# Windy Hill ~~ Duchess



## jessj (Jan 6, 2013)

Hi Everyone! I thought that it was probably time to start a thread for Duchess.

Duches is a 29.5" AMHA (soon to be AMHR) Black Bay mare from Appaloosa lines. She does have some roaning on her face.

Duchess lived on a large farm that bred non registered minis for a few years and foaled for them several times. She was bought in foal by a friend of mine after that . She lost that foal during birth.(a gorgeous blanketed appaloosa colt) Not sure what happened, the foal was dead when they found it.

I bought Duchess in foal in early december. She has been pastured with an AMHA black leopard appaloosa stallion. Duchess was seen breeding on April 1-2, 2012 and has not been seen in heat since. If she "caught" on then that would put her at 300days on January 26, 2013; 330days on February 25, 2012; and at 365 on April 1, 2012. Because of her last foaling I will be watching EXTRA carefully. I do know that with the foal that she lost she started "bagging up" about 6weeks before foaling.

I hope to get from this breeding a black fewspot colt (wich would prove Duchess to be positive for LP) or a black leopard colt. If I get either of these and he has Duchess' pretty face and is nice and refined he would definitely be retained as a Jr stallion.

Since I bought her in the winter, I dont have any great pics of Duchess. (cant wait for summer to get here so I can dye her mane and tail and clip her!) Here are a few. The last pic is the stallion that she is bred to.


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## jessj (Jan 6, 2013)

And a couple of udder pics so that we have a starting place! The first one is from mid december the second is from yesterday.


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## MeganH (Jan 6, 2013)

Wooo Hoo! Diane's got me excited now




Can't wait to see this baby!


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## countrymini (Jan 6, 2013)

Love the colour on Dad, and can't wait to see the colour of this baby!


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## jessj (Jan 6, 2013)

Ok...I got a couple more pics of the stallion that Duchess (and magic) is bred to. The one that I had shows his color well, but makes his conformation look horrible..and he is actually nice and refined with a pretty little head! So here he is at a little fun day show!


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## countrymini (Jan 6, 2013)

Cute boy! I'm assuming thats a child leading him? I thought adult at first but that would make about 14hh haha


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## jessj (Jan 6, 2013)

lol...no it is a little boy! i edited his face out of the pics.


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## kehranc (Jan 7, 2013)

They are both gorgeous and yes the photo did make the daddy look huge... I was confused for a moment ..lol...Mumma look so cute with her big wooly coat on it will be great to see her colour when she gets her summer coat.. Thanks for the new thread, much easier for me to follow hahaha... how tall is Daddy ??


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## jessj (Jan 12, 2013)

Duchess got her mane and tail dyed today. I also trimmed up the long hairs on her face and the long hairs on her udder. She is getting a bit of edema in front of her udder. I *possibly* saw some fetal movement last night...but its hard to tell with all that hair!


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## countrymini (Jan 13, 2013)

cute


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## AnnaC (Jan 13, 2013)

She's such a pretty girl.


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## jessj (Jan 13, 2013)

Thanks ladies!


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## jessj (Jan 18, 2013)

Poor little Duchess is very lopsided today! She is so tiny compared to Izz...i feel like she is gonna topple over! I will take new udder shots in the morning and see if we have any progress there yet.


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## Jade10 (Jan 19, 2013)

Oh my that is lopsided, poor little girl


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## jessj (Jan 19, 2013)

Here is Duchess this morning. I bought her as *possibly* in foal...but from the pics she looks in foal to me. What do yall think??? Her udder looks like it may have filled a tiny bit in the back. Both udder pics are from today...just standing differently. It is so nice knowing that she started bagging up 6weeks ahead last time! Will take more pics and compare next saturday.


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## countrymini (Jan 19, 2013)

Second photo looks like you threw hay at her face and she's insulted lol


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## jessj (Jan 19, 2013)

countrymini said:


> Second photo looks like you threw hay at her face and she's insulted lol


lol..l put a new round bale in the run in shelter for them yesterday. All three of the girls in that pasture came out this morning with "hay head'!

Since Izzie isnt in with them to boss everyone around right now, Duchess has decided that she is the boss. So funny to see the tiniest girl (she's only 29") telling every one else what to do!


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## jessj (Jan 26, 2013)

Time for a weekly Duchess update!! IF she took on april 1, 2012 that would make her 300days today! Here are this weeks pics.


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## jessj (Jan 26, 2013)

And for comparrison Jan12/Jan19/Jan26


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## AnnaC (Jan 26, 2013)

She's making nice steady progress. Looking good!


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## kehranc (Jan 29, 2013)

wow she is looking really good cant wait till she shows us her little bub..


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## jessj (Feb 4, 2013)

These pics of Duchess are from saturday, but I just now had time to post them! IF she took on april 1, 2012 she would be 307days in the pics. She still looks about the same as last week.


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## jessj (Feb 4, 2013)

ok...now that I see the pics side by side it looks like she may have made a little progress. I will take a pic midweek and compare again!


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## lexischase (Feb 4, 2013)

I see a little change! Any side views?


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## jessj (Feb 5, 2013)

lexischase said:


> I see a little change! Any side views?


She was being stubborn so I didnt get a side view...I will take a new udder shot on wednesday for comparrison and try to get a side shot then!


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## jessj (Feb 5, 2013)

I dont have any Duchess pics today, but I thought that I would share a pic of my newest foster dog. This is Ali...a gorgeous brindle boxer. She is at work with me snoozing on a dog bed next to my desk. My last foster was adopted in 2 days, lets see how it goes with Ali!


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## jessj (Feb 7, 2013)

I have a few new Duchess pics for comparrison. All of the ones prior to this have been taken in the morning, but it is usually still dark when I leave my house during the week so I took an udder shot tuesday afternoon and then several pics yesterday (wednesday) afternoon. Here is the one from tuesday.


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## jessj (Feb 7, 2013)

And here are pics from yesterday afternoon. She was out in the dog yard munching down some of the grass there and wouldnt hold still, so the udder pic isnt great and from a slightly different angle. Also a pic of her hanging out with our new foster dog. She is so much shorter than Izz...alot harder to get good pics!


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## jessj (Feb 7, 2013)

And finally a side by side...cause its alot easier to look for changes that way! First pic is feb 2nd in the morning second pic is feb 5th in the afternoon.


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## Eagle (Feb 7, 2013)

Hi Jess, She is adorable and I love her colour. I think we can safely say she is starting to bag up



If she is one of the "polite girls" that follow the six week bagging guide you could probably rely on the foal-time milk strips too. I love them and they have worked on all but 1 of my mares.

I wish you all the best for your 2013 foaling season


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## jessj (Feb 7, 2013)

Thanks Renee! I know from her previous owners that she started bagging up 6weeks ahead with her last foal, so I am thinking early to mid march. I will probably move her over so I can start stalling her at night this weekend.


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## countrymini (Feb 7, 2013)

She's definitely progressing (lucky you haha)

What is it with your mares having odd folds at the back of their udders?


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## Liz k (Feb 7, 2013)

Hi Jess she looks like she's getting started, I wish mine had bags!!!!!! Keep the pics up we love to see them.


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## jessj (Feb 8, 2013)

countrymini said:


> She's definitely progressing (lucky you haha)
> 
> What is it with your mares having odd folds at the back of their udders?


LOL... I dont know, but they sure have some crazy looking ones! Poor Izz looked ridiculous for a while there!

I have been taking pics on saturday mornings, so will take some in the morning. Will try to get one of her udder from behind then too.


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## jessj (Feb 9, 2013)

Saturday morning Duchess pics!


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## countrymini (Feb 10, 2013)

nawwww, cute little face! Not going to comment on the udders, its just not fair!


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## jessj (Feb 14, 2013)

I've decided to start doing pics of Duchess twice a week since she is starting to bag up. Here is her udder on wednesday afternoon....not good pics, she wasnt being very cooperative. She is so short that I almost have to sit on the ground to get under there...lol.


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## jessj (Feb 14, 2013)

And a side view that I took tuesday morning in the rain...we FINALLY have a day today with sunshine. Going to rain again on saturday tho...boo! At least you can tell more about her shape when she insists on standing outside in the rain.


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## Eagle (Feb 14, 2013)

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Do you think I look thinner when I am wet mum?


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## jessj (Feb 16, 2013)

Hehehe....Renee....

Here is a saturday morning Duchess update. Her udder looks smaller to me....what do yall think?? IF she took on april 1st 2012 she is 321days in these pics.


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## jessj (Feb 16, 2013)

Here is my last mare due to foal, Magic. I bought her as possible in foal. She delivered a mule baby on July 22 last year and was put with the same leopard stallion that Duchess is in foal to about a week later. She was with him until I bought her. They never saw her come back into heat so I am assuming that she probably bred during her foal heat. I am using Aug 1st 2012 as a breeding date. That would make her 200days today. She was a little thin when she got here, but her topline is filling in and she is coming along nicely. She is VERY shy. She will come eat from my hand, but that is the closest that I can get. I have been trying to go slow and easy, but I think I am going to have to push her into a stall and at least put a halter on her...she is overdue for a trim. I am excited about this baby. Magic is from almost pure appy lines...in her 5gen pedigree there is one known pinto...everything else is appy! She is bred to the same black leopard stallion as Duchess. From this breeding I am hoping for a nice and leggy black fewspot filly. She should be 300days on May 28 and 330days on june 27th. AND last year she only started bagging up a week ahead. Here is Magic.


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## lexischase (Feb 16, 2013)

Both girls are very pretty!! Duchess has the cutest little head/face


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## jessj (Feb 19, 2013)

Thanks! I love Duchess' face too...but her head alway looks huge in pics! It is really very nice in person!

I don't have any good new pics of Rocket. Here is a quick one that I snapped of him...doesnt show much of him, I just thought it was a pretty background. Izzie has relaxed ALOT and Rocket is getting very friendly. He will come up and take treats from me. Will let me scratch his face a little bit too. He LOVES my girl Pippa and follows her around constantly. She is a pocket pet, so that is really helping with getting Rocket used to me.

I also attached a pic of Magic grazing in the dog yard (cant wait to see what is under all that winter coat!) I did get a halter on her. I put a little bit of alfalfa pellets in a stall and she went in easily enough. Once she realized she couldnt get away she was easy to catch...lol. And a pic of my sweet Ferrari. He is by himself and lonely...at least he has ladies sharing two fence lines. Magic isnt due until later in the summer so I may try him with her. He is so gentle, I really dont think it will be a problem, but will wait until I can be home all day with them.

I will get new Duchess pics today or tomorrow.


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## countrymini (Feb 19, 2013)

Lovely photos. What kinda of fencing do you have dividing Ferrari and his girls?


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## jessj (Feb 19, 2013)

Two sides of his fence are chain link and the other two are field fence. The only mare that he absolutey has to be seperated from is my 2yr old filly Pippa. Probably by the end of this month I will move them so there are at least two fences between them! Thinking about running an electric fence along the top of the existing fence too.. Just in case. He is usually pretty content as long as he has at least one of his girls with him.


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## jessj (Feb 19, 2013)

Thanks miss diane. He was chubby last winter! I changed his food and he is looking alot better...has put on a little over this winter but not too much. We are going to start ground driving this spring. I got a cart and can't wait to drive. It will be good for him to have a job too. He really is a gentleman... I know that he is a stallion and I take extra precautions with him but he never given me any reason to worry. He is very loving with me but stand offish with new people (wich I love because I don't let strangers pet him... one of my precautions!) He is usually very gentle with the girls too. If they get of line or start to forget that he is the boss they may get a small nip. But over all a gentlman... I am so grateful for the opportunity to own such a wonderful horse. Can you tell that he is my favorite...lol?


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## jessj (Feb 20, 2013)

Here are a few more Duchess udder pics. I am only checking every 3-4days. (usually on saturday and wednesday, but I wont have time this afternoon so I took these yesterday afternoon) When I first pulled theses up I thought "Wow! Progress!" but then I went back and looked at some from a few weeks ago...and I'm not so sure. What do ya'll think? All of these are from yesterday.


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## countrymini (Feb 20, 2013)

Hard to tell, but maybe possibly wider than last shots?


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## jessj (Feb 25, 2013)

Duchess' udder looks the same. I have new pics but they look the same as the last pics...silly mare.

I have made some improvement with Magic. Since the day that I caught her and put a halter on I have pretty much just left her alone. Duchess is still pastured with her for now and I go in at least once a day to check on them. I would just ignord Magic, and concentrate on Duchess. After several days of this I noticed that magic would follow me around just out of reach. So I started talking to her... I would sit on the ground in their pasture and talk to her while she stayed close by and talk


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## jessj (Feb 25, 2013)

Duchess' udder looks the same. I have new pics but they look the same as the last pics...silly mare.

I have made some improvement with Magic. Since the day that I caught her and put a halter on I have pretty much just left her alone. Duchess is still pastured with her for now and I go in several times a day to check on them. I would just ignore Magic, and concentrate on Duchess. After several days of this I noticed that magic would follow me around just out of reach. So I started talking to her... I would sit on the ground in their pasture and talk to her while she stood close by. This afternoon when I went out Magic was on far end of the pasture but as soon as she saw me she came running! She still only comes close enough to touch when I have a treat in my hand, but	we are	making	progress!


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## jessj (Mar 15, 2013)

Well...Duchess still looks EXACTLY the same in the udder department. Her tummy seems to have dropped and possibly moved forward some. Here are a few pics of her. Rocket update in the next post...


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## jessj (Mar 15, 2013)

I moved Duchess and Magic into the pasture with Izzie and Rocket. They had been sharing a fence for a while and there was no fuss or ruckus about it. Izzie actually seems to enjoy having baby sitters for Rocket. He LOVES Magic and spends alot of time with her. Since Izz has mellowed out with him he is coming around. He still doesnt want me to love on him and pet him all over, but he is very much in my business. Every time I go out to the pasture he comes running and follows me around. I don't have any GOOD new pics of him because they all end up like the ones below...lol (in the second one I was actually trying to take pics of Duchess and he decided that he wasnt getting enough attention) I talked to my vet today and I think we are going to geld him next month.


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## jessj (Apr 9, 2013)

Hi everyone! Just wanted to share some new pics of Rocket! I can't believe that he is almost 3 months old already! He got his first haircut this past weekend, he was such a good boy. He clipped out really dark like his dad, but he has alot of white hairs mixed in especially on his face and neck. He and Izz are with the rest of the herd now and they all love him. In the first pic he is pestering his auntie Magic, and his dad (Ferrari) is the other horse in the rest of the pics with him.


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## countrymini (Apr 9, 2013)

Wow, a lot darker. Still gorgeous!


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## Jade10 (Apr 9, 2013)

Wow hes grown so much, still adorable though


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##  (Apr 9, 2013)

Well welcome back, Stranger! I wondered what happened to you!

How's Duchess?

Little Rocket is still a gorgeous boy!!!!


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## cassie (Apr 9, 2013)

Rocket is looking fantastic! thanks for the pics can't believe how big he is! gorgeous boy!!


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## Gone_Riding (Apr 10, 2013)

My gosh, they grow so quick! I like the darker color of him, he sure looks good!


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## Never2Mini (Apr 10, 2013)

Rocket is so cute ! Can't wait to see Dutchess wee one.


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## jessj (Apr 10, 2013)

Thanks everyone! I have been around lurking. I try to keep up with the threads as much as possible, but don't have much time to post. I don't know what is going on with Duchess...still no udder progress. Her tummy looks like it has dropped some. I will try to get new pics soon! Since she was bought as "possibly pasture bred" I'm not sure when to expect her...silly mare!


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