# Patty is starting to get big



## Kim P

I don't know when she was bred. I saw it but did not know to write it down bc I thought the guys were to old to reproduce. Lol. I am thinking it was march or April. She is getting big though. I thought I would post pics for y'all. She is just too sweet.


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## Ryan Johnson

She looks lovely Kim






If she was successfully bred during those Months she would be between 5-7 months along if I am correct?

She certainly does have quite a belly, What are you feeding her ? Does she get Grain as well as hay? Is she out on pasture ?

Welcome to the MareStarers forum, looking forward to hearing what others have to say


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## Kim P

Yes that is my girl! She gets mare and foal feed twice a day. She gets plenty of hay. I was giving her a little alfalfa every day but I had a severe allergic reaction to something and I have not touched the alfalfa hay until I figure out what it was. She gets to eat a little grass sometimes too. I take her walking. I think she is going to be a good little momma.


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## Ryan Johnson

Well it certainly sounds as tho she is getting plenty to eat.

Has it been confirmed she is pregnant by your vet ? Only reason I ask is that last year i thought my little one was pregnant and was confirmed in foal by my vet and so, was "feeding for two" It turned out she had lost it somewhere along the way and became unwell.

Not knowing this, I continued to feed, only i was adding to what she was about to endure. "Laminitis"

I would hate to see any horse go thru this, it was cruel to see her in so much pain and to have to keep her locked in a box for 2 months wasnt fun for her either.

i will say she has made a wonderful recovery (im even considering breeding her towards the end of nov early Dec)

She will never be able to have free run on pasture anymore, only small periods of time as a treat, as the sugar in the grass is just so high.

I really hope she is pregnant for you , so many wonderful people on here to help along the way and see how patty progresses.

Sorry for the long winded post just wanted you to be aware


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## Kim P

Yes she is really pregnant. Vet did blood work on her. So sorry to hear that happened to your little one. Glad she is okay now. I still have to get the boys fixed. My vet suggested that we wait until after the first frost so the flies want be so bad. This will be the only baby we have. Patty is healthy. The farrier was out just a couple of weeks ago. He said everyone looked good too.


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## Ryan Johnson

Excellent so excited for you and cant wait to see what she has been preparing for you.

All the best


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## 

Pretty girl and she looks good. Can you take a couple of pictures for us to start with please. Take a full side shot right down at her level, and take one standing behind her looking straight down her sides toward her head, right down at her level too, and we'll see how baby is riding in there. Very exciting to see her moving forward!


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## AnnaC

She's looking great Kim, cant wait to see the extra pics that Diane has asked for.





Gelding boys after most of the flies have gone is important, but it is not a good idea to wait until you are likely to have frost overnight if you stall your minis over night. You cannot turn horses out on to frosty ground until the frost has lifted, but outside time is vital for newly gelded boys to help prevent the wound swelling, so having to be restricted due to frost can cause difficulties. If yours live out all the time (no run in shelter where they can stand in all night eating hay) then believe it or not, eating frosty grass wont hurt at all!


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## Kim P

Well I had to take one of my guys back to the vet yesterday. Wishbone. I have been working with the vet over an abscess he has had since I got him. We have already went through surgery once. The vet called this morning and asked me if I wanted to go ahead and fix him while he had him sedated. I told him to go ahead. I keep them in a pen. They have two run in sheds and a two sided lean to with a fan under it. What does frosty grass do?


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## AnnaC

Sorry to hear that Wishbone has been poorly again, but sensible of your vet to suggest gelding him whilst he was there. Just make sure that he has plenty of 'walkies' time once he comes home - take him for walks if he seems reluctant to move around himself, and give him the chance to nibble on some nice fresh grass when possible, nothing better than "Doctor Green" for helping with recovery when feeling poorly.

Frosty grass can cause bloating in grazing animals - horses, cattle etc. This only seems to happen when animals are stalled or penned overnight and are then turned out onto frosty ground in the morning, but it can have fatal results. It does not happen if animals are living out 24/7, although to be honest I dont know why! With stalled animals you need to wait for the frost to lift before turning them out on pasture, plus make sure that they have had access to a supply of hay to line their tummies before letting them out as this will help in case some of the grass might still be a bit frozen.

Please let us know how Wishbone is recovering, bless him.


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## 

So sorry about Wishbone. Good advice!


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## Ryan Johnson

Hope he is feeling better Kim


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## Kim P

So here are the pics of Patty.


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## Kim P

Here is wishbone. He is doing good. He is also the daddy


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## Kim P

I am still giving Wishbone antibiotics and also squirting some in that hole. That is the white stuff you see on his nose. Lil Peanut is at the vet now. He is getting fixed today. I will pick him up tomorrow.


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## Kim P

I think this is a better pic of Patty from behind


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## 

That's a better view for sure, but see if you can stand directly behind her so she's squared up in the picture and we can look smoothly down her sides and squat down at her level. But it looks like baby is riding lopsided....which is just perfect at this point!!!


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## Ryan Johnson

She looks great Kim, looks like she is starting to get a belly.


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## Kim P

Here are some new pics of Patty


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## AnnaC

Now that's a splendid pregnant belly!! She's looking great Kim.


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## Ryan Johnson

Wow hasn't she changed in the last month.






She is looking fantastic


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## 

AWESOME!! Just LOOK at that perfect "little" belly!! This is great to see.


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## lkblazin

now that's a belly


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## Kim P

Yes she definitely has a belly now.


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## Kim P

Do y'all think that she will have a little paint pony or be solid color?


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## Ryan Johnson

Do you remember around what time you saw the breeding. ??

I have no idea in regards to colour, tho I will wish for a healthy foal for you if you promise to inundate us with loads of pics.

Im getting excited for you


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## 

lt's about 50/50 for daddy throwing his pinto genes when you breed solid to pinto. I'm going to vote for a pinto baby, and cross my fingers for you as I think it will be a beautiful little one !


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## Kim P

I hope it is a paint with Patty's dark color. I think that would be pretty.


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## Kim P

Well we purchased them February 25. They did not come directly here. They were here Easter April 20th. It was still chilly outside when we saw them. I can trembler if it was before or after Easter. We got their pen built around the first of April.i am going by the dates I took pics from iPad. It was that time frame.


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## lkblazin

Whatever color it is, it will be adorable! Take loads of pics.


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## Kim P

Patty was acting strange to me today. She was really mellow, just standing there. I can feel the baby moving and kicking around. This evening when I fed them their feed I went back out to check on them and they did not eat it all. I had also put some alfalfa out there too. They ate all that and are still looking for more. I did not know they would choose hay over feed. I keep them coastal out there all the time. I am thinking Patty May have this baby in January. She just looked different today. Maybe she was just tired and not getting her rest bc the baby is so active. She is drinking lots of water. I hope she holds off till Feb or March.


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## lkblazin

Take some pics, baby could be moving into position. That would also explain why she was uncomfortable. How does her poop look?


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## Kim P

Her poop is not quite the apples as normal it is softer and bigger. I thought that was probably the bit of alfalfa. Although it was fine the day before. I will post some pics in a bit


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## Kim P

Well everything seems fine today. I will post anyway.


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## Ryan Johnson

Your correct, as she gets closer she will feel a little uncomfortable as there will be less room, you may even notice she will just want to hang out and not over exert herself.

We used to have a thoroughbred mare years ago that was the biggest sook from the beginning of her pregnancy till about the last month. She would rather you brush her and dote over her than stand there eating her dinner Then the last month or so she would turn into the nastiest, moodiest mare I had ever seen. She wanted nothing to do with anyone except her feed left in the feed bucket on the gate. And if it wasn't done quickly the ears would go back.

She was a lovely mare 99.8% of the time , just not during the final 4-6 weeks of her pregnancy.

Hope you get your wish for a Feb or March foal.


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## lkblazin

Looks good poop may have changed from alfalfa. Keep an eye on it. Baby looks like its riding to the left



. Love how cranky she looks, especially with her man in the background giving the guilty face. Like I didn't do it, snicker snicker


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## Ryan Johnson

How is Patty coming along Kim ?


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## Kim P

Patty is good. She really looks forward to her feed now. She is all up in my business when I walk in the gate. She will see me come out and stands at the gate. Barely gives me room to get in and has those ears down and nudging at the bowls. The weather has been pretty nasty for the last couple of weeks so she has just been hanging out.


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## 

We'd love a new picture if you get a chance!! So glad she's doing well.


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## Kim P

Here are more pics of Patty. It is another nasty day. I don't know why they want go in their sheds to eat but they like to eat under the lean to and don't even get under it all the way. I do know it is small but they could all fit. Another thing about these goofy horses, they will only drink out of the trough with the water hose in it! I can trick them and just put the hose in the other trough and they will drink it. When I move the troughs far from one another,they will only drink from the one closest to the house! They are goofy! They are not eating the hay in their nets that I have in their little sheds. Although they will eat from the one under the lean to. I guess it is like my grand baby said, they have a kitchen, a bedroom, and a bathroom! They need to move the bathroom though, it is right between the kitchen and bedroom in front of the doorways! Lol


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## Kim P

Here are two side pics. Rain stopped for a few minutes.


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## AnnaC

She looks as though she is getting very close to foaling. What does her udder look like - will she let you get a picture for us to see? Sorry but I cant remember if you have got her a private stall ready to foal in and is she stabled in it overnight? Also you will need a separate area apart from her friends for her and the baby to use at least for the first few weeks - so much stress caused for Momma mares (and dangerous for babies) to have to share outside space with other horses soon after the birth.


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## Kim P

Oh goodness! I am not ready for her to foal! We plan on separating the pen in two weeks! I was hoping she would not have it until February, March, or April. Do you really think she looks that far? I know I saw them breed in March or April. We are pretty sure that this is her first. I will go get a pic for you!


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## Kim P

Okay here is her pic. She would not let me get that grass stuff off.


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## Ryan Johnson

She does look very close to foaling




Now is the time to keep an eye on her at all times. She has a little shopping to do in the milk department but other than that shes looking really well





Very excited for you, and Ill be keeping a close watch on this thread.


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## Kim P

When I separate them, why do I have to lock her in. Want she go in there on her own?


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## lkblazin

Looks good



. She would need to be put in for the babies safety. Or at least that's how I see it. That way if its chilly outside the baby doesnt get cold. Also before she foals its better for your sake and hers if she is in during the foaling. That way you are not dealing with onlookers ( her buddies). Also she may not think of being inside as the best place. So she may or may not voluntarily go in.


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## Kim P

Well I guess I will see about getting my son to help me, or rather me help him separate their pen this week. We don't work well together. Lol I will just have to keep quite and let him do it however he wants.


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## Kim P

Quiet


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## Kim P

Hmm I am having a moment here. I am not sure how to spell. I think it is quiet


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## 

You spelled it just right!

Separating her a bit early, allows her to get used to her new sanctuary, and will keep baby safe from the rest of the herd, until baby learns to listen ONLY to momma, and follow her around. Also, some "on-lookers" might try to steal baby away from momma, and the stress isn't good for momma. Being a new mom is stressful enough, and this will give her a chance to bond with her little one, and learn how to care for her/him.

She's definitely looking very good, and further along than a March/April baby. So, it won't hurt to let her get used to a new night-time ritual, and she should settle in quite quickly. It will help her stress less and grow that udder!!

She's looking great!


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## Kim P

I have them out eating a bit of green grass. It looks like the baby has dropped to me. What do you guys think?


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## Kim P

If it has dropped, about how much time until the baby comes?


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## Ryan Johnson

Can you try and get a pic from down at her level and directly looking at her from the side and maybe one of her udder


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## Kim P

She just looks different to me today.


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## Kim P

If you look at her belly you can see where she keeps scratching or rubbing it.


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## Ryan Johnson

The foal might be in an uncomfortable position hence the rubbing. You should notice a lot more tail rubbing as things get closer.

It does look like she maybe dropping. I don't think its as obvious as to baby poking out sides as it was in earlier photos.

How is her tail ? Has she started to relax muscles around the tail head ? She still needs to go via the milk bar a few times but she may decide to do it closer to foaling.

She is definitely looking wonderful.

hopefully Diane and Anna will be on soon, always look forward to their opinions


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## 

Yes, she looks a bit different, but baby could still stand to move forward of center a bit before delivery. And I agree, she needs to get that udder moving forward too.

Take a picture standing behind her and lets see how baby is positioning. It appears from the one picture as if baby is still sticking out a side, which is just perfect at this point!

She's looking great!


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## Kim P

I am getting a little nervous now. Who would have thought. I am reading what you wrote Diane about what could go wrong. Scares me. I hope it goes wonderful. I have two vets who live close to me on each side. Both are about two to four miles from me. My vet really just takes care of dogs and cats. He is a cattle farmer. He has taken good care of my little horses though. He lives about 4 miles from me. He knows how I freak over things. He is older. The other vet does specialize in horses. I just don't use him bc he was always gone on calls. My dog had to stay there four days just to get neutered. He is a good vet though. I am glad I have them so close but from reading all this stuff it seems like they want get here in time. Two to three minutes! I would reach in to help no problem, just kind of scared. I am just going to watch for two feet coming out. I wish I could bring you guys in with me. I don't have barn cams but I do have FaceTime. I would love to be able to have you guys watching! Okay I am just rambling now............I am going to start getting that kit ready tomorrow.


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## Ryan Johnson

Those pinned threads are brilliant , I read thru them all the time





When this does happen for you , and I know it will be hard but try and be as relaxed as you can. Patty will be depending on you to be the calm one.



It must be reassuring that you have vets that live so close to you.

Keep watching her and ask as many questions as you like , especially if you start to notice something you think is unusual. I hope you drink Coffee cause you will really need it as the time gets closer





Im really excited for you Kim and wish you all the best for when the time comes.


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## Kim P

Thanks Ryan. Yes I am a coffee drinker!


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## AnnaC

Dont worry Kim, you are not alone - no matter how many mares we have foaled, we still get nervous every single time a new baby is expected! Glad that you have been reading the pinned threads, but the most important thing that you can do for Patty is to be calm and to BE THERE when she foals - not going out to check every hour, half hour or even every 15 minutes, but to be watching very closely all day and sitting up with her all night. However if you can keep the pictures coming plus any information on the changes you are seeing, we will try to get you as close as possible to within a few days of her foaling to prevent you becoming too exhausted from a lack of sleep!! So keep watching for those changes, not only in her udder development but also with her general behaviour.

Good luck!


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## 

And, if it's any comfort, I'm always here on my phone, and can do Facetime with you if you need. 863-990-3210.

I've "delivered" several babies by phone at all hours of the night and day, so as Anna said, we're here to help in any way we can, and I'm glad you've read the post. The more you read, the better prepared you will be and you will surprise yourself by being prepared. I know some have printed out the topic and keep it in the barn for reference.

We're here to help all we can, but it sounds like a great comfort to have 2 vets so close!


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## Kim P

Thanks so much you guys! It does help my nerves. Oh Diane thanks so much for your number. I will try not to call you but can't make any promises. Just knowing you are there to FaceTime makes me feel so good! I just put your number in my phone so I am ready. I will put it in my iPad too!


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## Kim P

Stump dipping solution-alcohol I assume.

Enema-I have to give her an enema? So what a summers eve vinegar and water?

Vet wrap-what is that?

Foal blanket- I will go look for for one. I don't think we have any here or at tractor supply. Not for minis anyway.

Okay I am starting this


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## chandab

Betadine (povidone iodine), or chlorhexidine (not sure of spelling) for dipping navel.

Most use Fleets brand baby or child's enema (it's not the same as a douche, the Summer's Eve stuff).

Vet wrap is self-sticking stretchy bandage material that most tack shops (TSC also) should carry.

Dog coats work pretty good for mini foal blankets. A child's sweatshirt cut to fit will work in a pinch, just harder to get on and off.


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## AnnaC

Your vet can give you a small bottle of whatever they recommend for naval dipping/swabbing. Care should always be taken with vet wrap not to apply too tight and not to leave on the tail for more than a couple of hours, ordinary tail bandages work just as well but again the "not tight/couple of hours" is important - we never wrap our mare's tails as we are always there at foaling time and simply move tails out of the way, anyway our girls are not used to tail wrapping and would probably freak out if we tried it just at a time when we want them as calm and relaxed as possible! Enemas should not be necessary except in the case of emergencyand then your vet should do it unless you are experienced in giving one - make sure the vet knows it is for a mini foal. Yes dog blankets/coats can work well for mini foals - judging on the size of your mare I think you might need the largest size and will probably need three of them - one for indoor use and two waterproof ones for outside in case baby gets caught out in the rain and you need to dry out the rug before using it again.

Remember that the new baby belongs to it's Momma (not to you) and will need those first few hours to bond with her - new babies bond by smell and need to register the scent of its dam and not that of a human being if all is well and human intervention unecessary. New babies can easily go 6 hours without drinking (even up to 12) and as long as it is 'searching' for the mare's udder regularly then leave well alone and give them both time. Once the birth is over and all seems well then get out of the stall, get someone to bring you that welcomed cup of coffee and watch from a distance to keep an eye on their progress - I love this special time! About an hour later you can offer your girl the first of her warm mushy feeds and mae sure she has plenty of soft leafy hay to eat.. Plenty of bedding will keep baby warm for these first few hours even if you need to rug a bit later on (some mares can freak at the signt of their baby wearing a rug and reject them), I use straw for bedding as it can also be well banked up around the sides of the stall to keep any draughts away.

Remember that however friendly a mare is, she is still a new mum and like any other animal she will feel protective towards her new baby - some mares can get very overprotectve for several days, so be aware that this might happen and do not take any chances. If you are in the stall with them never put yourself between the mare and her foal even if it means you movng around/away, and if you do have a 'protective' mare then if you need to do anything to her or the baby, have someone halter her and hold her, talking quietly to her to keep her calm, while you do any necessary chores/handle the foal (for rugs etc). It normally only takes a few days for most mares to relax with their new babies and return to their sweet selves!

Quite honestly, all this is just common sense so I'm sure you will be fine!


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## 

Always good advice from Anna, and I second all her thoughts for you!


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## Kim P

Well it really sounds like all I need to do is watch for anything bad and as long as it is good just let her handle it. I take it the kit is just for emergencies really. I don't think Patty has ever had her tail wrapped. Thank God I am not supposed to give Her an enema! I have to give Patty warm mushy food? I guess I need to buy her some Timothy grass. Why does she need mushy food? Thanks for the advice. I really hope that she goes until February. Do you think the baby will really need a coat? It does not really get that cold here. Thanks again for all the advice I am getting.


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## paintponylvr

Patty is looking great!

Had to go back a bit to see what was going on - so out of the loop while moving, temporary qtrs, closing on new farm...

You'll do fine with her, Kim.

Mushy foods - because her body will be dehydrated from fluid loss (not dangerously dehydrated). It helps with getting everything restarted again. Actually, all of our ponies are fed wet all the time here in NC - so feeding "mushy" is not any different after foaling. Also, mushy feeding is good for the foal -who often will stick their noses into their dam's buckets (if she lets the foal do that).

As to a "coat" - well, most probably not. BUT always good to have something on hand. Since you have toddler sized grandchildren (or small grandchildren?) - a sweatshirt "stolen" and kept for the foal works. We have had one foal born that couldn't regulate her own temp at first - she wore toddler sweatshirts for quite sometime... Because we were swapping them out so fast - we didn't get the bottom(s) tied up (or elasticized). Pinning it up snug - didn't always work - but a large head diaper safety pin would work...

Here's "Stuffy" as a foal in MT - wearing our daughters' sweatshirts. She was a yearling in 1997 when we moved from MT to NC. To this day - she still doesn't have a "proper" blanket.














and Stuffy in 2013 - with her 4th foal for us (her 3rd colt)...






Our horses and ponies are used to us grooming them and handling their tails. We often braid up a tail and can/do leave it hanging down like in the photo above OR we've tucked the length in side of itself such as in the photo below






AND this pic above - of Tory - was taken literally about 12 hours before she foaled!! Here she is at 2 am w/ her colt -


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## 

Such cute pictures!!!!

About the soft, mushy food. Many times JUST prior to foaling, the mama will begin having what we call "cow patties" -- or very loose manure. This is nature's way of cleaning out her system, and giving maximum room for the delivery of the foal.

This leave a greatly empty system, and giving soft, mushy feeds to the new momma, helps her get her system back moving again, and the "extra" water in the food helps to keep her hydrated, and the food moving through the gut. Just a couple of days will help stimulate her gut into working normally again. And if she is normally allowed to graze, then some grazing is good for her too. If not, just some soft mushy food, and some quality hay (like alfalfa) will give her some roughage and protein, and help get the gut moving properly again.

We all look for the babies to poop after birth, but don't be alarmed, if it takes momma a bit longer. Remember, she has a long gut system to refill, and it can take a little bit of time to "fill her up" again.

I'm sure she'll do fine, but if you see something you're not sure about, let us know, and remember we're here to help get this precious one on the ground safely, and keep momma safe and healthy too.


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## AnnaC

Forgive me if I have missed it somewhere but have you given us an update on the state/size of her udder? Regular info about any changes can help us to know or make a reasonable guess as to when she might foal.


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## Kim P

I will get you another soon. I have to delete some pics first,so I have to get to printing!


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## Bonny

Hi Kim, I just sat and read yalls entire Patty topic



i have a mare due in your same time frame. ( Kate) I love how the Ladies help new (& veteran) mare owners learn. This is such a great place to be supported as well as learn, and be reminded of foaling.

Patty is a super cute miss and i hope she throws you a beautiful lil pinto





One good way ( if possible) to watch your mare if you dont have a barn cam is to get a baby moniter. Most are very reasonably priced and the new ones have much better range of veiwing service. you can set it up in her area, and take the inside unit with you where you go, so you can watch her as much as needed with out running to the barn. Most baby moniters also have sound....so you can always listen too. A good friend of mine just got one and loves it!

Looking forward to more pictures of Patty!


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## Ryan Johnson

Hey Kim how is Patty going ? Any updated pics of her


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## lkblazin

How is patty developing? Hope all is well.


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## Ryan Johnson

I was thinking the same thing yesterday . Hope all is ok


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## 




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## Kim P

Hey guys! Sorry for the absence of info on my little Patty. She is doing good still. We have been so busy lately. Also sick. Weather has been just awful. I will try to get some new pics up tomorrow.


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## Ryan Johnson

Hope you feeling better





Glad to hear she is doing well


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## 

Glad all is well. Looking forward to new pictures.


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## lkblazin

Feel better soon. Glad to hear she is doing well and you are on the way to recovery


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## Kim P

Oh my goodness! I am working so hard today bc I have neglected my horses for about a month now. All this rain has their pen so nasty. I have them tied out around what little green grass is around the house. They are happy for sunshine and dry weather! Here are some pics of my little Patty.


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## Kim P

Just to show how bad the weather has been, here is a pic of my wishbone, the daddy. He loves rolling in this iron ore. I brushed clumps of mud off him. I think he may be stained forever!


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## Kim P

So I worked my tail off getting their stalls clean. I had just been throwing hay and straw in there without getting the old out. I feel like I raked and hauled 50 bales out! I have dirt floors. I put fresh pellets, cedar flakes and straw back in. It smells so good. I was wondering about those mats. Maybe it would make it easier. Would I still have to drag the mats out to clean them? Seems like they would absorb the pee. I like for it to smell good in there. I am just thinking about it. Looking for the easiest way! I am so glad I don't have to deal with snow! This nasty cold rain has been horrid.


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## lkblazin

Hahaha well I'm sure he was snickering as he was rolling. As for the mats I don't use absorbant ones. But I do wash them off a couple times in the summer. They are nice. I don't know if they make it easier to clean out the stall though, as I do not have any dirt ones.


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## 

Patty is looking fabulous. Growing round just beautifully!


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## Kim P

I have some new pics of Patty. She is doing just fine.


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## Kim P

We finally got the yard fenced in! Yay! It is not what I wanted but since we work in the oilfield my budget is tight now. My sweet hubby fixed it so I can just walk down the stairs from the deck into the yard. They were so happy to let loose in our yard.


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## Kim P

Last ones. I am just so excited for all their running room now. I don't have to take them to my mother in laws anymore! Plus I can just walk off my deck!


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## Ryan Johnson

Wow your paddock looks great, You will be able to keep an extra close eye on them now they can hang out at your back deck.





Patty Looks Great , Looks to be developing quite the V shape tummy now.

How is her Vulva ? Is she elongated yet ?


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## 

She's looking very good, and she's doing great! The paddock is fabulous, and how nice for you just to walk down the steps. Don't be surprised if someone walks up the steps to visit!


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## MountainWoman

Hi Kim, I love your paddock area. They have so much room and looks great. I bet all of you are really enjoying it. I'd love to have the horses right at my deck.


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## lkblazin

Wow I love your setup. My grass pasture leads up to the patio. You might get some window watchers lol


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## Kim P

We are going to love it! I just hope Patty waits to have her baby late in March when it will be warmer and prettier weather. Shoot I wouldn't mind if she waited till April or May! I am excited. All of our friends are too. We haven't thought about any names yet. Seems like we need to see it before we can name it


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## Ryan Johnson

Patty ,listen to your Mum and wait till at least March Please.

Your right , I reckon when you finally see a foal safely on the ground a name will come to you





Have you got a foaling kit ready for when the time comes ?


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## Kim P

Yes I have the list together. My vet want give me any pain medicine though. I guess if it is a shot that is why. He knows I am limited at some of the things I have to do for these animals. He pushes me though. He knows I am going to call him and he has to drop everything. I just hope he is not in a surgery and she has it on a beautiful sunny morning! And of course, has no problems at all! I feel confident that it will all go well!


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## chandab

See if he'll let you take home a tube of Banamine paste for right after foaling, so you can give her a dose is she seems uncomfortable. Or, perhaps he'd be willing closer to that time to let you take home just one dose of the injectable that you can give orally (it's really icky tasting, but will still do the job, just a bit slower; it's an off label use, so he might not be willing). [it's given just like the paste wormer.]


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## 

Ive always given the injectable Banamine orally, because putting it in the mouth gets it going very quickly because of all the mucous membranes. Maybe he'll be willing to give you a syringe filled with no needle - so he knows you're going to give it orally. It can really be helpful to have on hand.


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## lkblazin

Ditto Diane


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## Kim P

I am going to try to get some. He is a grouchy thing sometimes. I like to bicker and get under his skin sometimes. Maybe he will give it to me. He knows how I feel about pain. I could try to tell him that I am going to make my own concoction and give her a pain pill like loratab or something, and he will cave in and give me what I asked for. NO I am not really going to give her that, just going to tell him.


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## Kim P

I have a question ? I am looking at all these cute little babies. So about how tall are they when first born? They look so little! I get excited looking at all the pics of these little ones.


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## 

My smallest born here was somewhere around 16" tall at birth up to 21-22". I had several mares that were only 27-28 inches themselves, so I had several itty-bitty babies.
But no matter how tall they are, there is nothing more wonderful than those new little ones!!


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## Kim P

Here are some new pics of Patty. I don't believe she is in a hurry. She is always swaying her tail really good. I think she wants to wait for warm weather too. I think maybe after Easter would be a good time!


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## Kim P

From looking at these pics, how would you say the baby is laying?is it upside down with its head toward her head or turned around getting ready to come out, just chilling? Does it look like it is going to be a pretty good size foal? I don't think it will be so tiny. I kinda hope its not. I don't want it to be too big for her and give her a hard time in birthing. Like I can control any thing. Lol


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## lkblazin

She looks to be enjoying her pasture. And when there is a way to control the features of foals sign me up. I'm nervous about my girls. Two maidens and I hope they have little figurines. As for position of foal can't help you there. As my mom has been saying lately " he's in the library" lol. Probably enjoying the warmth


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## Kim P

Reading through some threads. What is edema. And why are some clipped and shaved so odd? I can understand shaving the blanket area, so they want get so hot?


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## Magic Marker Minis

You shave the belly and udder area, so the foal won't digest fur when trying to nurse. Most mares are shedding when they foal. We, at Magic Marker Minis, shaved more because it was difficult to tell how baby was positioned by side and rear views. We are located in AZ, so went overboare. But oir temps are in the 70's and 80's.


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## Kim P

Makes since now. Thanks. I just keep learning every day!


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## Magic Marker Minis

To answer your edema question. It's the same.kind humans get. Excessive fluid makes sweeled areas. Horses (close to foaling) will get a swollen area in front of the bag. That is edema. As the mare bags up more the edema starts to go down. It's the result of the area moving to the bag area. Some mares get more edema and their belly gets swollen underneath. Exercise helps get rid of the swelling. That's why a pregnant mare needs to get out of their stall to exercise.


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## Kim P

Well I am glad that we finally got our fenced. She has been enjoying the freedom. Maybe she want do that.


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## Kim P

So I went and got the alfalfa pellets. They should be called NUGGETS! I was expecting something different. Lol. I will let you guys know how they like them.


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## chandab

What brand did you find? How big are they? The hay pellets I get are mostly 1/4" pellets, but recently picked some up that are 1/2" (these are perfect for my stallions treat toy).


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## lkblazin

Lol I can only ever find the cubes so I can't imagine what you got. I feel like every state has there own top brands that the stores sell. For some reason I can never find pellets/nuggets lol. Usually sold out or they don't carry them.


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## chandab

Well, locally we have practically nothing. The CoOp sells alfalfa dehy 17%, tiny pellet that half my horses don't like (they are sold for all livestock, not equine specific); I rarely buy them.

Mostly I get Standlee hay pellets, which I have to stock up on when I'm out of area, as the closest TSC is 150 miles one-way.


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## Kim P

I bought Dumas brand. I saw the standlee. The longs ones are about an 11/2 -2 inches long. At least 1/2 inch in diameter. I am sure that Patty will love them, and wishbone will be able to eat them. I will have to sort through and break some for Peanut. He can't even eat those big apple nuggets. I may try the standlee next time. Let's see how this goes. Oh my Chanda! That is a long way to town. You must really live out. I bet it is a nice little town. I have never been to Montana. My nephews mom is from there, and she goes back to visit family and go on big hunts.


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## Kim P

Well I put it in their feed bowl with their feed. So far Patty and Peanut have not eaten it. Wishbone seems to like it though. I guess they will probably eat it later after the feed is gone.


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## 

Exercise is important for these pregnant ladies. I'm a firm believer that allowing them access to normal exercise helps them for delivery, as they can naturally move baby around with rolling, butt pushing, etc. Healthy exercise = better chance for healthy little ones. (as does REALLY watching them during their final "countdown". Not just every half hour -- but being there ALL the time, as babies can really come quickly and you want to be there in case you're needed.
)


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## Kim P

She is getting exercise. She is loving her new yard. She ran around a good bit at first. Had us a little worried with her being pregnant. She has calmed down now. She lays down and rest a good bit. I was leaving to go fishing yesterday and saw her laying down by the steps in the cool shade. I did not see her at first so it scared me and I started hollering for her off the deck. Then I hear something and looked over the deck and there she was wallering to get up. I was so relieved to see her. (I don't know where I thought she went) then she started peeing. It was a big pee. I yelled at my son that I thought her water had broken. It hadn't. Patty was just looking and watching me. Probably thought I was a crazy lady. She is rolling around a good bit too. I don't know how well I am going to behave when it does happen. I know I have to remain calm. I know her utter is nothing like somebody's on here. Don't remember right off hand who I looked at but I had no idea they got about as big as a cows. Lol


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## chandab

They don't typically get as big as cows, it just looks that way in pictures. At least none of mine have gotten near as big as the cows.

I do live out in the sticks, but my Mom lives in a town 37 miles from here, we don't shop there much as their two stores are quite expensive, so we drive the other direction to a town about 60 miles away, they have two grocery stores (an Albertson's and a local chain), Shopko, 3 hardware stores, a couple lumberyards and a few implement dealers. They have a CoOp where I buy feed, but the selection sucks, I do get my feed there, but I stock up on the STandlee hay pellets when I get the chance (they store well here).


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## Kim P

I love my little town and all the surrounding ones. They are all little farm towns. We have to drive about 30 to 40 minutes to get to the big city.


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## chandab

We drive 150 to get to a big city, but it's in the middle of the Bakken Oil field, so we don't go there any more. We travel a little further in the other direction to get to a cleaner, quieter town (they have a store like TSC, Walmart, Kmart and a few others, so everything we need).


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## Kim P

Well Patty had me scared to death today. She has been doing a lot of laying around. Especially today. It was a beautiful day. I thought she may be getting ready to have the baby today. I had to leave and take my grand baby to the dr. So I took a short video of Patty and stopped by the vet office a nervous wreck. He said that she was just resting and was not fixing to have the baby. I filmed all her stuff for him. I was scared I was going to have to send him here and miss it. She was just relaxing in the sun. They all were. It was beautiful today. She just looked so big in her belly laying like that. I will have to get some pics of her up tomorrow.


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## Kim P

Here are some new pics. I wish I had gotten one of her basking in the sun today.


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## Bonny

they do love to do that later pregnancy, and it will make you wonder! she looks good


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## lkblazin

She looks great. My black made loves to lay in the sun...I wonder if she knows it bleaches her hair. Maybe she wants to be a palomino. Lol


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## 

She looks great!! Looks like baby is doing a bit of poking out her sides? Or is it just the angle of the picture?

Hang in there.... We haven't lost an owner yet!!!


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## Ryan Johnson

She looks great Kim


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## AnnaC

She's making perfect progress.


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## paintponylvr

She looks great and has some more "shopping" to do as well...

Aren't those "false alarms" fun?? You are doing great, keep hanging in there.


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## lkblazin

Looks great


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## Kim P

So the weather is nasty, wet and cold. Patty is doing good. I have her by herself. She is warm and dry. Her baby was kicking pretty hard while she was eating tonight. I don't understand Peanut and Wishbone. They were soaking wet today. They have no reason to be wet. They have a stall and a lean to if they don't want to be together. They had dried off some this evening. I am glad that Patty is staying in.


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## Ryan Johnson

Sounds like she is doing great Kim.

Sending you some warmer weather, not that we have had a lot this summer, but happy to share





My four minis would rather stand in the rain , only my stallion goes for cover and hes supposed to be the tough one LOL


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## Bonny

New Patty Pics??


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## Kim P

I will go get some. It is another rainy day. There is a little change but not much. I hope she waits til all the cold is gone. My first baby here. A bit nervous. Going to be a freaking lunatic when she has it. Lol


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## Kim P

So here are some Patty pics. Could not get one from the back.


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## Bonny

My goodness she is LOW lol, Such a pretty Momma to be!


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## 

She is looking good, and we hope she'll take the time to grow a nice udder for you.


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## MountainWoman

She is looking great. I was nervous with my first foal too but all the Moms here on the board will help you and you are going to love having a foal. They are so much fun. She's a lovely mare and looks nice and warm and toasty dry.


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## lkblazin

Looking good patty, my your belly has grown . Lol she looks great Kim


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## Kim P

Well Patty does not have a baby picture to post yet, but my sons girlfriend just had two cute little babies. Well they are big babies. Still cute though. Same daddy for both babies.


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## lkblazin

Lol very cute kim . apparently the daddy produces blazes. They look like twins. Too cute


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## MountainWoman

OMG, so adorable. I love babies in all sizes. What fun to see their photos.


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## Ryan Johnson

Very Nice Kim. You will have one of your very own soon enough


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## 

Thank you for sharing the pictures of those lovely babies!!


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## Kim P

Yes they were so sweet and soft. They do look like twins. One is a lot bigger though. The first one is two days old and the second is four. One was sweet and the other one (the oldest) was scared. I hope Patty's is sweet.


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## Kim P

New pic of Patty. I think she has grown a little.


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## Kim P

We also got snow! It is beautiful! It want last long here. We are having fun with it! I have the horses in their pen. I want to let them out to run but there is no shelter in the yard. I am also afraid Patty will slip and fall.


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## Ryan Johnson

Wow the snow looks beautiful



We don't get snow ever here where I am from.

Patty is looking fantastic Kim, She definitely looks as tho she is shopping for milk supplies when your not looking





bet your starting to get excited now


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## MountainWoman

Yes, I can see changes too. The snow is beautiful. We had some here and I did the same thing with my mare - didn't let her out because I was afraid she'd slip. I bet you are getting excited.


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## Kim P

Well our beautiful snow has melted and gone away! It was fun while it lasted.

Yes, I am getting a little excited. I still want her to wait for all the cold weather to go away before she gives us a sweet baby.


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## 

Very exciting and the snow is beautiful..... in the pictures!!


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## lkblazin

She looks great. Love the snow pics, very Serene


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## Kim P

I am going to rant about Wishbone! I was taking them back to their sheds for dinner from the yard. I just left the gate open bc he usually just follows. He wanted to hang around the house and eat all the green grass. Which would be fine except for the fact that he he want let me catch him or near him unless he is in the pen. He seems to have gotten worse since I got him gelded. So he runs all around to the neighbors and so on. One neighbor coming home from work stopped and her kids whom love the horses helped me to get him back in the fenced in yard! Well I was mad and sat there watching him run and whinney and look at the others eating there dinner across the yard. I seriously thought about leaving him there over night. There is no shelter for him and it is going to be freezing temps tonight. I thought I would give him one try to catch him. I was not going to chase him. He was at the back corner of the house so I walked to him and he ran to the front to the gate and stood there and let me put the lead on and take him to his buddies! I guess he read my mind!

If someone had of asked for him, I seriously would have said "he is yours" and walked home! I just don't get him! Although he did look pretty running through the woods jumping over fallen trees and stuff. I thought he was pretty and looked really neat while he was mad bc he was separated. He was running and bucking. He would put his head down and run the circle in the yard back to the gate several times. He is lucky no one asked for him and that I love him.


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## MountainWoman

Sounds as though he was out having an adventure and thoughts of green grass and spring were in his mind. I'm glad you finally got him and he came to you. And yes, we love them even when they drive us crazy


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## lkblazin

Sounds as though wishbone is quite the little character. I'm sure there are many more adventure s in store for the two of you


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## paintponylvr

Your snow pics were beautiful and Patty is looking good, Kim! I'm looking forward to seeing the foal she's hiding. I don't have any babies coming this year - still haven't really made up my mind if we are breeding 1 or 2 yet for next (shouldn't). I MISS the babies.

Ahhhh - the "ye ole Merry Chase"... Yes, we know that one well.

It isn't that hes' changed since being gelded - it's that he feels better and now has the energy to MOVE since you've brought him to the optimal (or getting to that point) condition. He couldn't do it before - because he simply could not.

Horses that seem tame and/or "trained" often are not but you can't always tell when they are way underweight and just struggling to survive.

You'll just have to learn his personality and maybe get some handling help to learn the subtle body language that can make a huge difference in catching him. I've been around horses/ponies a long time - and I'm still learning that! I have a tendency to be too aggressive w/ my body language. The 3 mares that I've got now - let me know all about it (can't get near them!) when I'm wrong or too "forceful".

In the meantime, venting is quite alright, LOL!


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## Kim P

It has been a little over a week since I posted a pic of Patty. I still hope she waits until April.


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## chandab

I can't remember if it was said or not, but how are you figuring April as a due date month? Minis don't read the books, and can have viable foals at around 300 days (10 months), so thought I'd ask.


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## Kim P

Lol Chanda, bc I told her to wait. I want warmer weather. I am hoping she listens. I need to clean their sheds and make them fresh again bc the rain has it a slushy mud pit. Not so much on Patty's side but the guys part is bad. Especially under the lean to. They don't go in the part that is okay. Does she look like she is going to listen or do her own thing? She really enjoyed herself yesterday, it was rather cool out and she was running and prancing. Had her head down. I was a little worried about her running like that but she was fine. She is starting to get a bit bossy. Lol.

I thought they were supposed to go for eleven months. The baby is still kicking and moving. Isn't the baby supposed to quit moving so much before she foals?

Another question, the pics of her hoo ha, is it supposed to change colors?


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## Kim P

Thanks Paula, I loved our snow! One of the grand babies ended up sick, but it was worth it. She was quite proud of her snow girl in the hot pink hat and purple scarf! Yes, I just have to work with my wishbone, he is going to have a good summer this year. They all will. They are in good health now. Ole Peanut is just rotten!


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## chandab

The average gestation for full size horses is 340 days, but minis average about 10 days less. That's just an average, they can go longer or shorter. Shortest for viable foal is about 300 days for a mini.

One of mine went 307, the others were around 320 or so; I'd have to look it up to be certain.


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## paintponylvr

Kim -

Did you state at the beginning of your post when Patty was bred? I can't remember and haven't had time to go and search for it. Patty is doing great and so are you.

We've had mares carry as long as 369 days and we consistently had one mare that foaled @ 310 - 314 days after her last cover date. I don't believe that we've had one foal earlier than 310 days - but we've also had plenty of pasture bred mares that we don't know exact days on.

here are some pics of one of our mares. She was only bred one time, so easy to get a count of days! Sorry, I didn't get inside vulva pics (she'd have killed me - I plan on living a LONG life).




















And this is a pic taken @ 0345. He was born around 2 am. So a little over 12 hours from the pics above to this end result. Echo is now coming 2 yrs old and is a VERY FITTING end to our 1st stallion's career and life. For now, Echo is remaining our Jr Stallion prospect. He's a LOVE and more.






I'd have to do some research to find out how many days this mare carried with her foal that she was bred for when I purchased her. Toying with breeding her again this year... Don't know for sure yet. BUT both colts she's had for us are AWESOME. Oly is now owned by a friend and is one of 4 we are taking to college on Monday for a "gelding party".


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## Kim P

Oh my! Tory got huge! Beautiful little baby!

No I don't know the exact date. I know that we brought them here right before Easter. I saw them breed but don't know the date. It was still chilly out. I do remember that. I also know that it was shortly after we got them. So it was either at the end of March or in April. I really can't tell you exactly. Just a guess bc I did not think he could get her pregnant bc of his age. Yeah lol. That is all I can tell anyone. I am ready really. I just want it to be warm for the baby. Especially since I have never owned horses much less have a mare give birth to a baby. I would feel better if it was born in warm weather. It scares me knowing I am responsible for helping take care of a new baby in this nasty weather we are having. I know, like I can control nature! I also don't have the nice barns and all the neat stuff I see everyone else with. I do have Patty in her own space, in the pen. I have heat lamps for them. It just bothers me that their pen gets muddy, and that we are having yuck weather. Yeah, I know, I am a pansy. I see all these pics of people in these serious snow situations and I complain about a little cold and rain. I just don't want the baby to get cold and die bc I did not do something right, or notice something that I should have. Okay I am rambling again. I have to get dressed and go out in the cold and start working on cleaning their pen and getting ready for a baby! It is pretty out. The sun is shining. It is still cold. The horses can get out and run in the yard today instead of being cooped up in the pen.


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## MountainWoman

I think you'll have warm weather and you still have time left before she foals. Seriously, lots of people don't have barns or fancy stuff. All you need to make sure of is when the foal is born you are there and then you need to dry off the foal as soon after the birth as possible. That's your biggest danger in cold weather - a wet, shivering foal with no one there to assist in drying him or her off. And hopefully this cold weather is on its way out.


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## lkblazin

Is gelding party code for snip snip party? Lol poor boys would think there going somewhere fun =-O


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## 

She's looking good in the pictures. Definitely getting slab-sided but with a slight bulge on the side. But since she's showing some udder development, hopefully she'll take some more time to fill the udder and take you into next month at least. But remember, things can change quite suddenly so since she's close, just keep a good eye on her, and note changes in her personality as she nears her delivery date.

And as to changing color, yes, if you spread the lips of her labia, you will probably see a light pink/salmon color. As she nears delivery, this will darken to more red. As it gets redder she is moving forward to her delivery. That, with the looseness and elongation are good signs of impending delivery, especially if you note changes in her personality. All things work together on trying to guesstimate impending birth.


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## paintponylvr

Several others said the best parts of the preparation of Patty.

On the pen, you are fine! To help with a muddy pen - in a pinch - you can layer hay/straw. The deeper it is the drier the top part(s) will be when she foals. HOWEVER, it could be a mess to clean up later.

You've got all the essentials you need, so take a deep breath (*maybe pour a glass of wine?) and relax a bit. You will both be great!


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## paintponylvr

I love chanda's pics of one of her mares - didn't look pregnant before lunch - after lunch she has a foal next to her... LOL.

We had a 3/4 TB paint horse mare that did that too, (after the vet saying she wasn't pregnant) but I don't have pics of her (didn't take lots of pics in the 70/80s) right before/after.

Do you have any new pics of the boys?


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## Kim P

Oh Paula, I have already had the wine. I have to hold off a bit on that. A while back I broke out on hives. My friend had made me some delicious home made wine. I had messed with alfalfa and taken aleve .So I have stayed away from it all. Last week another one of my friends made me some awesome blueberry wine. I had messed with those alfalfa pellets and taken aleve again! I am just getting over the hives again. I may feel brave and try it again. It made my face swell up and my lips numb though, so I am thinking it was the wine! My husband told me to leave that home made stuff alone and just drink store bought. I guess that is what I am going to have to do. It really is good wine though. I don't understand bc I have drank it several times before and it never bothered me.

It is not so much the shed it is the yard in their pen. I put out hay and straw all over their pen yesterday! Yes I am going to have a fun time cleaning it all up. It is beautiful today. They are in the yard running and playing. I have been out here for a while with them. I brushed them all real good. Yes even wishbone walked up for his turn in the yard. He also just stood there and enjoyed it. He is such a turkey. He has been letting me take him back and forth no problem. I have come to realize that he only does this when others are around (the running away). As long as I am by myself he does pretty good. Most of the time.

Now mind when you look at their pics, I just brushed them. No baths. We live on this iron ore so I have red horses! The boys are really good friends now that they are gelded. Peanut chases and aggravates wishbone until he chases him. I love to see them running. I am so glad my husband did our yard like he did. It is so relaxing. I just sat on the bottom deck steps and brushed everyone. So much easier on my back!


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## Ryan Johnson

Great Pics



they are definitely enjoying the sunshine


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## Kim P

I posted in a topic on the miniature horse forum about Patty under locking stifle. I need a little input please.


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## Kim P

I am a little bummed out. I went to tractor supply today for feed. Of course I had to check out the clearance aisle in back. I was so excited to find two harnesses on sale for 5.99 a piece! They were for colts. I just knew one was going to fit Patty for sure! They were hot pink and turquoise. Well neither one fit. I keep furnishing my sons girlfriends horses with neat stuff! At least I was only out $13.00. I guess I am going to have to go to Shreveport, 30 miles away to buy proper mini stuff. I told Kate to go back to TC and get the other one that I did not buy, it was for a full size horse and was neon green for $5.99. They were the break away ones too!


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## Kim P

Maybe I should just Patty's info over here. I don't know where to put it. Would pregnancy cause lock and stifle. Her back legs seem to lock up or something. She walks stiff legged for a sec, kicking her legs out, then she is fine. Maybe baby is laying on nerves?


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## Kim P

This seems to be happening since I have kept them in the pen with all this rain. I had noticed it but my son noticed it today. He seemed to have gotten a little worried and said to keep her penned up, but I would think that she needs to stretch it out and get exercise. I feel like it is happening bc of pregnancy and being cooped up, then again I don't know much about all this stuff.


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## chandab

It could be because of being cooped up, or even less movement due to pregnancy. Exercise and proper hoof trimming is important, but that is about all I know.


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## Ryan Johnson

Me too , I know you say she is a little unbalanced at the moment but could she manage a light walk out on the lead ?


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## MyGoldenSunny

I have a mare that did that only when she was in foal, and only a few times when she was really big and ready to foal. Not sure why....interesting


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## AnnaC

Hi Kim. I did reply to your other post on the main forum - turned on my laptop this morning to find that amazingly I had internet connection, have been having soooooooooooo much trouble with it lately! OK, I also had a mare who would do this with some of her pregnancies in the last couple of weeks (like Jessie above), it seemed to happen once the foal had dropped and therefore caused the mare to walk/waddle differently to balance the weight. Once she had foaled it went away and none of her sons or daughters never suffered from it. You need to do two things - get your farrier asap to trim her hind feet particularly the toes (see my reply on the main forum) and secondly get her OUTSIDE! Any horse with stifle problems should be out 24/7 if possible, not penned up. Also it is very important that Patty has continual outside time anyway - all horses should have the opportunity to keep 'on the move' for the sake of their general health, but it is essential with brood mares particularly in the late stages of pregnancy. Yes they might chew up your paddocks, but that is just unfortunate. If for some reason your paddock area is small then mares should be taken for walks at least once a day for at least a half hour or so to give them the 'moving' exercise that they need. Dont worry about the weather - if they have a run in pen or some sort of possible shelter (hedge/trees/solid area of fencing to hide behind) and plenty of hay during bad weather, they will be fine.

Better leave it there as laptop is doing funny things again and I may lose my connection - my apologies to you all for my lack of posts recently - hopefully full service will be resumed once (if) I get the problem sorted!!


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## 

You can post ANYTHING here, that's why we're called the Nutty Nursery -- we talk about everything while we're waiting.

I agree with Anna. Lot's of open exercise is important in these pregnant ladies, and letting her have freedom to wander will be helpful for the locking stifle, too, as well as keeping things moving along in her pregnancy.

The shifting baby can be causing her some distress, and if you're more comfortable walking her.... do that. But the exercise or walking will help baby shift around and may help relieve some of her discomfort. If she's never had stifle problems before, I would chalk it up to pregnancy, and expect it to go away once baby is born.

Just keep us posted on the condition and what you're seeing, and we may have more to add to help you with this.


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## MountainWoman

I have a colt with a locking stifle. I'm a big one for getting a vet to look at any and all problems but what he told me was to make sure I take him out every day and walk him and preferably up and down hills (in addition to his turn out time) and maybe it will go away and maybe it won't and we'd have to look into surgical options later. I haven't had pregnant mares develop a locking stifle. Also regular trims by a professional farrier are going to be a help.


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## Kim P

Maybe it is just her feet causing this. Dec. 21st is the last time he was here. I called him. He will come this weekend. I can definitely do the hill walking! Everything runs downhill here! I hope that it goes away after she foals.


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## paintponylvr

I don't know if I responded to your particular post on locking stifles or not. I know that I did a while ago - may have been a different one.

I have several ponies that have locking stifles to different degrees. These are all youngsters - fillies, colts and geldings. When I questioned vets w/ lots of mini experience, based on photos & video, I was told that the pony (s) displaying this issue didn't have the conformation to pre-dispose them to the locking stifle problems. I was also told at that time (2011) that it wasn't genetic and I shouldn't see it with others. I now know this is in-accurate - I have MANY that lock up NOW. All sired by the same stallion and out of different mares. Makes me sad! After having a neighbor make some nasty comments about it re: a gelding he wanted to buy but he "don wanna crippled one...", I did a lot more, and current research. It was interesting - and it made me decide that I'm glad I had the stallion euthanized (there were a couple of other factors as well). Neither the stallion nor the dams of each of the resulting foals show (ed) any signs of locking stifles. The mares, bred to other stallions, have not had other foals w/ locking stifles yet (for me! - several had quite a number of foals before I purchased them)... I've gelding the colts that displayed this "fault" - euthanized one filly (BAD locking when it started and affected her health/eating and vet recommended). Plan on not breeding the other fillies/mares that have this "fault" now - but that means everything I've bred/produced from my own stock since 2010 will not continue on... Ends my breeding program pretty effectively! MAKES ME SAD!!

SOOOO - doesn't sound like Patty's issue is the same. Understand, too, that as her body changes to accommodate the pending arrival - her ligaments are loosening up to allow her to give birth. Could be what is causing her problem right now. Agree with the others' on exercise/turn out - and that is what Ive found works with mine (except for the filly that was bad). If Patty locks when you are leading her - ask her to back up as that will often unlock them and will work better than most other things. Also, be careful when your farrier works on her - just make sure he knows that she's locking up so he can accommodate some shifting of how he lifts/supports her hind legs and doesn't hold them up too long while trimming.

Current research states that there are 3 possibilities with locking stifles. Two are either a too short ligament connection or a too long ligament connection - if doing a surgical correction the procedures are DIFFERENT w/ DIFFERENT aftercare and costs associated with them. The third is a possible problem with the bone in the stifle joint - again a different situation and probably not surgically correctable...

On our locking ponies - we are currently working with feed, exercise and farrier. We are managing the "problem" effectively... We have not had it determined (yet) whether they have the too short or too long ligaments or the last possibility (doubtful). All of ours have had the locking stifle issues start between 18 months and 2 yrs of age.


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## Kim P

Oh Paula, I hate that you had to stop your line. You can start one up again can't you? I know that it will take awhile. So what kind of special feed do you have to get them?


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## lkblazin

Paula that really is sad. I hope that in the future you will start again. I hope the vet acknowledged his inaccuracies.

I had a vet say a foal was disproportionate and that was why it was not able to come out properly. When really it was a red bag delivery, and if his hands were not so massive he could have repositioned it. It was a fully formed perfectly correct silver dapple pinto filly. And a month early. That's the short version. Needless to say I never used that vet again. But what doesn't kill you makes you stronger


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## paintponylvr

Nothing special - they do well on a quality feed that appears to have the right amount of nutrients...

I currently feed Safe Choice Original (by Nutrena), along with Beet pulp and for certain ponies that I feel it is necessary - alfalfa pellets or alfalfa cubes (pellets are much easier both for storage and feeding). They all have coastal/bermuda hay fed free choice in large, round bales, or, if penned get from small squares but again free choice.

Yes, we have other un-related mares and 2 jr stallions including a stud colt sired by our first stallion that looks to remain a stallion for a while. They can be crossed to the original mares and others purchased since. The silver pinto mares that I have bred - ??? Not sure yet what I will be doing with them. There are 5 - 1 is a 1/2 shetland; 3 are full sisters and the 5th is out of a different mare... 2 of the full sisters have locked up a couple of times that I know of - the others have not - at least not where/when we've been out with them... All 3 of the geldings still here - lock up - with the youngest having just started at 18 months of age. the oldest has just turned 5 yrs old and he will lock w/ both hind legs - a few times at the same time.

I have only sold one that locks up (actually I've sold 2 - one I purchased back) and he started locking up after selling him. We will be deciding what to do next together - we'll see what his new owner would like to do. The others - probably won't sell at all - tho some were originally for sale - I currently have no ponies listed anywhere for sale.

I love and miss having our babies, but between moving into a new property, working a new job with different hourly requirements and retaining ponies I'd originally planned on selling, I have both frustrated broodmares and jr stallions and may for a while yet!! LOL. In the mean time, we are starting to work with all the young stock and hope to have several more driving this summer to include a couple who will be strengthened and hopefully will lessen their locking issues.


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## Kim P

So sorry Rebecca. I will have to watch my vet. He has big hands too.


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## Kim P

Yes Paula you sound busy. So is everything going good at the new place? Which by the way is beautiful.


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## paintponylvr

lkblazin said:


> Paula that really is sad. I hope that in the future you will start again. I hope the vet acknowledged his inaccuracies.
> 
> I had a vet say a foal was disproportionate and that was why it was not able to come out properly. When really it was a red bag delivery, and if his hands were not so massive he could have repositioned it. It was a fully formed perfectly correct silver dapple pinto filly. And a month early. That's the short version. Needless to say I never used that vet again. But what doesn't kill you makes you stronger


If it had been just one vet instead of 4 AND each of 4 of them had done actual physical palpation/hands on exams of the ponies in question, I'd probably be more upset. Most was done only by photo some video. IN the mean time, there is a lot more research available just in the last two years - all interesting!

I am not far (NOW) from a vet who specializes in this - however - at this time it is cost prohibitive for us and I've just found out about him and haven't actually had the chance to speak with him. The weather hasn't exactly been conducive to having the exams either, so I haven't been real worried about it at this time. Figured we've survived 4 yrs so far - we'll find out more this summer. WHO KNOWS - may end up having them all "fixed", LOL.

Sorry to hear about your filly - I know that that is a tough one to handle...


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## paintponylvr

Thanx, KIM!!

Yes, it's coming along - though I'm starting to feel VERY BEHIND... and that's not a feeling I'm used to nor is it a very comfortable one. It helps to go read that from several sources that ..."nothing was built in 1 day...".

sometimes I feel very "stretched"... LOL. Others, I simply enjoy the day!


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## Kim P

Well at least you are close to one who specializes in this. Hopefully he can get them all fixed up this summer. Yes the vet is expensive. I just have the three, one little old dog and my grand babies cat. I could not afford all that some of you have. Especially if you have special conditions to treat and keep in check.


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## Kim P

If your weather has been like ours, it is so easy to get behind! But look ahead to the beautiful long days of summer coming. We will all get so much done. I know we have to work on our little pen to figure out how to prepare for next winter and all the RAIN! I will be praying for rain in a few months! Lol. Just can't please me!


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## Ryan Johnson

Ill send you some warmth Kim, Summer is just about done here, not that we had a great one this year. Im not looking forward to winter , but I am looking forward to "slacking off" a little during the colder months. I feel like Ive had a backpack of weed sprayer attached to me since last Sept. Due to the Up and down weather over xmas the weeds have just kept popping up everywhere. Ive tried verbally abusing them as I sprayed them but they still keep coming back


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## 

HA!!!


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## MyGoldenSunny

LOL Ryan! Verbally abusing weeds!! That really gave me a good laugh : D


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## Kim P

Ryan, I have got to talk to you more about Australia! I have never been and want to go. So your seasons aren't the same as mine? I want get to go this summer either. The hubby wants to take all the grand kids to Disney world. Sounds like I don't really want to come during my summer though. So how cold does it get there?


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## lkblazin

Lol Ryan!!! Haha that's awesome haha


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## Ryan Johnson

Hey Kim,

Well our summer temps are usually in the high 40 degrees Celsius and usually for the months of Jan , Feb and March. Last year we hit the high fourties for a lot of the summer months. We had a lot of bush fires which we luckily didn't get this year as summer weather was up and down (hence the weeds not disappearing ). Winter months it gets down to zero of a night and the days reach a top of 11-15 degrees Celsius. I really cant complain about the weather in winter seeing as tho we don't get the snow or freezing temps like you all do. We get a lot of rain tho at this time. No your right, I wouldn't (or couldn't ) travel during the summer months here either as there is just so much to do around home. I usually travel during winter here, Its just easier as my big horses usually have a 4-6 week break from doing anything.

im actually getting some very very good Autumn/ Summer weather at the moment and for the rest of the week, Frosty mornings but lovely 28-29 degrees Celsius sunny afternoons.


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## lkblazin

Wow I never new there was big difference in your weather compared to ours. So interesting. Well if I somehow ever get the chance to travel out of the us I'll be looking at the weather a lot


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## Ryan Johnson

Its like my pre requisite when I do get the chance to travel. Must be hot and must have a buffet breakfast. LOL


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## Kim P

Wow, what a difference. I am going to make it there one day! Yes Ryan, there must be a breakfast buffet! Lol.


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## Kim P

I am enjoying a beautiful day! My son has been cleaning the horses pen. It is awful. Drying up now though. I went and bought some mats to put in their shed. I am just going to try using shavings on them. Maybe that will work better. The horses are confused bc they have been staying in the yard and not going to their pen at night like they usually do. The farrier came yesterday. He said that Patty looked good and that it was probably a combination of the muddy pen and being pregnant. I have not seen her do it again but I am keeping my eye on her. He told me that I had to watch Peanuts hooves more than anyone's bc of the way his grow. He said that they all looked really good. None of them were really bad. They are enjoying this beautiful day also.


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## Ryan Johnson

How is the lovely lady ? Can we have some patty pics when you have time ?


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## Kim P

Here is Patty. I missed her all laid out. She was about to get up in the pic. Big ole lazy girl, soaking up the sun!


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## Ryan Johnson

Shes so cute , all she needs is an umbrella , sunnies and a Pina colada


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## Kim P

Lol. She was enjoying it!

Okay I have a question. Well I need some advice. I need to cut Peanuts mane out of his eye. How do I do it without making him look like one of the three stooges? I do have some thinning scissors. A little advice please. He looked like Moe last time I did it!


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## Kim P

I made a post I don't know where it went! Yes Ryan, she was cute all laid out.

I need some advice on how to cut Peanuts mane out of his face. He only has one eye. Last time I did it, he looked like Moe , out of the three stooges! I have the thinning scissors but I don't think I am doing it right. The beautician told me that you after I cut it to use them just on the ends.

Some one help the little guy out before I get a hold of him.

I am also thinking about shaving them like I have seen others do. Are they special clippers?


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## Kim P

Okay so I guess it just had not posted yet. Sorry.


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## Ryan Johnson

That how I do Mine Kim, I trim a little then thin the ends with the thinning scissors. I only have one mini that grows a really thick forelock , are you talking about his forelock ? You could also cut a bridle / halter path that may help to decrease the hair off his eyes.

I don't clip my lot , but I know plenty of members on here do.


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## 

Trim it almost the length you want, them use the thinning shears to randomized the ends and make it look more 'normal' as staggered growth. You'll do fine.... but you'd better share a picture of this 'hidden' boy!!!!


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## lkblazin

hahhaha too funny Patty trying to get up with that belly. nice that you had a warm day as well. mine was in the upper 70s today. Muddy but warm


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## Kim P

Ryan, I do not know any thing about bridle paths. I better leave that one alone. Ha ha! No telling what I would end up with. I am going to do it tomorrow. I will take before and after shots. I am going to do it kind of short.


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## Kim P

Glad that you had a warm day too Rebecca.


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## paintponylvr

I'm a little late to this party! Ryan, that "weed war" had me rolling!!

Here's some ideas, Kim, for trimming. In pics... The "model" is "Cupid". He is a 2010 gelding who has matured to 39+" in height.

Before pic:






I think she had fun with my "trojan pony"!!
























So, all that was done, really, was grooming. His mane and tail have been combed out and about a 2 - 2.5" bridle path (bp) has been trimmed. Yes, after using scissors a clipper was used. In the pic above, the forelock hasn't actually been trimmed. Over the next couple of months, with several times a week of combing/grooming, his forelock is naturally trimmed but I believe she also went in later with thinning shears and did some thinning and shortening - not sure. Either way, his forelock has been shortened in a very short amount of time. This was done in March 2012 and contrary to popular belief - his forelock has not grown back in to the length it was previous to this trimming.

His dam is one of those ponies who never grew a "real" forelock and any amount of grooming/combing that shortens it - it takes forever to grow back. It's always "fuzzy" and sticks up.


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## paintponylvr

This is May 2013 -






This pic was taken in Jan 2015 - no grooming since June 2014 - when he was last ground driving as a pair. No growth of his forelock -









Nothing fancy or extreme for grooming - just an everyday style. I DO like the bridle paths and will be going back to doing them on more of our ponies all year round. For my use, they are safer - allowing a halter and/or bridle to remain where they are put when a horse is haltered/bridled. When I'm driving, I often braid that forelock up over the crown piece of the driving bridle (funny though, don't have a pic of that at all!) and into the first section of the mane. It will keep the headstall from coming off over the ears.


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## paintponylvr

more pics of Patty? Loved the "sunning" pic!


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## Kim P

Thanks Paula. I had no idea how to do that. Cupid is stealing hearts!


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## paintponylvr

and Kim - wait until Patty decides to scritch this way!!






PG was never completely body clipped and we didn't clip off or razor her muzzle or around her eyes. Our daughter did "hog/roach" her mane and forelock several times - usually in Aug/Sep as that was when she would be rubbing the worst in reaction to ... allergies, bugs etc?. PG would rub her eyes/face so hard on her own legs - she rubbed the hair right off of her skin.


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## paintponylvr

You asked about clippers and clipping in one of your posts (prob on the main forum not here, sorry)...

Susan Harris - Grooming to Win is a great book going into detail on grooming. It does cover different prep styles for different breeds for showing along with all the basics. Good reading.

Clipping - general clipping for bp, jaws, ears and "feathers" - there are many clippers out there. More now than ever - heavy duty meant for body clipping and light weight, palm sized small battery operated ones (don't work so well on pony/mini hair). I favor the Oster A5 and also the Laube's. My Laube's (2 sets now) are so old they don't have the same names anymore. I received the one pair from an acquaintance - said if I could get them fixed, I could have them. I sent them to a Laube repair shop and paid a fraction of a new pair to get a new motor (wiring different in GE than in USA - they were basically fried) and service... I still have them after 15 years (they were 10 years old when she gave them to me). I have to send them back in again - over due for servicing & replacement of moving parts that I suck at doing.

ANd - that's what "Cupid's" do, isn't it?


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## paintponylvr

and to make this part of your baby thread - Cupid's grand dam was our very FIRST shetland pony and she was also named Patty. I bought her in MT in 1995. I was on crutches, but she was winter/pasture undernourished and I was able to pick her up and set her into the trailer. there was no way I was leaving w/o her once we found her. I learned a lot about ponies from her and her 3 foals by our 2nd shetland, AJ. Stuffy, Cupid's dam, was our first Shetland foal and ended up being raised like an orphan - going to daycare with our 3 daughters.

And Stuffy had classic preggo - pending birth signs and then HUNG ON for hours!! We had her in a dog kennel under our carport right outside our kitchen/laundry room. We watched her and I kept going out to check ...

You will have many happy moments like these!


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## Kim P

Oh poor PG! Lol! I got confused on the beautiful little baby, what was its name? It is absolutely gorgeous! I love his color! I have decided not to clip. Cutting Peanuts forelock was enough! Lol. I am just going to let them shed naturally!


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## Kim P

Okay here are before and after pictures of Lil Peanut! He does not look like Moe, maybe his cousin, lol.

At least he can see now.


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## Kim P

And a pic of Patty and Wishbone, just because.


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## lkblazin

Haha lookin good peanut. And priceless that you got a pic of patty mid chomp too funny


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## paintponylvr

Who the baby is?

Why that's Cupid and his mama - Stuffy... LOL. He was born between 8 & 9 pm and this is about 9-10 am the next morning... Didn't mean to confuse you. And Cupid's daddy is my avatar pony.

All of yours look GOOD!


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## Kim P

Oh how I love my grand daughter! I was playing on the iPad this evening while she was playing with the ponies. We had the discussion earlier about the ponies wanting to go back in their sheds at bedtime. I looked up and she had opened the gate and they were all coming out and ran down to the neighbors of course! I asked her what she was doing and she told me that she was taking them to their other home! They weren't hard to catch but it was dusky and they ran straight down the road which has a small hill and a car can't see until you top it. Grandma must pay closer attention to her grandchild! Lesson learned!


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## Kim P

Paula I could not tell because he totally changed colors! That is why I was so confused. He is just precious. He went from gray to that pretty light tan with a touch of shimmer gold. Those are my favorite colors! I don't know what the official color is called.


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## Kim P

Okay Paula, I went back and read again. You explained everything perfect! You used experienced horse lingo! Dam means mom! Yes I am a bit slow at times. Lol. I am learning. Sometimes I say foal instead of baby! When everyone goes to talking about who was bred to who I do have to read it slow and try to gather my wits. Sometimes the names are so long I get totally confused. Lol. Everyone just be patient with me. I am going to get it. When I make an butt out of myself, just overlook it and smile please!


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## paintponylvr

DON"T APOLOGIZE FOR LEARNING - you are getting it!!!

You must've missed the pretty detailed color posts I've done recently and that others have done in the past.

Patty - our very first shetland mare - was a light colored silver dapple. Quite possibly homozygous for silver - we only had her for a very short 4 years before she passed away. I sold her 2nd filly and her colt (born last) and retained (kept) Stuffy. We lost Patty before color testing was available for silver and tobiano testing was still done by drawing blood (I had several tested that way). Patty was solid colored like your "Peanut" (whom I believe to be a silver black). Part of the reason I LOVE "silvers" (mountain pleasure horse folks call them "chocolates" and the Australian term is often "taffy" - both of which fit the colors!) is BECAUSE of the color shade differences - throughout the year.

If our website was "up" - you'd notice that I try my darndest to keep "barn names" similar to the registered names of our ponies. That way, if anything ever happens to me (and yep, it eventually will), most of our family can match the registration papers to the pony who is wearing a collar w/ a name tag on him/her.

Here is a link to Patty's photo album. Sorry - but I haven't gotten the photos all completely in order - harder to do on Photobucket then in Picasa.

Patty's Gallery


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## paintponylvr

Here is Stuffy's gallery.

Go to the last page (9) all the way to the bottom (grrr - they've moved pics again - her 1st baby photos are on page 8!) and then work your way forwards. You'll see Stuf goes thru some amazing color changes, too. However, she never lightens up as much as her dam Patty did or as much as our two oldest mares now that are homozygous for silver.

Here is Stuffy's Picasa gallery.

Stuffy has been color tested and is homozygous for black, heterozygous for tobiano, heterozygous for silver (EE, Tt, Zn). This means that she always gives an "E" to her foals and that that foal will always be black based (either black or bay) - never red (ee). She can give her little t or her big T for tobiano pattern - it foal gets "T", then it will be a tobiano pinto. If it gets the "t" it will be solid (UNLESS it gets a "T" from it's sire/daddy). The same with the silver gene - if her foal gets a "Z" and it will be "silver". If it gets the "n" - it will be either bay or black (would get the bay gene form sire as Stuffy doesn't carry bay).


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## Kim P

They are so pretty. That photo bucket is pretty neat. I am going to have to look at that again when I have more time. You did really good Paula. You have everything dated and labeled who is who. I think that is awesome. I wish I was more organized. You know it made me think. I don't know anything about our horses past. No pictures of them being babies. Makes me a little sad. I guess I better get to clicking to make up for it!


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## paintponylvr

Kim -

I've learned on photos~!! We were military - both hubby and I for a time, then I was a "dependant" while he remained active duty... While transitioning thru one of our moves, we had personal belongings in storage in "Fayettenam". The bank says our checks were cashed and I requested copies. While hubby overseas and I returned from a visit to my parents, I went to pick up some of the items we were ready for in our home - and our 2 storage units were empty and the locks gone. Owner, of course, didn't know what had happened... Cameras didn't go far enough back to show activity (??). Consulting with a lawyer, w/ paperwork showing what we'd had in storage didn't go anywhere - our "stuff" wasn't enough to even come close to what the fees would have been to fight and maybe recover our "stuff". The most irreplacable items were our photo albums (army, overseas, marriage, 3 new babies - old photos of our families) and art/sewing supplies - paintings, drawings, designs. The dvd's/comic books/breyer horses and knick knacks were black marketable/thrift store items I'm sure. Kids toys were replaced...

The on-line photo albums are great. We were storing photos on computers and then had computer "crash". Can't restore pics w/o either a hard copy to scan OR another digital copy somewhere. SO I now keep all photos on an external hard drive (they can crash too, though) and load what I'm willing for others to see into our on-line photo albums (have over 100 photos from the gelding party - only a handful on line - none of the drug or "gory" ones). Currently have MANY photos in both our PhotoBucket and Picasa (Google) galleries. I also now use a different naming convention for photos I save - year, month in letters, date, name & the last 4 #s from the photo. So a pic from Cupid now would be 15mar10cu***. The original photos are stored in albums on my computer for 3 months or so - then transferred to external hard drive. When I download a days worth of photos they go into computer in individual albums w/ my names on them - a download from house/property would be 31715house. If I took pics of dogs, family, chickens or ponies - the date would be first, then whatever I broke pics out into. Then computer puts them in alphabetical order by that - so I can see what I have starting with January and on down the list. I LIKE!!

I put names on them - cause no one else knows what/who they are - and I, too, can get forgetful... I figure in future I may be more so (O, NO!). Eventually, I will go in and re-name all the photos of the ponies previous to 2009 (the photobucket account) but right now have no time to do that... I can find what I need - most of the time... LOL.

So that you can see what we have - here is a link to the main Picasa Gallery. Currently have 61 albums open for the public to view and 3 that are private (no one but me can access them and only when I'm signed in can I). Most of those albums are of the Shetlands SINCE 2009, some family, events & the NC WHMA... Photo Bucket account has ponies that I went and dug pics out of from 1995 thru 2009, dogs, family and other items (lots of photos from Sierra's high school JROTC events - some video)... Soooo Now if we loose actual photo albums or digital storage at home - I have and can recover what ever is on-line and of course, it's out there to share more easily!!

Have to run - work calls!!


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## paintponylvr

Here's a photo from our 2 daughters' prom - w/ 2 class mates. W/o "writing" on the photo - I would never have remembered the names of the 2 younsters on the far right...











O, and we no longer have Photo shop to work w/ photos. Too expensive to replace right now for what I use. To crop and "write on" pics, I use the free portion of Pic Monkey dot com...


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## Kim P

So did you learn all this photo stuff yourself or did one of your kids help you? I am not very good on the internet. Probably because I am scared of it. It is really a big step for me to be on this forum and sharing, but it feels really safe here. I actually bought something over the internet and I was okay with it. Very nervous though. A few years ago, I ordered a pool liner (wrong one by the way!) and a month later my bank account was hacked. My bank caught it for me. I had no idea that they had people to monitor my spending. They called from somewhere and had a hard accent, I could not really understand them. That was also flipping me out. They wanted to know if I had made a purchase at a online grocery co-op. I was not sure if she was saying grocery. I told her that my light bill was through a co-op. It was so hard talking to her. She said that they were going to kill my card. I was flipping out. It was a Saturday morning and I had no cash and could not get any! Monday morning I was at my bank discussing this with them (I love my bank) sure enough, there had been 3 purchases I did not make! It was on line grocery co-op. I was scared to death to click on anything after that! I feel better knowing that they have people monitoring my account (they are not here though, don't remember where she was from). I keep a limit on my card in case it is stolen. When I am making a big purchase, I just call and tell them to raise it for a few minutes, then it drops back down. It is not good if I forget, then everyone has to wait in line behind me while I call the bank! I try to shop only during banking hours. If I know I am planning on going or doing something I call ahead so I can spend on the weekend.

So that experience has me scared to click on any "accept" buttons or really any buttons lol. I only have an iPad. Computer crashed. Kids have lap tops but I don't use them. I crashed my husbands lap top. Got it fixed and he told me to stay off of it. Then the battery died and the plug in wire cracked. We have not been able to find the right stuff for it! I even took it to best buy (they laughed at how old it was) sold me the wrong stuff. I will get it fixed bc it has a ton of pictures on it. I am not in a hurry bc I know the computer works and my pics are safe in it

Your girls are beautiful! They look like they were having a good time! I loved watching all the kids at prom and homecoming. All the ones around here are country girls. They wear a sun dress from time to time in the summer. So it is fun to see them all gussied up. Boys too. My son wore a white tux and girlfriend wore a white dress. They looked like the bride and groom.


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## 

You are VERY safe here and we like to keep it that way. Never apologize for learning... even us old Aunties are still learning, so learning never ends. In breeding, if you think you know it all, you better stop breeding because you'll undoubtedly run onto a mare who will do away with your self confidence. LOL

The picture info is great! I also kept call names as some version of the registered name.... just made things easier for me. But your reasoning is very good!


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## paintponylvr

Our daughters were tomboys with the best of them (didn't get into hunting but probably because we didn't do that when they were little). It was really cool to see them "gussied up". That year - they did their own hair, nails and make up! They were pretty awesome at it. 'Dira has designed her own dresses for some of the school events and Skye and 'Dira both were in Drama and performed plays.

All 3 grew up grooming, working ponies and horses. 'Dira showed dogs (eh! I had a hard time going to dog shows here in the south). Sierra was in JROTC - she was in the motor pool as well as on the drill team - and almost every weekend their group worked on their vehicles (THE KIDS got them running and kept them up with the CNL's help & some parents' help). Skye ... was in FFA and for a while all 3 girls did 4H. When the girls were in high school, we were only trail riding- not showing.

Larry and I both have somewhat of a base in tech stuff... I prefer the horses, LOL. I apply a lot of the "tech stuff" to the horses!

Technology changes so fast - it's hard to keep up with all of it. We actually do a lot of shopping and banking on line. Yes, we too, have had problems - but it's not usually from on line (I've had more problems using my debit card at stores that have then been hacked)... I have regular "catalogs" I order from via phone and online. Amazon is our friend. I miss going into Sheplers in person, but there aren't any big western stores here. Sooo, shop online - for horse stuff, for some of our clothing, I've found books thru several antiques sites that replaced what was lost in our "storage hiest"; have started finding other things online as well. USPS and Fed Ex are very familiar with our gate and property. Have one neighbor that is tired of getting "our stuff" dropped on his doorstep... LOL.


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## paintponylvr

Online photo albums - there are other ones besides Photo Bucket and Picasa. There is Flckr, SnapFish, Web Shots and Picture Trail. There are a couple of new ones out there as well, now. I don't even know the names of those.

There are also other photo editors.

As to learning computer "stuff" - several ideas... If there is a college anywhere around you - check what they offer in courses. Most will have to be paid for - but now and then you'll find some that are free of charge. If not a local college anywhere, then check with your town Chamber of Commerce - a lot of places now have courses for either ... srs or for women. There are also several books (and may be vids/dvds now) along the lines of "such & such for dummies". Many of those are good ones - especially for the basics. different programs will also have classes available to learn their programs sold with the set up.And then there are on-line tutorials as well. Not that much differnt than learning the horse stuff.

I had the chance to grow up myself with horses and soaked up all that I could when I could from all kinds of sources. I have not done as much of that with the computer stuff so there is a lot I still don't know


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## Kim P

I had to take one of the grandbabies to the doctor this morning. Look what I had when I got home! It is a little filly. We are all in love!


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## 

FABULOUS!!!! CONGRATULATIONS !!!!!!!

What a beauty, and what a wonderful surprise for you and the grandkids!


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## chandab

Congrats! How cute is she?


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## Ryan Johnson

Oh Kim






She is just wonderful , BIG congratulations to you and Patty , I'm so Jealous


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## lkblazin

Congratulations!!! Ahhhhh she is so cute, Iam overjoyed! So so cute


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## Kim P

Guess what else! Patty is the best because tomorrow is my birthday! Is that not awesome!


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## lkblazin

Oy my goodness, maybe she wanted an early gift for you


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## Ryan Johnson

Getting in early - Happiest of Birthdays for you tomorrow , Best present ever !!!


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## Kim P

Yes I called the vet and they wanted me to me email pics but for some reason I couldn't so I went up there and showed them on my iPad. They want me to bring the ponies to his pasture when they put on the Scottish festival next month. He already has me some kind of portable pens that are light weight to use. We feel so special! He just lives about two or three miles from me.


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## lkblazin

Haha I'm sure everyone will love to meet them. Happy early birthday


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## Bonny

BIG CONGRATS!!


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## Lepeppylass

What a wonderful surprise! She is a flashy little one! Congrats!


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## Kim P

Thanks everyone! It was a perfect day for her to give birth too! Beautiful sunshine and warm! We all just sat out on the ground watching. Wishbone and peanut were out there too. Everyone got along fine. The boys aren't happy now though. They are racing around the yard upset bc I moved Patty and baby to their pen for the night. I thought I had killed the baby. I carried her while my son in law led Patty. He was wiggling and I was cuddling and talking. When I set him in the pen, I think he fainted! I was quietly freaking getting Patty to check her out! I told Patty I was just going to leave her baby alone til tomorrow! Patty is just an awesome little momma!


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## lkblazin

Haha yes babies sometimes play dead/ faint when you carry them. Just make sure you don't put pressure on the ribs or chest. Its one of natures protection gifts. Like a opossum. I have only seen it once, I panicked and a friend explained it to me. They just go limp.


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## 

They can also rapidly fall asleep in your arms. Then since they are sleeping, they are quite limp when you try to stand them up, and down they go. My babies always fell asleep in my arms while i was clipping them. So silly.... the sound of the clippers, the movement across their bodies, and down they went!!


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## Kim P

Oh, she did get back up. And she was fine. I believe I just scared her carrying her. We have really just been watching mostly and petting some.


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## Kim P

Yes that baby was limp. I was scared. I thought I had given her a heart attack. Her eyes were closed.


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## Magic Marker Minis

Congrats! Now you can stop worring and enjoy your new little girl.


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## 

Ditto that.......ENJOY !!!!!!!


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## AnnaC

Many congratulations Kim - what a gorgeous little girl! If you have to carry babies for any reason, apart from being careful not to crush the chest area, be very careful to keep your arm low down round the front of their chest/shoulders - a wriggling baby can cause your arm to slip upwards to a high chest/low neck area and therefore cut off the lower area of their windpipe causing a temporary loss of oxygen and they 'faint'.

Looking forwards to more pics - and a Very Happy Birthday to you!


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## MountainWoman

A BIG congratulations. She's gorgeous and I'm so happy for you!!!!!


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## MountainWoman

And Happy Birthday to you!!! So excited and I know you must be thrilled.


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## MyGoldenSunny

Congrats!!!! She is so so cute!!!


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## KLM

Congratulations on a beautiful filly!

Come on filly fairy... make a visit to my place Please


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## Kim P

I will send a shout out to the fairy to head your way!


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## Kim P

Something funny. My son who brought the ponies here and started all this, he does not like his girl friends barrel and race horses. He is actually quite intimidated by them. He has been saying that I spoil ours. He is now calling the baby his pony and is very protective. He says he is going to teach it to ride shot gun in his truck, so it can be his riding buddy. Lol but really he is loving it! Probably upsets his girlfriend bc he want have anything to do with hers.


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## lkblazin

Lol kim, it sounds like my brother in-law with his dog.


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## lkblazin

So is there a sign up sheet for this "filly fairy"? Cause I got a time and date I would like. But I also want it sunny with blue sky's. Is that possible? Or is she/he just a baby giver? Lol.


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## paintponylvr

AWWWWeeee Look what I missed!! Have you named your pretty girl yet?

Congratulations and HAPPY Bday!

My hubby AND our 1st daughter's Bdays were yesterday (23 March) - and we celebrated on Saturday...


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## lkblazin

Happy belated birthday Paula/Hoffman family:-D :-D


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## Kim P

Lol Rebecca!

No Paula, we have not named her yet. You don't even want to know a couple of names the grandkids came up with. One just tries to make up names, like in another language! I hope that you all had great birthdays too!

My birthday started off messing around with horses and loving up on that sweet baby. Then of course house work. My kids gave me a wonderful party and cooked too! They did a great job. My husband has been gone since February 5th. He will be home April 8th. The kids did a wonderful job picking out my gifts. Of course I got beautiful flowers! My daughter said "what do you get the woman who has everything she wants already? Why a trip to Red's Detail!" It is for cars and trucks and she got me the ultimate package, wash, wax and shampoo! My sons girlfriend got me new harnesses for the horses. She even got the baby one! I was so happy. I keep buying them and never fit so I just give them to her to use on her horses. Mine needed them so bad.


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## Kim P

Uh, the purpose of me telling you that my husband was gone, was that my kids insured I had a great day since dad was not here.


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## lkblazin

I'm sorry to hear he was not able to be with you. But on the other hand its great that you have people around you who work very hard to make your day brighter. Im sure your call will be brand spankin new when you go to that detail shop.


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## Kim P

So I have a question about ant poison. What should I use? I don't know if I should use what I have been using. What do you all use?

This is a picture of what I usually use and it works great. If this is not appropriate, then what should I use?

I get fire ants really bad and they are popping up every where now. I need to tackle it before it gets too bad!


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## paintponylvr

Kim P said:


> Lol Rebecca!
> 
> No Paula, we have not named her yet. You don't even want to know a couple of names the grandkids came up with. One just tries to make up names, like in another language! I hope that you all had great birthdays too!
> 
> My birthday started off messing around with horses and loving up on that sweet baby. Then of course house work. My kids gave me a wonderful party and cooked too! They did a great job. My husband has been gone since February 5th. He will be home April 8th. The kids did a wonderful job picking out my gifts. Of course I got beautiful flowers! My daughter said "what do you get the woman who has everything she wants already? Why a trip to Red's Detail!" It is for cars and trucks and she got me the ultimate package, wash, wax and shampoo! My sons girlfriend got me new harnesses for the horses. She even got the baby one! I was so happy. I keep buying them and never fit so I just give them to her to use on her horses. Mine needed them so bad.


Made up lanquage...well our whole family is into the scifi/fantasy genre of reading and several books/authors we read/follow have made up languages, too. I've "borrowed" some of those - our cremello filly was called "kechara" (meaning "beloved") and we called her Kechi (no meaning that I'm aware of). Just worked...



Sometimes "made up" names are the best! tehehehehe...

Truck detail and halters? That's my kind of Bday presents! and family spending time together, supporting each other thru some tuff times - PRICELESS!!!


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## Kim P

Well I took it upon myself on what to do about the ants. I went ahead and used my turf ranger. I am just keeping the horses out for a few days. I am making them work to earn their keep. I am tying them up around the house to do some weed eating. Keeping Patty and baby in pen and taking her some green grass.

Posting a pic from Tuesday. The grandkids were so excited.


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## 

What a wonderful picture!! A handsome group!!


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## Kim P

Thank you Diane!


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## lkblazin

Very sweet





When I tie my girls up, it looks like there are crop circles in the yard. Since they can only go in circles lol. One of mine loves those prickly thistle thorn flowers.


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## Kim P

Yes they do look like crop circles! Lol


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## Ryan Johnson

Oh love that photo "all the kids"


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## paintponylvr

Foals and children - beautiful!

There are so many different things to do for ants. I've never found one that really works for long. The ants are different here at the new property and I haven't a clue what we are going to try using here...

Turf Ranger? May have to try that one.


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## chandab

Ok, so it's been nearly a week, we need an update on your little cutie. Did you come up with a name yet?


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## Ryan Johnson

Ill second that Chanda


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## lkblazin

It feels like its been longer than a week


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## Kim P

Well hello everyone! I have been super busy! Sorry for the silence. The baby's name is Annabelle. I do believe my son has a new love! It is definitely his baby, although my husband just got home after being gone since February. He could not wait to get home to see this baby. I believe she can out run every one. She is so fun to watch. She had Patty chasing her all over the place. Peanut loves her. She likes him too. Now everyone has a buddy. When Patty want let her nurse, she backs her butt up to her then kick at her. She is definitely a handful for her momma. She will try to suck on our clothes. The wind blew a wal mart bag off the deck and I had to go get it from her. She was sucking on it. She tries to eat the grass like the rest of them. She is definitely a joy to watch!we have lots of passer byes stop and watch too! I will have to check on the rest of the threads and see who else has had a baby!


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## chandab

She is so stinking cute. Thanks for the update.


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## Ryan Johnson

Yes terribly cute





Must be great to have your husband home too


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## Lepeppylass

How wonderful, enjoy your hubby being home! Annabelle is beautiful. That nose just says "kiss me!"


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## 

she's looking so pretty! So glad your family is home together to fight over her! Won't do her a bit of harm to be loved on by all!!


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## SummerTime

Oh wow! She's adorable!!!!!


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## lkblazin

So cute!!! Haha what stinker


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## Kim P

Well my gran baby says that Annabelle's name is fake and that her real name is Feninna! Lol


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## SummerTime

Hahaha!! That is awesome!


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## Kim P

It has been about three weeks since Annabelle was born. She has grown at least 6 inches taller. I noticed today that she is getting her little teeth coming in. Kate said that she is a bay, so I get my wish. She is going to be dark like Patty.


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## lkblazin

Very good observations Kim. Not a lot of people notice when the teeth come in, until they are teething lol


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## Kim P

So how long do they nurse or will Patty wean her?


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## Brody

They usually nurse for about 6 months ( I think most people wean minis between 4 and 6 months). You will need to separate them as it is very rare for a mare to actually wean their foal on their own. You will only need to keep them separated for a month or two until Patty dries up. Once she's dry she probably won't let the baby try to nurse.


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## Kim P

Annabelle is not doing good! She was just laying around. She was a bit lethargic! Her eyes were swollen. One more so than the other. She has nursed. I have watched her pee 3 times in the last hour. Kate saw her poop. Kate called her vet and went a got her a shot. He said if she is not doing good tomorrow to take her in. I have a lot of wasp around. I thought maybe she got stung. I saw a drop of blood on her back where something bit her. The swelling has went down now. She is still just standing around. Kate said that she is not colic bc her tummy is making noises. She seems to be breathing a little fast. What could be wrong?


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## Ryan Johnson

Sounds like the shot is taking its course which is great. So good that you noticed early that something wasn't right. Keep us posted on her progress


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## Kim P

She seems to be fine now. I guess the shot worked.


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## Kim P

We have had a gentle spring rain and I got this picture. I love it. Don't worry Annabelle was just resting. They all love her. Especially lil Peanut.


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## Kim P

Patty is always watching. She is such a good momma


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## 

Ahhhhhh....what a lovely picture!!!


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## lkblazin

So cute. What a perfect group. I love peanuts hair


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## Kim P

Thanks!

I don't remember whose thread I read about that was talking about cleaning between their teats. Patty has been scratching something fierce. She never has a thick coat to shed. For some reason while I was brushing her, I remembered reading that thread. That poor momma! I cleaned out black stuff that looked like weather insulator strips. That was nasty and stinky. I do believe the gal was happy I remembered that thread!


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## 

Good job!!!


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## lkblazin

Lol I'm sure her lip was going crazy. My girls are pretty clean down there.


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## paintponylvr

About 1/2 of our mares will stretch out a bit, spread their legs and then as you "itch" and remove the "gunkies" (smegma or a type of wax) they will raise their necks, stretch their heads out with their muzzles up and then curl their lips. They love getting itched "there"... even if they are already clean.

Don't have a pic of one of the ponies doing it - but this is about right ...







Good for you for remembering!!


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## chandab

Baby wipes work pretty good for that job, my girls love it (all but one) when I clean down there for them. [i keep baby wipes in the barn for clean-ups, great for "washing" hands while at the barn with no water (good in the summer anyway, winter they freeze).]


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## Kim P

When she was pregnant she hated for me to get near her bag. Today she did not move! Lol. I don't know what made me remember. I guess bc she has been scratching everywhere and she does not have that much hair to shed. She has been about to rub the fence wire down. After I cleaned her, she was enjoying her graze! Thanks to whomevers thread that was on!


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## Kim P

I was reading the thread about bathing, so I thought I would attempt to bathe mine again. They acted like idiots last year. I only gave Patty a bath. She did really well. I just put some warm soapy dawn water in a roasting pan and slowly put it in her with her brush and a rag. I got her mane wet and added some dawn and lathered it up, tail too. I washed her all over. More or less a sponge bath. I have two extra long hoses rolled on the porch so there was a good bit of warm water in it. I just turned it on enough to give me a little more than a trickle and rinsed her really good. It was a rather slow bath! She started getting antsy at the end and was trying to eat my deck. I have never seen her do that, so I hurried and moved her to another spot and used the rake to get the water off and brushed her mane and tail really good. She feels so good now! Her mane has never felt so soft! I got all that embedded dirt off her back.

I will only be able to bathe one horse a day but at least they will get bathed! I will see how well the others do eventually.


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## Kim P

And then......


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## lkblazin

Lol! Kim great pics. She looks great and was obviously thanking you with that roll


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## 

At least yours can roll on that beautiful grass. Mine always rolled in their dry lots, and the work for the bath almost felt useless. But I knew they were happy and enjoying the roll!!


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## Kim P

Yes she did not get too dirty. I am glad she rolled in the grass and not the sand or iron ore!


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## Kim P

I am loving our little Annabelle. We are having a small issue though. She likes to nip you. I really think she is just trying to suckle on everything. She is doing just fine. Growing so fast. She is quite the character. The farrier was out today and she nipped him a few times. I thought it was something they all did. Not quite sure how to stop her. I just keep telling her no and moving her mouth away or holding it. She really nibbles on everything. I thought it was bc she was teething. She has learned her name. She is quite playful. She is almost as big as little old Peanut. They are buddies. Patty is such a good momma. I don't know how she can let her nurse. Those little teeth can really pinch if she gets you in the right place. I feel for Patty. They are all looking good. Peanut still has a little more shedding to do. Annabelle has done a little shedding on her face. Looks kind of funny. Patty is just beautiful and shiny! Wishbone looks good too. He still has some shedding to do also but you can't tell from just looking at him. I have not been on much lately. There has been a lot going on. My father in law died last week. He had been sick for a long time. I hate he never got to see Annabelle. He just loved for me to take my little horses over to his house to play. I told him all about her. He really could not see well, but I tried to show him pics of her on my iPad.


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## chandab

Sorry about your loss.

Glad to hear Annabelle is doing well (except for the nipping).

I know it's probably not the best way, but it's my automatic reaction, so when mine bite, they get smacked (usually it's a backhand, it's a reflex) with a firm "quit" (I try not to use no as it sounds too much like whoa); it seems to work for me.

When my colts were born 3 years ago, the second one to come became a kicker early on, and he kicked me pretty much daily for 2 weeks straight, and it stopped just about as fast as it started. He was so quick there was little I could do about it anyway (I honestly don't recall if I tried anything or not; probably did try to kick him back a few times, if it wasn't a fly by kicking).


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## Ryan Johnson

Sorry for your loss Kim.

Thanks for the Annabelle update too. Chanda is spot on and I would do the same. A firm voice works well. My colt now 7yo did the same thing , it didn't last too long though.

Sounds like everyone's out of their winter woollies and enjoying some sunshine


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## paintponylvr

Also, on the nipping, 2 other things you can do. When she acts "nippy" keep an eye on her. When she gets 2 mouthy, preferably before she does nip, take a hold of her chin whiskers and pull. It's irritating and she'll "forget" what she was going to do.

The other thing, if you are down where she is, keep a limb in her way... basically, you still have to pay attention to where she is at all times. Then you block her teeth as she reaches. Don't go out of your way to "hit" her but a bump will make her think she's run into something and again, she should "forget"... If she's persistent, than really use your voice and even a knee to bump her mouth. Works well. Can be hard to develop that "6th sense" of where the foal is - but it's in yours and your families' best interest...

The main thing is paying attention - even when you just want to love on her. Consistency is the thing. Some mares let their foals just "get away w/ everything" (biting, chewing, pawing, kicking, climbing on them) and that carries over to the 2 leggers in the foals' life. It is hard for a foal to understand that that is not allowed! But it's not and never should be.

I personally also don't allow hand feeding of our ponies/minis. They seem to have a lot more of an issue (than larger horses) with telling what is the treat and what is the hand - especially when a little hand smells/tastes the same as the treat (until a finger is removed! and yes, I've seen this happen 2 times with minis!!). We put treats directly on a pile of hay or in a bucket most of the time. Now that I don't have small children around most of the time - I AM working with some mature ponies with treats - but it's very limited and it's only w/ a couple of special cases of MATURE ponies - not the young ones...


----------



## Kim P

Thanks . Well I guess we really have 2 issues. She is a kicker too. She has not kicked me but I see her kick her momma if she want let her nurse. If Patty tells her no then she backs her butt up to her and kicks her and runs off. She loves to run around the yard and buck too. I just think it is sweet when she plays like that. All the horses love her and protect her. Remember this is my first so I don't know much. I assumed they all were nippers. We spend a lot of time with her so I feel we will get this stopped. Patty does let her nurse plenty. I think this baby is going to be a handful of mischief! I really don't have any bad behavior in my horses except that Wishbone is still skittish and we are working on that still. Annabelle is going to show us what all we have to learn. Lol

We have always hand fed our ponies with no problems. But you are so right. The kids are not going to be allowed to hand feed Miss Annabelle.


----------



## Magic Marker Minis

We have two miniature colts and a miniature filly. Also a big colt. They are all nippy. They have to taste everything. We tap there shoulder and redirect them. Are foals also kick at mom when she doesn't hold still. As long as the foal is not kicking you, leave it up to the mom to discipline her over the kicking. Our big colt and one of the mini colts rear up on their moms. If mom doesn't like it, she will let her baby know.


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## lkblazin

Very sorry Kim for your loss. As for your nipper, all babies go through it. Just make sure to correct her


----------



## Kim P

Hey everyone! It has been awhile. Annabelle is doing just great ! We just love her. She is very tame. Have not done much with the others. Starting to teach them to do barrels now. They are doing good. We still have to get a saddle though. We just practice bareback and lead them. Sometimes they all follow us. Lol.


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## Kim P

This was taken in June. Annabelle has shed out now. I am going to have to put a new pic of her up too. She has a lot of black in her coat now.


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## chandab

Can't wait to see a shed out picture. She was darn cute in June.


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## Ryan Johnson

Me too , she is so lovely Kim cant wait for some pics


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## 

Oh, can't wait for the pictures!


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## Kim P

Look at that face! Isn't she just adorable!


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## Ryan Johnson

She sure Is Kim


----------



## 

Just beautiful!!!


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## paintponylvr

She looks great! So good that your family is having such a fun time with her.

I'm jealous - very few of our foals have EVER shed their foal coats as suckling/weanlings. Our June baby most certainly will not - our ponies have already started getting their winter coats this week! The two new foals coming soon will also not shed their foal coats before we go into winter.


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## 

I know what you're saying. Even here in Florida where you'd expect them to drop that foal coat, they seldom did. I was clipping babies at 2 weeks old (having them fall asleep in my lap while I was clipping them), just to see what was hiding under that fluffy baby coat!


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## Kim P

I guess I have to give the credit to our lovely Louisiana weather! I consider myself lucky to get to see her shedded out. I am so glad that it is getting cooler. Those 3 digits and our humidity were getting tough. I had gotten to where I was just leaving the sprinkler on all day for them to stay cool! It also kept the grass green instead of crunching under your feet dying! Although we did have to reinforce the lattice work around the porch. I heard my husband outside one night around 2 am beating and banging. They had broken through and were out. They hang out under the deck now. It really is cool under there. The benefit of having little horses! Annabelle is bigger than Peanut now! She is awesome. I love how her mane stands straight up! She is still a little nipper though. Patty is still letting her nurse. Not a lot. I was reading on a thread about treats. Mine are all pudgy! We have had to cut back on feed bc they are getting watermelon rind and left over fruit platters. Everyone tries so hard to befriend Wishbone. He is getting better but I don't think he will ever be no where near as trusting as the rest of them.


----------



## Kim P

I thought I would give an update on my little herd. They have all gotten too fat! I started having trouble with my sciatic nerve on my left leg. Dealt with it quite a while. Finally had surgery Nov 6 on my back. It is better but my leg still hurts if I miss my meds so I still have a way to go until I am back to normal. During all this time my wonderful hubby took over the horses. He feeds them way too much! Annabelle has gotten bad! She is still very tame, just bad behavior. She thinks the world revolves around her. She is the one who is supposed to get all the attention. My husband left Friday, he want be back until around the first of December. He had a fit when I told him that I was moving them to their little paddock because it was going to be 29 degrees Saturday and Sunday night. I asked why he was upset and he said that their was nothing for them to nibble on. I just laughed and told him to take a good look at them and see that it would not hurt them to just eat hay! I will definitely be cutting their feed down tremendously. Maybe only give them an apple once a week! They are going to think that I am starving them! I am really glad that my husband loves them too. I am just a little worried about cutting back their food because winter is approaching and they usually gain weight then. I have them heat lamps. Is their a diet feed? I can't really work with Annabelle too much because I don't want to mess my back up. Going to follow all the doctors instructions to a t. I will have to get a picture soon of their fat selves for you all to see. Annabelle is just gorgeous though. Her mane is laying down now instead of spiking. I really liked it wild and spikey! She is almost as big as her dad now. She acts like her momma. She is so bossy. She is mean to Peanut at feeding time. Makes me mad because he loved her so much when she was a baby! I have not been on here in a while. I hope everyone is doing good along with their little horses! Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving!


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## chandab

I wouldn't diet too much in winter, I'm sure even in LA they need hay to help keep warm, at least at night. They do make low carb feeds, but even with that you can feed too much. Don't diet too fast, as that can cause it's own set of problems.


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## paintponylvr

HI KIM!!!! Missed you. I know how much sciatic nerve issues can be hurt - though I've not had surgery. I did have sciatic issues w/ one of my pregnancies and off and on now, I'm having other issues. Take care of yourself first - may take a while - Nov 6th wasn't that long ago - I remember it took MONTHS of rehab for my flexible and active daughter to come back from back surgery (she had 2 rods inserted and lab grown bone also to repair/replace a burst fracture after a tree fell on her), I can't imagine what an adult goes thru.

PICTURES -



- CAN"T WAIT.

Agree with Chandab. On feed - just cut them back a bit for 1 - 2 weeks, then maybe cut them some more - if you think they need it. Pics will of course help.

I know that my girlfriends' ponies are so round and fat right now that they have both developed metabolic issues (lameness) that she is now combating... They look wonderful, but it's just not worth it for the problems they are having now.

I have several with the opposite issue and we are working hard to address those. Checked records and realized that part of it may very well be teeth - checked them myself and ouch! Vet will do floats on them in Dec/Jan and check for wolf teeth...


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## Kim P

Here are my fatties! Don't look at their feet, the farrier just came today. They are little woolies! The first pic is Annabelle and her Daddy! Look how big she is!


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## Ryan Johnson

They look Wonderful Kim





Hard to believe how quickly Annabelle has grown up.

Thanks for the update


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## chandab

They look great. Their feet look fine.


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## 

Wow, she has surely grown!!! Everyone looks wonderful!


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## paintponylvr

I'm drooling!! They all look great - they look healthy and happy.

Their winter coats look good too. Jeez, Kim, want a grooming job?? I have a dozen ponies you can have all to yourself to groom -


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## Kim P

Hah! Lol! Thanks, but I have to give credit to their grooming to all the kiddos. I need to cut Peanuts mane out of his eye! He gets the Donald Trump swoop! Lol. I was going to let one of the kids do that too!


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## Kim P

4 people riding big horses rode by our house today. My horses saw them and followed them down the fence line. It was the sweetest thing. I realized how tiny mine were!


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## Kim P

Today looked so pretty and windy. I watched the horses from the window. We went to move them to their little sheds. It is getting cold! We have not had any winter weather really. News says that we will have a very nice Weekend! I love my Louisiana weather!


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