# How Much Longer? (Hide n Seek Foal Watch Thread)



## MeepMeep (Dec 12, 2021)

Well, it's day 331 and I'm watching my mare get ready to foal soon (hopefully). I bought her already in foal, but know her dates, so that's good. She has an udder, her tail is loose and she seems to have dropped, but though her udder looks pretty full-ish, there's no milk or waxing yet. What do you guys reckon? How much longer do we have?


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## elizabeth.conder (Dec 12, 2021)

You’re definitely getting close. She should make one more big udder change and you should lose that crease. Ph testing is great when and if you can get milk. It’s very hard to see wax on minis. Many never actually wax. She’s really pretty! Can’t wait to see what she has!


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## MeepMeep (Dec 12, 2021)

elizabeth.conder said:


> You’re definitely getting close. She should make one more big udder change and you should lose that crease. Ph testing is great when and if you can get milk. It’s very hard to see wax on minis. Many never actually wax. She’s really pretty! Can’t wait to see what she has!



Oh that's good to know about minis and wax. She looks much of a muchness today, sort of feels like she's hit a bit of a plateau in terms of udder for the moment. We have the foaling alarm on her so that's some peace of mind. Will update with pics when something interesting happens


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## MeepMeep (Dec 12, 2021)

Today's side udder view.


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## Taz (Dec 13, 2021)

She's adorable and very close . Do you have a camera on her as well as an alarm? This last little bit of waiting is going to feel like forever, I'm not even going to try to guess how long you have to go but if she's been plateaued you should see a change in her udder and/or her elongation just before she finally gives in. Do you have any pictures of dad?


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## MeepMeep (Dec 13, 2021)

Taz said:


> She's adorable and very close . Do you have a camera on her as well as an alarm? This last little bit of waiting is going to feel like forever, I'm not even going to try to guess how long you have to go but if she's been plateaued you should see a change in her udder and/or her elongation just before she finally gives in. Do you have any pictures of dad?



I don't have a camera (yet) because she's in the field, but we have thunderstorms forecast for tomorrow so I will be stalling her tonight (big pen really) and that has two cameras on it. The foal alarm keeps going off for no reason which is fun, haha. I don't have pictures of dad, but he's a really cute little palamino shetland. I am hoping baby will be a cart mini one day, as both mum and dad are stocky wee beasts.


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## Taz (Dec 13, 2021)

Haha. I had a foaling alarm on for my first foal 4 years ago, it was great! I went to sleep and trusted it to wake me up when she was down on her side so I could check the camera. I didn't do any of this setting an alarm to wake me up every hour or two to squint at the camera and see if maybe something was happening yet....please. When she foaled it never went off but I woke up to check and caught it luckily. I was using an app on a spare phone so not as dependable, not trying to scare you! Dad sounds great, I can't wait to see baby!!


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## MeepMeep (Dec 13, 2021)

Oh wow! That's no good with the alarm. This is one of the Magic Breed Foal Plus ones, I've hired it so I hope it does work, I think we have a few days left though her udder is in stasis and she's going to be a grump about the pen I think which would probably stop her from wanting to foal. Not much change in udder etc today either. I had gathered the minis usually foal on the early side, but maybe not.


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## MeepMeep (Dec 13, 2021)

Small update: slight udder change, and some clear fluid from her teat, which suggest she's still a wee ways off, no milk yet. Also, hopefully fixed the false alarm issues by putting a slightly smaller halter on her. I think the device was slipping sideways with a larger halter.


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## Kelly (Dec 13, 2021)

Dang!! If she doesnt have the baby soon, you are gonna have to milk her yourself!! Have you ever had horse milk? Horse cheese??…it’s kinda like goat milk & goat cheese  JK

Happy foaling & best wishes!


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## MeepMeep (Dec 13, 2021)

Kelly said:


> Dang!! If she doesnt have the baby soon, you are gonna have to milk her yourself!! Have you ever had horse milk? Horse cheese??…it’s kinda like goat milk & goat cheese  JK
> 
> Happy foaling & best wishes!



Is that a decent udder then? I've never foaled a mare before, but have done lots of goats. I keep thinking she barely has anything there haha.


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## Kelly (Dec 13, 2021)

Oh heck IDK!!!  I only have geldings so that looks HUGE to me


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## MeepMeep (Dec 13, 2021)

Kelly said:


> Oh heck IDK!!!  I only have geldings so that looks HUGE to me



Geldings are so much more straightforward in so many ways aren't they.


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## elizabeth.conder (Dec 14, 2021)

She does have a pretty good sized udder. That change to “white milk” can change quite fast. Ph testing is amazing if you can do it. She looks like she has a tiny bit longer but that could literally change any minute. Usually that center crease and that front crease will fill in and the udder will almost “pop.”


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## MeepMeep (Dec 14, 2021)

elizabeth.conder said:


> She does have a pretty good sized udder. That change to “white milk” can change quite fast. Ph testing is amazing if you can do it. She looks like she has a tiny bit longer but that could literally change any minute. Usually that center crease and that front crease will fill in and the udder will almost “pop.”



Unfortunately I don't have access to testing strips, which would help a fair bit. By the time I ordered them and they got here, she'd probably have foaled! We are about to have two days of heavy storms so I don't know if that will help or hinder matters, but she's penned now under camera.


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## MeepMeep (Dec 14, 2021)

Just did my last check (10 pm) for the night, and she's much looser in the rear, and a little more full in the udder I think? Thunderstorms are scheduled to start somewhere around 1 am.


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## Taz (Dec 14, 2021)

She looks any time to me. Good luck!!


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## elizabeth.conder (Dec 14, 2021)

That stall and farmers upset look great! It’s hard to see if the creases have filled yet from that back pic. Can you get one from directly under again? It does look pretty full from the back. Has her milk changed yet? Another thing you can check is when she gets close, her lady parts will get much darker inside and you might even see blood veins become prominent. How’s her tail resistance? Thunderstorms may definitely push her over the edge! I’d be watching her close at this point for sure. Can’t wait to see what she is hiding!


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## MeepMeep (Dec 14, 2021)

DAY 334: Well, it is morning, and the words I would choose to describe her this morning are grumpy and messy, It's hard to differentiate between first stage labor and her just being really annoyed at the pen, but with the weather and ground conditions as they are I don't think I have much choice for the safety of the foal. She's doing a lot of pacing and her back end is puffy and sort of open-ish. No wax or anything on the udder though.


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## MeepMeep (Dec 14, 2021)

elizabeth.conder said:


> That stall and farmers upset look great! It’s hard to see if the creases have filled yet from that back pic. Can you get one from directly under again? It does look pretty full from the back. Has her milk changed yet? Another thing you can check is when she gets close, her lady parts will get much darker inside and you might even see blood veins become prominent. How’s her tail resistance? Thunderstorms may definitely push her over the edge! I’d be watching her close at this point for sure. Can’t wait to see what she is hiding!



Me too! I'm hoping all goes well for sure, a bit nervewracking. Now it is daytime I am guessing not much chance until late tonight.


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## MeepMeep (Dec 14, 2021)

Little update, bit graphic, but I find the pics on threads like these really useful. She's now super loose and very, very salty about life. Still no wax, but the udder has changed shape, her teats are now very bullet like, pointing forwards and down.


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## elizabeth.conder (Dec 14, 2021)

So I just realized auto correct changed camera setup to “farmers upset???” How is all I want to know. Anyway…that udder is definitely getting serious now. That crease has shrunk substantially. Teats look like they are filling. They may pop out a little more but id definitely be excited now. Your pictures are fine. That’s part of foaling threads. Helps keep track of progress!


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## MeepMeep (Dec 14, 2021)

elizabeth.conder said:


> So I just realized auto correct changed camera setup to “farmers upset???” How is all I want to know. Anyway…that udder is definitely getting serious now. That crease has shrunk substantially. Teats look like they are filling. They may pop out a little more but id definitely be excited now. Your pictures are fine. That’s part of foaling threads. Helps keep track of progress!



I figured by context you didn't mean farmers upset, haha! I'm really hoping tonight is the night, between the foul weather and foul mood of the pony I think we're all ready. Only thing is I think she might refuse to have baby in a stall.


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## MeepMeep (Dec 15, 2021)

9pm, storm is rolling in (I think) and we have wax for the first time! Plus her udder has really blown up the last hour or two.


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## MeepMeep (Dec 15, 2021)

Foal arrived at 1 am, little colt!  Mum was awesome, had no issues so, so far so good! Now I'm just staying up all night to see if he gets up and feed etc, I guess?  Foal alarm was awesome. It went off and by the time I got up and went out she already had both feet out, all over within ten minutes.


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## Kelly (Dec 15, 2021)

So precious!!!

Mum must have been up the night before studying text book deliveries, that is awesome everything went so well & fast. 

Congrats!!


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## MeepMeep (Dec 15, 2021)

Kelly said:


> So precious!!!
> 
> Mum must have been up the night before studying text book deliveries, that is awesome everything went so well & fast.
> 
> Congrats!!



Thank you! I'm so relieved. Just watching him toodle around the pen now too is so cute. Can't wait to see him dry and in daylight


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## MeepMeep (Dec 15, 2021)

I couldn't help myself, had to stay up, clean the pen, make sure he'd had a drink, and get this super cute video <3 I've never had a foal before. I'm absolutely in love!


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## Taz (Dec 15, 2021)

Congratulations! He's adorable!!


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## HersheyMint (Dec 15, 2021)

Oh, so cute!!! Congratulations! I'm so glad mum had everything under control.


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## Willow Flats (Dec 15, 2021)

Congratulations! Very sweet photo of mom and baby.


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## elizabeth.conder (Dec 15, 2021)

Congratulations! And yay for a textbook mare and delivery. Precious little head on him. Way to go!


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## MeepMeep (Dec 15, 2021)

Thanks for all the help and feedback and somewhere to post the process. Was very helpful in the last few days


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## Pitter Patter (Dec 17, 2021)

Awww....Congratulations! What a little cutie! ♥


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## MeepMeep (Dec 18, 2021)

More baby spam, because he's kinda gorgeous


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## Taz (Dec 18, 2021)

Yes he is!!!! Does he have a name yet?


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## Willow Flats (Dec 18, 2021)

Oh my! "Kinda gorgeous" doesn't even begin to describe this little guy! Keep the pictures coming and tell us everything he's up too!


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## HersheyMint (Dec 18, 2021)

How do you roll up cute, spunky, & adorable in a name? He has such a strong character already.   Keep sending those videos' and pic.


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## MeepMeep (Dec 18, 2021)

I have been a bit stuck for a name because I didn't want to count my chickens before they hatched, and then most of the names I had in mind were dramatic, and he's actually super cute. I am thinking Hiro. Like from Snow Crash the book  He's been really good. He had some impaction that required a couple vet visits, but nothing too crazy and in spite of that he's still very curious and fun. I'm really looking forward to one day having cart adventures with him.


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## Abby P (Dec 18, 2021)

I love Hiro! That's one of my favorite books. He looks the part, for sure.


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## HersheyMint (Dec 18, 2021)

He keeps getting cuter with every picture you post   So much cuteness!!


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## MeepMeep (Dec 24, 2021)

Wee man update


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## Willow Flats (Dec 24, 2021)

Wow Mama is pretty striking herself. Those eyes, that Mane! Adorable, both of them.


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## MeepMeep (Dec 24, 2021)

Willow Flats said:


> Wow Mama is pretty striking herself. Those eyes, that Mane! Adorable, both of them.



Yes, she's a pretty girl. Baby should have a pretty fabulous mane himself one of these days!


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## HersheyMint (Dec 24, 2021)

So much cuteness, so adorable. I love both mama and foal from afar


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## MeepMeep (Dec 30, 2021)

Collage for the new year  We named him Odie, and he's still a sweetheart<3 Just love him so much!


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