouldn't hurt to find out where you could get some if needed.

Emptying the trailer is a great idea



it's sod's law that if you have it ready you won't need it so get it good and ready





I hope this helps


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 14, 2013)

Thank You. Done as of today,...alfalfa timothy cubes.....sorry old girls

Shed almost ready, think i will be moving her to the back yard after i let someone else in there to eat any of the grass. I am just assuming any thing in TN that is green right now is fescue

girl part salmon pink.

I hate to be selfish but now is a dang bad time for my vet to retire!


----------



## Eagle (Mar 14, 2013)

very selfish of your vet


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 15, 2013)

I moved JJ and jewel to the dry lot area by the shed. Mixed up their cubes and chop....Then it started to rain/snow and I felt so bad knowing they both will not share the shed..I moved them back to the regular area..where the mixed grass (with fescue) large bale is.

That bale is just about gone...and I have found bermuda hay I will be picking up tomorrow!.I will just have to take my chances as I just cannot leave them out in the dry lot area with shelter they will not share.

I am excited to have found bermuda. It is a little costly but still cheaper then cubes and chop and so much easier for me to do.YEAH.I wish I had a better way to separate the bred from the not bred..as It would be so nice to give only the pregnant mares the expensive bermuda. A lesson learned for me...be prepared BEFORE you bring home. Sigh Oh well..we are finally heading in the right direction.


----------



## sparklingjewelacres (Mar 15, 2013)

We are both so close to having our little mares foal. I took both horses off the field grass for fear of fescue and have them in their dry lot area(about half acre) Now that is starting to sprout up some form of grass which looks mostly like bermuda and they are nibbling at any little green that pops up so.. I am sure there is tiny little fescue sprouts budding out there. We did plant pasture grass there at one time so they are probably ok. For most of this pregnancy they have been off fescue completely .. I cant keep them from nibbling on tiny little sprouts that are emerging tho that I have no idea what is coming up out there. Soon.. very soon we will both be having foals.


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 15, 2013)

sparklingjewelsacres..do you have postings here on your mares? I would like to follow along. I am sure your girls are fine.Any little sprigs of fescue would be so diluted...

I asked new vet and he has never foaled out a mini.He's a really nice guy..just not my old vet. They are going to order colostrum just in case...guess its about 100 bucks.I won't need to pay unless I need it and hope I don't need it while they are closed. No changes in jewel. I did see a picture of a mare that is due anyday..and she is shaped an awful lot like Jewel, at least to my eyes.There's today update..nothing much to speak of.


----------



## sparklingjewelacres (Mar 15, 2013)

Ha ha .. I keep trying to follow posts that have mares due seemingly close to mine. My horse is named Jewel too. I think you found my thread on her.


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 15, 2013)

i did:>) nice to meet ya


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 18, 2013)

I got bermuda I got bermuda. I am now using pallets to set up more stalls. Not fancy but will do. Nothing else happening. Maybe a lil more pointy on jj but she also looks like wide load from behind, Wierd how that works,. Looks super wide loaded on the sides..then not so much then huge....is that baby moving or just an eye allusion>


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 24, 2013)

nothing new really obvious with JJ but I did notice on our night check that she has a very slight clearish discharge from her vulva. Very small amount but noteable because I have not seen it before. Still salmon pink there, very slight soft bag swelling.


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 24, 2013)

just a couple of fun shots

snowflake and kitty

snowflake's momma daisey filling out 


and sweet Misty..finally thin enough she doesn't look pregnant and loving on the cat


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 24, 2013)

jj due someday.

[


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 24, 2013)

well i hesitated to post snowflake cuz she looks like a neglected horse as she will not stay out of the burrs..but here ya go..just minis the burrs:>)

she is still a mess!. hit a year old i think next month. SHE is tiny!


----------



## Eagle (Mar 24, 2013)

They are looking good and gaining slowly which is important. Snowflake looks so cute with her winter woolies




they are lucky to have found you


----------



## AnnaC (Mar 24, 2013)

They are all looking fabulous - what an improvement in Snowflake and Daisey! And that's a lovely looking tummy on jj!


----------



## atotton (Mar 24, 2013)

Looking good.


----------



## sparklingjewelacres (Mar 24, 2013)

I sure enjoyed looking at all your pictures today. Your cat isnt afraid of the horses. Cats are so funny.


----------



## cassie (Mar 24, 2013)

great pics! what breed of cat is that? she looks lovely!


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 25, 2013)

Cassie The cat Skittles is a very common cat breed around here. She is of the breed _stray_ of whom I first named GO HOME!. Her vet records even have that as her name. Since she wouldn't listen to me no matter how hard I yelled it at her...we have changed her name to skittles,,got her fixed and vaccinated and she is a permanent resident here. She came with a broken tail..of which I thought they were going to fix when she was spayed but they didnt. so she is a crimped tail skittle cat!

My big horse Lou has had another heaves flair up. Thought you all might like this picture


----------



## Eagle (Mar 25, 2013)

Get well soon Lou


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 25, 2013)

OHH Lou is a she! :>)

I am ordering vaccines tomorrow for the horses. I have 5 mini's that I was told weren't vaccinated..at least from previus owners. And I don't know history if they ever were vaccinated. I would guess so..as most folks do vacinate..don't they?

1 is snowflake that I am sure has had none. She is a coming yearling.

then misty, daisy,

and my 2 bred mares. JJ and Jewel.

I have read some online about vaccinating a month before foaling to increase the properties of colostrum.Since even the bred mares have not been vaccinated recently they would need 2 vaccines a few weeks apart. Do you think I am too close to foaling to do this?

I am thinking since they don't really go anywhere,,,could I just vaccinate against e /w encephalitis, and tetanus? I will probably do WNV but am concerned about their pregnancy and thinking maybe after they foal?

I vaccinate my big girls with e/w tetanus rhino and flu and west niles virus but thinkng this year I may just do a core e/w/and tetanus /WNV. I do not plan on riding with other horses and my little herd is pretty much closed.

what do you all think?

can mares abort from the vaccination in your experience?


----------



## sparklingjewelacres (Mar 25, 2013)

Wow.. I am wishing that I would have vaccinated Jewel a month ago or even just 2 weeks ago but I thot that she just might have been too close to foaling. I just don't know enough about it yet but have read that some vaccinations may have caused an abortion or it at least was odd that they aborted right after the vaccination was given. At least our horses were up to date on their vaccinations when they came to us with a 3-way type. It probably would have been good to give Jewel a vaccination a month ago. .. I just not comfortable with new vet yet... and their recommendations for all the vaccinations.


----------



## AnnaC (Mar 26, 2013)

Hope Lou feels better very soon - what causes her to get an attack?

Cant advise you about the vacs as we dont have them here - just tetanus (and flu if you want to do it), but I would be very careful about doing them this close to foaling.


----------



## Eagle (Mar 30, 2013)

Any updates? I personally wouldn't vacc your preggo mares, wait until they have foaled and vet has given you the all clear.


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 30, 2013)

new pictures from the past couple days coming ..but other then her looking HUGE from the sides front angle I don't see any change. Thanks for asking tho.I have been keeping an eye on many of the fossilized foals who wont be born,,ever :>) Guess I am happy to join that elite group..ha


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 30, 2013)

round as a ball





dont see no slab


and see no V!

so......going nowhere really slowly


----------



## Eagle (Mar 30, 2013)

she looks lovely though


----------



## AnnaC (Mar 30, 2013)

Aww bless her!!


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 30, 2013)

tried to like your post Eagle but it wouldn't work.

yeah..she looks lovely



esp if you have leaning towards a balloon with legs.

as for thre shots I would just like to booster the colostrum. I do not figure we will be going anywhere..so herd is closed..except for what can be carried by flies and m'squito's.After research online I will not vaccinate anything pregnant with west niles virus..so basically looking only at e/w and tetanus.I can give tetanus at birth to mom and baby..so basically e/w.

At what stage do you start vaccinating babies?


----------



## Eagle (Mar 30, 2013)

My girls are always vacc yearly, they get their shot 1 month before foaling so foal is covered for a while. I usually start vacc the babies at around 6 months but it depends on each foal. Things might be different here in Europe so see what the other girls say.


----------



## blazingstarranch (Mar 30, 2013)

Aw, she's such a cutie! It's seems like there are quite a few mares that just want to keep their babies baking in the oven...at this rate one of you (and me too haha) may break the Guiness book of world records for longest equine gestation!!!


----------



## SummerTime (Mar 30, 2013)

Yep! Count me in that group!

I might get some people a little mad and irritated, but we don't vaccinate here. BUT we don't go anywhere and we only have a few horses here and they are here to stay. The reason behind it is that one year we vaccinated and my sisters mini gelding almost died from the west Nile vaccine, it scared us so bad, so we just feel like it's a risk either way. JMO!!

Crisco, your girl is very very round!! Wow!! I hope she gives up that baby soon for ya!


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 30, 2013)

well considering I was told she was bred in June......she is either gonna have a huge baby or she is miscalculated.


----------



## crisco41 (Mar 31, 2013)

pretty close resemblance there. I think I have a lot of time and may stop stallingher at night until I see some signs


----------



## sparklingjewelacres (Apr 2, 2013)

Thinking of you as you are still waiting for your little foal. I had been so tired. The night Jewel foaled, I actually slept for the first time all through the night and never woke up until my husband woke me up to tell me there was a little baby in the pen running around. The night I finally zonked out hard was the night she foaled. I guess she decided that if I wasnt peeking out the window with the flashlight.. she could go ahead and have her baby. She waited until I was well out sleep deprived tho.


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 4, 2013)

congrads on that filly ! sh eis adorable!!

This week..well actually this month have been kinda hard on me with personal problems. I have been managing ok, just trying to go with the current and try to keep a decent attitude. ..but attitude is foul today.

There is only 1 thing that will work to change it.....Come on J J. I have seen plenty of mares on here that I say..hey they look an awful alot like how you do.. Then they foal.

Can you do it huh? can ya?

lori


----------



## Eagle (Apr 4, 2013)

The girls seem to have got the foaling season going in the last few days so I bet JJ will join in the fun



Keep your chin up



As long as it isn't health problems the rest you will work out.


----------



## AnnaC (Apr 4, 2013)

Sometimes these girls drive you completely to the end of your tether, it's even worse when you are not feeling well. Hang in their Lori, that special baby will appear before too long.


----------



## amystours (Apr 4, 2013)

Smile, Lori!! You are among sleep-deprived zombies here!! Take a deep breath, then regroup!!

{{{{hugs}}}} Miss Ma'am, it'll be okay!!


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 6, 2013)

You all are too kind. THank you!

I think I see a slight change in JJ belly position and Jewel's bag seem a bit larger.Know you all are busy with so many foals being born..and I don't have any baby to share yet..but I do have some pictures

JJ





Jewel








and then.

of cvourse Misty always up my butt pony


----------



## sparklingjewelacres (Apr 6, 2013)

The waiting is so hard.


----------



## amystours (Apr 6, 2013)

Hi Lori!! You have some pretty ladies there!! As inexperienced with minis as I am, they look mighty big just to be carrying a little extra weight!!

Hope you are in better spirits! If it makes you feel any better, my mare is driving me bonkers too!


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 8, 2013)

Hi all. No baby yet and really with JJ i dont see much change.

Jewel has started to develop an udder. Not tight or shiny or anything but definite growth. Will try for pictures tomorrow. Was hard to tell for sure but one part of her vulva looked a littlle darker also...but not the complete thing and deeper inside. According to ultra sound she was not due til end of May or so. I have no idea how accurate they can get figuring out how far along they are. She ..well both girls were pasture bred so it is all a guess.

will do pictures tomorrow


----------



##  (Apr 9, 2013)

Each day is a day closer! And they are moving ahead nicely!

Looking forward to more pictures!


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 9, 2013)

Jewel...starting to feel a lil bag all around..pictures are disappointing though.




girlie parts nothing exciting




jj some changes i think


jj yesterday

jj today



could just be the pictures i suppose....


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 9, 2013)

today


----------



## Eagle (Apr 10, 2013)

I see progress


----------



##  (Apr 10, 2013)

Pictures are showing nipples separated and pointing down -- but as she fills that might change a bit. So don't get discouraged if with filling they start to point AT eachother for a little while.

Progress is going on!


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 14, 2013)

so anyone care to guess how much longer? I k now its hard to say..but do you think we are days? weeks? month?

I would have expected JJ to get the bag first ..as her belly and privates look ,much more ready to my inexperienced eye then Jewels.Do you guys see her moving front of center? I can see a v starting...I made hubby look at crayonbox miniature pictures today to compare JJ. He is a machinist and has a better eye for angles and stuff then me. He thought she looked further ahead then the one pictured at 300 days..and not to the pne that foaled right after the pictures..Think it was a black mare with a big forward v.

I want to sleep in the barn when we get close. Do you think we are getting that close?


----------



## Eagle (Apr 15, 2013)

I think you have a while to go with both mares, as to how long, well only they know that. Of course these girls can do anything but I would think we would see a few slight changes before they foal. I slept in the barn for a month before foaling and don't regret it for one minute



I got to see who else free rides off me by sleeping and eating in my barn


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 15, 2013)

Jewel continues to bag up. I am able to EASILY express clear liquid. I see no toher changes to hoochie..but I thought maybe she was a little softer in the rear muscles..not sure tho will recheck. Does this help determine a time?


----------



## Eagle (Apr 15, 2013)

It means she is progressing nicely


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 15, 2013)

ugh.....doe sit not tell me anything>? stillllllllll not time to sleep in the barn?








ugh LOL


----------



## AnnaC (Apr 15, 2013)

LOL!! Nothing to stop you camping out in the barn whenever you like!! Before I passed the foalings over to my daughter, I used to love being out in the barn listening to the mares and introducing myself to the wildlife in general - best was when the dawn chorus started, a slither of pale sky in the east and the first bird would start, brilliant!!

Your girls are progressing pefectly and they WILL eventually get to the end of their long journey!!


----------



##  (Apr 15, 2013)

It's coming! I promise!! Soon you will be playing with that baby, and forget about all the waiting! You'll see!


----------



## sparklingjewelacres (Apr 17, 2013)

I check here everyday for an update to see how things are going for you. Yes... soon that baby will be here and you will maybe feel as odd as I did wanting to check out my window at night from a whole month of habitually doing so. Its rather nerving to have to wait for these mammas.


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 17, 2013)

well.jewel still has udder growth and clear liguid. It seems a little stickier today. it just squirts out with the littlest pressure on a teat. vulva is not swollen or elongated. Color is light pink at the opening with a little darker pink inside.

JJ looks the same. Elongated, swollen,light pink. can see the v a bit and it looks to be getting center or maybe a little forward of center. I was very excited the other day when I checked her udder. It was swollen and hard......but wait..all on 1 side...hmmm...dang wood tick! Her udder seems to be growing very slow for the rest of her. I think she may be one that suddenly grows right before baby.

All eating, acting normal, no rolling, rubbing, nipping or restlessness. Well yes to nipping if you count the huge bite snowflake tried to takeout of me the other day.BRAT

Daisy is looking wonderful. She is deshedded and she is a pretty lil thing. I think she is a buckskin pinto. She has a black /dark stripe down her back until it gets to her white spot. Also legs are dark,,,,,except where it is covered by her high stockings. She is at ideal weight now

her daughter snowflake AKA PEggy because of her weird hind leg..is still a furry thing. I spose I ought to try shaving herbut all my blades are dull. She is still a lil thin..but have been putting her on grass a little each day and think that will get her more in shape.

anyway we still wait. Will get pictures up later.

thank you sparklin jewel. I appreciate you checking up on us slowww movers


----------



## Eagle (Apr 17, 2013)

Looking forward to new pics of your chips


----------



##  (Apr 17, 2013)

Me too!!! MORE pictures please!!


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 17, 2013)

hi guys..ok first is jewel....4/9




and today





jewels bag yesterday




and teats today





yesterday

today





front rear and side views


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 17, 2013)

now jj

other then seems like loose and long vulva..or lookslike to me..and maybe a little forward shift to belly..no bag to speak of



and here is jj pretending to be Misty




also on eof daisy what color would you call her?


----------



## atotton (Apr 17, 2013)

Good progress more filling in the udder and a bit looser in her hooha (jewel)


----------



## countrymini (Apr 17, 2013)

Love Daisy's colour. Would she be a pinto silver buckskin?


----------



##  (Apr 17, 2013)

She's definitely buckskin -- so I'd guess a silver buckskin pinto -- if her mane is carrying the silver sheen? Or is it just the white pinto markings in her mane? Buckskins can come in such a color variety -- from the darker buckskins, to the golden, to the buttermilk. But compared to my Falabella buckskin pinto stallion, Mohegan, I'd say she definitely has that silver shimmer! Mohegan's mane and forelock kept their dark color, although his tail is black and white. And I just love those white socks with the black knees on your girl!!






She's beautiful though!

Everyone looking good!!


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 17, 2013)

her bridle path (daisys) is very dark. I will have to look closer..to see what the shimmer is. You'd think with all the brushing I would have noticed.

I really like how she turned out..pretty! dianne your horses are gorgeous. love them

soooo i need some positive strokes..do you think we have good progress? Do you think I should cancel my plans this weekend? Are we close or just closer? I know you all must hate me by now...

..........I want my baby!!!!!


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 17, 2013)

....and why is jewel so small.....? if she is bagging up already..and if she foals soon..she must have a tiny lil baby or JJ was bred to a clydesdale


----------



## lexischase (Apr 17, 2013)

Hmmm Jewel doesn't even look that big to me... I forget, is she a maiden?


----------



## atotton (Apr 17, 2013)

It could be foal size difference or some mares carry their foals up higher than others.


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 17, 2013)

no Jewel has foaled before

just sent some pictures to her old owner who has foaled wither numerous times. She told me she looks like we are looking at a few days!!


----------



## SummerTime (Apr 18, 2013)

Love your silver buckskin! I too am a fan of the dark knees! Hope you get your baby soon! The waiting is soo hard!!


----------



##  (Apr 18, 2013)

Mares carry their babies differently, just as people do! It will depend on the number of pregnancies and how "stretched out" they are, the amount of fluid they're carrying, etc. Just like some people look like they are carrying just a basketball -- and others look like there is a whale inside! (Personally, I had a lot more WHALE pregnancies -- and all of mine but one were born 2+ months early and premature -- but my daughters each looked like they had little basketballs, and one little basketball grandson was almost 10 pounds!!)

Each to their own -- as long as those precious little ones are happily and safely brought to the ground!!


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 22, 2013)

I did go away for most of the weekend..got a little big horse ride in

So anyway when I checked to day jewels milk is much thicker and very sticky. Still no whiteness that i could see. I put it in my hand which was not the cleanest at the time. But thicker and very sticky CLEAR with a very very slight tinge of amberish..kind of like diluted tree sap..but lighter


----------



## Eagle (Apr 22, 2013)

Oh that sounds promising, can we have some new pics when you have time please.


----------



## AnnaC (Apr 22, 2013)

Sounds as though she is getting very close, keep a close eye on her! And yes, some updated pictures would be great.


----------



##  (Apr 22, 2013)

Sounding like she's getting very close with her milk! Pictures please!


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 22, 2013)

I still don't think she is "ready" but we will see. Shouldn't be long I don't think..just don't know if its time to move into the barn

here is her "milk" it is light amber and salty..yes I did taste it.






it has changed color and thickened and gotten sticky in a day or 2

heres jewels udder







and vulva



some deep red spots


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 22, 2013)

and jj nothing new....


----------



## cassie (Apr 22, 2013)

woohoo! won't be long, a little more rolling to get baby in position and some seperating of the teats and she will be good to go!

JJ is looking Massive LOL, looks like she is starting to fill in the teats (even though she doesn't have much of a bag) so I'd still be watching her closely just in case...

both girls are absoloutley gorgeous!


----------



## atotton (Apr 22, 2013)

Jewel is definitely getting close.


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 22, 2013)

cassie..thank you . I really love my mini's. Hard to see that they are beautiful..when all the shots are mostly privates and boobies! Jewel has gotten to be so much af a lover. She used to get treats now she gets kisses and seems to be adjusting pretty good to them

Is it time to..what? sleep in barn? start night checks? will her milk get milky colored?

jj is huge. She has seemed like her vulva has been soft forever.

I forgot to add I took a video of jewel and her tail laxivity. Not really sure but unless she was just very relaxed there was no resistance side ro side and minimal resistance up.


----------



## cassie (Apr 22, 2013)

I would definitley start the night checks... the Aunties with more experience might say something different, but I think Jewel could go anytime now, and with JJ filling up her teats and having a soft vulva I would be checking on her at the same time...

won't be long now


----------



## AnnaC (Apr 22, 2013)

Well I would be moving to the barn, plus making sure that there are eyes to watch them throughout the day too - too many little ones are lost when mares pull a 'sneaky' and foal between night checks, simply not worth the risk in my opinion!

In the years before we had internal cameras, I used to do checks every 20 minutes, plus each time I would spend 10 minutes or so outside just observing the girls, watching for any changes in their behaviour or little clues that something might be happening. On the nights that I thought someone might be close I would grab a thermos and my book and settle down out there to watch and wait. Even when we eventually got cameras one of us would sit up at night to watch the screen and that person would still go out for those checks every 20 mnutes, mainly to pick up any droppings to keep the stables clean for foaling, or to offer a little more hay, plus observe any last minute clues that would not necessarily be apparent via a flat screen.

We owe it to our wonderful girls to be right there for them at foaling time, they put their trust in us and it is up to us to meet that responsibility.

Good luck, safe foaling when the time comes!


----------



## Eagle (Apr 23, 2013)

I agree with Anna. We are resposible for our mares and their babies so in my opinion it is time to move in to the barn so you can see them. I lost a couple of foals doing 30 min night checks years back and I still regret not having been there to help the foals out of the sac. Once I met Diane and Anna and they taught me how things work I didn't lose anymore.


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 23, 2013)

today jewels udder feels harder. There was a color change to a little darker- light honey colored clear milk. very sticky..vulva looks a bit darker. I mat start test stripping her milk. .

I have running I have to do today. Hoping all will until I get back. No behavior changes..no rtestless, pawing, etc. .

I may be wrong..but is the milk not supposed to turn cloudy and whitish before foaling?

here we go..coming soon!

ALSO get regular banamine Injectable and give orally..is that what I read? How much?


----------



## Eagle (Apr 23, 2013)

yes but the final change can happen in the last hour before foaling. I wouldn't leave her alone from now on, get your blanket and chair out cos you need to be sleeping right by her


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 23, 2013)

her udder is "rock hard" She has small honey colored dot at each nipple end. i am going to go get pictures so others can use them to gauge their mares. I loved the pictures that others posted during their journey

I have a fresh load of clean hay bales ..perfect spot for a bed. i have 2 numbers for experienced horse folks..prob both too far away to get here quick, but maybe able to talk me through something...

and i have a full schedule of appointments tomorrow for the grandkids,,figures

Some are important but if i have to I will reschedule i guessJewel is a bit more aggressive today. She drove Misty away from me pretty harshly.She is always pushy but not so aggressive

ALSO get regular banamine Injectable and give orally..is that what I read? How much?


----------



## Eagle (Apr 23, 2013)

Yep that is right, pop it in her mouth and offer her a carrot or an apple after cos it tastes aweful.

Dose is better to check with Diane cos we weigh our horses in kg's here in Europe so I wouldn't want to get the conversion wrong. (I think I give 2cc but I need to check my notes)


----------



##  (Apr 23, 2013)

2cc is a correct dosage. It's given 1cc / 100 pounds -- but I usually only give 2cc for post-partum cramping. I give it after the placenta has passed. Then watch to see if she requires more later on. Usually 1 dose does the trick.

I think if you're seeing wax at the end of her nipples, you shouldn't leave her, as they can go down and foal very quickly. Baby's usually take their first breath within 30 seconds of delivery, but after 6 minutes they are gone. So you see why we insist on contant monitoring -- six minutes isn't very long and without help and/or necessary stimulation, you can lose a foal.

Praying for a safe and uneventful delivery of a healthy baby!


----------



## sparklingjewelacres (Apr 23, 2013)

Oh wow.. Our mare, Jewel.. her udder and belly was so hard the day before she foaled. There was a swollen type edema in front of her udder on her under belly that was very hard as well. I massaged that area as it appeared to be bothering her a lot and she took well to that although it did seem painful at first to do so and then.. I noticed it looked like it made her have a contraction too... so I tho't hmm... could be tonight but I was so exhausted, from company, events and all, that I never woke up for the whole event at all and missed the whole thing. Thankfully, everything went well.


----------



##  (Apr 23, 2013)

Yes, I remember! We Aunties took a DEEP SIGH of relief that everything went well for you!! Scares us Aunties to death when these little ladies are left there on their own with no help. But in this case, all went well, and that baby is just precious!


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 23, 2013)

just got pictures.will upload when hubby gets home. .udder is ready I think. Couldnt get much fuller. The beads of honey are gone off her teats and teats pointing down.

She looks thinner behind her tummy on the sides then she was. The muscles on each side of her tail are softer. Not jello but soft.


----------



## Eagle (Apr 23, 2013)

sparklingjewelacres said:


> Oh wow.. Our mare, Jewel.. her udder and belly was so hard the day before she foaled. There was a swollen type edema in front of her udder on her under belly that was very hard as well. I massaged that area as it appeared to be bothering her a lot and she took well to that although it did seem painful at first to do so and then.. I noticed it looked like it made her have a contraction too... so I tho't hmm... could be tonight but I was so exhausted, from company, events and all, that* I never woke up for the whole event at all and missed the whole thing. Thankfully, everything went well.*


I do hope you realise that you were one of the very few lucky ones. As we have seen many too times here on the site, unattended births don't usually turn out with a happy ending





I can't wait for pics


----------



## AnnaC (Apr 23, 2013)

I would re-organise your day tomorrow and leave it completely free (surely the kiddies will understand?) as if you dont get a foal tonight, then she may give you a day time foaling! Anything is possible from now on.





Is she quite relaxed with you being near her/in and around her stall at night? This is where it helps if you have been making regular night time visits to her and sharing a few scratches/friendly chat - mares that have been visited are a lot more relaxed when you are in their stall as they are foaling. When you see the little white 'bubble' appear during contractions, dont hang back! Get quietly as close as you can and when you see the feet appear (one will be slightly in front of the other to be correct) then, if she will allow you, feel gently inside up along the front of the now appearing legs to see if you can feel the little snub of a nose coming. Finding the nose means that all is well at this stage an that you are good to go - or rather she is! If you want to help further - always a good idea - then simply hold the legs half way up he cannon bones and GENTLY keep some pressure there as each contraction comes, guiding the legs down towards her hocks not straight out towards you. The head should clear her vulva next, then the shoulders and finally the hindquarters. Keep the baby curving round Jewel's body so that the front legs are almost level with her front legs - she will be able to reach baby's muzzle once she sits up and reaches round - and the hind feet are either still just inside her or just clear of her. As soon as the hindquarters clear the vulva, then take a moment to clear the bag off the baby's head as she/he will now need to take that important first breath.

Do you have a bottle of something to swab the cord with when it breaks? It is always good if the mare will stay laying down for a while to allow the blood to run through the cord from her to her new baby, then the cord will break naturally as the mare gets up. But some mares rush to their feet and the cord gets snapped quickly. Not to worry, but you may see a fair amount of blood coming from the mare's end of the cord - this will stop on its own, but you may need to pinch the foal's end of the cord between your fingers to stop any blood leaking back from her/him - should seal in a few moments but if not, have a thin piece of string (or similar) handy, dip it in your 'swab bottle' to disinfect it and tie it tightly round the end of the cord. Bleeding will stop and the cord stub plus the string will fall off naturally in a few days.

While the foal is lying there, dont forget to check for the sex as you swab the cord - easier to do now before the foal gets up! Then give the foal a bit of a rub down with a dry towel to encourage circulation. It's good if you can get all this done before Jewel gets to her feet - once up she may well not want you interferring with her baby, do be careful as, while a lot of mares are happy to have you near their babies, a lot of mares become very protective for a few days after the birth - a very natural instinct!

Sorry, I seem to have had one of my 'rambling sessions' again LOL!! Will just add my good wishes for a safe and smooth foaling and a healthy little baby! Good luck!!


----------



## Eagle (Apr 23, 2013)

Great post Anna, maybe we should pin that for all the newbies to read.


----------



## cassie (Apr 23, 2013)

I think we should Renee! Great idea! 

So do you have a little bubba at your place yet? As the girls have said if she hasn't gone yet she will foal very soon!! It's very important that you be there for when the foal is born, because even if the foal comes out ok you need to clear the nasal passages so it can breath, my last foal that was born had alot of fluid after birth I had to get him up quick and clear it all out.... And besides all the scary factors it is absoloutly amazing seeing your first little foal arriving to the world, mummas first nickers to her new born baby...

Also have you got a syringe ready in case he she doesn't latch on and you have to milk the mare once or twice and do you have an enema for baby in case he struggles passing that first poop? I'm sure you will be fine us aunties get a might protective of "our" little ones that are born here





Safe foaling!

( gosh now I'm rambling lol sorry)


----------



##  (Apr 23, 2013)

I'm thinking that's a wonderful post, too!!

I'm also thinking of posting some easy manipulations that can be done to help foals that are presentinga little "off"....say with one foot bent down, etc. Nothing harder on a mare's gentle insides than to have a foal present with only one foot and be pulling on just one foot, rather than gently reach in and pull up the other foot so momma can deliver more easily. Maybe something like that would be helpful too.

Cassie, maybe you could rename your thread, and we could copy and paste these things there! I hate to pin too many threads, as we have so many mares to watch we'll push them off the first page! LOL


----------



## Eagle (Apr 23, 2013)

Good idea Diane.


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 23, 2013)

]k well here we are..

all appointsment cancelled for tommorrow..

new friend that foals out horses for others on speed dial with a warning I will be calling her if i need. She said check for the lil feet and nose and if doesnt look her then call her then..she is about 1/2 hour away. She has the colostrum stuff that you get from the vet..IG something...$130 a bottle which I do not want to get unless I need it.

have banamine..tetanus..navel dip iodine, flashlight . heavy sleeping bag etc. Rain coming tonight.

ghere are the pictures...





seems softer right here


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 23, 2013)

_Anna C..that is exactly what I needed to pull all the things I have read all together and make me feel prepared! Thank you!_


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 23, 2013)

oh she is very relaxed around me..she knows i am her buddy. I have not been doing night checks..but think we will be okay


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 23, 2013)

BABY!!!!!

girl black no white all went slick


----------



##  (Apr 23, 2013)

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!

Can't wait for pictures!!!!

WOW! Two more safely on the ground!!! Kankakee at Kinney miniatures just foaled a black pinto colt!!!


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 24, 2013)

question...vet said to give momma and baby both teetanus shot....now? are you sure baby gets one. she was insistant


----------



##  (Apr 24, 2013)

WOW!!!! Just lovely!!!!!

I don't give tetanus shots to mine, so I guess I'm not the one to ask. Don't forget to give mom her Ivermectin wormer within these first 12 hours though, and take momma's halter off so baby doesn't get a leg caught!!!

FANTASTIC pretty little girl!!!!!! Guess we know what you'll be doing tomorrow!!!


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 24, 2013)

sleeping in the barn tonight..

jewel was not current on vaccines...vet gave me tetanus for both..


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 24, 2013)

please anyone who knows..i will leave puter on and check back..heading to my baby now


----------



##  (Apr 24, 2013)

It can't hurt her, so go ahead and give it. It will make you feel better. Best keep the vet happy!!


----------



## Eagle (Apr 24, 2013)

Congratulations she is adorable. Yes if the mum isn't utd with vacc. then a tetnus shot to baby is a good idea.


----------



## AnnaC (Apr 24, 2013)

WOW!! BRILLIANT!! HOORAY!! MANY CONGRATULATIONS!! WELL DONE JEWEL!!






What time did she foal, was everything straightforward? Love the pictures of the little filly - very pretty, cant wait to see more, dont forget to remove that headcollar as Diane says.

Well done to all of you - again many congratulations!!


----------



## cassie (Apr 24, 2013)

wow yay JJ congrats on the gorgeous filly! so very cute!

can't wait to see dry pics





Morning Anna and Renee


----------



## AnnaC (Apr 24, 2013)

Morning Cassie.


----------



## Eagle (Apr 24, 2013)

Morning ladies


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 24, 2013)

cassie..JJ is still waiting to foal..Jewel the paint with a bag and hardly any belly foaled tonight. OMG she is the cutest thing. I am going to need help with her color. I thought she was black ..but even while wet noticed this silver sheen

Now that she is dry you can really see it..esp in places like the outside rear part of back leg. Even her fetlocks have a silvery sheen.

It was a wonderful foaling. I had just packed up to spend the night in the barn. Got in and heard off noises from jewels stall. Flashed the flash lite oveer there and she was down pushing ..ran to house hollered to hubby..and got back in time to see the presentation Immediately saw the 2 staggered fronts and the nose. RELIEF! I did assist as far as just holding foal steady in place as jewel pushed.. Cleared the sac which broke easily.

Baby was up on her legs..which are very straight ands upright in minutes. She still has not nursed as she has been insistent the wall has milk. Finally i put he rin a seemi proper by momma position..who btw is very protective if i mess with baby. sh eis now sucking jewels legs.

She passed meconium stool.. got her tetanus dipped navel, and jewel got 2cc banamine/

Baby does one very weird thing..besides sucking on the wall. SheLIKES to lie down and roll all the way over.She will do it every which way..no distress. Just like she has room now to roll!

She isn't nearly as small as I thought she would be. I am surprised jewel was so small

thanks up EVERY ONE. I am just so happy! safe baby and momma.

and to top it off a very uniquely colored filly!


----------



## AnnaC (Apr 24, 2013)

Well done to you!! WOW, lucky you were on the way to the barn at just the right moment - I know everything went well but there is nothing like the excitement and wonderment of helping a new little life into the world is there!





Make sure you have a busy camera in operation later today!!


----------



## Morganite (Apr 24, 2013)

WoW!! Congrats on your beautiful filly.


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 24, 2013)

i have not slept yet..too excited

I am so glad I didn't mis sit. I had sent pictures to the previous owner who thought maybe she had a da yor 2. I almost didnt stay out in the barn.But then figured i woud rather sleep out there and have nothig h appen then sleep inside and miss it.

I am in love. She is soo funny.

She almost looks like a blue roan..or a silver. The inside o f her legs are silvery. I will get som epictures tomorrow when I have more light then a flashlite.

she is gorgeous. Gorgeous straight legs..big eye. and so darn funny


----------



## countrymini (Apr 24, 2013)

Congratulations!!! She is a beauty!


----------



## Eagle (Apr 24, 2013)

I can't wait for pics


----------



##  (Apr 24, 2013)

CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN!!!

It's my fault Cassie said JJ -- this old mind posted the wrong name I was so excited!!! Forgive me -- GREAT GOING JEWEL!!!!


----------



## atotton (Apr 24, 2013)

Congrats can't wait for more pictures!!


----------



## SummerTime (Apr 24, 2013)

So beautiful!! I love solids! I can't wait to see what color this little gal will be!!


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 24, 2013)

after looking it up online.. I guess blacks can be born with the silver legs and such and usually they are homozygous for black if they have the silver?

So I am thinking she is a true black ..which is awsome too

I have a question

She was having such a hard time finding teat last night I milked about 3 ounces out with plans to bottle feed it to her later if need be.

Jewel was also so engorged I think it was hard for baby to latch. She seems to have gotten it now...little sucks here and there. But Jewel is still very hard. Is there anything I should do?

I do want to thank everypne who told me to move to the barn. I surely would have missed it had it not been for you. It was worth waiting 18 years for. It all happened so fast though I didnt get a chance to even think. . Heck even my foaling bag was over in the other stall. I am so proud of Jewel,. What a wonderful momma


----------



## Eagle (Apr 24, 2013)

You are very welcome, a few of the other girls hadn't understood it when we had said how important it is to be present so we decided to take a firmer aproach.

GET YOUR BLANKET AND MOVE TO THE BARN NOW!






and the great thing is it worked






We have another gorgeous baby to add to our foaling album and everyone is happy





If Jewels udder is still very firm it could mean that baby isn't feeding enough so keep an eye on her, if foals don't eat they go down hill fast so you will see if she isn't up and playing every hour or so.


----------



## lexischase (Apr 24, 2013)

She is stunning! Congratulations!! How is the new filly doing? How is Jewel? Cant wait for dry photos


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 24, 2013)

all are doing good!. I milked jewel right at 12 hours and fed baby 12 cc colostrum. I know it isn't much but it made me feel better. Jewel still has firm udder..but i see baby in position which appears to be nursing. a slurp here a slurp there.

raining..and crap day today.

I am going to try and open up her stall today so as to make it bigger. It's so dark and dingy in the barn. Can really tell after a night sleeping in it.

can't wait for the sun. I am going to rearrange the fence so that they can go out in a few days when it is supposed to be sunny and still not be with the others. JJ and Jewel have this alph competition going on.

wormed jewel a few hours after birthing. Think I got everythig covered thanks to you aunties!

am I right in thinking they still can't have pasture if there is probably fescue in it? it is going to be almost impossible to let them out and keep them off fescue. It is mostly dry lot with sprigs,I guess they would be ok as it is what jewel had been on.

I am surprised at how strong they are...i tried to feed her and she has too much fight.

yeah..i am in love......


----------



## Eagle (Apr 24, 2013)

I am glad all is going well and sorry to hear about the bad weather



You are right in thinking no grazing on fescue whilst Jewel needs to produce milk. They will just have to stay on the dry lot for now. It's a good idea to make her stall as big as possible as you will soon learn



Babies like to wizz arounf A LOT


----------



## Gone_Riding (Apr 24, 2013)

oh, my, my , my! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!


----------



##  (Apr 24, 2013)

As Renee said, what you are looking for is a foal that seems a bit lethargic, or "unbalanced" when she gets to her feet. You can give her lots of stimulation, and a few boosts with the syringe, and she should catch on pretty quick! I'm glad you gave her the added 12 cc's. Good choice!

She's simply lovely!!


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 24, 2013)

LOL she never stops moving..think she must be doing ok! I will keep watch on her thogh...don't want a sick baby.new pictures coming soon...as hubby will upload in a bit. She is so mch prettier today then last night


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 24, 2013)




----------



## countrymini (Apr 24, 2013)

Nawwww just adorable!


----------



## atotton (Apr 24, 2013)

Beauty lil girl


----------



##  (Apr 24, 2013)

SOOOOOOOO CUTE !!!!!!!!!


----------



## Evelynk2000 (Apr 24, 2013)

Too precious for words


----------



## sparklingjewelacres (Apr 24, 2013)

awe.. so very happy for you. I'm so glad everything went well and that you were able to be there. I have read so many posts of even people who do have those mare cams.. and they STILL miss the whole thing by just a few minutes! I DID try for over a month to moniter our little horse.. I only slept ONE night.. the night she foaled as I suppose it was all meant to be for me and for the horse. I can't afford another round in the hospital from fatigue... and it still has been an issue lately for my heart. I sure didnt need it to go into spasms again and head into ER. Some things have to just be weighed out. I never even heard our alarm go off that night.

Congratulations .. a beautiful color.. now I sure hope you can spend time enjoying watching baby and mamma together. a precious time for sure. Every eve.. we go out and let the 3 all run in a large open pen. The baby equates 'Fun' recess time when we come out to work in their pen. Its so fun to have the little baby run around and show off for us.

Hope you can get a bit of rest now... NOT yet..


----------



## AnnaC (Apr 25, 2013)

Oh she's just sooooooooooooooo pretty, very cute too!! As long as she staying active and rushing around, then I would think that she is now getting enough milk. Some foals suck for a minute or two at a time, others like to take 'sips', but hearing slurping noises is always good!

Our vets once said to us that they like to see a foal having 26 swallows each time it drinks and that we should be watching for this - I told them that they were welcome to come and lay down on the floor each time a foal went to drink to be able to see any swallows! LOL!! I'm sure none of our foals have ever stayed there long enough to get 26 swallows done - they are too keen to be off chasing around.





Yes to give baby as much space as possible is pretty important so to expand their barn space and to get a safe area fenced for them as soon as possible would be great.


----------



## SummerTime (Apr 25, 2013)

GORGEOUS!! She is sooo pretty! I love her color!


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 25, 2013)

I think onyx is sick. She doesnt seem to have the spark she did yesterday. I waltched her pee and when I went over to check there was a few globs of bloody mucousy stinky stuff

I am searching for a trialer soI dont have to drive the 2 hours to get mine here. Off to vet..pray


----------



## Gone_Riding (Apr 25, 2013)

Ohhhh I sooo want to kiss her!!





Onyx, is she the baby?!?! Oh no!


----------



## sparklingjewelacres (Apr 25, 2013)

Oh no! The baby? Are you sure the mucus was from baby and not from the mamma plopping it on the ground?? Oh no.. I'm so sad. hoping all goes ok for you. You have done such a great job taking care of this little one and sure would know if something isnt right. Hoping it all goes well to get trailer or to have someone come to help you.


----------



## Eagle (Apr 25, 2013)

Oh no! I surely am






for the little one. Keep us updated as you can.


----------



## atotton (Apr 25, 2013)

I hope she is ok.


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 25, 2013)

when trailering mom and baby what is thebest way to do it? was thinking let themloose in it. Its a 2 horse with divider out but a pole is stillthere


----------



## Riverrose28 (Apr 25, 2013)

Oh no, hope I'm not checking in after you have left! Calm down and take a deep breath, get a childs digital thermonator and put vaseline on it and take the foals temp rectally, check her gums for paleness and check for rapid breathing. Then call the vet and tell them everything, about the mucus, blood, temp, respiration and gum color.See if they can come to your place, it is well worth the emergency call, but if not, yes you can haul in your trailer, bed it down heavily with straw and leave mom and baby loose so baby can lay down if necessary and mom can balance. Good luck, sending prayers, and well wishes, and please let us know how it goes. Don't forget to take those deep breaths!


----------



## Eagle (Apr 25, 2013)

Yes Terry is right, nice deep bed and leave them loose. I am guessing you have spoken to the vet and them coming to you isn't an option?


----------



## MyGoldenSunny (Apr 25, 2013)

Oh no!!!! Hope she will be ok!!!! Best wishes!!!


----------



## ratzo155 (Apr 25, 2013)

Oh no!! Will be praying for you and your little one.


----------



## AnnaC (Apr 25, 2013)

Sending prayers and hoping everything will be ok - well done you for noticing that something wasn't right.


----------



## AnnaC (Apr 25, 2013)

Any news yet?


----------



##  (Apr 25, 2013)

I think I've read through the entire thread looking for a phone number and couldn't find one. Thought maybe I could call and help her gather the information for the vet or help her in some way.

Hoping baby is going to be fine -- and hoping she's only having a reaction maybe to the tetanus shot, or something.

Praying there is no sepsis going on -- this is one beautiful little girl, and I'm hoping the vet arrives quickly, or they can get her there fast!






I am worried sick about this wee one.....


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 25, 2013)

Thanks for checking. I literally feel sick. I have told how my vet retired. Only other vet I am familiar with is the one I called.

I should have just had them come here....but thought ..yeah..cheapo...that I would save the vet call. I drove 1 1/2 to retreive my trailer. then loaded up mom and baby on lots of bedding and went the 30 miles to the vet. IAll went well .

Had a vet I am not familiar with. Took blood levels and she got really good colostrun. no temp. But stoll on thermometer was definetly not good.

she comes back..gives banamine, metronozole( cant spell it same as flagyl) and peniciilin. Says she obviously has a bacterial infection. I asked about costridi whatever it is...she said kind of young for that but that the meds would treat that as well. Of course I knew the treatment was flagyl..She said the next 48 hours are critical.

so i unload momomma and carry baby in to the corral. Put baby dpown and granddaughter says why is she walking on her leg so funny.

she is running but her hoof has flipped all the way knuckled and she is walking on the joint above with her little hoof back. As in i can see thre undersid eof her hoof by standing behind her.

I firmly believe she was not injured in the trailer. I believe something happened when she got her shots.there is no swelling..no obvious pain..just a knuckled hoof

have a call to vet and am waiting.. i do swear..I am nauseas

I did bed trailer..drove very carefully and had mom and bae loose.


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 25, 2013)

crying and overwhelmed


----------



##  (Apr 25, 2013)

PM me your phone number and I'd love to talk with you if you'd like. My phone number is: 863-990-3210 if you'd rather.


----------



## Eagle (Apr 25, 2013)

Crisco Please call Diane, I am sure she can help and at least give you moral support.


----------



## Vansplic (Apr 25, 2013)

Prayers!! Hang in there!


----------



## MyGoldenSunny (Apr 25, 2013)

I'm soooo sorry!!! I so hope that baby girl gets better asap!!!


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 25, 2013)

thank you

talked to Diane. Such a help:>)

talked to vet..who says it is from getting to close to the sciatic nerve ( what I suspected) and that it SHOULD be better in a day or 2.

Mom and baby stalled in small stall..closed off the part I opened. deeply bedded so that she wont tear her top of foot up

Now will look for solid no blood poop and a leg that works. Please continue prayers for Onyx

You would think a vet would know basics of giving a shot??


----------



## Eagle (Apr 25, 2013)

I am sending prayers that the meds kick in fast.


----------



## MyGoldenSunny (Apr 25, 2013)

You are doing a great job taking care of them! Yes, I have come to find that the vet around here just seem to not "care". I try to be my own "vet" most of the time and don't even give shots anyway more when they almost killed my mini Sunny. My horses don't leave my farm anyway so there is no need for them. But in a case like yours she needed the meds. I'm so sorry this is happining, and I bet with the care your taking she recovers!


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 25, 2013)

update....

whew

fast good news. Onyx's leg is almost normal. she is using it normally with just an occasional buckle. Prayers working!

i know she is on banamine and it makes her feel a little better but she just gave her momma 3 good kicks! THAT is the little girl that hit the floor running night before last.

I am very hopeful..thank you all for the suport. I sure neede dit this afternoon


----------



## Eagle (Apr 25, 2013)

We are here for you so don't worry about that and I am praying like mad for her. I am glad she is starting to walk better, that is one less thing to worry about. I am sure she is going to be fine thanks to your quick intervention. Well done for being so on the ball.


----------



##  (Apr 25, 2013)

Sounds just PERFECT!!!!! She'll be getting LOTS OF PRAYERS until we know she is completely healthy again!!!















VERY EXCITING to hear such a speedy turn-around for her little leg!!


----------



## countrymini (Apr 25, 2013)

So good to hear things starting to get better for the little girl. Sending prayers that the healing continues


----------



## Riverrose28 (Apr 25, 2013)

I'm one of those older ladies that only sign on when I have a good reason, this was one of those times. I'm happy to hear that the baby is improving and prayers are working.


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 25, 2013)

thankyou

leg is flopping last time I was out there..But I saw it standing upright the time before so I am pretty sure it will come back. will be keeping a close eye on her and if you don't hear anything from me..she is fine. The only benefit to this new vet is they have 24 /7 staffing....and 7 vets. Think I may be trying out another of them.Of cours eif the meds she gave me saves Onyx..and we have no problems with her leg..I will probably forgive her. Thanks to Diane..we will bebreaking Drs orders and doing banamine by mouth:>) Too bad i can't do the Pen g that way


----------



## sparklingjewelacres (Apr 26, 2013)

Oh wow. So sorry that you are going through this. I hope you can keep your strength up. I am so glad yo were able to call Diane. This is so special that people care like this so much that they are available to help. What a great encouragement of kindness this is. I just feel for you to have all this happen and drain your excitement out. So many things can go wrong with these little ones. .. so hard .. but if its an infection.. acting promptly is just what you did and thankfully got on top of that. Oh wow..hope your night goes ok.


----------



## cassie (Apr 26, 2013)

oh my gosh!! I have only just had a chance to get on here, you poor thing! sounds like a very scary time for you and your little baby, (love her name p.s)

so glad to hear that she is doing well






I'm a vet nurse and I myself hate giving injections, I would much prefer to give orally then inject my poor babies, especially if its in the neck or back :/ very scary

what a great job you have done though working so fast to get her back helalthy again,

good on you


----------



## Eagle (Apr 26, 2013)

No news is good news. Fantastic


----------



## AnnaC (Apr 26, 2013)

Thank you for taking the trouble to keep us all up to date at a time when things must be so stressful for you. Still saying prayers for you and your little one and hoping for a speedy recovery as soon as the meds really kick in - your fast intervention has undoubtedly saved little Onyx's life as bacterial infections can be very dangerous to the little ones, so well done to you!

Sending you big ((((HUGS))))


----------



## cilla (Apr 26, 2013)

Glad the wee one is on the mend. She is in my thoughts and prayers.


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 26, 2013)

It was a good night last night.

I slept in the barn . The one benefit to be sleeping in a metal shell with temps around 36 is if you are a heavy sleeper you will be so cold you will be awake plenty of times to keep an eye on things.





I did notice Onyx shivering when she would lie down. I had bought a dog blanket but had hesitated to use it because it is not velcroe. But I had no choice last night so she did get her blankie.

She seems to be nursing well...as best I could see with a flashlight and between the icicles dripping over my eyes.



Her foot appears to be normal now. Unless I was hallucinating from hypothermia and lack of sleep





I have not been able to catch her pooing. Even yesterday she wasn't pooing often..just icky stuff when she did. Her urine seems clear and dilute all good signs.

she seems frisky enough. The vet yesterday said she acted fine. But that is because she doesnt know what her normal is. she is a fiesty! Last night she had a lil excersize in her small stall. As tight a cirlce as she had to run..she should be a lil barrel horse.

Jewel has a ton of milk. It literally squirts out. I am wondering if i should milk some out so that baby doesnt inhale as much as she ingests.she takes a lil slurp and then shakes her head ..like overload overload

Thank God JJ didnt give birth last night. She was put up in a very nasty stall. I just didnt have any tiime to clean it up yesterday. Thats all i would need is a baby born in total filth...

I just want to thank each and every one of you Aunties. You have been so much help and your support has been so appreciated. I am thankful that i found you.i will put pictures that I took yesterday at the vet..and maybe of a very perky Onyx later today kep praying it is working:>)


----------



## SummerTime (Apr 26, 2013)

So happy to hear she is doing better! Whew! What a scare!


----------



## Eagle (Apr 26, 2013)

oh that is wonderful knews, I am so glad her little foot is back to normal



Putting a closed blanket on her is fine if you are there watching her





If Jewel's udder is very full you could milk her and feed some to Onyx with a syringe, check and see what Diane says as I am not sure if milking her will make her produce even more milk.

Sending hugs to you and prayers to baby girl


----------



## Never2Mini (Apr 26, 2013)

So happy to hear things are going better ! Sending prayers all is totally well soon.


----------



## MyGoldenSunny (Apr 26, 2013)

Wonderful news!!!! Thank goodness she is getting better!


----------



## ratzo155 (Apr 26, 2013)

So Scary!!! Glad to here she is doing better!! I will continue to pray for her.


----------



## AnnaC (Apr 26, 2013)

Thank goodness - great to hear that she's improving and thank you again for keeping us updated. Will be keeping the prayers going until she fully recovers and adding some for you in the hope that you dont take ill with that cold weather.


----------



## sparklingjewelacres (Apr 26, 2013)

Be sure to take care of yourself today. Glad baby is doing better.


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 26, 2013)

just put some yogurt and banamine down. neither Jewel or her are very happy with me.

she did have a large black formed tarry stinky poo. Iknow that is not good as it is obviously blood and infection./.but it is slightly formed and not mucous..so maybe a good sign>? Tarry stool is an indication of digested blood..so wondering if I should call the vet. surely she can't bebleeding up higher in her GI tract? She is still jaundiced today. Not terrible but not great. I am hoping it will resolve itself. She continues to be frisky..as long as she drinks and stays hydrated gets her meds, there is not much left to do.. we are almost at the 24 hour of the crucial 24-36 hours.

not to be gross but what should her poo look like at this age. born 2 nights ago? lOLOL wasn't she?


----------



## Gone_Riding (Apr 26, 2013)

Oh bummer... I hope she pulls out of it. I've never had a newborn foal, so I don't know. I pray she gets better quick!


----------



## Eagle (Apr 26, 2013)

Foals stool at 2 days should be a yellowy orange colour, the darker stools come straight after birth as the foals clears out the meconium. I would call your vet and let them know everything you are seeing. Is she taking ulcer meds? Is she rolling or acting colicky at all? How often is she feeding and is Jewels udder going down after she has eaten?

Sorry loads of questions, I am just trying to get the full picture





Sending hugs and


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 26, 2013)

she seems to nurse just about everytime I step outside. she is a sipper..and it doesnt appear jewels bag goes down..but she is so very full and with baby sipping I am not surprised. I am watching her urine. She is peeing often and it is diluted very nicely. She is not on an ulcer med. Can you tell me what I need?

She is not rolling or acting colicky. She does have some gas though.


----------



## sparklingjewelacres (Apr 26, 2013)

Since she passed the meconium blacker poo... I would think you should start seeing yellowish brown blobs and not thick black ones at this early stage. Oh.. hope it isnt blood in the poo. I only have our baby and what I have read to compare to. I think you did so right in milking out that colostrum and giving the baby some to insure she did indeed get enough of it in those early crucial times. So.. you must be feeling so nerved at this time not knowing what is wrong or what to do. So hard not knowing!


----------



## sparklingjewelacres (Apr 26, 2013)

I wonder if perhaps.. she hadnt passed all of her meconnium black poo and it was blocked up inside? Maybe that still needed to get its way on through her digestion track. Has she had any yellowish poo yet come out?


----------



## Eagle (Apr 26, 2013)

Normally if you give benamine it is a good idea to give ulcer meds immediately as a prevention. Also the journey and being handled and receiving injections can cause stress. I would ask your vet what you can give her. Here in Italy it is sold by the box and it is expensive so maybe your vet could supply you with just the amount needed for such a small foal. You could call Diane as she will advice you.

Peeing is a good sign, you could also check her skin and gums to see if she is hydrated. To do a skin test pull out a small amount of skin on her neck and let it go, if it goes back into place she is fine, if it remains raised it is a sign of dehydration. (Practise on one of your other horses so you know what to expect) To check her gums lift her lips and see what colour her gums are, then press firmly then release, the colour should go pale as you apply pressure and then return pink as you release. This is a sign of good circulation.

If you need anything just let me know as I am here for a few hours.

Hugs


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 26, 2013)

i thought the vet said yesterday to get some maalox or other human ulcer med. But when I talked to her today she didnt remember me saying that. ..Pretty sure I heard her......

she passed 2 large hard meconium stools shortly after her birth.

from there..and I believe it was the first night..could have been her first day she passed a somewhat mucousy stool. I do not rememer othert hen thinking I am not sure that is right.Then I saw the bloody mucous blops,,and now we are at black soft but formed. ,,and am sure they are bloody not just meconium. It is foul smelling as well. She has not passed anything that resembles normal stool

It was quite the job to blanket her. She is not lacking in strength.

I looked all over for my 60 cc syringes so that I could milk her..but I gave them to the hubby for some brake fluid job on the car. Will go find some tomorrow. I did hand milk 1/2 c from jewel and it didnt hardly change her bag any.Still really hard..but baby is still nusing. I have seen her latch on several times today for good drinks andmany slurps though out the day.

If anyone knows of any OTC meds for ulcer protection please let me know.


----------



## AnnaC (Apr 26, 2013)

Diane will certainly be able to advise you about ulcer meds as there are several different types, plus I think you can use some human ones, but not sure what is best for a foal of her tender age. I am thinking that perhaps the dark smelly poo is the combind result of the infection and the meds? The fact that it is soft and that she is not having to strain to pass it is good. I also think that it sounds as though she is getting enough 'food', but do do a quick skin and gum test, as suggested by Renee, to keep a close eye out for dehydration and/or any circulation problems.

Keep Jewel on her mushy feed and possibly pick her some grass while she is being kept 'contained' just as a precaution against colic, and when things are ok again and you are ready to let them both out, I would suggest keeping Jewel on a lead rope for a couple of days or so, letting her graze in hand as she may want to take off for a good run round after being stalled - not good for little Onyx as she will be lacking in energy and feeling a bit below par having had an infection. Just take it carefully for a few days.

Still sending prayers, look after yourself, you are doing a fabulous job under very difficult and stressful circumstnaces. Good luck!


----------



## Riverrose28 (Apr 26, 2013)

OTC you can use maylox, tagament, or phillipps milk of magnizia if you think she is stopped up. Keep all water away from her as you want her to nurse only. You can offer a little grain or let her eat Moms hay. Keep an eye on her temp., anything over 101 for any length of time should be told to your vet. As Renee recommended keep an eye on her gum color. Also watch for any swelling or dribbling from her stump. Any lameness needs to be reported ASAP. I'm actually amazed mthat your vet prescripted penn, instead of something else, but each bateria has its own fight. It is thick and hard to inject. with the dose of banimine, make sure it is just a tiny amount, about the size of a Q tip on the edge of your finger and no more, put it on your finger, do not put the syringe in the foals mouth; and it should not be given for much time at all, just a day or so, then reduced unless your vet advises otherwise. Some vets are just not used to minis, and it is so different then the big guys.


----------



## Riverrose28 (Apr 26, 2013)

Sorry for the second post, but you should know, since her resestence is low, do not leave her outside in any bad weather, and that includes the bright sunshine, for any length of time, they will lay in the sun and their temp will go up as well as respiration. Good luck.


----------



## sparklingjewelacres (Apr 27, 2013)

Oh my.. hoping you are doing ok today with so much happening at once. I'm thinking you were able to contact someone for help.


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 27, 2013)

uipdate on our lil onyx..

Jewels milk has gone down. I decreased her feed just a little bit..and milked 1/2 cup yesterday when she was so tight. Onyx is drinking very good.i was out cleaning the stall and she latched and sucked well several times. I do not think Jewel is squirting anymore.

Onyx remains very strong. She is peeing well.I did not see a poop.I will do the skin test and mm check today. but as long as i see nice diluted pee I am happy.

She just doesn't act at all like a sick foal. Continues to be very fiesty.very happy!






i have no pictures today but these were taken on vet day.The foal blanket is a meduim dog coat. I cut the front and replaced with velcoe..so now i dont have to worry when I am not right there. AND I actually slept inmy house last night! She had checks at 1 am and 6 am..and she was fine with out me, Blessed sleep!


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 27, 2013)

is she really big for a mini? Jewel is 33 and some inches


----------



##  (Apr 27, 2013)

She's got wonderful long legs, and looks to be a tall girl when standing next to her momma!

So glad she's continuing to improve!!


----------



## AnnaC (Apr 27, 2013)

Thank you for the update, it sounds as though she is really making good progress. She looks very cute in her dog blankie!


----------



## Eagle (Apr 27, 2013)

Thanks for updating us. I am so glad she is holding strong, well done, you are doing a great job. She is adorable and looks so cute in her pj's. She looks about the right size to me


----------



## sparklingjewelacres (Apr 27, 2013)

So glad things are going better and that you got some sleep.


----------



## amystours (Apr 27, 2013)

Awww!!! Precious!!!


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 28, 2013)

I let onyx and jewel out today. baby seems to have a lot of gas..and I havenot seen a poop..so figured a little play time couldnthurt. Boy can she move..have some awsome video of her. Heres a puicture for you all. She continues to do well..a lil worried about no poo and gas. ..otherwise doing awsome


----------



## MyGoldenSunny (Apr 28, 2013)

Oooooh so is so cute!!!! So glad she is getting better!


----------



##  (Apr 28, 2013)

Soooooo sweet!!!!!

I'd let the vet know tomorrow if she is having lots of gas. We don't want her to get a gas colic -- so perhaps a little Milk of Magnesia will help stimulate her bowel. Baby poops are REALLY hard to find, so maybe you've just missed them. After her ordeal, she may not have a lot to poop out, maybe just one little apple -- very easy to miss. But it doesn't hurt to let the vet know if she's passing lots of gas and you're sure there is no poop.

Praying for her continued recovery! She's just beautiful !! Momma did a wonderful job on making such a lovely little one!


----------



## Gone_Riding (Apr 28, 2013)

She sounds like she's doing good though... Hopefully, you just missed it!


----------



## Eagle (Apr 28, 2013)

Oh she is adorable



I am glad the weather was good enough for then to get some fresh air. As Diane said baby poop is hard to find but it is a good idea to let the vet know if she is having gas, they will give her something to relieve the pain


----------



## cassie (Apr 28, 2013)

oh she is beautiful! congratulations I'm so very glad that she is doing so well and improving! she is lovely, and the perfect height


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 29, 2013)

ok guys...here is the long awaited poop . I am pretty sure this is not what a 5 day old foals poo is supposed to look like. It does look more formed at least so that is good. .Before vet and meds it is was blood and mucous.

She is on pen g, metronlzole, yogurt, and pepto, what do u all think? the white thing is a glove so you can see better the color..


----------



## Eagle (Apr 29, 2013)

wow, there is a lot of it for such a young foal. Was this today? I imagine the dark colour is due to the meds she is taking. As long as she is happy and full of energy I wouldn't worry too much. What does your vet say?


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 29, 2013)

this is from today..I think maybe she is not going regularly as it has been awhile since i saw any poo from her. It was black and tarry before she started any meds. Vet figures its blood. but is an improvement form red and mucous stool


----------



##  (Apr 29, 2013)

An improvement over her bloody mucous. So, maybe this will be the last of the clean-out stool, and she'll turn the corner to regular little apples. Looks like quite a bit -- so we'll still watch and see!

As long as she's still active -- we won't worry.


----------



## crisco41 (Apr 30, 2013)

Onyx has learned to like her yogurt. It is pretty darn cute if i say so myself. She had no stool at all today...and now I do trust if I don't find it -it didnt happen. Her poop is pretty obvious and hard to miss.

After a day of wagging her tail I called Diane to get the scoop on enemas. I gave her 1/2 an adult saline fleet..with results pretty quick. Dark brown/black stool..followed by a few little balls of dark brown. Not as much as yesterday but enough. Not yellow and soft as a nursing baby is supposed to have.I called a vet to see if they could test it for occult blood ...but they do not have the test papers. I will se eif they have some at walmart

She is being treated with the flagyl..and pen G which is a treatment for _clostridia_.The disease is terrifying and I scare myself everytime I look it up. Has anyone delt with this illness? I feel guilty because I didnt get her washed prior to foaling and nursing:

Today Temp was 101.7 degrees, gums light pink, capillary refill good, skin test skin good, urine dilute. Coat is shiney, she has spring to her step..only thing that concerned me today was the constant tail wagging and no poo. She may still be a little jaundice but i am not sure

She has been alive for 1 week now. Amazing that I have fallen in love so quick.

I could not find maalox..but _did find mylanta..can I use this if I need to give banamine?_ and also found a gas reliever OTC med that comes recommended online as a treatment for gas in horses. I do not want to give much pepto becasue of her hard stool..and because I want to see her real color of her poo but have read it is good for foals with her suspected illness because it binds with toxins...

sorry so long..but that is the scoop on Onyx today


----------



## Eagle (Apr 30, 2013)

I am glad she is looking perky




any bio sponge you give her is likely to bung her up which she doesn't need. I would talk to you vet about her not pooping as that is not good for her. They might suggest another enema or decide to give her more fluids. In a perfect world she would be better with an IV of fluids and her milk intake reduced but it isn't easy to do without experience.

Remember to wash her tail and backside when she poops cos the bacterial infested poop can burn her baby skin. Also remember to wash your hands after touching her as it is contagious to humans.

Keep up the good work cos you are doing great


----------



## sparklingjewelacres (Apr 30, 2013)

Oh wow.. so sorry you are going through all of this. It is so good that she pooped.. it at least means she has been eating something. I recognize that bacteria you mentioned.. yes.. a bad one for the intestinal tract. We raise goats.. and only vaccinate them with CD-T which is for the bacteria Clostridium Perfringins and the C type of that Bacteria maybe what your little horse has as you may know. The 'D' type is more of a problem for goats to create 'pulpy kidney disease' and is why we have to vaccinate. I do not think horses have an approved vaccination for this and your mares are perhaps immune to it. Do not blame yourself. I washed our mare off several times and she would go find the yeckiest mud.. urine soaked straw to rub and roll her udder in it and I would try to clean it up again only to see her in the mud again. You have taken good care of your horse and done well to get her to the vet when you did. If indeed she does have that bacteria infection.. it is good she has done as well as she has -as it is a bad one for babies.. goats and other animals to get. Again.. so sorry.. and praying for you. Hang in there. You must be just so exhausted.


----------



##  (Apr 30, 2013)

There is no vaccine for horses for clostridia, but although there is a test that can be done, most vets look at foals with diarrhea at her age and guess clostridia -- and treat for it. They don't even test for it, because diarrhea in foals can be so life threatening they don't wait for the results.

I think I'd have another discussion with the vet -- because she is not having diarrhea at all, since the initial problem, and I'm kind of surprised that if she truly had the disease, I would think her diarrhea would continue past her 1 or 2 episodes. Instead, she's not pooping.

Something just doesn't make sense to me and I can't quite put my finger on it, as they say.......

I'm encouraged by the different poop behind all the black, tarry poop. I'm hoping we'll see more of that tomorrow -- it will certainly make me feel better. The enema should have made her feel better in the tummy, and hopefully some of her tail wagging will have stopped.

I would suggest that tomorrow you call and question the vet to discuss these past few days since she's been on medication, and let her know the diarrhea completely stopped after the first day, and she is not pooping but once every other day (in huge quantity), and then today with the enema (and describe it). Let them know she has good energy, is nursing well, is playing well, has no fever, etc., and see if they want to continue treating her for the clostridia -- or perhaps these past few days may shed some light on something else for them. I would speak to the equine vet, however, and what I would do is prepare a "time line" on paper with the different things that have been going on -- and make sure you make them understand you are giving them the timeline of events so they can see how she has been reacting to the medication.

I'm thrilled that she continues to do so well, and that you are so attentive to her changes. You have saved her life, and we will work through this problem.

Talk to you tomorrow! I'm here if anything changes.


----------



## crisco41 (May 1, 2013)

I called the same vet clinic but requested a different doctor. Maybe I stepped on some toes..but he is the horse vet I had requested in the beginning, that was off.

It was soo very helpful all the posts I made about her..her behavior and esp her stools. there is a regualr diary of onyx's life on here very ez to fill vet in.

I think I am going to make an appointment for friday with him. Just as a good follow up.

He said to keep her on the metronozole. (sp i know,,can't say it either



,,,) and the Pen g

give her access to water, maybe even syringe some. To check her rectum with a finger and only use a fleet saline enema when i feel hard stool.

watch her temp..keep her hydrated..and that is about it.

I think I may try formula supplement. He seemed to think if she is not pooping she is not getting enough milk. I think her GI tract has just slowed down..surely she wouldnt be gaining steadily with muscle and shiney coat i\f she is not getting enough milk?

he said some virus's affect horses this way..duh thought we were treating a bacterial infection.





any hoo...gave onyx the other half of the enema this monring. Her poop itself looked much better.Pics coming soon! OH GOODY . Was brown..formed no blood. Not terribly hard..and not loose.Boy that tells ya alot huh? What I didn't like was it had tisse shreds in it. Vet wanted to call it mucous..it was not mucous.It was tissue.Prob as inflamed as her bowels were its not too alrming?

she is a pistol. Now she has decided if i touch her rear end by her tail..it is the cue for full out kick ya's. I know it is sooooo bad of me but it is soo adorable.She jumps things in her way and has figured out how to jump out the barn door because of a step down.anyway as usual pics when hubby canget home and upload them


----------



## sparklingjewelacres (May 1, 2013)

Oh can't wait for pictures. Well.. you have been able to weigh out all of these things and know best what is really going on. She probably initially had a bacterial infection.. then now it is probably all the meds (antibiotics) slowing her gut down.(Which you probably have already concluded) Is there a powder type probios you could even mix in with the yogurt? Her little gut may not have the enzymes it needs to get things digested. I think with the brown poops, hopefully you are getting there.


----------



## AnnaC (May 1, 2013)

Sorry, just doing a catch up here. I just want to say what a wonderful Momma you have been and are being to little Onyx, she couldn't have better attention anywhere.





It sounds as though she is making good progress, bacterial infections can really lay a foal low, plus all the meds cause havoc with their delicate little systems. She is just an amazing little girl, such a fighter to have stayed full of life and energy with all this going on, bless her! I think you are right to stick with the equine vet from now on, but if he wont come out just to do a check over, I'm not sure that I would transport again to see him - he would get a better idea of her 'active' ways if she was on her home ground!

Good luck, my prayers are continuing. Cant wait for some more pics - even if they include close-ups of poo!!


----------



## crisco41 (May 1, 2013)

alrighty then...i will start with thepoop! I hope colon lining can rejuvenate. no further poos today..and none I could feel in her rectum. he said I would be able to put a finger in there.Hers is very tiny..I was able to get a lil finger there..but that was pretty hard.

temp 101.8


now the fun part...








I hope we will be over this soon..I can not imagine losing her


----------



##  (May 1, 2013)

She's looking great!!! With no temperature, we just need to get her gut moving again. The brown poop is great!! She's on her way!

I know someone said probios here, but I'm going to make a different suggestion. Don't think I'm crude, but to get the natural flora back into her system, I would pick up some clean poop from momma, crush it and mix it with the yogurt or with momma's milk and syringe into baby. Foals normally eat their mom's poop to add the proper bacteria to their systems as they get a little older. But adding mom's poop to her "diet" might just get her system working with all the proper enzymes. Sounds gross, but it just might work!

She's looks just great! So perky!


----------



## crisco41 (May 1, 2013)

tail is constantly wagging. I have no idea why...She is more mellow today...but it may be she is getting used to being handled. She snuggles now..once you catch her of course!

Diane I actually thought about that..but then I saw her eating some of moms fresh. So do you think I should anyway? I know when I had an orphan foal given to me..I had to put some horse stool with him to get things going

SO..anyone know...with intestinal /colon lining...if thats what it is and I would bet it is....does it rejuvenate?? I need to look that up :>/

still this is good right? better then blood and mucous blobs


----------



##  (May 2, 2013)

If she's doing it on her own, then maybe it's nature's way of getting her going, and she's "fixing things" on her own.

I certainly think that her current poop is more "postivie" than the blood and mucous she was having. I would say that any skin would rejuvenate, and she must be sloughing off something or damaged in her bowel. Just like an ulcer would heal and close over, if she's shedding damaged tissue, then new tissue is probably taken it's place, pushing the old off.

Never seen anything like it before, but we'll just have to continue to watch and monitor how she does.

It sounds like this vet is at least listening to you -- which I think is an improvement -- and with the information you're able to give, should keep him up-to-date with her symptoms and reactions. I think that's very positive in the process.

As long as she is fever free then it may be just giving enough time for healing to occur. The tail flagging could just be a reaction that she's still not feeling 100% or something just is still bothering her. But she sure is better than she was.

Keep us posted. Praying like mad that it all gets figured out!


----------



## blazingstarranch (May 2, 2013)

Congrats on your sweet baby, and may I say wow, you sure have been through a lot. You've held up like a champion, and things are looking good. You deserve a big pat on the back for everything you are doing for your foal. I'm so impressed and I know you have a huge fan club rooting for you!!!


----------



## AnnaC (May 2, 2013)

Those pictures are great, she looks just perfect - amazing considering all that she is going through and it's all thanks to your brilliant care and attention.





i agree that if she's picking and nibbling at Momma's poo it could be a good sign that instinct is helping her to get her gut back to normal. Has the vet said how long she needs to continue with the meds? Fingers crossed that she is now over the worst and will make steady progress towards a full recovery.





Keep those pictures coming -she is just soooooooooooo cute!


----------



## crisco41 (May 2, 2013)

thank you guys. I so appreciate the uplifting messages.I just love her so much. She is everything I have wanted for a very long time.

She was extremely strong last night. Was a job for my husband and me to hold her while I gave her her shot. I HATE shots. I have been using the back leg muscle..is there another safe place to im a foal. She has got to be like hamburger in those muscles.

This morning she was very fiesty. Took several good kicks at me when i tried to catch her. And HARD to give the shot to. she is a pistol for sure.

I think i am going to do the feed the poop thing today. I will mix it in her yogurt..surely it may help and cant hurt?.

the vet had said to keep her on the peniciilin shots until her stool turn normal and then do 2 more days, I wonder if yesterdays stool could be considered normal? what do you think?

she wil be on the metro 10 days...sunday morning will be her last dose.

Considering how she is...do you think i should make an appointment with a vet? There is a very good horse vet..*not* from the clinic I have been using... I would have to trailer her there...I really can't do the farm call charge. It is a minimum of $100 just to get here. Of course if it was critical i would do it..but considering everything ..again..what do you think?>

I have a feeling we have turned the corner. It will be such a relief to know she is 100% fine!


----------



## ratzo155 (May 2, 2013)

She looks great! Sounds like she is on the mend.

I understand about vet trip charges, we don't live close to a good vet either so it is always expensive to have them out.

I will leave the advice for the experienced ladies. It sure seems like what you are doing is working.

Praying for continued health for Onyx and all your critters.


----------



## sparklingjewelacres (May 2, 2013)

OH she is just a beautifully shaped little filly. AND she looks to have a good weight and the stout little baby horse bottom too. She must be getting enough of something. That poop also looked like it had digested grass fibres in it.. probably from eating her mamma's poo. Our baby filly sure ate a lot at the first 3-5 days enough to get me almost worried but horses evidently require a lot more bacteria enzymes in the gut than other animals. All of this has been a great learning experience at the expense of your little filly but we do appreciate you providing all this information to us all. It has caused me to really read up as much as I can. So happy she is doing better. For her to shed the tissue like that without any blood involved I would say is a good thing. It must mean ..the body has repaired the area quite well.

You must make sure in all of this .. that you have your husband take a picture of you with this baby. It will mean so much for a later time to look back on.


----------



## cassie (May 2, 2013)

wow she is looking great and so healthy considering what she has been going through poor baby girl!


----------



## AnnaC (May 3, 2013)

If she is nibbling at Momma's poo naturally, then I'm not sure that I would be giving her extra in the yoghurt?? Never having been through what you are going through I may be wrong about this, so hoping someone else will have an answer for you!


----------



##  (May 3, 2013)

How is her poo looking now?

Such a pretty fiesty girl -- I'm hoping she's turned the corner for you, and you can do a bit more relaxing and watching her.

I'll check here to see your answer during work, but as always, if you need anything, please feel free to call!


----------



## crisco41 (May 3, 2013)

here's the poop scoop----------- None that I could find. Did digital check last night and she did have soft formed stool there.it was yellowish brown in color on my glove.

I am going to calll it normal..and pretend like stool in the last few days is normal and pull her off the pen G. last night I gave her her pen g shot and it poured back out of her muscle. Granted it was a larger gauge needle..but i don't care. She has had no snotty mucous stool for days and she was on the pen 7 days...so hope it is ok..but i am done shooting her.

I did give her some frozen colostrum I had milked from Jewel yesterday by syringe.hoping that it will loosen her up..dont remeber if i told you all that already.

I am going kinda a different route.

She is strong, fiesty. and full of herself. Hasn't been running any temps and her eyes dont look jaundice anymore to me. A normal foal woud be running and playing and other then naps in constant motion. I think excersize and some room would help so I threw the momma and baby out in the " pasture" lol really no grass..: yesterday with the herd for awhle -granted it is not large but plenty of room for her to be a real foal. I had kept JJ stalled as I expected some trouble with jewel and her there.

I put JJ in wiht them today and Jewel decided to kick and carry on. So jj is stalled and the rest are running free.

I am stalling Jewel and baby at night....but on nice nights I will not be doing that either,

I will check her rectum tonight and give an enema if i feel anything. She has i think 4 more days of metro i will of course keep he ron. I will give yogurt and some more mares milk. But I am no longer going to treat her like a "sick" foal. I think maybe with antibiotics andn ature she will be fine...

Jewel is doing fine with everyone..except JJ..butboth want to rule the roost around here

if you remember snow flak...when i got her i could feel every bone..even her spine stuck up..not a great clip job but i think you can see a good difference


----------



##  (May 3, 2013)

I, personally, agree with all your plans! It sounds just perfect -- that digital check -- and I think she's been through enough with those pen shots!!

Fabulous --being outside, I'm sure she just loved it! She's so fiesty and otherwise healthy -- I'll bet she'll be just fine. We just know we need to check her for poop periodically to make sure her gut is moving normally. You have really saved her life, and should be proud of yourself for all your hard work. She is a beautiful baby!!!

And I can't believe Snowflake! What a fabulous change in her! She, too, is on her way to full health. She's looking GREAT!!! What a change!

She's a lucky girl to have found you -- you saved her too!!


----------



## Eagle (May 4, 2013)

Yes I agree with your plan of action too, we all know that she is in wonderful hands and that she is a very lucky girl to have such an attentive and loving owner.

As for Snowflakw, WOW




she is coming on just fanastically


----------



## AnnaC (May 4, 2013)

Oh WOW!! What an improvement - many congratulations!! And yes I agree with the others, give little Onyx a break from those nasty jabs etc and just keep a good eye on her. Outside time with friends is great too!!





Oh and give yourself a HUGE pat on the back!!!


----------



## crisco41 (May 4, 2013)

thanks everyone. This will be the last update on onyx..unless i need some help. These were taken a few days ago....thanks again

now we wait for JJ:>)


----------



##  (May 4, 2013)

What a happy, healthy little girl!! She looks fabulous -- and she owes it all to you and your wonderful care.

I hope you will share a few pictures as she grows! She is just lovely -- the little spitfire!!


----------



## crisco41 (May 7, 2013)

all is well..

figured i would update on JJ..since it has been awhile. Shi is HUGE. I feel bad for her. I just can not believe that tiny jewel went first.so here's pictures of JJ







and of course onyx:>)




I had to come back to add.. night check all looked the same. her bag doesn't look like much but just "for fun" i decided tp try and see if anything could be expressed. She had clear thin. non sticky. slightly tinted yellow as in sap liquid.

I do not know if she is a maiden but I think she has had at least one foal because the paperwork that followed her journey did show a foal at one time that.

you all called it perfect for me last time...is it time to move to the barn>?


----------



## AnnaC (May 8, 2013)

WOW!! Look at that tummy - mind that post jj!!

She's looking really good, but do feel she needs to do a bit more shopping yet? Such a pretty girl.


----------



## Eagle (May 8, 2013)

She looks great and I agree with Anna, a bit more shopping is in order. Onyx looks fab!


----------



##  (May 8, 2013)

WOW~ she looks really good. A bit more shopping, and of course getting baby in position -- so I think you have a little time before having to move into the barn. But she could certainly change quickly!

Thanks for the picture of Onyx! She's such a little beauty!


----------



## crisco41 (May 8, 2013)

funny story..she seemd restless last night so i spent the night miserably with a sleeping bag on some bales of straw...I had no idea that anything could be worse then my saggey bed. Bales shift and separate, sag..and it didnt help that JJ could reach the bale between her stall panels and eat the darn thing right out from under me!.Miserable night..

this morning once I had finally fell asleep betweenst the chewing, and sagging, and freezing, and barn cat that thinks she has a bed partner now...I hear a frantic husband shouting for me on his way to work. Guess when he didnt find me in the bed, or on the couch, or on the army cot in the barn he must have freaked. I mean really...where would I go? Not much danger of someone my age being kidnapped from her house to be a sex slave or anything





besides our town is a whopping 1200 people.

anyway he shouts out my name ..probably waking the the whole neighborhood.. I could hear the panic in his voice. I amswered from my stupor..and i hear him say..quite angrily actually.."you scared me to death" then off he trotted to work.

moral of the story..wait until the aunties tell you to pack up your sleeping bag and move to the barn LOLOL

and nothing new on jj


----------



## AnnaC (May 8, 2013)

LOL!! Poor man, bless him!

I do think you have a short hile to go yet, however as you know these girls can be sneaky! She could drop the foal into the delivery position with a couple of good rolls, fill that udder when foaling and catch us all on the hop! Keep an eye on the colour inside her vulva, then if the other 'signs' look to be changing fast, moving to the barn will be on the agenda.


----------



## Eagle (May 8, 2013)

I agree with Anna, she looks like she has a lit work to do yet but just keep checking all those signs



Tell hubby not to worry as wild cats couldn't drag you away when a foal is due


----------



##  (May 8, 2013)

LOVE the story!! I mean, where else would you go? Gotta watch that pretty little momma! You're doing great!


----------



## SummerTime (May 8, 2013)

LOL!!! Great story! I'm not envious one little bit of anyone watching their mares right now!! The things we do and go through for them....


----------



## crisco41 (May 8, 2013)

I told husband..unless there is a little hoof waving and beconing me I am sleepinginmy bed. I canhardly walk today..not sure if it was sleeping on the bales..or the 3 wheel barrows full of wet slimey manure I hauled out of the barn entrance yesterday.Even these lil horses arenot for wimps!


----------



## sparklingjewelacres (May 9, 2013)

Oh wow! You must be so exhausted. My high energy days of doing such things are evidently over for good. I have a way of getting over fatigued anymore easily and almost had another heart spasm issue take me down & I will do what ever I can to stay away from that hospital and doctors as they just start a bunch of guesses and medications. I'm learning to deal with this and it is hard as I have always had good active health. Just be careful you don't over do it. A good rest will keep you from a lot of other health problems or virusses that can weaken your immune system and heart.


----------



## sparklingjewelacres (May 9, 2013)

Oh .. and I love your calendar picture by the way. Hope you are getting some time to relax and take some baby pictures of your little dark Onyx. Sure wonder what color that baby will turn out to be.


----------



## crisco41 (May 9, 2013)

my days of high energy are for sure over...i know when i have over done it. I can not be old yet at 56! as for ONyx..I do not know what color she will be. She seems lighter now then before. Her momma is a sorrel roan and dad is a black..I think we have 50 % of her being a blue roan. I would love that..but a solid black is nice too!. She seems to have grown in to her legs. I loved those long legs! Villa the lady I got her momma from says she has the blue boy head. I just dont know..much about all that..i think she is just cute. She is much calmer and she seems healthy but I wonder where her spark went? It just gives me something more to concern myself with. the picture is onyx dad. and we all know jewel! I will have to ask villa about the picture of her full sister. That lil mare is beautiful, I can probably post on here where to find her:>)


----------



## crisco41 (May 9, 2013)

oh and I am sorry t hear of your heart problems. YES avoid the dastardly hospital at all costs. and do take care of yourself


----------



## AnnaC (May 9, 2013)

Yes you need to look after yourself - gotta keep fit for the next 'event'!! I'm sure little Onyx is fine - a lot of babies seem to settle down a bit after the first week or so, especially if they are having plenty of outside time. They seem to suddenly concentate on nibbling at the grass (and other interesting thins!) rather than racing around all the time.




No need to tell you to keep an eye on her anyway is there!

Hows jj looking today? Any new pics??


----------



## crisco41 (May 10, 2013)

okay.....................

everyone please read and look at picture in my post #346

what do you think of onyx dad. he is a 2 x reserve world champion. He is homozygous for black, And he is coming to my pasture for good this summer.

what do you all think????I have been sooo blessed!!!!!! Thanks you Villa!!!!


----------



##  (May 10, 2013)

/monthly_05_2013/post-45019-0-42106900-1368123926_thumb.jpg

He's beautiful, and CONGRATULATIONS!!! He has a neck that goes on forever -- something so many minis just don't have. Nice throat-latch too. You're a luck girl!!! How tall his he? He looks small -- seeing that hand in the picture!

Every little girls dream -- a "black stallion" !!


----------



## crisco41 (May 10, 2013)

Diane..please pinch me. I can not believe it..


----------



##  (May 10, 2013)




----------



## amystours (May 10, 2013)

Bwahahaha!!!


----------



## crisco41 (May 10, 2013)

LOLOL is buhahaha like oh man you luck..or buhahaha like..OMG i can just see it now...Lori overrun with foals in a year or 2?


----------



## AnnaC (May 11, 2013)

Ooooooooooooooo how exciting - he's gorgeous!! So does this mean that you will be putting yourself through all this stress and exhaustion again during next year's foaling season???


----------



## crisco41 (May 11, 2013)

oh Anna hush now :>)

and he is about 32 inches,..,he won champion reserve like 10 years ago.. he is a son of that drunk in the dark horse whats his name.LOL getting giddy need sleep....hahahah


----------



## AnnaC (May 11, 2013)

Martin's Boozer after Dark??????????


----------



##  (May 11, 2013)

crisco41 said:


> oh Anna hush now :>)
> 
> and he is about 32 inches,..,he won champion reserve like 10 years ago.. he is a son of that drunk in the dark horse whats his name.LOL getting giddy need sleep....hahahah



I can't belive she called him that "drunk in the dark horse". Yes, Anna, he's the son of Martins Boozers After Dark, an AMHA National Grand Champion and sire of 7 Nationally placed foals : 1 Reserve National Champion, 3 National Champions, 1 Reserve World Champion and 1 World Champion and her new boy a 2X Reserve National Champion !! So, this time, having a "drunk" father is quite all right!


----------



## crisco41 (May 11, 2013)

I like this horse alot and feel very blessed to be offered him. I am having some reservations tho. I do have some mares..and I do enjoy breeding and foaling. Love the babies. I am just concerned about a non existent market out there. Sure I CAN breed horses..but can I sell them? I am not financial;ly secure enough to have 6 foals and no way to place them. Guess I need to think...........


----------



##  (May 11, 2013)

He's a beautiful stud, but you are wise in deciding how many babies to breed for. Only breed for what you can afford to keep, if the market stays the way it is -- as a "just in case".

Maple Hollow breeds for may babies each year - perhaps you should go to her thread and ask about how successful her sales are -- or if she's breeding to keep. Many breed to increase and improve their own herds, and many of us in the past few years have only bred for 1 or 2 babies a year or even none at all.

You are VERY wise to consider it now -- just breed your best mare or two if you want to see what you get. A "stunning" baby with a great pedigree is still a baby that should sell if the price is right. So, you have lots to think about. Having a stallion doesn't mean you have to put every mare in foal, and I applaud you on your careful consideration of this now. Good job!

Can't wait to see a baby or two from him again next year, though!


----------



## crisco41 (May 14, 2013)

Checking on the board i see mares are just dropping them out..And here is jj..the helium filled ballon with legs,,still hanging tough. If she was seen breeding in july..perhaps she will go until June,. Whateve rit takes..we want a fully baked cookie.

She is so very big..kinda just waddling these days, Have some folks say maybe she was bred to a bigger horse..others say maybe twins.

she had cvlear liguid non sticky the other day. Then nothing was able to be expressed,, today i can express tinged but non sticky fluid. bag growwing a lil i guess. very soft, heres new pics.


----------



##  (May 14, 2013)

She is looking JUST FINE -- no twins, and looks just perfect to me! We're not buying worries!

I think she's moving ahead VERY nicely, and getting her udder going -- so all is well!!


----------



## AnnaC (May 14, 2013)

She looks great to me as well, progressing perfectly at her own pace - she's just dotting the i's and crossing the t's for you!


----------



## cassie (May 15, 2013)

Wow she looks awesome! A wide load for sure but a lovely wide load! Love her



going to be a beautiful foal


----------



## crisco41 (May 15, 2013)

maybe she is cooking me some spots..that would be sooo nice.


----------



##  (May 15, 2013)

Gotta go back and see who she's bred to again. I lose track with all these mares! But she is sure looking GREAT!


----------



## crisco41 (May 15, 2013)

she was one of the 3 rescue mares I got. She wasn't skinny like the others,, Her coat has some shine to it now..so that makes me happy. Thank you on the compliments. She is a bit larger size mini..for sure b size..maybe 35 36 inches? i tried measuring for their papers..but it is a job doing alone.

She was supposedly bred to a small black mini..in July. I think she has foaled in the past because i saw a breeders report dated like 2009 or so..for a painted stud colt and her listed as momma. How my 3 came to end up at auction and in a killers truck I have no idea.But that is the story i got. It would be so interesting to learn more about their background. The lady also mentioned something about a confiscation. ,,i dont know. Daisy has an old coggins that was pulled for a show. Interesting background out there I think


----------



## AnnaC (May 16, 2013)

Researching into backgrounds can be such fun, sometimes frustrating but sometimes rewarding! If you want to and when you are ready you could always post any details here that you do have - Diane is a whizz at ferreting out info - or I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you wanted to pm her. You never know what will come to light.




Daisy at a show - sounds exciting, I wonder where and when?


----------



## Eagle (May 16, 2013)

Yes I find it so upsetting how so many wonderful horses end up at the market for meat, I wish we could save them all. I spend hours campaigning against horses being imported live to Italy for meat as they spend days and days packed in trucks with no food or water. Before I had kids I even spent time laying in the road protesting



Closing the slaughter horìuses in the states is a bad idea cos it just incourages the shipment of live animals. Anyway don't get me started on that





Bad to your very lucky girls



JJ is progressing wonderfully


----------



## crisco41 (May 16, 2013)

boozin an blues after the storm,,,onyx...picture of health:>)



and what color is she?


----------



## AnnaC (May 17, 2013)

No idea on the colour, but she's looking gorgeous and a picture of health!!


----------



##  (May 17, 2013)

What color was Onyx's sire again? I get confused with so many to watch!

BOY! These pictures are great and she looks so good! Such a pretty little girl!!!


----------



## crisco41 (May 17, 2013)

sire was homozygous black

mom is a sorrel with roaning pinto

JJ has slightly sticky off colored clear "milk " last night


----------



##  (May 17, 2013)

She can only be black or bay from that mix with daddy being homozygous black. So we either say she's a black, or look for evidence of black stockings from her knees down, and the darker mane and tail.

Her pictures show such a variety of different colors in the different lighting, I'm not sure what her true color really is. Sorry.


----------



## Eagle (May 17, 2013)

oh wow she is just stunning, and looks in perfect health


----------



## crisco41 (May 21, 2013)

not much happening around here.

Foals appear to be dropping left and right and here we sit. I did notice some butt rubbing yesterday,,and a lil rolling. Grand daughter 10 said "grandma I think she has a v!" so funny.My lil horse girls. There are some advantages to raisiing grandkids. You can instill in them what you find important..horses ! lol

I did find out JJ had a foal on her last year when she was "rescued" so that is good to know. She was bred to a very small black stallion..lady said probably around 24 inches..that is taken with a grain of salt.

she also said daisy was not thin when I got her..oh well.

I have been checking her several times a day. She had 1 small dot of red in her vulva yesterday..probably from rubbing. Her teats are growing some..but certainly not hard and distented. i can still get clear off colored liguid..it is very slightly getting stickier. I 'll try afor some pictures today. If she truly bred in July,,,i guess we could have a ways to go yet. I hope not as she is big time waddling..and seems to not really want to move a lot


----------



##  (May 21, 2013)

Can't wait for pictures!


----------



## Eagle (May 21, 2013)

We NEED pics, it has been far too long, girls I feel a strike is called for.


----------



## AnnaC (May 21, 2013)

Oh yes, certainly will be a strike here if we dont get those pictures very soon! (not sure what we shall strike about or how we will organise it, but we sure will think of something!!) You have been warned.


----------



## crisco41 (May 21, 2013)

rain and mud and supper please dont strike i will do my best:>)


----------



##  (May 21, 2013)




----------



## crisco41 (May 21, 2013)

ROFLBO......love it. I am really laughing,,and boy does it feel good!


----------



##  (May 21, 2013)

Glad we could make you laugh!! Such a great feeling!


----------



## Eagle (May 21, 2013)




----------



## crisco41 (May 21, 2013)

you guys are wierd! It is great!!! ok i braved the storm...well actually the sun came out, dead camera batteries..only took a second to charge enough for a few pictures, supper is on hold and the 11 year old is nagging :>) life is hard... here is jj..no strikes now. But if she doesn't get moving I may organize one soon!

this ought to hold you until next year when she finally decides to foal!


----------



## crisco41 (May 21, 2013)

LOTS of gentle tail swishing tonight..which I would think could be bugs but no one else is doing it....


----------



##  (May 21, 2013)

She is looking FABULOUS! Boy, her color is so rich looking! Just beautiful.

It sure looks like she's moving ahead very well. Things really falling into position - now if that udder would grow a bit! Give her the credit card and tell her to do some shopping! LOL


----------



## crisco41 (May 21, 2013)

so diane are you saying she is front of center and actually has a v?do u think baby is in position? O how i have dreamt of this day...tee hee..I have been seeing it all "pretend in my mind" for the last 3 months


----------



## Eagle (May 22, 2013)

Yep, we are a bit weird





Great pics, thanks for making us happy



She looks really well but she is still a wide load so baby hasn't slipped into "take off" position yet, her udder is coming along nicely though so not long to go now


----------



##  (May 22, 2013)

she is doing very good and will probably start some rolling soon to get that baby in position. She's still pretty wide, so not quite there yet. But that will give her time to get that udder going!


----------



## crisco41 (May 29, 2013)

NO foal No foal... blah blah blah.

udder has started growing a bit...still not shiney or super tight. Milk is now clearish instead of a weird tinge she had before. Is a little sticky but not thick yet. Tail head maybe a little pronounced, vulva all pink. and belly still out to side. I suspect now that it is almost june that she did breed in .JUly. I also think when she does start to go..it is going to be really rapid changes!. I bough ther bred..how do folks have the patience to do this for 11 months from start to finish. I can't stand the wait for 4 months! Patience is not a virtue I have I guess.


----------



## Eagle (May 29, 2013)

I think it much easier when you have a foaling date, I start looking at mine at and 280 days, 300 days they come in at night and then the wait isn't too long. Not knowing when is what makes it feel like forever


----------



##  (May 29, 2013)

Renee is right. Not having a foaling date makes things seem longer -- but even when you're waiting the whole time -- you're still waiting! It get easier, especially when you have a foaling history to help you along the next year. Most mares tend to follow their own book, so it's up to us to learn their book!


----------



## freegreenbird (May 29, 2013)

I feel like I'm in the same boat you are, in a way. My mare has been in with a stallion and I didn't think she was bred because he kept breeding her every few months. Well...now she's really looking pregnant (although she has always been chubby) so I'm anxious to know when baby will come.


----------



## crisco41 (May 30, 2013)

.... still .clear liguid thin and sticky from teats which really aren't filing,,some tail flapping and butt rubbing. Haven't seen any rolling. Vulva is very soft and puffy and moist ..still pink. Maybe resistance in tail..not sure but feels different. and what is the most different to me is the slope of her croup,,and how her tail head looks more boney,is that a sign? I never noticed the steep slope before. Baby doing gentle (ha ha) jabs tonight. JJ looks totally uncomorftable.


----------



##  (May 30, 2013)

WOW! She is looking fabulous! With this picture, she can join my girls who looked the same, and yet waited almost another month before foaling. But she's looking more ready than ever. Baby will still do some turning I would imagine, but she could go without an udder, we'll just have to wait and see if she starts something in the next few days. VERY EXCITING for sure!!! She looks nicely relaxed, with a little gaping in her hooha -- so that looks very good. I would advise your vet that you have a mare who appears to be pretty close, but isn't developing much of an udder, so they will be prepared if she needs some help bringing in her milk. Most times the udder fills right at foaling -- so help isn't often needed, but it never hurts to get the vets on standby, because she is certainly getting HER ducks in a row!

/monthly_05_2013/post-45019-0-70538800-1369962862_thumb.jpg


----------



## Eagle (May 31, 2013)

I agree Diane, not long to go. Just a few little adjustments and then she will show us her baby





Look at how squidgy her booty looks:


----------



##  (May 31, 2013)

Yup!


----------



## LittleRibbie (May 31, 2013)

Shes really a very very pretty mare..I love all the colors she's got going on. She sure looks pretty darn close in all departments except her udder, but as Diane say, it could fill in right at the end..and great idea to just run it by your vet first so he's aware.


----------



## crisco41 (Jun 1, 2013)

I have been sick in bed all day yesterday..did manage to check JJ this am and we are getting a bag. Also I recall her rolling a bit yesterday in one of my stuporous take a peeks.Still not engorged but growing. I feel like I may live today..so she has my permission to get a move on.


----------



## Eagle (Jun 1, 2013)

Get well very soon



you will need lots of energy to play with baby


----------



## LittleRibbie (Jun 1, 2013)

I think everyone will give her permission!! I hope she waits till your feeling a bit better....but then again ..theres nothing like a little foal or better yet a filly to make you feel all warm, cozy and better!!


----------



##  (Jun 1, 2013)

Hope you feel lots better soon!! But as Heidi said, nothing makes you forget being tired or even sick than playing with a new foal!!


----------



## AnnaC (Jun 1, 2013)

Oh goodness, we cant have you being ill right now - hope you get better real soon because it sounds as though you might be needed for a foal delivery before you know it. A filling udder plus rolling - time to watch out!!


----------



## Eagle (Jun 3, 2013)

How are you feeling today? I hope much better


----------



## crisco41 (Jun 3, 2013)

really no progress on JJ.I am glad as I just don't seem to be able to beat back this bug, Feel better then I did but just can't get above about 50% speed. Have so much to do...have to move some horses to my friends pasture..she was kind enough to offer, go get my new stud boy about 2 hrs away. Prob have the vet see him as he was kicked and it sounds badly, have fencing to put up, lean to to build, pups to worm and vaccinate, and of course trying to get the place in the country sorta ready to move to.,.ugh wish I were young...

Have to take gr son to doctor as he has sore throat....house is a pit,,,and of course deliver a foal eventually :>) thanks for the well wishes..could use them

at what age do i worm vaccinate onyx?

if i move3 the minis top my friends do i have to be worried about waisthigh grass? and if stud get shere..and i was told he wouldnt hur foals..would you put together? thanks!


----------



## Eagle (Jun 3, 2013)

Sorry you are still not feeling better. I really hope you kick it soon





If you wormed mum baby should be good until a few months, I usually do mine around 3 months. Be careful about adding them to new grass especially spring grass. I would do it very slowly an see how they go. As to adding the stud you will have to see how he is, my boy was fantastic but not all stallions are good with babies so make sure you watch them closely at the beginning.

Get well soon


----------



## crisco41 (Jun 3, 2013)

everyone has been out on this grass..not knee high but spring and pretty flush..everyone except jj. I got a phone call from my daughter, A kind samaritan removed my 5 mini's from a busy highway today...and put them back in thier pasture. Must have been when i was at dr with gr son.So now they have found an escape route..not good. I will have to figure out a better way to confine them.,My fence is not soo good,,and in fact really bad if highway visits are to be considered.

I have figured out my illness. Just do not eat anyhing and I am only a little bit sick.Mite be a good way to loose a few more pounds:>)


----------



## crisco41 (Jun 6, 2013)

UPdate!

JJ has small red spots in her vulva. The rest is pink. No other changes realy

I got my little stallion today..Villas after the storm,,,He is Onyx daddy. Had no time to get a picture.He is gorgeous!! He will need to go see the vet as he did get an injury a little while back and is gimpy. Very gimpy after the drive.

unloaded him and was going to put him in the main pasture area where my girls are..but his presense sent Onyx into a tizzy and he was acting pretty studdy so i put him in a small area I have and added daisy for company. Good lord it wasn't but 2 minutes and he had bred her. I didn't even know she was in heat. So we have a confirmed breeding between my silver buckskin and my homozygous black stallion stormy. And so it begins again.......


----------



## crisco41 (Jun 7, 2013)

stormy


----------



## Eagle (Jun 8, 2013)

Congrats on the safe arrival of such a productive little guy



He is adorable



How about a new pic of our little girl too?


----------



## crisco41 (Jun 8, 2013)

a lady who breeds apps told me sometimes that a new mare will stand for a stallioon even if they are not in heat. He definetly smelled her urine did the lips and mounted her. Do you think that this was just a get acquainted breeding? I had never heard of that before.

I was able to file his front toes down a bit. He is settling in but is stallion for sure. I am loving him. I am no longer leary of him..he is all show. Don't think I am getting sloppy tho..I just dont feel jumpy. Stallions tend to hate me..stormy seems to like me okay. I hosed and wrapped his leg..I was trying to totally immobolize his knee but am too afraid to go too tight/.so it is more support then immobolized. Sure wish i had a horse person around to help with some of this horse stuff/.I will get pics of JJ if I can totday. She seems to be on hold again. I walked her dry lot yesterday..and there is enough grass blades I am concerned about fescue growth. Sh eis still getting fescue free hay and alf/timothy cubes along with omalene 300. Only thing i could do is really confine her. I just wish she would have this baby. Seems like forever.............


----------



## Eagle (Jun 8, 2013)

My mares would kick the poop out of a stallion if they are not in heat so I am not sure. Maybe someone else here has more experience in this situation. How is his injury looking ?


----------



## crisco41 (Jun 8, 2013)

I know this is a realllly stupid question, especially since I have Stormy now. Bu tis he a 2 x national reserve champion or a 2 x world reserve champion. Anyone have acess to look it up. When I do a search on him..i get reserve world champion..but i though tit was reserve national champion.... i know dumb to not know this..


----------



## Eagle (Jun 9, 2013)

Sorry I can't help you there but I am sure Diane will when she returns


----------



## happy appy (Jun 9, 2013)

What is actually wrong with his leg/knee? If you wrap improperly you might cause more damage then there is now. Also what you do in the way of bandaging you have to do to both legs. If you use a stable style bandage with pads you shouldn't cause any problems with tendons. Have you posted pictures of the leg in another thread? maybe here?

congrats on the new addition!


----------



## crisco41 (Jun 9, 2013)

as far as his leg..we are assuming he got kicked a few weeks ago.. His leg was getting better at previous home..but his constant pacing in cmpetition with other stallions aggrevated it. I am hoping hosing and wrapping and his calming down will help. He has a very swollen knee and he is quite gimpy.

I To be honest I have not had to wrap a horses leg before. But I used to have to wrap an amputees stub so am hoping that I am helping not hindering. I am redoing the wrap several times a day. I put quilt batting down first and them vet wrap..and an ace. If it does not improve significantly in the next seveal days I guess the $200+ vet bill will be necessary


----------



## Eagle (Jun 9, 2013)

Can you post pics or a quick video, I am sure we can help.


----------



##  (Jun 9, 2013)

crisco41 said:


> I know this is a realllly stupid question, especially since I have Stormy now. Bu tis he a 2 x national reserve champion or a 2 x world reserve champion. Anyone have acess to look it up. When I do a search on him..i get reserve world champion..but i though tit was reserve national champion.... i know dumb to not know this..


He is an AMHA two-time National Reserve Champion (even though the prior owner was advertising him as an AMHA two-time Reserve World Champion in Halter -- which he is not) -- I've attached his pedigree for you from the AMHA Stud Book, which always shows the AMHA National and World wins. He is not registered with the AMHR.

STORMY.PDF

It's so nice to get a stallion who knows his job! There are two kinds of mares.....one that will let a stallion KNOW they want nothing to do with them unless they are in heat....and those that will breed even when they are pregnant. So, it's hard to know which one your girl is. But chances are with the behavior he was showing, she may well have been in heat. You'll know if he continues to breed her in the next couple of days. If she stands for him, she may well have been in heat. If not, he will probably leave her alone now.

He's a beautiful boy for sure. A picture of his injury might help us. Is is front or back legs? If front - try taking a picture right down at his level of both front knees. Poor little guy getting kicked, what a shame. Hopefully, he'll come out of it just fine. The other thing to do is call your farrier and make sure the foot with the injury is giving him a proper surface to walk and stand on....very important that there should be no abnormal hoof for him to have to compensate on during healing. It would be worth it to have a farrier that you trust make sure his feet are level and at a proper angle. That should help relieve some pressure as he's healing.

As to putting him in with the ladies and foals, if the owner has had him in pasture with her mares and foals (and you trust her to be telling the truth), it sounds as if he's a good boy. All of mine were wonderful with the foals, but you could put him on a lead and just walk him through the pasture and see how he acts -- foals will be inquisitive and probably approach him. So, if it appears he's going to act out -- you should know right away.


----------



## crisco41 (Jun 9, 2013)

Thankyou all. I thought he was a reserve national not reserve world champion..but his name comes up all over as a sire and his title of reserve world...okay. I was right and am no longer confused.

On to his injury..as I guess I am not one to wait too long for advise :>/

walked him in the pasture with my mare and foal. He showed interest in jewel..who let him know without doubt she was not interested. He showed no interest in Onyx..and no signs of aggression. He spent yesterday with the girls and no issues(other then my trimming of daisy was interupted by a mounting and subsequent breeding). I put up Jewel and onyx last night..just to be safe and again today he "liked" Jewel :>) who again let him know with a very strong NO THANKYOU. never bothered onyx at all.

I left his wrap on last night. Took it off today to hose it and since it is rainingI left it off. The knee shows some decreased swelling..and he is still gimpy but I would say 40 % or more improvement on gait. YEAH! If he will just stay quiet today I may not have to wrap it. No point in a wet bandage. He has turned into a kitten. I really love his personality I had my concerns that first night....If this is his a mare is in heat behavior..I am one lucky person. He has settled down sooo much. He just wanted to be with his girls. I have not added JJ to the herd. She needs to be off the maiin pasture anyway..as just too much grass and probably lots of fescue.

I will get those shots today of both JJ and his knee.I do have an appt tomorrow..but I am going to cancel it if I see a steady improvement. I did take off some toe of his yesterday as they were quite long. Not perfect but an improvement. It is hard to do his good foot as you can tell ( by rearing) he does not want to put all the wt on his bad leg. Think I got enough off I am leaving them alone for a bit/

as always thanks for being here. Lori


----------



##  (Jun 9, 2013)

So glad he's improving!

And so glad he's a good boy with the foals. It's a wonderful trait in a stallion, and makes it all so much easier!


----------



## crisco41 (Jun 9, 2013)

not much as far as bag...


milk is barely sticky

appears softish


and privates pink again..swollen elongated and doing nothing.





dissapointed in our progress..almost ou tof non fescue hay..almost time to track somemore down


----------



## crisco41 (Jun 9, 2013)

sooooooooo what do you all think?


----------



## Eagle (Jun 10, 2013)

Thanks for the pics, Is he really lame on it? If he is make sure they girls aren't chasing him or making him run. Did he have an x ray taken to confirm no fracture? I wouldn't bandage it I would just hose it down several times a day to help drain it. Place the hose a few inches above his knee and let the water run down over it.

JJ is coming along slow but sure


----------



## crisco41 (Jun 10, 2013)

this morning after a night of wraps and a few days of quiet he had a barely noticeable limp and the swelling was down a lot. I took the wraps off for the day..and he has been tearing around..and he seems to be limping quite a bit more now. I truly believe when he finally settles...his leg will be fine. I have had several tell me to not wrap it..but I see a big improvement when I do, so i don't know.

have been hosing it..and that does help too. I think rest is what it needs more then anything

got pictures of onyx..think I have settled on her name.it will be Boozing and Blues after the Storm.

anyway stil lno baby


----------



## cassie (Jun 10, 2013)

JJ is coming along beautifully!!

your stallion looks to be improving also I'm sure he will be back to full health in no time


----------



## paintponylvr (Jun 10, 2013)

Since you are already doing a wrap session - have you tried a dmso sweat? We mixed dmso with furison ointment, applied liberally to the swollen area, wrapped with saran wrap to produce/lock in heat, then a quilt with a wrap. There would be "drainage" down the leg from underneath the saran wrap - and the swelling would go down and stay down...That might draw the liquid off his knee more...

Since it's doing a lot of swelling, even if it's caused by the stress of "new exercise", I would really have the vet take a look. It's just not a good thing to have it constantly swelling again and again... Means that there might really be something going on in there - of course once you know what it is - you may opt not to do a whole lot about it (when we had a stallion fall and break off the tip of his hip/pelvis, we opted not to do invasive surgery. However, that "floating tip" caused some serious issues and pain many years later when surgery was no longer an option even if we'd been able to...).

Otherwise, I'm glad he's settling in for you! That's always nice.

Can't wait to see JJs foal!


----------



## crisco41 (Jun 10, 2013)

Paula

I have considered sweating it..but Have never done one, although I looked it up and know how to now. Calling around it will be $200 just for an exam and an x ray. That was the cheapest I found it. I had made an appt but didnt go today..and forgot to cancel.

I do not believe it is broken and if it was I would most likely opt out of surgery.so am not sure I see a point in the bill. . If it is not I am about 100 confident they will have me wrap and hose it since it does seem to help. I will most likely give it a few more days and then try a sweat. Where do i get DMSO?


----------



## paintponylvr (Jun 10, 2013)

If your local feed and tack stores don't carry it, almost all vet catalogs do (Valley Vet, Jeffers, Horse . com, Heartland vet, United vet). I have links to all on our links page. All of our local feed stores carry DMSO - it comes in different size bottles as well as a roll on. Even a roll on might be good for yours - but you can't make a mix that way. Use gloves on yourself when you use DMSO. Quite nasty stuff - you get some on your skin and you will TASTE it in your mouth. Some horses DO NOT like it - I've applied it straight to "capped hocks" on a paint mare that used to buck in her stall. She was a pain - had to straight tie and cross tie her because she'd go bonkers when it was applied - squalling like a stuck pig and hopping up and down. BUT it worked to take the swelling off the "caps". You want to also have them clean - as it works by osmosis. If the skin is dirty, it can pull the dirt thru the epidermis into the body as easily as it pulls excess fluid out of the body. Of course, scientifically it's more detailed - I don't know all of it anymore. I don't think I currently have any DMSO - been at least 8 years since I last used any. I would need to purchase new now if I need it.

I understand on the exam and xray. Do you have a regular vet you can just call to get some advice from? Just curious... And in some areas this time of the year is a little slower (our vets' busy months are Jan - April w/ foaling out and breeding). I've been able to ask some questions w/o having her come out - some answered via phone and some via email. But we've also agreed on a visit several times as well after discussing what was going on... Those decided on visits - are now $150 during daylight hours and more after dark or early in the AM to come out. Planned farm calls are $75 - before any procedure. If she's coming from home, she's only 20 miles from us... That's why I always do a group and also try to get some of my neighbors to bring their horses/ponies over as then we split the farm call charge (one neighbor figured out it was cheaper for him to have the vet come to his place too, rather than pay me to haul his horses and pay a portion of the f/c charge, LOL!).

Glad that he's getting better!


----------



## paintponylvr (Jun 10, 2013)

Not positive that I can post this? http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=121eb74a-9601-4840-9e8e-7ccc7c29b920&gas=dmso

Edit to add - WOW, just googled DMSO for horses and came up with a lot of different and in some cases, conflicting, information. BUT essentially what I remembered is right.


----------



## crisco41 (Jun 10, 2013)

JJ has more bag tonight then she did today.not tight but growing.

I had snowflake( if you remember the weanling I got awhile back..the stunted one) and misty the witch who started this all..at my friends house as I was wanting to totally wean snowflake. She may be small but at 10 months old..that was just about enough. Snow kept getting out so i brought them home today. I have these 2 in with jj..and the new stud in with jewel, onyx and daisy. It was daisy he bred the last few days.

The way he is charging the fence at snowflake..i think he would kill her if he could get her. He also picked up the cat and flung it in the air today. Poor Skittles. I am not sure what has gotten him all in a tither. I know new horses again..but he did not show this aggressuion at all the past couple days.

maybe we will have another baby soon....


----------



##  (Jun 11, 2013)

Sounds like he's improving when he's resting a bit, and hopefully will be on the mend quickly.

A growing udder is great news!


----------



## crisco41 (Jun 11, 2013)

slept in the barn last night..no foal yet


----------



## crisco41 (Jun 12, 2013)

while we wait Onyx. I think I have decided on booze and blues after the storm



or ....any other suggestions ..now that we know she is a blue roan I think we can have a lot of fun!

pics taken with cell phone..not so good

she still thinks she can sit in my lap, she laid down beside me yesterday and she loves to eat hair


----------



## paintponylvr (Jun 12, 2013)

She's a little cutey!!


----------



## AnnaC (Jun 13, 2013)

Beautiful, just beautiful! Hopefully she will have a little sister to play with very soon.


----------



##  (Jun 13, 2013)

Beautiful pictures! She just is so lovely to look at!


----------



## Eagle (Jun 13, 2013)

She really was well worth all your hard work and TLC, just look what a beauty you have there


----------



## Evelynk2000 (Jun 13, 2013)

She's a cutey! You must just crumble when she loves on you. I know I would.


----------



## crisco41 (Jun 15, 2013)

we will no longer have to do a JJ foal watch. After long consideration of what my end goals are with minis i traded JJ to a friend for a blue roan amha mare. I have all amha horses except for Misty of who i will keep and hopefully someday have the money to hardship her into amha. And little snowflake who is still just a mess..but a very loveable mess anyway and she will never be bred.

I told my friend I do not want to even see or know what JJ has. Her baby was moving last night as we exchanged mares..and it was very hard to watch them both leave.

But I have to have a path in this and my first purchases where very scattered with no plan at all. Now having an AMHA stud..I have to have a plan and a focus.

Thank you for waiting with me. If i do hear I will pass on to you who have been here. I do know she will be cared for very well as the people are the people I originally got misty from. So my heart is ok with that. So Onyx is my one and only foal for this year. But we will be having at least 2 next year around this time and I will surely be back here. Maybe even have a cam next year as adfter a few nights sleeping in a barn..I am ready to not!

Irf anyone would be so kind to look ap a pedigree for me..I would appreciate it. I am really wanting to know if this mare I got has ever foaled before. Thanks Lori


----------



## AnnaC (Jun 15, 2013)

Goodness!! Well they say that sudden decisions are often the best ones. I wish you the very best of luck with your new girl - any chance of a picture and a few details? It is always good to have a plan in mind for the future and as you now have your new AMHA boy, I think you are sensible to go that route. How exciting - good luck with the coverings and hopefully we will have some new babies to welcome next year.


----------



## crisco41 (Jun 15, 2013)

anna many things played into my decision. The main one being money. the cost to make my AMHA double reg AMHR and AMHR to AMHA so that I have double registered is outrageous. JJ wasAMHR and oversized for AMHA so in order to get registered babies I would have to AMHR stormy my stallion. I would like to but right at this moment it is not in my future. As it is I am taking from some pretty important places money to just get horses transferred. amha in to my name. I believe to get Misty from amhr to amha is 600? please tell me I am confused.

The other part was that stormy to the blue roan will produce 50% blue roan 50 %black. I like those odds. Also the new mare is pretty nice. She has her faults. She has a pretty head, but lacks in neck. Stormy does not lack in neck and has a gorgeous head and the combinaton may be very nice. A little fun to play with.

The llue roan was with a stallion..and I am praying she is not bred..Here's sophie lori


----------



##  (Jun 15, 2013)

I congratulate you on making plans for your herd. It's a very hard thing for many to do, but it is so beneficial to have a breeding plan and follow through.

I'm happy to look up any pedigree for you, just give me her registered name, and "I'm on it!"


----------



## crisco41 (Jun 15, 2013)

6/06/2007 reg amha A183014 blue roan reg as grey Jets little sophie I'd love to know more abouth er background. Id their anyway you can tell if she foaled before and who dad was. She was running with a small bay stallion and I want to track him down in case she is bred. Thanks diane!


----------



##  (Jun 16, 2013)

Lots of Komokos breeding in there, plus Bond and a few Van't Huttenest horses. Can't wait to see a picture of her and hopefully the stallion she might be bred to!

Do you understand all the abbreviations for color in the AMHA pedigrees? If not, I'll post them here.

SOPHIE.pdf


----------



## crisco41 (Jun 16, 2013)

thanks diane,

I do not understand the abbreviations. not at all:>/ much to learn but I found and printed the abbreviations so I should be good to go. Thanks.

Looks like neither of her parents are a grey and one is a chestnut roan....one is a paint chestnut..so she is registered as a grey and shows the color of a blue roan..which I dont think is possible if i read the color calculator right..but grey didnt com eup as a possiblity either..witht helimited of info I put in ....Maybe another going to register the foal lets guess the color -and the guess has "bit the dust"

does one parent have to be grey for it to be expressed in a foal? How can 2 sorrel chestnuts make a black based blue roan?I am new to all this..but I am beginning to see a pattern here with registered colors...


----------



##  (Jun 16, 2013)

Totally goes to show you how mixed up the colors can be in the registry. We know where the roan is coming from -- but what a mess some of the other "combinations" are showing.


----------



## crisco41 (Oct 1, 2013)

Hi guys. I lost you but am back. My little herd is doing wonderful! Onyx is growing like a weed. and still loved and rotten! No illness with her at all.

I found a therapy home for little snowflake..could not take a chance on her getting accidentally bred by stormy/

Sophie looks suspisiously big bellied. Misty is well as are jewel and daisy. I am at 6 and holding...............but have found myself looking at appy's of late. :>) Do know next year I will be over run with babies.

I am going to read some here and try and get caught up..have mised y'all


----------



##  (Oct 1, 2013)

crisco41 said:


> Hi guys. I lost you but am back. My little herd is doing wonderful! Onyx is growing like a weed. and still loved and rotten! No illness with her at all.
> 
> I found a therapy home for little snowflake..could not take a chance on her getting accidentally bred by stormy/
> 
> ...


Glad you're back, and I think your "looking at appy's of late" is exciting news to this Auntie!!

How about some pictures!!!


----------



## crisco41 (Oct 1, 2013)

Oh diane..I have ALWAYS loved those appys! The best riding horse i ever had was an appy gelding. Last big horse i bought..had my heart TOTALLY set on an appy and brought home a isabella palomino. I named her Miss'D dot..cause it was probably my last shot at an app and I blew it. She is a good girl tho so no complaints..although I still want spots!

Good to see you again..i will work on pictures!


----------



## AnnaC (Oct 1, 2013)

Great to have you back again - and yes, lots of pictures please, we need to get updated with everyone!


----------



## crisco41 (Oct 10, 2013)

Sophie is having that big belly sunken top and rear look. She lost last yrs foal so i am nervous. Even tho she bred stormy she had to come here bred


----------



## crisco41 (Oct 10, 2013)

I am quite certain sophi is going to have a foal. It is my understanding she lost her last foal..last year. She looks too pregnant so although she nbred with stormy she just must be a hussy

She is getting quite lopsided

Here is the post i meant to send


----------



## crisco41 (Oct 11, 2013)

part of the herd..sophie in the front


----------



## crisco41 (Oct 11, 2013)

sophie misty
stormy


daisy


----------



##  (Oct 11, 2013)

Okay, now you know the drill. Pictures from the back looking down her sides, and one from the side down at her level!! LOL


----------



## crisco41 (Oct 15, 2013)

some pictures


----------



## crisco41 (Oct 15, 2013)

HAPPY HALOWEEN








Sophie again


----------



##  (Oct 16, 2013)

Oh my goodness! Those are the cutest little Halloween pictures! Just adorable!!!!

And I see a big belly just screaming that she's growing a wonderful surprise!!


----------

