# LP Painted Ponys - 2015 Foaling



## paintponylvr (Apr 9, 2015)

So... I told my family, my hubby and MYSELF that we wouldn't be breeding any mares in 2014. We were "over-ponied" and had had some health issues (both hubby and I), had some other family issues we helped w/ financially (therefore less $$ available to support more ponies) and both of us were suddenly working more hours w/ less family help to care for our ponies. I kept my promise - SORT OF.

I moved ponies around to accommodate free feeding 2x daily the boys - who needed more protein. BUT doing so in the pasture they were in was difficult w/ my early morning leave times. We worked it out - the boys' pasture stayed empty and the grass went crazy. Good thing - I moved the Sr mares over to partake of the green-ness. THEY LOVED IT - Of course! BUT Wizard - in his stud pen w/i the pasture was quite put out. I'd been working around the area and was keeping an eye on everyone - no one appeared to be in season and the girls were leaving Wizzy alone (no teasing). UNTIL I went into the house to eat lunch.

I'm just about to head back out ... and hear a squeal - oh no. Should have guessed. Sneaky mares - all of them decide to tease Wizzy about the same time (from what I figured). Together, they "ripped out" 2 of his panels on his fence (the 16' ones that are 50" tall. Had t-posts every 8'). So he's out "enjoying" the session w/ the girls - and as I'm catching each of them (none was quite willing to be caught - they were all enjoying the squealing visits w/ Wiz) one by one, they are all suddenly squatting and showing and dragging along not leading (darn mares...). After fixing the mess, I thought I kept pretty good notes. Well - I have the date and think I had the 7 Sr mares in the pasture. Nothing else remains of my notes - written or on computer.

So the day in question - July 12th, 2014. The mares I know I put in that pasture that day - Bell, Bit, Cheri, Koalah, Tory. THINK I also had K-La and 'Clipse in the pasture as well. I know that ALL of them came back into season in August and THINK that Bell, Koalah & Tory came back in - both in Sept & Oct. November - I DID observe all of the mares (again) showing signs of season while in our temporary quarters during the "middle" of our move...

NOW - not so sure...

Here's pics of Koalah and Tory. Koalah had Bunny & Tory had Echo in 2013. They are both being retained for training to drive, showing and future breeding ponies... Even if gelded, Echo has a permanent home with us - he is the last foal by our first stallion and his name of Echo is because he is a "true" echo of his sire in so many ways.

Both of these mares are a little under weight - I was expecting that with our move and I'm not unhappy with it. They are now being fed 1x daily and working on a plan to go back to feeding at least 2x (possibly 3?). May go back to feeding free choice alfalfa pellets or cubes - don't know yet.

Koalah (1998 Shetland mare). She's produced one gelding (bred when purchased) and 3 fillies for us. All carry silver and are black based - she is homozygous for black, single gened for silver and tobiano. She is one of my driving mares, has been a riding lesson pony. Our youngest granddaughter enjoyed sitting on her during our temp qtr stay - has requested to start riding her rather than the pony we were going to have her ride. She is 43" at the withers and pretty broad - but matches well with 40" Bit for driving.












and this is more what caused me to stop and go "hmmm..."






No udder or vulva pics yet... I talked to the vet the other day about some options and I decided that we are far enough along that we aren't going to actually palpate or US. I'd rather use the $$ to pay for other things when she comes out (removing two sets of wolf teeth and extra floats). I did purchase Mare + last night and today the girls started receiving it in their feed. IF they don't foal in June, I can stop the supplement w/o any harm done, yet they will have gotten a necessary boost of minerals/vitamins if they are pregnant.

This pic was taken in Dec BUT i'm off center and when standing directly behind her - her sides are actually even (she was OVERWEIGHT at that time)...






Tory next post.


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## paintponylvr (Apr 9, 2015)

Tory - 2002 Shetland mare. She had had 3 foals before I purchased her and was pregnant with Oly when she arrived in NC from the West Coast. (Oly is the sire of Eclipse's foal for Vicki). She had Echo in 2013 by our first stallion AJ. She has produced chestnut, bay and black - all pintos. She is a single gened tobiano and does not carry bay agouti. She is 40" tall at the withers.

Tory is one of my "wild child" girls. She's both had a lot of concentrated work and then goes long periods where she gets none because she gets more tight, tense and UPSET the longer you work with her both in single sessions AND in groupings of time (the more days in a row - the more upset she gets, too). She's been a new case for me and upsetting/tough to work with. My farrier refuses to do her hooves anymore and it's now been almost 3 full years since she's had a complete trim all the way around (I've trimmed her front hooves myself). I purchased some gel tranquilizer from a previous vet but due to our move have not been able to use it yet - to see if that helps me work with her. We have been able to do worming, vaccinations and coggins on her w/o too many problems. This summer, she will be "tied" to her pasture partner while driving and may get introduced to harness - we'll see what happens and how it goes. She calls for and watches Koalah anytime Koalah is taken out of the pasture - maybe working her next to her buddy will work?

Here's her pics..











and like Koalah - the one that made me stop and go "hmmm..."...






I will take some more shots of them this weekend. I may start doing udder and vulva shots, but maybe not, since it's a bit far out yet... Both Koalah and Tory keep a little bit of a "bag" anyway since they've both had multiple pregnancies.

Up under these trees at the new property (OR maybe from the temporary qtrs?), the girls have been rubbing. The day after these pics taken - discovered that both Koalah and Bell had lice. So right now they are ALL being treated (same pasture) and just got wormed with Ivermectin as well (normally just do double dose of Strongid in March). 2nd treatment will be on either Tues or Thurs next week (depends on work schedule - due on Wed but that is my Bday and sorry girls, not doing it that day!!).

Here are her pics from the day before she had Echo on April 10th 2013. 1st pic taken several hours before the side views taken...


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## paintponylvr (Apr 10, 2015)

and here are pics of the "baby daddy"... We have all intentions of using him as a breeding stallion and I'd planned on breeding for a couple of foals in 2016 (covering several mares this spring). BUT it seems that that "wayward visit" of his own got us started and we shall see what happens next...

Wizard was a bit of a surprise purchase. BUT I was in love with his two 1/2 sisters that I already owned and don't know why his breeder sent me his pics. BUT between those pics and his name and ??, I fell head over heels in LOVE with this guy. The price was right - so I purchased him sight unseen based on those pics and the girls I had. I had him shipped to a trainer I had never met - but had spoken with on the phone and seemed to have similar insights into horses that I have. We would all meet about a month later...

Wizard was shown in 2012 and 2013. He's just a bit short of his HOF in Foundation Halter. I was hoping to get him back out and complete that HOF, but right now that isn't looking so good. Doesn't matter so much anymore - I like our boy w/o the show qualification(s).

Wizard is a middle of the road build, Foundation Shetland. He was officially measured at 39.5" and I got him on my "stick" at 39" the last time measured last year. He's homozygous for both the bay agouti and tobiano but heterozygous for black. Every chestnut foal he sires will carry a bay agouti that could be passed on to their foals. He is 4 this year and I MIGHT get him started in harness (hadn't yet!).

Koalah's foal will be either bay tobiano or silver bay tobiano by him. Tory's foal could be chestnut or bay - will be tobiano. Either of these foals could be homozygous for tobiano.

His baby pic that made my heart go "pitter-patter". Pic provided by Buckeye WCF...






Here are some of his show pics as a yearling.











and his 2 yr old year of showing -






and at home as a 3 yr old











I don't really have any pics of him in 2015 yet...


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## Ryan Johnson (Apr 10, 2015)

Lovely Paula



between the mares and daddy these foals are going to be awesome





Very excited for you, even if I am on the other side of the planet.

Will be watching along with everyone on here


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## paintponylvr (Apr 10, 2015)

Thanks Ryan! I'm excited, too. I love the babies and was kinda disappointed last year when I didn't purposely breed any mares. However, I did have good reasons for not doing so, and was quite happy when each of the mares that I believe were exposed came into heat - not just once but a couple of times...

Obviously, that isn't the best way of determining pregnancy, LOL





Koalah has had two of her daughters shown - one before we purchased Koalah & the other is OURS!! One or both of her two sons before I purchased her were supposed to be shown - but I haven't seen any evidence of that on ASPC/AMHR records... Our filly, Flashi, will be 4 next week and she did GREAT out on the show circuit.

This is Koalah's silver bay tobiano daughter shown on the West Coast of the USA...




Here is a pic of our Flashi - when she was being shown in 2013 as a 2 yr old






So Koalah has had 4 fillies and 3 colts, so far. We own 3 of her fillies and one colt (gelding). Her other 2 sons are in California and Utah (unless they've been sold out of state). Koalah herself is a well traveled pony!! She was born in IA, traveled to TX, then to CA & on to UT and finally back thru IA to us here in NC. I briefly considered selling her to a woman in Florida, but she stayed with us and I don't plan on parting with her at this time...

Here's Shamrock (2012 filly) -






Bunny (2013 filly) -






Ranger - her 2010 gelding - (her only solid colored foal - think he's smokey silver black)






Her 2005 son in CA (1st foal) -






Her 2009 son (in UT) - the palomino on the other side of the fence is the sire of Ranger (our gelding)...






It will be interesting to see how this foal turns out...


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## paintponylvr (Apr 10, 2015)

And here is Tory's foals -

2007 filly that I don't have pics of. chestnut medicine hat.

2008 chestnut medicine hat colt -






2009 bay tobiano colt






2010 black tobiano colt






2011 bay tobiano colt (Oly)






2013 black tobiano colt (Echo)






I think the two medicine hats were by the same stallion (not sure anymore - that is on our website that I can't access at the moment). The next 3 - 2009, 10 & 11 colts are all by the same stallion. Then Echo is by our first Shetland stallion, AJ. And this one is by Wizard.


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## lkblazin (Apr 10, 2015)

Very lovely group!!! And the sire is drop dead gorgeous!! I'm gonna have to come back and take a longer look.


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## MyGoldenSunny (Apr 10, 2015)

Wow wizard is beautiful!!!! I can see why you fell in love!!!! You are going to have some very pretty foals!!! Summer also did as you mare and came in "heat" a few time after she was with the stud. You never know about these silly girls!


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## roseopal (Apr 10, 2015)

Very nice group Paula. Still want to come and visit someday.


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## paintponylvr (Apr 13, 2015)

So, due to circumstances I didn't make it out to Vicki's over the weekend and Eclipse is holding fine (so far)...

I did take pics of our mares - Koalah and Tory and they have made some changes (foals moved) - which tells me they are def pregnant. May have a couple others to post about later...

Koalah -
















and Tory -
















I am actually pretty excited. Finally mentioned it to Larry yesterday. He wasn't thrilled, as I expected. But we'll deal (& I think he'll be a little more excited in future, too. He usually likes "playing" w/ the foals).


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## paintponylvr (Apr 13, 2015)

I need to go back and re-do some pics from 2013. Those last pics of Tory **the day before she foaled** were not 245 but were 345 days. She was only covered once (like this time) in 2012 - the month before we euthanized the stallions she was bred to.


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## Ryan Johnson (Apr 13, 2015)

Larry will come around when he sees the foals





They are looking great Paula


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## Kim P (Apr 13, 2015)

Koalah is definitely preggo! Lol And Tory is a cutie pie!


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## paintponylvr (Apr 17, 2015)

Thanx, all.


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## paintponylvr (Apr 17, 2015)

so here is the next possible pair. These 2 mares WERE in a different pasture. W/O my notes, I cant remember if i put them on grass w/ the others or not. If I did, when I moved the other mares back to their pasture, these 2 returned to the one they'd been in (not the same one as the other mares). I cant decide if they are pregnant either. They have both had multiple foals but don't stay "baby looking" after. Plus it's been a while since they've each had foals.

K-La (barn name) is a registered 1998 Shetland mare but I didn't catch that she appears to have several owners w/ no actual transfers. Right now, I can't get her papers in our names, so anymore foals will be grade/unregistered. She's a NICE, substantial, larger mare and I'm looking forward to training her to drive. I am also looking forward to her foals and hope to get a few <more>from her. I'd love to have a "matched" pair (colors could be all over the board) sired by our black Tobiano colt. IF she comes back into season - she will be bred to him later this spring/summer - but I haven't seen her "in" since January... I don't know how she carries her foals when she's pregnant. So we watch...















Not sure if that's winter hair or a "baby bump" on her right side.






And here is '"Clipse", a 2003 Shetland mare. We've owned her just a month shorter than "K-La". She is the dam of "Cheri" - the mare that produced "DanD" - the gelding now owned by Julie of Dragon's Wish Farm (and still boarded with us). "'Clipse" has produced several other foals that have done well and been sold (before we purchased her). She is also a 1/2 sister to "Wizard" - by the same stallion. I would have preferred that she not be bred to "Wizard", but should she be, we will see how our foal turns out. Like "K-la", she is a larger, more substantial mare - with a very pretty neck & head. That perfect combo of petite/pretty with "brawn" (or substance, LOL). I purchased a size 15" collar for her for driving this summer (K-La got a 16") - and she will make a pretty pair with "K-La" (her pasture buddy) & a 3 abreast with her daughter - "Cheri".

I'm showing 2 pics of the same side. I didn't get a rear shot of her - she was dancing too much (rather reactive after being corrected for pawing/digging her hole). Her belly seems a little dropped between the two - but not sure. I figured we'd use the pics as a "baseline" and go from there. She was standing a bit stretched and hadn't been groomed yet...
















Will be getting more pics this weekend - between rain bands. Supposed to be clear tomorrow and the vet will be out to do more coggins and at least one teeth float and remove a pair of wolf teeth - the first time in 18 yrs of owning Shetlands that I've had a 2 yr old with TWO wolf teeth (his dam had one removed at 8 yrs of age and his sire also had one removed when he was much older)...

It's raining today... I should be doing housework (like more unpacking...). But I'm playing instead!


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## Kim P (Apr 17, 2015)

I like clipse! Love her colors!


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## lkblazin (Apr 17, 2015)

Lovely batch of ladies so much color


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## paintponylvr (Apr 18, 2015)

So colors - all of these babies will be pinto (Wizard is homozygous for Tobiano).

K-La's foal could be bay or chestnut.

'Clipse's foal - not sure since I haven't had her color tested yet. Her daughter is homozygous black, but Clipse could still carry a red gene. We'll see. Will be pulling hair this week and having her tested along with several of our youngsters.

Tory's foal can be either chestnut or bay.

Koalah's foal will be bay or silver bay.

********************

Then there are Bell and Bit.

Bell has been tested - she's heterozygous for black and homozygous for silver. So her foal, if she is pregnant, will be silver bay or chestnut carrying both silver and bay genes. (Bred to Wizard - all foals will carry a bay gene and also a silver gene. On black base - the foal will always be silver bay. Otherwise, would be chestnut w/ no silver showing).

Bell has been a bit off since having her teeth done. Normally, they have their teeth done and they gain weight, but she's lost weight. Slowly gaining now... She was also in the pasture, she was in season, too. She also showed being in heat since July 12th AND has been back in heat in February. Didn't see her come in in March nor so far this month, so????











Here's what she looked like on 7 Feb 2012 - and she foaled a nice sized filly on 29 March (51 days later?). Yes, if Bell is in foal - this will be the first time that she hasn't been worked thru-out her pregnancy.






I thought we'd had Bit tested for color, seems we haven't. Believe she is also homozygous silver. If so, her foal would be the same.

Bit is more round than Bell, but that's partially because of the way she is built. Honestly, after several miscarriages and then an aborted colt just 6 weeks before she was due, I really HOPE that she IS NOT in foal.











and while she is now officially blind, her eye looks pretty good when it is cleaned up. It's draining a lot right now w/ all the pollen flying... Need to wash and het her flymask back on - but in Dec it didn't seem to help much...






I have one more mare that was in the pasture when Wizard had his two hours of enjoyment. I hadn't gotten any pics of her - will need to do some!


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## Kim P (Apr 18, 2015)

Bell and Bit look like twins


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## paintponylvr (Apr 19, 2015)

Bell and Bit are full sisters - bred by the same breeder. Bit was born in 1991 and Bell in 1992. I purchased them to be a pair for driving - on purpose. They are actually built a bit different and travel different and have different personalities - it was WORK to get them driving as a pair.

I bred several foals out of one mare and some foals out of other mares - all by the same stallion - & most look quite similar. It was part of the reason I put the name tags on the ponies. My vet hadn't noticed the tags last fall when she came out - she was fascinated by that today. And looking around the one pasture she said - "hmm, w/o those I wouldn't know who was who"...

This is a great pic that demos that -






Classy, Wyndy & Shamrock are all by the same stallion (in my avatar) but out of different mares. GG & Classy are both out of the same mare (Bell) but by VERY different stallions. Both GG and Classy got a guaranteed silver gene from Bell (homozygous silver) - Classy hasn't been tested yet to see if she has 1 or 2 silver genes.

And I LOVE this pic of Shamrock and Classy. They are out of very different mares - but have stayed pretty much the same in height and build. I've always thought of them as a "pair"...


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## Ryan Johnson (Apr 26, 2015)

Any news on the Mothers to be Paula ?


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## paintponylvr (Apr 26, 2015)

Well, I don't feel that Bell & Bit (the two older, solid silver dapple full sisters) are in foal - for which I'm grateful. Both have been in season - "hard" - this week. If Bell is still in season tomorrow, I will be covering her with Wizard than & will finish out this heat cycle and see what happens. I'm still up in the air about 'Clipse & K-La. Cheri is looking the least like she's pregnant (sorry - haven't done any pics of her yet)... Well here's one from February.






Here she is in October last year - right before we moved to temporary quarters and then to here.











Here is what Cheri looked like 1 week before foaling in 2013 (maiden mare).






and a couple of hours after foaling (sorry for daughter's sleep clothes! I no longer had/have photo shop and boy, do I miss it. I can/would have photo shopped more coverage - most photos I've cut her out of...LOL).






If Cheri is currently pregnant, this will be her 2nd foal. Wizard is her 1/2 brother and it's not a breeding I would have planned. I do plan on breeding Cheri to Echo in 2016 for a 2017 foal and already, I'm very excited about that foal!

Koalah and Tory are carrying on w/ carrying, LOL. They are looking very round since I've increased their feed. Tory is carrying this foal different than I remember her carrying either of the two colts for us (maybe a filly???



). She's had 5 colts in a row. I'd love to have a filly to keep (then I'd need to seriously advertise a couple of our others - can't keep them all!). Currently smaller and less "bulgey" out to the sides and very much hanging down like a small basketball - at least for now...

They got a new type of hay on Friday (round bale - Italian Rye) - and we'll see how they do. Glad I only got 1 bale for the Sr mares pasture - they can't completely gorge while they are chasing each other off the bale,



. Never gotten it before. The hay suppliers in our area that didn't plant anything over or within their coastal won't have hay until July (used to get first cut coastal in April/May). The weather has dropped back into the 40s here at night and only 52* today with loads of rain - Coastal hay has quit growing. GGGRRRR!!!!! Hate it when this happens.

Hope it's not pouring rain all day tomorrow. Have some things to do out in the pastures (not working), breed Bell and groom some others. Plan on taking pics, too. The pics I took on Friday - all jr mares taken w/ my new phone. Also, plan on going to check on Eclipse at Vicki's to see how she is doing. I'm a little surprised she's not unwrapped her little one yet!


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## paintponylvr (Apr 27, 2015)

So I did pics today of Cheri. I might be thinking she will also foal.

Here's her pics - the first two were 1 before grooming & 1 after - rear quarter shots. Also figured out that if the mare turns her head, it can throw off the look of her belly sides, but hmmm... Think so... This mare is taller and longer/leaner than my other mares. She has more room to "hide" a foal - especially if it is small.



















So color possibilities - only 1. This will be a bay tobiano foal. Could be either homozygous or heterozygous for both black and bay. Will be homozygous tobiano. Cheri is: EE, Aa, TT. Wizard is: Ee, AA, TT.

Both of these ponies are pretty movers and have GREAT dispositions. I'm hoping for more size - but that remains to be seen. Healthy would be best - the rest is just "icing on the cake"...





Also - can someone else check my count on days? Wizard got out with the mares on July 12, 2014. What day would that put them at today? Is my calculation correct or wrong - I'm counting 289 today?


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## paintponylvr (Apr 27, 2015)

and here is Koalah's pics today -
















and Tory's pics:
















I will groom them the next time, LOL.


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## chandab (Apr 28, 2015)

This page on LB info pages has a link to a foaling calculator:

http://www.lilbeginnings.com/info/breeding/

And, yes 289. Cheri doesn't look very pregnant to me, but I know they can hide them, especially taller/lankier mares.


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## lkblazin (Apr 28, 2015)

Still quite the array of color. I'm so excited to see what they will produce.


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## paintponylvr (May 8, 2015)

So here are some pics at 300 days.

Koalah foaled at 333 days in 2013. She had pretty much the same development of udder at the same stage (took pic @ 303 days in 2013).





















Here was her udder in 2013...


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## paintponylvr (May 8, 2015)

Here are pics of Tory...
















Different angle(s) then from 2013 for about the same time...






Her udder in 2013 - she was difficult to get these shots of. She'd happily kick you in the teeth, still will if you aren't careful. As she got closer to foaling she allowed more handling and didn't mind her udder getting washed that last day right before she foaled. After she foals though - stay away and leave her alone...


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## lkblazin (May 8, 2015)

Really cool to see them over time


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## paintponylvr (May 9, 2015)

I thought I had many more photos of the girls' leading up to foaling in the past, but I don't. I've already got more this year than in the past!





But it really is cool! I love it when you only have one cover date. Makes it a little easier to calculate "due dates" - or at least something to go off of.

Pics I took of "'Clipse" and "K-la" - I don't think they are pregnant. However, I've not seen either of them come into season this spring yet. Could be age on "K-la", not sure on 'Clipse". Want to breed 'Clipse" to our "AJ" son ("Echo") for a foal in 2017... Would also like to breed "K-la" - but decided against breeding any mares back this year (for now - will see what I decide when "Koalah" & "Tory" foal). I decided against breeding "Bell" last week when she was in heat. Since wasn't sure how many coming this year, decided better to wait.

'Clipse" pics - I will continue to watch her, but just would have expected her to be larger if she was in foal... Couldn't get a rear shot, but got a front one. She was dancing a lot in the wind and changing pressure w/ the tropical storm building (all ponies a bit crazy yesterday & so far today)...
















Pics of "K-la" -
















Am taking pics of "Cheri" this afternoon, and will post those later... Got lots of pics of the "boys" yesterday after the farrier was out and I turned "Wizard" out w/ them... Will do some later, too.


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## paintponylvr (May 9, 2015)

I'm here so here's pics of "Wizzy" enjoying turn out time w/ the boys. After making sure the fence would hold while jr girls teasing him, I left him out for 6 hours w/ the boys - he was VERY HAPPY but came trotting right up to me to be put up (I sooo love that - other ponies just don't do that!) - such a great boy. Hope these two babies have personalities like he does - that would be GREAT!!





















Our "Boys Pasture" is the 13.2 hh 1/2 shetland gelding, "Sami"; the 2 shetland geldings full brothers - "Cupid" 2010 & "Rio" 2013; 2010 shetland gelding "Ranger" and 2013 stud colt "Echo". Also, have 2 boarders that are now in a separate pen. Only get turnout when someone here and neither "Sami" or "Wizard" can be out. Eventually, won't work w/ "Echo" out either... Off and on, they have all been housed and turned out together, though "Wizard" doesn't stay out all the time. Eventually, "Echo" will also be separated from the group - hope to be able to leave him out for longer though. "Wizard" and "Echo" are our first stallions to be raised w/ constant turn-out w/ others.

Our previous 2 stallions were turned out all the time with a "herd" - the 1st one with larger Arab/horse mares that he couldn't reach (not for lack of trying when they were in season) and Iggy w/ varying groups based on being bred... It's harder to work it out now - don't want mares bred all the time/every year.


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## lkblazin (May 10, 2015)

Lovely boy


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## paintponylvr (May 11, 2015)




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## KLM (May 11, 2015)

i love WIZARD!!!

Fell free to send him to California if you get bored with him!


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## Ryan Johnson (May 17, 2015)

All looking great Paula


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## paintponylvr (May 23, 2015)

So, it's been a few more days and Koalah has done a bit more "shopping".

Here she is, just about completely shed out, too...


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## paintponylvr (May 24, 2015)

Getting pretty excited, tell the truth!!

************

here's pics of Tory - taken today. She has also been shopping - though not to the same extent as Koalah has...


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## paintponylvr (May 24, 2015)

and here are pics of K-La and 'Clipse. I still can't decide if they are pregnant. The pics of the bellies, to me, say "baby"... BUT? Didn't get udder pics of K-La.


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## paintponylvr (May 24, 2015)




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## Ryan Johnson (May 24, 2015)

Looking good Paula



Koalah is huge


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## Kim P (May 24, 2015)

They all look good Paula. Clipse is so pretty. Koalah is about to pop! Lol


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## paintponylvr (May 25, 2015)

Thanx, All!!

Ryan - you are a "bad, bad" man! You went to Bali and toasted the birth of a foal (or 2 or 3) but didn't send us piccies of the drinks do that we could "share"? That's just cruel. What were these cocktails you indulged in?

Since I pretty much know what colors I'm getting from these crosses - I want to put in an order for more white! I'm really hoping that Wizard gives these foals more white - I'm tired of almost all solid colored pintos... Yes, I know it can be a PITA to keep them clean - don't care though. It's been 10 years since we had a foal w/ lots of white. In 2005 - we had 2 foals sired by AJ that were about 85+% white (one out of a bay arab w/ lots of chrome<sabino?> and one out of a minimal sabino black mare) and I'd like another 2 or 3 that way...

Our 2 2005 babies -























Rhythm produced 2 bay tobiano fillies that had lots of white, though, Gel had more than IC. Sioux also produced 5 foals - 4 of whom had massive amounts of white - Shield had the most just like Gel...

It's always fun - when you know you are guaranteed to get pintos - to wonder and then discover how much white there actually is on your foals...

**********

Kim - even when Koalah isn't in foal - she looks like she's always ready to "pop"...LOL.



She is just one of those mares w/ a "ponderous belly"... think that's what it's known as. OR a "foal belly" - it's why for the longest time I didn't think she was pregnant. I'd never had her come into heat so many times after a breeding in the past, like this time... then the "foal belly" went lopsided and that was how I knew for sure!


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## paintponylvr (May 25, 2015)

So... who is up for helping choose names? It's unusual for our family not to already have a few picked out, though we do wait to see what will work/stick for each baby. The girls' have, of course, suggested Merlin, Mage, Witch. I should know more "arcane" words/names but right now - not thinking of them... Plus remember that Wizard's sire is Graham's Little King Lee.. (so royalty type names may work...)

Our farm name is LP Painted and we try to fit in a bit of both mare/stallion or other family members in the "tree". Our previous website had all the pedigrees on it - I never got around to getting them entered in All Breed Pedigree, so would have to list grandparents' names...

Koalah's 3 fillies for us were sired by All That Style N Class & 2 have been born around holidays (St Paddy's day and Easter) so are LP Painted SilverNshamrock & LP Painted Silver Bunny. Her first for us was LP Painted FlashNfluff. Koalah's name is Wa-Full Koalah's silver Fluff - sired by Wa-Full Koalah's Spring & out of Wa-Full Prince Feather Babe. The story on Koalah's sire is that his name was supposed to be Kahlua - as in the drink/liquor but it was spelled wrong on application. Her colt that she was carrying when we purchased her is named LP MayDay Ranger (born May 1st and went thru 2 wire fences right after birth & found by the kids while walking around the loop of farm road we were on) when she had him in the pasture before bringing her in for the night.

Thinking a colt - may bring back in a liquor name... Kahlua Wiz? Filly?

Tory's name is Cherry Hill Olympic Victory. She is by Flaby's Mr Chips & out of Cherry Hill Olympic Glory. Her foals names - by CS Perfect Parfait is Jen-Cyns Windwalker & think the filly's name was Sundae; by MO shock N Awe, EDV - JemCyns Steppnout Nstyle, JemCyns Knight Hawk & LP Painted Mo-0lympus; by WF Action Jackson - LP Painted AJs Echo.

filly names - Glorianna; Gloryann; Wizards Glory - I seem to think a filly should be called "Glory"... Colt names?

Then we have Eclipse (Buckeye WCF Classical Eclipse by Grahams Little King Lee out of Wilk Raven's Partial Eclipse) and K-La (registered name is Lady Kay by Royal Red Boy out of Road Runner's Regent).

Any thoughts on names that I don't use, if you'll allow me to, will be kept and may be used for future foals! We also seem to have royalty names in the pedigrees of ALL of these mares! What a surprise - I hadn't even realized.


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## Kim P (May 25, 2015)

I will help, but I don't really know how to do it with all the information I have to remember! Lol. So don't laugh when I try to make something up. I will get back with you later. I think this will be fun.


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## paintponylvr (May 25, 2015)

I'm working on entering the pedigrees in All Breed Pedigree. Some are already there - so I don't have to go very far... Just have to make sure that registration numbers match up - there are more than one shetland w/ the same names and this is a free service. Most work hard so they don't make any mistakes while entering the info.


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## Ryan Johnson (May 25, 2015)

Will put my thinking cap on


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## paintponylvr (May 29, 2015)

Wa-Full Koalah's Silver Fluff






Silver Dapple Tobiano
ASPC, PtHA


Wa-Full Koalah's Silver Fluff


Wa-Full Koalah Spring


Wa-Full Prince Feather Babe


Wa-Full Golden Bennie


Wa-Full Jims Golden Brandy


Oles Prince VB


Bussy Peggy VB


Wa-Full Prince Gale


Little Doll VB


Golden Boys Captain Jim H


Wa-Full Caps Golden Champagne


Duke of Stringtowns Ole VB


Crescent Keynotes Ida VB


Dahilas Bussy VB


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## paintponylvr (May 29, 2015)

The previous post didn't quite do what I wanted to do... But those are all the ponies in her pedigree... off to bed for a few hours again.


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## paintponylvr (May 30, 2015)

here's Tory's pedigree - not sure it will copy right. If not, I will list the ponies in her pedigree like above for Koalah.

Cherry-Hill Olympic Victory - "Tory"






_[SIZE=12pt]Sire[/SIZE]_
[SIZE=12pt]Flaby’s Mr Chips [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]ASPC# 138671A [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Black Tobiano[/SIZE]

_[SIZE=12pt]Sire[/SIZE]_
[SIZE=12pt]FWF Kewpie’s Charro of Arenosa[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]ASPC# 134961 Black Tobiano[/SIZE]

_[SIZE=12pt]Sire[/SIZE]_
[SIZE=12pt]Kewpie’s Topper of Arenosa [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]ASPC# 128818A Chestnut Tobiano [/SIZE]

_[SIZE=12pt]Dam[/SIZE]_
[SIZE=12pt]Kewpie Doll’s La Preciosa [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]ASPC # 129661A [/SIZE]

_[SIZE=12pt]Dam[/SIZE]_
[SIZE=12pt]Kewpie’s Party Babe of Arenosa [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]ASPC# 131760A Black[/SIZE]

_[SIZE=12pt]Sire[/SIZE]_
[SIZE=12pt]Kewpie’s Topper of Arenosa [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]ASPC# 128818A Chestnut Tobiano [/SIZE]

_[SIZE=12pt]Dam[/SIZE]_
[SIZE=12pt]Frisco’s Party Girl of Arenosa [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]ASPC# 125477A [/SIZE]

_[SIZE=12pt]Dam[/SIZE]_
[SIZE=12pt]Cherry-Hill Olympic Glory [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]ASPC# 138033A [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Chestnut/Flaxen mane[/SIZE]

_[SIZE=12pt]Sire[/SIZE]_
[SIZE=12pt]Cherry-Hill Bumble Bee
ASPC# 133722A
Dark Sorrel (silver bay?) [/SIZE]

_[SIZE=12pt]Sire[/SIZE]_
[SIZE=12pt]Ponyland's Ringmaster
ASPC# 71110A Silver Bay?[/SIZE]

_[SIZE=12pt]Dam[/SIZE]_
[SIZE=12pt]Copper's Honey
ASPC# 130708A Chestnut/flaxen[/SIZE]

_[SIZE=12pt]Dam[/SIZE]_
[SIZE=12pt]Cherry-Hill Olympic Gold [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]ASPC# 135356A Red Sorrel[/SIZE]

_[SIZE=12pt]Sire[/SIZE]_
[SIZE=12pt]Bar-G's Unkle Sam (HOF) ASPC# 103741[/SIZE]

_[SIZE=12pt]Dam[/SIZE]_
[SIZE=12pt]Cherry-Hill Philomath Frolic
ASPC# 130732A Chestnut/Flaxen[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Well - that didn't work quite right...[/SIZE]


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## paintponylvr (May 30, 2015)

And Wizard's pedigree -

his sire's bloodlines:

_[SIZE=12pt]Sire[/SIZE]_
[SIZE=12pt]Graham's Little King Lee (HOF) ASPC# 141598A[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Bay Tobiano[/SIZE]

_[SIZE=12pt]Sire[/SIZE]_
[SIZE=12pt]Red Rock Kid Lee [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]ASPC# 133393A [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Black Tobiano[/SIZE]

_[SIZE=12pt]Sire[/SIZE]_
[SIZE=12pt]Kid Lee [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]ASPC# 129812A [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Black Tobiano[/SIZE]

_[SIZE=12pt]Dam[/SIZE]_
[SIZE=12pt]Red Rock Sweet Thing ASPC# 131105A [/SIZE]

_[SIZE=12pt]Dam[/SIZE]_
[SIZE=12pt]Red Rock Bullseye Taffy ASPC 139139A [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Bay Tobiano[/SIZE]

_[SIZE=12pt]Sire[/SIZE]_
[SIZE=12pt]Bullseye [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]ASPC# 133644A [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Bay Tobiano[/SIZE]

_[SIZE=12pt]Dam[/SIZE]_
[SIZE=12pt]Red Rock Kid's Taffy ASPC# 135497A [/SIZE]

HIs dam's bloodlines:

_[SIZE=12pt]Dam[/SIZE]_
[SIZE=12pt]Q.P. Dolls Ginetta of Texana ASPC# 155137A [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Chestnut Tobiano[/SIZE]

_[SIZE=12pt]Sire[/SIZE]_
[SIZE=12pt]Sundance LB Mingo Mango ASPC# 150776[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Chestnut Tobiano[/SIZE]

_[SIZE=12pt]Sire[/SIZE]_
[SIZE=12pt]Flaby's Captain Topper ASPC# 137593A [/SIZE]

_[SIZE=12pt]Dam[/SIZE]_
[SIZE=12pt]Sundance LB Magida ASPC# 144690A [/SIZE]

_[SIZE=12pt]Dam[/SIZE]_
[SIZE=12pt]Kewpie's Mercedes of Arenosa [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]ASPC# 139324A [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Silver Tobiano[/SIZE]

_[SIZE=12pt]Sire[/SIZE]_
[SIZE=12pt]Kewpie's Topper of Arenosa ASPC# 128818A [/SIZE]

_[SIZE=12pt]Dam[/SIZE]_
[SIZE=12pt]Kewpie's Golondrina of Arenosa ASPC# 132720A[/SIZE]


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## paintponylvr (Jun 6, 2015)

Well, between weather and family and appointments, I haven't gotten updated pics of the girls' this week. Wasn't too worried about it... Knew I had an appointment today, but thought I'd get some pics either before I left or around mid-morning when I expected to return.

Koalah hasn't had any "real" changes - she's been eating fine, manure has been about the same (consistent in that it's been slightly more often and less at one time). She's softened up a couple of times over the croup but not much and then 2 days ago - she "firmed back up". Hmmm, OK going to be a while yet. Then last night, I got a "feeling" and went out to check on her again before thinking about going to bed. she was going up and down, acting uncomfortable. So I stayed out to watch her... She stomped around, sweated and then laid down. Got up, let out a big fart. Then laid down again and stretched out - and all signs of being uncomfortable disappeared. I swear she started snoring. So at 1 am, I came in and went to bed. At 5:30, went back out to check on her. I studied her for a bit - looked like it might be another 24 - 48 hours or so before anything really happened, so in I went to take my shower before leaving for our appointment. Then, as we were leaving - the jr mares started running like crazy around the perimeter of the pasture that Koalah is in. So as we went out the main gate, asked hubby to drive along fenceline till we can see mares...

Sure enough - Koalah had foaled. I saw a sturdy foal w/ lots of white appearing to get plenty to drink,... Looked at watch, and said OK lets' go to appointment. Daughter, Sierra, will be here soon - will have her check the foal...

Here's the pic she sent me a little later -






and then this one - with the note that we have a filly w/ 2 blue eyes.






Then we made it home and we went out to check on her and I took this pics...



















After that, we spent some time working back and forth over some name ideas - none decided on at this time...

I've already been back out tonight to check on Tory. She's making some changes now, but she also looks like she has a ways to go... Wouldn't surprise me if she foals this week.


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## SummerTime (Jun 6, 2015)

Congrats!! Beautiful baby!!


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## chandab (Jun 6, 2015)

Congrats! Just lovely. Too bad you aren't still in MT, or that could be one I'd try to sneak into my herd.


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## paintponylvr (Jun 6, 2015)

Here's Tory's pics:
















\


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## Kim P (Jun 6, 2015)

Oh Paula! Congratulations! She is beautiful!


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## paintponylvr (Jun 6, 2015)

and some more pics of the now day old filly -











with our 4 yr old granddaughter - Gracie.






with our 3 yr old granddaughter Gwen.


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## paintponylvr (Jun 6, 2015)

After seeing this filly, I'm really excited about Tory's foal now, too!! I would REALLY like a filly out of Tory... Please come dressed in pink little one.

I'm am just floored by Koalah's filly. And our 21 yr old daughter has been so excited by her - she's just "cooing"... the only way to describe it. She "squee-ed" when she told me how friendly she is! I have a feeling that this is one she's going to want to hang on to (kind of replacements for other ponies we've sold - long story).


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## paintponylvr (Jun 7, 2015)

So yesterday, after the birth of the filly and while MOST of our family was together (our middle daughter wasn't here), we brainstormed names. We put down on "paper" (MS Word - several "pages") quite a lot of names. Some were meant only for fillies, some for colts. Some are really magic related, some related via stories and books set in magic worlds.

That entails a LOT of names - we are all readers (and all of us like SciFi/Fantasy) and our oldest daughter is now a published author (teen, magic world). But still haven't fully decided on a name. Some were looked at and then discarded - nah - too cliche', too ??...etc, etc.

MAY have decided on one - "Kava". Not a "real" word/name. But from a series of books written by Anne McCaffrey called the "Dragon Riders of Pern". The word is from their "world" and is a drink served hot. A bitter/sweet drink like a mix between coffee and cocoa. One more like coffee is "Klah"...

We also like the series of books about the Companions (look like horses but are actually "spirits" - U have to read to find out more!!) and their partners (human riders) by Mercedes Lackey. That one is also now a HUGE set of books - set in the magical kingdom of Valdemar.

Anyway, we are still working on her name. But that may be the one that "sticks"...

We even looked up "Magic" in Klingon!!


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## Brody (Jun 7, 2015)

Huge congrats! Looks like you started out by getting a foal with more white - like you previously mentioned you were hoping for! Hope this creates a trickle down effect for you and you keep getting more!


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## paintponylvr (Jun 7, 2015)

I had noticed that too, and I hope so...*(on the white)... Thanx, Brody!

Diane - ROFLOL! I've read a few of Stephen King's books (The Stand is actually one of my favorites) and a few others in that general genre... but have a tendency to like the magical ones and really like the ones where a person can communicate w/ their ... "familiar" (not really right word but it works). I also went crazy reading a lot of the military type ones for a while - Tom Clancy, Clive Cussler a few other others. A couple of CSI type (Scarpetta series, but can't remember the author's name) and some others...

We've tossed around some Spanish names, too. I've always loved the word/name - Paloma (can't remember the meaning of it but it didn't fit this case at all), Madira texted us Espera (think I spelled it right, not sure) - she said that one means "to hope"? But it didn't work for me either (and since I'm the main person out there day in/day out, it's gotta "work" for me, LOL). Lets see - besides names/words from various books, we have some meanings in Finnish, German, Spanish and Native American (different tribes/languages). Amazingly - we've got a lot of "weather" babies and Holiday babies. And a few animals as well (don't have a Foxy or a Squirrel, yet)...

We did talk about using "Witch" or "Witchy" - but decided against it. I've had too many instances where we've named one and it's fit them in more than one way. (Ari - was a tallish, leggy arab colt - lots of "Air" under him) and a few others that I can't even remember right now... hmmm...

I really think we are going to stick w/ "Kava"... and her registered name would be LP Painted Kava Wiz. O, and the word from the books has an "L" in it - "Klava" - but Sierra likes Kava. Wouldn't be the first time we've "made up" our own names either, LOL...


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## KITTY83 (Jun 8, 2015)

If you need an Italian name just ask!


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## lkblazin (Jun 8, 2015)

Congrats!!! Iv missed so much!! Woooo color!!! Your rainbow just keeps on coming


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## Ryan Johnson (Jun 8, 2015)

Oh Paula , Im in love , just stunning


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## paintponylvr (Jun 10, 2015)

Thanx, all.

Yep, she's one to put "Wizzy" on the map. For me, she's also a good mover - not the high action so many folk like to see - but long, low, sweepy (think hunter horse) - very similar to the first filly we got out of Koalah (who can still drill her tail into the ground at 4 yrs of age - like a good competitive reining loper). I keep wishing this filly was a larger pony or horse - she'd make an awesome riding mount - the kind I could sit and enjoy all day long.

Tory's foal will either be a red or bay, tobiano. We'll see how this foal is marked! Should be stunningly built. "Wiz" appears to be just the right stallion to cross on our mares and I'm looking forward to future foals... Eventually, I will cross him on some of Koalah's daughters (we own her three silver spots by "Iggy").


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## paintponylvr (Jun 10, 2015)

Diane - didn't think anything of your farm name. I'd spent my Jr/sr high school years in Parker, CO and attended sr high school in Castle Rock...(between Denver and Colorado Springs right off of I-25).

Which book did Castle Rock come from? It's not a familiar place when associated with his writing... but I hadn't read a lot of his books and none recently.


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## paintponylvr (Jun 11, 2015)

Hmmm... yes, I remember the state of Maine being featured. Maybe I just connected Castle Rock to "my" Castle Rock... Who knows? Too funny!








The things we don't remember! I've always liked the name of Castle Rock and even before I went to school in Castle Rock, I had a spot up on a cliff that I often rode to as a pre-teen - I dubbed it Castle Rock when I'd go up and just sit there sometimes (it was a rock in an open landscape and became "my" castle) - looking at the open areas around me that could be seen from that spot. It wasn't particularly high as cliffs and mountains go, but it was a GREAT vantage point. I sometimes rode bareback up to that point in the early mornings and watched the sun come up - even before hopping on the bus to go to school. Can't remember how early had to get up to do that - my own kids caught the bus here in NC between 0605 and 0615!

Just some of the things we DO remember. Every time I see your farm name in your signature block, I remember that!!

I just watched the sun come up here in NC w/ my coffee and I remembered other sunrises. Here's to you, Diane



- no suds, just good coffee.

Sorry, much rambling this morning. Must go check the mares soon... Haven't done that yet. Hubby will be home from work soon, too.


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## chandab (Jun 11, 2015)

Diane, I can't gag down even one cup of coffee. I like Diet Pepsi (at home I drink decaf), and I've grown fond of tea (hot or ice, but only a few kinds, and drink decaf).


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## Ryan Johnson (Jul 26, 2015)

How are your mares coming along Paula ?


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## paintponylvr (Jul 29, 2015)

Hmmmm.... well, about that. That's quite embarrassing, actually.

Tory is Tory. She LOOKS pregnant. I THINK she's nursing "Kava" - Koalah's foal. For a while her udder had gotten large, then shrank a lot and her teats are staying kinda large and "flat". Recently she looks a LOT more pregnant - starting to get really round, finally.

'Clipse has "swallowed a watermelon" and I need to get pics of her! No real udder development yet, though.

Anyhoo, since I hadn't had another foal and they are doing "odd things", I pulled out the calendar and spent several hours pouring over my notes and pictures from 2014. And scratching my head. Then my hubby looked over and this was what came from this font of wisdom ... "... do you think that they could be pregnant from Oly for the two times he was put back in his pen after getting out?" The look on my face must have been PRICELESS - he laughed until his sides hurt so much his eyes were watering (nah, he was CRYING & SNORTING &, &, & !!).

Me - "What do you mean - when Oly got out?".... "O, (frown), maybe we forgot to tell you???" .... "...errrr ... tell me what...exactly?..." Him - "well, I know that he was out at least a couple of times and either I put him away or Julie did - he always "gravitated" over to where Spanky was (Julie's mini stallion). After running around, he was always easy to catch. Think Justin (our SIL) left the gate open a couple of times, too" Me - "uhhhuuuhhh."

Soooo... Oly came home on September 1, 2014. Neither hubby nor Julie can remember when he may have gotten out - nope neither wrote it down at all, neither took a pic or two of him running, neither called me or sent a text. Oly went back to Vicki's on November 29th. And now I'm wondering about the times our SIL fed Wizard later in the year as well... (when I fed, I often left the bigger gates for the mares pasture open after I had them caught and while feeding them, scrubbing out their water tanks, hauling hay - even while grooming them as they ate - can't explain exactly why - just easier I guess. Usually always closed the boys' gates once I went thru them. Maybe because they were more likely to be silly/break their ties, leave since they never seemed happy in their paddocks, even the geldings, and they were in the pasture right by a major road?)...

That leaves some pretty wide open dates - a definite 80+ day period, still later in the year, for Oly babies instead of Wizzy babies.

Instead of a possible sister/brother breeding (Wizard x 'Clipse - sired by same sire), have a possible dam/son breeding (Oly x Tory). Life is just so interesting. I've personally never had this type of thing happen before and to happen 2 times in one year w/ 2 different pony stallions? Well... looking into what we need to do to do paternal testing - to see who will have actually sired the two foals I believe are still coming... and have NO CLUE when they will come. They will come when they're darn, good and ready!


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## paintponylvr (Jul 29, 2015)

In the meantime, I have taken some pics of Kava - they aren't the greatest, but she's doing great!

Love her blue eyes. Don't know much about blue eyes, myself. I've never had any before w/ all the ponies/horses we've bred. Koalah's 1st colt for us, sired by a palomino, had blue/green eyes - that have changed to what I call amber... So, I have no idea if her eyes are going to stay blue or not yet at this point.




Haven't loaded these to Picasa yet, so just attaching here...


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## chandab (Jul 29, 2015)

Oh, wow. Sounds like you'll be typing foals this fall. Do you have a preference for who did the deed? Hope they don't drag it out too long for you


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## Magic Marker Minis (Jul 30, 2015)

Usually if the eyes are that blue they stay blue. Her dam or sire had to have overo or splash to keep the blue eyes. Have a colt that's eyes were the same color and they will stay blue. He got splash from his dam. Your filly is very cute.


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## paintponylvr (Jul 30, 2015)

HAHAHAHAHA! Splash me "stupid" - overo (splash or frame) never occurred to me!!! I've had several sabino marked mares - minimal to moderate, along w/ my Tobi's and no blue eyes in 30 years of breeding. ROFLOL.

That would have to come from the sire - Wizard. In looking at the other foals by his sire, I never figured the "overo" foals he sired came from him. BUT hadn't really thought about it.

I've had Koalah tested - she was previously negative for everything that was testable a few years ago (other than tobiano, homozygous black & silver). Her first Iggy filly for us has that wide blazed face and everyone said OVERO. She was tested and NOPE, not for the patterns that were out then (2011). Think there are a few more tests out now... I will have to have Wiz checked for splash & frame. He's homozygous for Tobi & bay. Heterozygous for black.

Oly - now - that gives us some differences in color! You guys just thought we'd get wild coloring!! Now, can throw solids back into the mix, too, since he's only got the 1 Tobi gene, 1 bay gene & can sire both black & red. He's already sired a solid dark bay colt out of a heterozygous black mare.

As to the babies - I just want HEALTHY!


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## Kim P (Jul 30, 2015)

I enjoy reading what you post Paula. You always give me a good chuckle if not rofl!


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## Ryan Johnson (Jul 30, 2015)

Me too Kim , I love the fact I get to read a good story when Paula Posts, and a good laugh too.

Kava is just lovely & cant wait to see some pics of the mares and there watermelons lol


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## paintponylvr (Aug 1, 2015)

I agree Diane, I agree! Thanks, Kim & Ryan!

Well, little Miss Kava had her first "pedicure" today. Our farrier was surprised by the growth she's had. Kava did OK - she's been handled just about daily BUT she'd never been haltered yet. So we got introduced to that, then stood for the farrier... At one point she literally laid down - her right front hoof was finished while she stayed on the ground, then she calmly got back up! GOOD GIRL.

Our farrier LOVES "abusing" our ponies - she thinks they are so fun to play with! Actually, all of the "good" farriers that I have retained over the years are great w/ the ponies.









And "dismounting her ride"....









and just "standing nice" - being a good girl. Yes, there is a belly loop here and also a loop around her haunches.






and standing with out the extra lines about 20 minutes later...






Between my phone & my camera - I took almost 300 pictures of most of the 26 head of equine on our property today. Got some GOOD shots. I did get some of both Tory and 'Clipse, but don't have them "done" yet (cropped, resized and loaded to on-line album so that I can post them easily). Will prob be tomorrow afternoon before I have them done. I'm off to bed for now...


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## paintponylvr (Aug 1, 2015)

Magic Marker Minis said:


> Usually if the eyes are that blue they stay blue. Her dam or sire had to have overo or splash to keep the blue eyes. Have a colt that's eyes were the same color and they will stay blue. He got splash from his dam. Your filly is very cute.


So - are blue eyes a recessive gene - meaning that she would have to have gotten a blue eye gene from each parent? If so, then more of Koalah's foals could have blue eyes, too!! That's kinda exciting.


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## paintponylvr (Aug 1, 2015)

'Nother quick post - have to finish up outside this am...

"'Clipse"'s photos -
















Some fill started .., so end of Aug - mid-Sept, I expect.











and just 'cuz I like this photo!


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## paintponylvr (Aug 1, 2015)

Tory's photos -



















Yes, Tory needs her rear hooves trimmed. No, she's not truly cow hocked. She's one of our "wild child" mares and Cat (our farrier) has refused to do her hooves since Feb 2012. I've done her fronts at least 2x year since then, but have lots of problems with the rear (she's not a nice pony when it comes to handling - very OVER reactive and gets worse the longer you handle her and always has since I purchased her). That's OK, we like both of the sons she's given us! This sand - while I 'beef' about it, works well to break off hooves naturally,. I didn't get an udder shot other than the one where she's itching herself.

In the last photo - yes, Bell is "sitting" on the post. She hasn't had any evidence of rubbing for a while - then while Cat & I were out there yesterday she itched till she cut her vulva, rubbed her right side butt cheek raw/bloody and prob would have kept it up except that we drove her away from the areas she was rubbing on (went to a tree after led away from this post, chased her out to the pasture).

**********

Had to include this photo of some of our other ponies. I will detail later in the Photo/Video. ALL of these 8 "JR" mares are silver dapples (different shades and amounts of sun fade). 7 are silver black (3 of those are homozygous black - including the filly that LOOKS palomino and carries NO cream gene) & 1 silver bay.

3 of these fillies are Koalah's by Iggy. Flashi (2011), Shamrock (2012) & Bunny (2013). Shamrock is the smallest and Bunny ("gold" filly) is now over 41" in height - constantly growing upwards rather than filling out and gaining more substance...


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## Magic Marker Minis (Aug 1, 2015)

Both parents don't have to have a blue eye gene. My colts parents both have blue eyes, but his sire is cremello. He only have a cream gene. Zazzy (colt) got both sabino and splash from mom. Zazzy's granddam (on dams side) had no blue eyes. She was a silver homozygous tobiano bay. His grandsire (same side) had the splash and sabino with blue eyes. We have another mare that has splash. She has one cyrstal blue eye and one dark blue eye. She is a black medicine hat. Both her colts came out pintos but no blue eyes. One sire was also a pinto, so foal was closer to Medicine Hat. The other sire was solid.


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## paintponylvr (Aug 1, 2015)

OK, there's a lot going on then w/ blue eye genetics. Neither parent has blue eyes... Nor the grandparents on either side that I'm aware of, that's why I was asking how it may have worked...hmmm.

More studying to do!!! YAY!


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## paintponylvr (Aug 1, 2015)

AH - so it works the same way that tobiano and black do! GOT it! Thanks Diane

OOPs that not right.... the way that chestnut works... and the way that a solid can come from two Tobianos.

At least I do understand it.


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## paintponylvr (Aug 22, 2015)

Wow, it's been 20 days since I posted those pics of 'Clipse and Tory.

I will take and post some more tomorrow as 'Clipse has started making progress in the udder department and it's time to start taking pics...

Tory - hmm - not so much???


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## Ryan Johnson (Aug 23, 2015)

Me too


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## paintponylvr (Aug 29, 2015)

Well - the ones' of 'Clipse turned out really BAD. I will try again tomorrow &/or Sunday.

Tory - however...


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## paintponylvr (Aug 29, 2015)

Also got some pics of her galloping! They turned out kinda neat!! Have to share.


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## paintponylvr (Aug 29, 2015)

and here are the pics that turned out of Kava.

2 of her head showing her eyes (whew - they are BLUE!)









She was MAD here - Koalah wanted to walk/trot off & Kava wanted to nurse. Every time Koalah started moving off, Kava "threw a tantrum" - bucking and kicking beside and into her dam. I haven't really seen this before, so I find it quite interesting to observe. This is the one that I caught...






Here they are at the far reach of my phone camera - racing back towards the hay bales...






Being a big girl drinking water from the big tank and you'd think she was Tory's foal -


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## paintponylvr (Sep 8, 2015)

'Clipse has gotten funny about me taking pics, that's for sure! She's looking huge and miserable, but bagging up really, really sllloooooowwwwllyyyyy.....

The angles aren't quite right (and there were more than these two, but the others ...not good pics, so will not be "fixing them" and loading them into online photo albums).











My farrier is unhappy w/ how her hooves are growing - they've been sooo 'wonky'. She's not due to be trimmed for another 3/4 weeks - but she will be getting done next time farrier is out - her toes are growing out long and ... kinda lopsided. Wonder if it's how she's carrying the foal? This pic also shows that she's lost a bit of weight on her topline - so she's now getting slowly increased in feed amount (she was holding her weight and almost too overweight so I didn't increase it when I probably should have...). She's probably going to be ribby after she foals, darn it.

and all the photos of Tory are blurred, so none of her this time around.

**********

Sent the hair sample in on the last foal sired by our first stallion. Knew that color wise he's heterozygous for black (Ee), since his dam is chestnut. Well, he's now tested homozygous for Tobiano! What a treat for us w/ AJ's last foal and really only the one colt that I'd even considered keeping a stallion (well, had a couple of REALLY nice part shetlands by him, but I wasn't into retaining them as larger pony stallion prospects and they all made AWESOME geldings). That's still up in the air, though. I just haven't been as excited this year w/ how he looks. I hope it's just the 2 yr old "icks" (out of balance awkwardness), but we shall see. I got some photos of him that were nice in July that I don't think I posted... He still has his very nice personality - even though he is definitely starting to notice the girls!











Rio is out of the first shetland foal (mare - Stuffy) that AJ sired for us in 1996 and Echo is the last foal & purebred shetland that AJ sired in 2013.






Echo is out of Tory, the chestnut and white Tobiano mare whose pregnancy we are following now... Here's a pic of him and her together 2 yrs ago.


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## paintponylvr (Sep 27, 2015)

So, we are making some progress and I'm thinking 'Clipse might foal this week. I went out in the dark and the rain to check her this am and of course, no foal and not really any preparing either...

Sierra grabbed flashlight and rode in passenger seat as we circled the outside of the paddock looking for the Sr mares - 'Clipse and K-La were down almost at the far end by themselves. Sierra was laughing - said OCTOBER 1st! That's Madira's B-Day (this Thursday) - she'll be 23 yrs old. She was 3 1/2 when our first shetland foal was born in May 1996.

Pics of 'Clipse on 8/28 (the bad ones - but not near as terrible as the ones from yesterday) -











And yesterday evening - it was foggy/hazy; had been raining off and on all day and was just yucky. Pics are blurred - but you get the general idea. Her udder needs to fill some more, her vulva needs to elongate some more (I HOPE!) and will be a bit redder I believe. But DEFINITE changes towards the end goal. Sorry, sorry, sorry for the really BAD photos...



















I don't usually advocate moving a mare right before she foals, but we've gotten most of the back paddock, behind the house, fixed where we can keep ponies in it. Have to drag a couple more fence panels up, feed/hay, fill a water tub and then will be moving both 'Clipse and Tory into it this evening. Will start doing alfalfa pellets 2x daily - and as they clean them up, will increase them. That should bring weights up to where they need to be again. Have a couple of others I will be moving as well - but now they will be going in a different spot...

The reason I finally feel we are making progress - she has reddened in the vulva, her muscles have really "dropped off" along her tail bone and have gone to "jelly". Though she has had several foals, I don't know her foaling history and since we don't have a breeding date (or really know which of the boys is the sire), we watch. She can elongate and fill udder while foaling, so really think this week...... Of course, she's a mare and can fool us all around!!

More pics later!!


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## Ryan Johnson (Sep 27, 2015)

Excited for you Paula , cant wait for the news


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## Rocklone Miniature Horses (Sep 28, 2015)

Wishing it all goes smoothly


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## paintponylvr (Sep 29, 2015)

Welp - I have good news and I have bad news. On one hand, they balance things out and on the other (the way I see it at the moment), it totally sucks and not even close! And man, o man, life truly isn't fair at times... :








We've kind of all been checking ponies lately - expecting this foal. I was out in the pasture on Sunday evening, a couple of times thru the night & into the wee hours Monday morning. I didn't get Tory and 'Clipse moved the way I'd wanted to. I topped off water tanks, fed some hay Monday morning and headed into the house - at 545. Took my shower and dressed for work and stopped at the gate @ 630 as I was leaving to study the pasture where the mares are. Kava had been playing earlier and now she's settled into an early nap at Koalah' hooves. 'Clipse and K-la are holding a corner up and standing there looking like "Woe is me, Woe is me".... I always find that expression on pony's faces sooo funny. Off to work I go.

Larry texts me to let me know he's arrived home (early - due to having to do some stuff) and ponies are all OK and there are "no new legs" (a favorite chant right now)... He's headed to his DR appointment. That's over and he's texting me than there's no texts - but a call comes in. I don't normally take phone calls while at work (I answer the phones and schedule appointments, talking personally makes that difficult and it's a big "no-no"...), but I answered it. Larry didn't have a voice for a moment and I don't remember exactly what he said ..something like "Kava isn't with us anymore..." WHAT? He clears throat and says "Kava has passed on - Sierra and Julie are taking care of her body at the moment"... WHOAAA

Well, it seems Sierra's little impossible girl, Kava, had a freak pasture accident. Between Larry leaving for Dr appointment and Julie arriving around 10ish, she passed on. Some of the dogs I was recovering yesterday afternoon were kinda salty and wet, too... They cleaned up ok and didn't seem to mind when fully awake. For once, I embraced the work of "working in the back" while they were short handed. Say a prayer to speed her Blue Eyed self on her way across the bridge for our family and our daughter Sierra - who is REALLY HAVING A ROUGH TIME w/ this...

**********

When I checked on 'Clipse last night, after I arrived home (it was getting dark, had been raining off/on all day) - I was stumped. By the look of her belly, sides and rump, she was about ready. Her vulva hadn't changed color but it had started elongating (YAY!!). BUT her "bag" was really really small (to me!). I didn't sleep much and let me tell you my legs did some serious cramping w/ the number of times I went out and checked on 'Clipse. NOTHING and no changes. OK, I DO have to get some sleep - so got a 3 hour nap. Larry made me breakfast this morning while I went out and checked. No more positive changes, but no backwards movement either. NO wax. I again left late for work & stopped at the gate to locate each of the mares in the pasture. It was difficult as it was steamy w/ humidity and the haze was hard to see thru. BUT located them and 'Clipse and K-la are standing around (again). Larry had some plans for today, but I called him and asked him to check on 'Clipse. Not sure why - nothing had changed.

First text... You got it - "No new legs"... Then ...

***

***

at 0850 - "WE got EXTRA LEGS..."

and he was nice enough to send pics...


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## paintponylvr (Sep 29, 2015)

Here's the 1st pic he sent...






and the 2nd one...






He also sent a pic of the placenta. I won't post that here right now...

**********

Later, Skye and her family came out (Sierra is understandably not thrilled with this colt) and they sent these pics. She thinks "Riddler" (Marvel Comics aficionados) due to the backwards ? mark on his forehead would work for his name. For color junkies, you can see his "stripey" hooves and the black counter shading over his hips and withers (where it's not interrupted by the painted white), the black "points" on his ears & forelock, his right knee & his.









And then the pics after I got home. My camera DOES NOT LIKE evening or humidity anymore than my phone does. Before it got too dark, here's the only 2 I "fixed" out of 17 shots...











In a couple of days, when I can accept him more objectively (that's rotten terrible, I know) and when he unfolds all the way (doesn't look too bad right now!), I'll post some more photos and maybe we can get a good look at him. In some ways, it's a real shame he arrived when he did - but soon enough - his coltish antics will help to soothe aching hearts....


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## chandab (Sep 30, 2015)

So sorry for your loss. And, at the same time happy for your new addition.


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## Ryan Johnson (Sep 30, 2015)

Oh Paula I am really sorry to be reading this, my sincere condolences to you all. I agree with you , life just isn't fair at times.

On a slightly brighter note, from someone that's on the other side of the world,I just have to say that IPPainted Ponies really does produce some amazing ponies. And the little fella that has just arrived is no exception.

Thinking of you all at this horrible time, RIP Kava , enjoy those lush paddocks over the rainbow bridge (Hugs)


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## Rocklone Miniature Horses (Sep 30, 2015)

What a beautiful Colt. I'm very sorry to hear about kava x


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## Silver City Heritage Farmstead (Sep 30, 2015)

Paula, it truly was a tragic day. Again I offer my heartfelt sympathies. I hope you and Sierra will look at me (in time) and not think "aarrr-bearer of bad news." >:-( know it really kicked Sierra in the gut and pray she'll recover her heart in time.

As for Riddler....he is the sweetest little fella!!! When 'Clipse brought him to the fence he just nuzzled right on over.  It'll be interesting to see how first impressions pan out as he fills out.

Again, RIP angel baby Kava......


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## lovemylilbit (Sep 30, 2015)

I am so sorry about Kava.

Riddler is so cute. What a beautiful boy.


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## paintponylvr (Sep 30, 2015)

Thank you all, everyone.

GGGRRRR - this RAIN. Hadn't realized (paid attention?) to the hurricane coming our way. Wasn't planning ahead for this weather. Think we are drowning - hasn't stopped raining since I arrived home from work and it's been accompanied by serious thunder/lightning. Our rain gage isn't registering - and it will be tomorrow before Larry is able to figure out what is going on there. Let's just go with we've had a lot of water "dumped" on us!

Riddler was doing good before I came in, but wish this rain had held off a bit more before he came along OR that he'd waited a bit longer to make his appearance... Koalah is no longer calling for her Kava...


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## paintponylvr (Oct 2, 2015)

We won't talk about how much driving I did today... But after I made it to my Drs appointment this morning **ugh - that age that requires "things" to be done for the "good" of your health - did I say UGH**, I stopped on the way back to visit Vicki. It's been a little while... We visited, checked the weather, I braided a complete haystring rope and then asked "hey, you want to ride along w/ me - I can take my trailer to the shop (the OPPOSITE direction I'd already been in) and you can see the new baby"? She did and amazingly - as we pulled into my drive, the rain stopped and cleared off a bit.

SOOOO we got some decent pics. She took some and shared them with me, and I took some of her handling Riddler. So...

























Then we got the trailer in to be serviced, learned new things didn't realize (!) and then brought Vicki back to her house. Rain started again at her place and I drove thru not 1 but 2 heavy downpours between her place and ours. BUT it had cleared off by the time I'd gotten home, we had good drainage almost everywhere in the pasture and I fed pretty quick before the next band of pouring rain hit!

Good day.

*****

Thanx all for the condolences - they are appreciated and warmly accepted. Always a bit uplifting to share w/ you guys here.

& NO Julie, I don't think that and that made me smile!

**********

Now we just need to find out if Oly (now owned by Vicki and a gelding) or Wizard is the sire of Riddler!


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## Rocklone Miniature Horses (Oct 2, 2015)

Can I ask what's tied into the mates mane? A name or something?


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## paintponylvr (Oct 2, 2015)

We have a lot of ponies - many of the same colors/shades/markings. It's hard for my family or for others who help, to know who is who. I have a braided collar on each pony and have a name tag on that collar. I should also have a phone number on it so that if this current weather system (hurricane) - winds, flash flooding/lots of rain, lightning take out any fencing - authorities would be able to call us. I don't have a phone # on this round (have in the past).

These are made from cattle "ear" tags that came with a paint marker. I've now had them on the ponies for 1 year... The names are still there!! YAY!! I tried marking the buckets with their names the same way - but w/ a permanent marker. The names were gone in 30 days... Just bought a new paint marker, but will have to wait until we get dry weather to remark the bucket tags...

So far, we've only had 3 chestnut and white equine - now only the one - Tory. (sometimes I spell it with an "i")















All the buckets in this wheel wagon, going out to the pen to feed a group of ponies, has the names on the small bucket. It will match the name tagged at the feed bucket that each pony is tied at. At times, that has been important - as feed amounts/supplements were vastly different. Right now, a lot of our ponies are getting the same amounts...






The collars have been braided out of different materials - mostly recycled haystring and also from paracord. I've done both flat braid and round braids. A lot of the hardware is also recycled from old halters that the nylon is worn out of. I cut the nylon away and save all but the most severely rusted/oxidized hardware.









From 2009 thur 2013, I was on the road a lot and that included just a weekend here/there and sometimes almost a full month at a time. I've paid friends and others to come and care for our equine. We usually have big round bales out in each paddock - especially when I'm gone - as that's just easier. My family would check on them, supposed to keep them watered (and sometimes they ran out!!), but the others would actually catch each group and feed them. I usually paid up to $50/day - depending on what all was done... To coincide with the tagged buckets, collared ponies and named feed buckets - I keep a list (right now not up-to-date or missing as Julie pointed out to me the other day when she went to feed some) for the caretaker. That included a diagram of each ponies "position" in the tie line up,


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## paintponylvr (Oct 2, 2015)

Here's all the Jr girls in their feed pen - ALL 8 OF THESE GIRLS ARE SILVER DAPPLES - 2 solids, 1 silver bay spot and 3 silver black spots.






The Sr mares - L backwards - Bell, Tory, Koalah, 'Clipse, K-La. Next to tree (in the pen) - Cheri and then Bit furthest to the right.






This shot shows 2 of the spots in the round pen (not doing that here - I don't like all the holes they dig while eating and don't want to have to constantly refill them. In the round pen - didn't/don't want cement , but may be doing cement in the two pens above). You can also see the line of buckets in the "Boys Paddock" - across two fence lines. Doesn't show all of them in either pen. I don't have a decent pic showing all the boys, LOL, at either place... I'm not currently finding any of the tied ponies in the barn at our previous place either... But could feed up to 9 in the section of open barn we had. While I love our new place, I REALLY MISS my barn. This place isn't really set up to do a central barn like I previously had - which is why I set up the two other individual "feed sheds" in front of the SR mares and Boys' paddocks. The "Shedrow" barn works for the rest... BUT use the wagon to haul feed out for those ponies as it's much further to go!


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## Rocklone Miniature Horses (Oct 2, 2015)

Wow you must be a busy lady !


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## paintponylvr (Oct 3, 2015)

If I get that many, my hubby would truly divorce me... And to be honest, even with the way I have things set up right now, with our current schedules and all, the ones we have are *probably* too many! It's crazy and while I get a little done here and there, we have so many different and on-going "projects" right now, that it seems every time I do one thing there's 4 others not getting done. And when I slow down and have down time, I often fall asleep (even outside sitting in one of the feed sheds OR here at my laptop computer).

I REALLY like(d) using Nutrena Safe Choice. It's the first feed EVER (well, besides the "real feed" in MT that I fed - COB - corn, oats, barley) that I found they all did well on and that I just had to add a mare/foal supplement to. Also, it was available at more stores where I could get it if I had horses on the road (didn't have to take as much with me) or if my/our work schedule kept me from getting to the feed store while it was open. Right now, our local feed stores (including Tractor Supply - some open until 8pm and others open until 9 pm) have Strategy on sale and I'm in the process of giving it a try for the first time in years. That's a $5/per bag savings and it's supposed to be on sale for another month or so (I think that's what the rep said). IF they do well on it and I decide to continue using it, it's $2/bag less than Nutrena SC at regular pricing. HOWEVER, years ago when I used it, ours didn't do well on it. We'll see - I haven't gotten everyone switched over all the way yet. They are eating it. It is 2% less protein, though, and we'll see how that goes. Everyone now also gets alfalfa pellets (before I used to just feed a couple the alfalfa pellets). I am not feeding beet pulp at the moment - but seriously thinking I will be going back to it. I feel like they did better overall when they were on it.

When we take the buckets of feed out, we wet it down. I feed every horse here wet to soupy. During the spring and summer it's tap water (outside). Last winter - both in the temporary qtrs and when we first moved in here, they still got cold water. Doing hot or even warm water here will not be easy! Even hauled out to the pastures in the two ltr bottles and a couple of covered 5 gallon buckets like I used to do - it'll be cool by the time I get out to the pastures with it - ESPECIALLY the last one to be done. But going back and forth isn't really an option either. Have some thoughts about putting a hot water heater out where I want to set up a wash rack. Could do one that uses propane to heat the water. OR maybe could do one that is a "flash" heater (can't think of what it's actually called at the moment). A plug in bucket warmer will work in a pinch - but doesn't work for the amount of water currently would be using... After I feed, the individual small buckets get dunked int he water tank to clean and get re-set/filled up while the ponies are all eating. in the evenings, I do the Sr mares first - as with the tarp set the way it is, it gets real dark in a big hurry in that feed shed (soon it will be dark before I get home from work and I'll have to go back to using the head lamps). Then the boys and then the Jr girls - electric lights in that "barn". I haven't had the problems here with the ants like I did at the previous barn - in fact - I have yet to actually see fire ants here (THANK GOODNESS).

I've actually got the feed time - w/ doing all 3 pastures, the big pen (1 arab/1 shetland pony) and the two chicken tractors out between the 2 pony pastures, cleaning/re-filling 2 (of the 4) water tanks - down to 1.5 hours. Now, if ponies decide to be "crazy" and I choose to work at catching them - that adds time. If (like now) I have to put out small square bales of hay, it adds MEGA time to the equation - have to unstack it in the stall it's in, load in truck or onto the wagon and then take to where it goes. I REALLY LIKE and DEPEND on free choice hay and LOVE the round bales. I wish I had a tractor with the "pokey" attachment that can pick up/move hay bales and a "proper barn" to store it in. I prefer to have no more than 2 round bales at a time out in the paddocks - each then wrapped in a cattle panel for a hay feeder to reduce waste.






The JR girls wasted a lot of hay when I put 4 out at one time (I didn't put cattle panel around any of them) - though they have gone back and were going thru it today (in the rain) because I haven't gotten more to put out for them yet (they DO have hay and they DO have grass).











When I have ponies penned up - I've been lucky in that I can free feed hay that way too (put out a bale at a time - prefer to put in hay nets, or a feeder but can do on the ground as well) and it makes life soooo much easier not having to "mess with" hay at each feeding. Our boarder, Julie, has her feed for each horse set up in zip lock bags - we open/dump into the carryout buckets and pour it into their feed buckets. they are tied just like my regulars are.

With the loss of 2 equine in the past month (Kava, Shet filly & Jazzy, 16 hh NSH mare) and the birth of a new one (Riddler, Shetland colt -not eating from his own bucket yet), we currently have 22 purebred Shetlands, 2 -1/2 shetlands, 1 arab. Board - 1 mini and 1 shetland (so feed 27 equine 1x daily at this time).


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## paintponylvr (Oct 3, 2015)

This is the first summer - ever- in my horse ownership years, that I've done "nothing" with individual ponies. No one has been clipped (not even bridle paths), regular grooming hasn't been done (did quite a bit when treating for lice for two weeks - then disinfected/bleached and sun-dried the curry comb, brushes & mane/tail comb I used). I do a very cursory grooming when each pony gets his/her hooves trimmed (dirt knocked off w/ stiff brush, mane and tail combed out).

The middle stall in the barn now has MOST (not quite all) of our horse/pony equipment in it - but it's not set up where we can easily go in an take out harness that we want to use (YET - that's another project!!). Or safely bring a pony in to groom/harness or have farrier do hooves.

A grooming area/wash rack is not set up yet - want it covered and it can be done via a "hoop coop" and tarp(s) (for now) - will need to join two panels together to make that work I believe...

Want to install heavy duty hitching rails, in several different areas, built from railroad ties/heavy duty posts that are here already - but need to dig the holes for the posts, notch the posts for the horizontal pieces and get the steel straps done (just found a local welding shop that could bend those for me). Need to shift equipment that is against the barn wall at one end, build another hooped "coop" to use for storage and put my wagon and carts in that.

Need to dig in post holes and set the posts for the gates on EVERY pasture - right now they are only "tied" into place...

With all this rain, wish that every building on this place was guttered and had rain water catchment barrels in place - there is A LOT OF WATER coming down. If this keeps up, we'll have a full pond again tomorrow (for the 2nd time this year). None of the buildings - even the house - have gutters! I don't understand why, in this area, every home and shop and garage/carport aren't automatically guttered.

Need to set the gate post and finish the round pen -

and finally - need to start working some ponies!!


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## chandab (Oct 3, 2015)

The "pokey" thing for picking and moving bales with a tractor is a bale spike, at least that's what we call them


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## paintponylvr (Oct 3, 2015)

chandab said:


> The "pokey" thing for picking and moving bales with a tractor is a bale spike, at least that's what we call them






Thanks, Chanda!





At about 3 this morning, I couldn't wrap my brain around what to even google to come up with the proper name


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## chandab (Oct 3, 2015)

We have 3 "pokey" things, one for each tractor, although one of those tractors usually has a bucket and grapple on it. We're hauling bales, so a tractor out in the hay field to load and one at home to unload and stack; just not moving today, as it's raining (so I'm going to try to quilt this afternoon, I trimmed 3 this morning).


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## paintponylvr (Oct 3, 2015)

U go girl!!

**********

Now - "K-La" - Haven't posted any pics of her lately.

Here is one from August, one from September and a couple from October 1st. They all show the same side - none from the rear right now...





















Sooo.... will take more pics and try to get some from the rear and her udder. The last time I checked her udder by feel, I don't remember it being any larger (yet) but ... the pics don't really show what I thought as a slight enlargement showing in front of her stifle. I'm thinking that this isn't a hay belly but a "Bun in the oven"?

"K-La" is 20 this year and I don't know when her last foal was born. I have to scan and then do up some pics I have of her and her foal (s?) that came with her when I purchased her. I haven't been able to straighten out the mess that is her papers yet... Wish I could - this should be a foal w/ tremendous substance - exactly what I'm looking forward to...


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## paintponylvr (Oct 3, 2015)

I don't have any really great shots of Tory again, either. I was beginning to think she just had a wonky hay belly going on and had re-absorbed what I thought might be a foal (she DID develop and udder in May/June - same time frame that Koalah foaled).

Then when we were taking pics of "Riddler" on Thursday, 2 things happened. FIRST, our wild child mare walked up to me and stuck her nose in my camera and then my "tummy". Not a head press like some of our ponies do BUT... DIFFERENT for her. I think I "squeeed"... and the pitch of my voice caused her to jump away but she didn't go far. As I brought the camera up, I swear I saw a flutter in her upper right side flank. I put the camera down and looked at her and pretty sure I saw it again... So, a foal here, too, may be FINALLY coming.

Other than that "flutter" - she looks less pregnant right now to me than she has since April... ??


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## paintponylvr (Oct 10, 2015)

Just 9 days later - here is K-La during her hoof trim and her first udder shot. I thought I'd gotten some udder shots of her previously, but I'm not seeing them so I guess not (will look thru some more pics later).


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## paintponylvr (Oct 10, 2015)

At 10 days of age, Riddler was introduced to the halter for the first time (Iate compared to most of our ponies in the past), a belly rope and responses to pressure. He is developing nicely and we are all starting to accept him on his own merits.

He also has blue eyes, though not as blue as Kava's were.






I love it when they start teaching themselves about how the reward via release of pressure works. This shows how he has backed up after stepping on the lead rope. When he backs up - the pressure is released (& shows).











"bowing" when he feels the pressure from the belly rope (it released shortly when he stood up and took 1/2 step forward, didn't get a pic of that, though). He wasn't responding "as fast" as I wanted (rather I wanted to avoid all of this pulling and "bowing") so I flipped a loop around his haunches and used that to encourage him to step forward. I think the halter/lead was on him a total of 30 minutes (some of which he was loose) and then he was leading fairly easily...






a pretty, targeted bum...






and self explanatory


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## Silver City Heritage Farmstead (Oct 10, 2015)

Hey Paula!!! I just realized/saw that in the side.shots...he has the profile of Dan'el Boone/a mountain man in a coonskin cap. The profile is facing to the right on his scapula. Cute!! Heeheehee.


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## paintponylvr (Oct 12, 2015)

- THANKs EVERYONE!

Julie - I had to look for a long time to see what you were seeing,



, but FINALLY saw/recognized it. Well, think "Riddler" has stuck so "Boone" is out...

That's like "Rio" has a little scottie dog on his left side neck - but none of us recognized it before we called him "Rio". I could have gone with "Scottie" or "Scotty" but ah well. He's our little "Rio" now!!

**********

Welp, talked to ASPC on Friday and I will be initiating his parental testing this week. Will start with his dam (*didn't think to check if she'd already been done by previous owner - wish those tests came back to O, so they could go w/ the horse when sold), him and Wizard (since I need to do DNA on him anyway). IF he turns out NOT to be sired by Wizard, we'll then test Oly (now a gelding owned by Vicki) and go from there. I'm not sure if we can do the Parental testing directly from the forms from ASPC/AMHR (DNA - $29/horse) or if I have to use the forms from UKY (DNA/Parental testing - $40/per horse). Will try to call UKY tomorrow (calls during the day are difficult, since my job is answering phones, returning calls and etc...).

Then we'll do color tests - Of course - we already know he's a bay tobiano so looks like this - E?, A?, T?. Just want to know what each of those ? marks are. Actually, will color test his dam first - have both Wizard, EeAATT, and Oly, EeAATt, color tested.

**********

In looking over my DNA spreadsheet, I was very surprised. I've done DNA testing (permanent) on more of my herd than I'd realized! What a pleasant surprise. Still have quite a number to do yet with color testing BUT can hold off on DNA for a bit on most of the ones left (I think... - have to look up the parentage qualification rules and see what the newest updates are).


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## paintponylvr (Oct 29, 2015)

Well, talked to the DNA folks at UKY and what a different "story" than what I was told by the same office 3 yrs ago when I had a surprise colt born to a mare that I purchased "open"... The testing is affordable - just they ONLY send the results to ASPC, not to the owner (Y NOT?)... A waste of time IMO, when they (ASPC) then have to contact me as to whether or not the colt is sired by the stallion I'll be sending in (not DNAd yet). If he's not, we'll have to send in the DNA for the other boy - who isn't owned by me anymore and is now a gelding. SIGH.

I haven't done pics in a while. Need to drag myself out there (have to feed, too). I may be doing some feeding now, come in and rest, then go back out to finish the groups later... They don't exactly like it when I do it that way, but they seem to have gotten used to it. I love that I now have feeders in the chicken pens that allow them to feed themselves free choice. Now just need to finish the bucket/nipple waterers for all of them.

Fever broke (again) this morning and I finally know that I have an upper respiratory thing going on. The cough is sporadic, but when it hits, I cough until I almost pass out. I hate that. Glad I wasn't doing that the 3 previous days when I went to work - would have had a car accident - going off the road. The last few years, I've tried to eat better, tried to do some different things and for the first time, I haven't had as much respiratory issues (constant year round bouts of sinusitis and Rhinitis). BUT that means that right now, I'm "not used to it" and I'm miserable and feeling really WIMPY... O, woe is me.. My fever hit 103 again last nite the last time I'd checked before it broke - that makes 2 nites in a row and the first night it was 102.9 (when I checked - not checking much!!)... I was kinda glad it was pouring yesterday when I got to work - 10 minutes after I arrived, I had "water" dripping off the tip of my nose and my finger tips... The other receptionist dealt w/ the clients while I picked up animals and took them to the back. Made sure I didn't contact the owners or their leashes and I wiped everything down that I touched (cat crates, counters, door handles, PHONE etc) in the back... It was a miserable 3 days, but don't have the $$ for DR if don't work... I had to remove the "damp" layer of clothes (thankfully, I carry extra). I was sooo glad to get off work an hour early and not scheduled today. I would have had to call in today if I had been scheduled. O, sick, sick - go away.

SIL is picking up the slack w/ the critters, but hubby said he wouldn't be out today cuz' they are now feeling it too... Think we picked it up at the ComiCon 2 weekends ago. First full "PONY WEEKEND" I'd had planned in a while and will be cancelling all activities most likely. Weak as a kit, too...

Here's my smile for the day (can't do a real one - face REALLY hurts!).


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## Ryan Johnson (Oct 29, 2015)

Hope your feeling better soon Paula


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## paintponylvr (Nov 3, 2015)

Fever lasted for 4 days - going as high as 103.2* f when I took it. Seemed to stay away over the weekend, but I was "knocked out" quite a bit. ONce the fever broke, the drainage started - and I'm sitting here with a throat that feels like hamburger and a voice acting like a boy's entering puberty (sometimes low, sometimes high and squeaky and sometimes non-existent). I'd love it if the coughing would stop... It's weird. I'm fine, i'm fine than out of no-where - I start coughing. bleck.

I HAD to get feed on Saturday - one of the only days that I could get feed between being sick AND the rain. I think it's been years since I've spent that much on feed in one run - but we were out of almost everything (alfalfa pellets, feed pellets, chick starter, layer pellets & cat food). SIL & his buddy helped unload 20 bags of feed. I was worn out after the driving (stopped at 3 places + picked up lunch for the guys & granddaughters helping).

Now have all the parts to build 4- 5 gallon bucket waterers for the chickens, 4 - 5 gallon bucket feeders for the chickens and the 2x4s to put up the "big roosts" so their little chickie toes can sit flat in the coming cold weather! The rain started up again Sat nite, so on Sunday the chickies didn't get their big roost yet (boards still in the truck, bad me!). And while I wanted to get the waterers/feeders done... I was worn out just from feeding in the rain, so ... I just looked at them occasionally. I also got some laundry done and made some meals that could be taken to work this week - so accomplished a bit..

The time change and the dark caught me by surprise! Forgot just how dark it is out there! Its now dark BEFORE I leave work, so all feeding the last 2 nights were done in the dark in the rain.





K-La has been "gimpy" the last couple of days. I'm hoping I feel good enough tomorrow evening (supposed to be a little more clear?) and then maybe take her out of the paddock, park her in front of the headlights on the truck and clean out her front hooves really good. I had increased her feed, but when she went "gimpy" I reduced her again. She's rather round with this foal and is slowly bagging up. I didn't get any pics, of course, so I'll work on that, too.

OK, off to take meds and crawl into bed so can go to work again tomorrow!


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## paintponylvr (Nov 7, 2015)

Thanx, Diane!

Maybe starting to get a little better, but you are right. It's dragging on..on..on Etc infinitum. Felt a little better today, good to have "decent" weather - nice breeze at first - then turned humid enough - thought was going to melt. Then the rain that was supposed to come in Sunday had changed to tomorrow and wow - started "spitting" at 1 pm TODAY! But got a lot done, happy with that. By the time I had chores done, we'd trimmed 6 shetland mares, 1 shetland colt, 1 arab mare - I was about "thru" but we didn't sit in the house long as it took longer than I thought it would to get that done. Larry rode along with me so we went up to Sanford to eat lunch out at Arby's (don't get there much) and then swung back around and down to the shop that had out trailer (tire replacement & service done 2 weeks ago but I hadn't been able to get there when they were open).

Little Riddler has rubbed his head of all his "fur". Looks like he's been clipped, but he hasn't. He is 5.5 weeks old and got his first hoof trim today. Here are some pics of him.



























And by the time he'd led next to his dam the 3/4 mile from the SR mares pasture to the paddock behind our house (now that I have it set up finally), he was leading pretty well. Only the 4th time he'd had the halter on and doing very well. He's really a nice colt. Still under a bit of a black cloud but it's slowly fading...

Have some pics of "K-La" too, working on them... She never looks as "preggers" in the pics as she does in person!


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## paintponylvr (Nov 7, 2015)

"K-La" shots -


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## chandab (Nov 7, 2015)

Riddler is so cute.


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## Kim P (Nov 22, 2015)

Love that baby!


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## paintponylvr (Nov 22, 2015)

Thanx, all! Wow, Kim - hadn't seen you in a while! Hope all is OK with your grand daughter - will be off to read your thread rite quick!

The mares are steadily rockn' and rollin'. Beginning to think they are just looking preggers and will foal in early 2016 - which coincides with when I DID have Wizard turned out with the girls during some fencing issues (easier to just keep him happy for several weeks, then to stress about whether he was in or not). I DO know that I have some other mares (maidens) that look to be coming along with Jan/Feb foals 2016 - for that period when I had Wiz turned out with the 15 mares.

None of those four have started bagging up yet, but their nipples/teats have "spread out". It won't be long before we start getting filling going on. The first day that Wizard was out with them was Jan 25th (about 2 weeks earlier than I'd have preferred, but) thru March 5th... I will start a new thread for them in 2016 -do have some pics... Thinking that with the two that fooled me (Tory & K-La), that we will have 6 foals pretty close together in Dec/January - into February/March. The new ones - Ami, Flower (iffy - 1 day I think yes, next, no), GG & KoKo. Ami, GG & KoKo all had their foals move on Friday when I was holding them for the farrier, so yes, I'd say that now I know they are!! Ami & KoKo are solid silvers - both heterozygous black, GG is 1 gened for black, silver and tobi. Flower is known to be 1 gene for bay, silver & tobi - don't know about black. So all foals will be tobiano. 3 could be chestnut or they will be bay or silver bay. We'll see on Flower's foal.

and this "cold" has changed or I've gotten better for just a few days and then caught something else! ACK! I ache again - all over. Coughing in earnest again - w/ lots of drainage. Taking cough syrup, ibuprofen & psuedofed (the real stuff - regulated from the pharmacy) and using the Chloroseptic throat spray, gargling with salt water and lots of hot coffee/hot water/hot tea! I was freezing yesterday when my hay delivery guys were sweating in tank shirts while dropping round bales in my pastures... I really needed/wanted to be over this before now - have plans for THanksgiving and company coming and it's hard to get things cleaned up when you are miserable and weak. Dog gone it...


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## paintponylvr (Dec 24, 2015)

Weelllll - FINALLY making progress! Though they may both carry over into 2016.

K-La's udder is about the same size right now that 'Clipse's was when 'Clipse foaled in September. So we shall see. I'm used to my mares' having much larger "bags"...

Due to VERY inclement weather (to include flooding in many areas around us - very glad that we aren't on our previous property!!), I simply haven't done pics. Will try to get pics tomorrow after the morning rush/presents and while I'm feeding ponies IN DAYLIGHT.


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## paintponylvr (Dec 24, 2015)

and I'm still not over this "cold" completely. Something happens (very humid today and out of the blue, I just was miserable and then started coughing) and it feels like it's right back...


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## paintponylvr (Dec 25, 2015)

Diane -

that brought as many smiles for me as the "lude" pose my hubby affected in front of the tree with his pom pooch!

Have to share the "french pose" (as our arty daughter put it).


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## paintponylvr (Dec 25, 2015)

Ha!

Here are pics of K-La:















The edema and larger udder -
















I'll post a couple more side shots in a minute...


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## paintponylvr (Dec 25, 2015)

The vulva shot above - I want to see it more extended (it looks long in that pic, but it's not), a bit more swollen, "poofy" and "loose". She still freaks out, so looking inside the vaginal canal really isn't happening - though she's finally gotten to a point where she seems to enjoy having her tail brushed out. It's one of the few things she stands still for.

I braided up her tail with a haystring, but may take it back down during the day the rest of this week - FLIES were out in force this afternoon after I put up her tail and I almost took it back down as I felt kinda guilty...






IN the next pic, you can see where the muscling is "dropping off" around her tail head/croup. I THINK we may have a baby by the new year, but I've been so wrong this year...






Just got back in from checking her - no immediate signs of pending birth, no changes from when I took these pics earlier today.


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## paintponylvr (Dec 25, 2015)

and here's Tory.

Honestly, she looks less pregnant to me now than she did in June! So, she is either pregnant and will eventually foal OR she is having something like "mini" false pregnancies - each time one of the other mares gets close. I've never heard of false pregnancies multiple times per year like she MAY be doing, but wouldn't put it past her.

We shall see. I didn't get udder shots at all and didn't even do up about 10 shots that looked pretty bad (she was ducking and dodging me, and her legs were splayed everywhere, LOL)... But look at that beautiful face!!! I have a couple of ponies whose "faces"/heads just make me heart go pitter patter - Tory's is one!


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## paintponylvr (Dec 26, 2015)

Getting ready to go check K-La for the 2nd time and go ahead and feed. No baby or signs of impending birth the first time (but have had 2 born this year after I've gotten ready to go out to work or to an appointment, sooooo....).


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## paintponylvr (Dec 26, 2015)

and between 0630 & 0900 she foaled a TINY filly! Julie came up before I made it out again and let us know - she'd gotten some pics, some vid and said the foal was real "wiggly", she couldn't tell the sex...

Sorry took so long for me to get back up on here - took pics, fed, cleaned water tanks, handled the baby some more, set up feeds for tomorrow, texted a few people including our 2 daughters not here right now. Back into house, lunch, download pics, adjust pics and set up her album in Picasa and WALLA

Here is our CHRISTMAS BABY (don't have a name yet - it'll come)... O, yes, remember I said I would like to have more "color" (white vs dark)? Think the order was understood!!!






Yoshi is Sierra's boyfriend - he spent Christmas with us. This is his first viewing of a newborn baby "horse"... He was afraid to touch her though - not his "thing", hate to tell him but if he remains Sierra's boyfriend, he'll end up getting used to horses overall and doing stuff with them too, probably!











"Riddler" wants to play with his new 1/2 sister (he will be 3 months old on the 29th) ...











And we'll have to let our "roan expert" tell for sure, but I believe this little girl will clip out or shed out as a bay roan... See the little "goggles" around her eye that is "funny colored"? That's like a grey horse and think I've seen a few roan shetlands with that as well...


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## paintponylvr (Dec 26, 2015)

Thanx, Diane!!

Sierra's first comment upon touching the little girl was "OMG - look how "furry" she is!" And "O, how soft" - I didn't get the pic of her rubbing her face in the babies side/neck "fur".... Too busy almost dying of laughter!


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## chandab (Dec 26, 2015)

Congrats! She's lovely.

And, even the day after Christmas, Noelle, might still be fitting as a name, or maybe Holly; if you're into holiday theme names.


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## paintponylvr (Dec 26, 2015)

- yes, we do Holiday names. "Cupid" & "Shamrock" were both actually foaled after their named for Holidays (I think both were 2 days after, instead of 1).

Throwing around a few right now. Will wait and see what we think tomorrow... Though so far - Larry and I like "Tinsel".

Lady K's Tinsel Child

LP Painted Tinsel Child W

LP Painted Wizards Tinsel

Since Julie saw her 1st - "Yule" (pronounced yul-lie in 2 syllables instead of one)

LP Painted Yuletide Wiz

LP Painted Wizards Yule

LP Painted Lady W Yule

LP Painted Holidaze Wiz

LP Painted Wizards Holidaze


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## paintponylvr (Dec 26, 2015)

Noelle won't work (though I LIKE IT) - it's a middle name of a classmate of Sierra's and she flat out said "NO"...

I also like Holly but so far no one else does -





We came up with quite a few others - but the only other one I really like is "Elf"... The rest seem more for boys!


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## chandab (Dec 26, 2015)

I like this one that you listed: LP Painted Wizards Holidaze


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## paintponylvr (Dec 26, 2015)

Sierra sent me the pics she took w/ her phone - and here are a couple of those now...

Julie holding her (she was AMAZED that she could pick her up!)






Look at the watchers behind us






I think that Julie's pic was the very first one taken of her


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## Ryan Johnson (Jan 10, 2016)

CONGRATULATIONS





Adorable





Sorry im so late to the party, but certainly happy to return to see this


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## paintponylvr (Jan 10, 2016)

THANX, Ryan and welcome back!

I think we've decided on "Blitzen" - though not sure how it will work for a registered name yet. She's quite the bouncy little girl! She and Riddler are running back and forth together a lot now. Funny how that works out.


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## Kim P (Jan 15, 2016)

Oh, just precious! I am a little late too. Yes definitely looking soft and cuddly. I was amazed at how soft Annabelle was. I miss it.


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