Anna's Girls - Updated news.

[AnnaC]

Morning girls! Well I did make a rushed visit to Cathy's yesterday and got a few up to date pics which I will post later. But first one to make you smile (or gasp depending upon your thinking LOL!!) Here is Dragon (dirty and scruffy!) out in his daytime grass field over at Cathy's. I think perhaps i should post this picture elsewhere to give the 'horrors' to those who insist that minis NEED to be kept on dry lots! LOL!! You cant actually see, but he is nicely covered (trim), no belly and if clipped would be show ring ready. He also gets three feeds a day of total around 4lbs stud cubes plus balancer and ad lib hay from his own huge round bale at nights when he is stabled!! (actually he is about to get the friendly group of cows transferred to join him to graze off some of that grass - he will no be pleased as cows make him nervous, he's happier with sheep!)

Second picture is one that Cathy grabbed of Nell - look closely, I think she might just be forming a bag?? So maybe there is a foal in there after all??

 

[AnnaC]

Sorry, wish I could get photobucket to work - those pics done via the brouse here have not come out large or clear enough. grrrrrrrrrrrr!! In Nell's pic a small bag was visible!

Just time to give you Prue having a small problem with her new daughter (LOL!) then I must go do the chores. More pics of 'bellies' later.

 

[Eagle]

Lol poor Dragon looks like "Billy No Mates" all alone in that huge field

eagle would love to keep him company. Lol

The pic of Nell doing her dead horse impression is great.

 

[AnnaC]

Great News!! I'm so excited!! We are now 95% sure that Nutty IS IN FOAL!!

I'm over the moon, because she is so special to me and I really did want to retire her after this baby - she has done so much for us over the past 19 years that I wanted her to just enjoy her later years as a pasture pet with loads of special care and attention through the winter months. She deserves the very best from now on and I did not want to be tempted into trying her again for another foal - this will be her first with Dragon and we wanted to see what the cross would throw. Of course it may well be a colt, but never mind, as long as she is ok that's all I'm interested in.

Cathy was just on the phone to say that she had just seen a massive jerk and what looked lick a kicking foot around the top of Nutty's flank (she too was so excited!), but over the last few days we have both thought that Nutty's tummy has changed shape and become much fuller low down (she has had so many foals it is difficult to tell, but it had CHANGED!) So Cathy went to do an udder check and it seems it has grown and one side has filled quite a bit.

Here are the pics of her that I took yesterday - didn't try for an udder pic as there wasn't an udder to show yesterday!! Sorry the pics are a bit dark - very dull day - and she moved so she looks really one sided in her tummy, more than it actually is, but we still think there are changes.??

 

[AnnaC]

Nutty getting together with her daughter Narcotics and g/daughter Wizz.

She decides Wizz needs putting in her place and 'bumps' her with her hind quarters!!

The third picture could have a caption reading "I think this little squirt needs a lesson in manners" Wizz looks suitably concerned about what they are planning for her! LOL!!

 

[Wings]

Fantastic news Anna!!!

:ThumbUp

Can't wait to see what Nutty and Dragon are cooking up for you!

 

[cassie]

oh Anna that is brilliant!!! so exciting for you! what a special special baby that will be!!

definitley looks like there is a baby in that tummy for sure!

come on Nutty

 

[AnnaC]

Thank you my friends. I dont expect this foal to be anything spectacular, in fact it may well have a few problems. Diane will remember the pics I have posted in the past of a filly with very crooked legs at birth. That was Nutty's last foal (now a 2 y o). She has never had a 'dodgy' foal before so not sure of the reason. Was it a 'one off' or could it be something to do with Nutty's age (she was only 20 when the filly was born)? The filly soon straightened up and is now perfectly normal with good conformation, except that she has a slightly undershot jaw, so will only ever be a pasture pet to me. She is a full sister to Neyla - we wanted to 'create' another Neyla, who is absolutely perfect in everyway, is a total delight to have around, plus she has enough brains to beat the top Mensa people!! (Neyla, of course is a black and white pinto, whereas the filly is a full chestnut with no white markings, so we never did get our 'replica' LOL!!)

In the past weeks since being at Cathy's, Nutty has been having her full amount of balancer plus they all have paddock 'licks' available even though we didn't think she was in foal. Cathy wants to up the amount she is giving her, but I said I thought it was a waste of time and a bit late anyway? And let's face it, Nutty isn't what you would call in need of extra food stuff/weight! What will be will be! But casting my mind back for possible reasons for the previous filly, I have remembered that at covering time and for several weeks after, both back then and for last year's covering, Nutty was over at Cathy's place for a couple of months - eating Euros' fertilized cow grass, as against here eating our old pasture with all it's herbs (weeds LOL!!). Possible cause during those first weeks of pregnancy??? No idea, but the only thing that I can think of that was 'different' from all her other many coverings!

So we will wait and see - but what ever happens we will do our very best for 'it' when 'it' arrives.

 

[chandab]

Anna, I was looking at your current title "2 down, 5 (?) to go"; that's more or less where I am. Except, I guess I'm actually 3 down, 3 (?) to go; cause I keep forgetting about my angel filly; I'm just not sure if the other 3 mares all took, pretty sure on 2, not so sure on the third. So, after all that, I just wanted to say good luck with the rest of your season, and yeah that it sounds like Nutty is pregnant.

 

[Eagle]

Anna I am so happy for you and Nutty

i am sending prayers for a safe and healthy baby

 

[AnnaC]

OK my friends, a few more pictures from when I was over at Cathy's the other day.

First some of Wizz - talking to Cathy (Wizz is actually quite small, her back is on a level with Cathy's knee when Cathy is upright!), discussing a large pond with another small person and loving her Momma.

 

[AnnaC]

Next a couple of baby Prue - called Foxy for the moment. Foxy is much taller than Wizz and so much more 'delicate', I cant wait for her to get some weight on her bones!! Interestingly she is just cutting some teeth (born around 320 days) but Wizz who was born two days earlier has none - but then Wizz was an 'early' baby, not due for another approx 14 days at the earliest.

Anyway here's the Foxy lady.

 

[AnnaC]

Lastly the four remaiing 'tummies' - Nutty having had her own personal post (of course LOL!) on the previous page!

So - Nell - Lady - Neyla - Vee.

 

[cassie]

Anna, thank you so much for the updated pics! they are both sooo gorgeous! you must be so pleased with your first two babies of the season!

Nell, Lady, Neyla and Vee... we hope you are cooking some extra gorgeous babies in those tummies! and of course the very special Nutty! well I hope you have something that will blow us all away! +

good luck with the rest of foaling Anna! and Cathy!

thanks for sharing

 

[AnnaC]

Oh yes, I remember that picture Diane, and I always loved it! As you know I'm totally against foals being "imprinted I think they call it" virtually as soon as they are born or in the next couple of days, especially by children, and prefer to follow the premise that baby belongs to its Momma, not to me. I like to wait until foals are happy to approach me or other family members in their own good time - luckily it rarely takes long as they have no reason to fear the human beings that their Mommas are so happy come up to when we visit their field.

Little Wizz soon spotted Kyrian and went off to investigate - luckily Cathy had her camera! But we do have to be careful with Kryian as he has the attention span of a goldfish (or worse!), also he is a 'farm' boy and is used to 'driving' cattle and sheep with his Daddy, following behind them waving his arms and shouting shoo shoo!! Can you imagine what the foals would think of that 'treatment'!! Time and again Cathy has explained that with the horses, we call them and they follow us, no shouting and arm waving allowed, but he forgets within minutes, so is only allowed in the field under supervision - at least until the foals are several months old and well used to his noisy ways, as indeed their Mommas are.

I have some great pics of him from last year leading his 'almost' yearling friend round the farm, must look them out later and post a few for you (just discovered that my photobucket a/c has decided to work, so I can now post them!).

 

[mrsj]

Congrats on your lovely foals

 

[bannerminis]

Your babies are gorgeous and the rest of the Mommies to be are looks fantastic - wont be long now before Cathy is back to sleeping in the lorry LOL

 

[AnnaC]

LOL!! She's already doing that Karina - has been for the last couple of weeks!!

 

[Wings]

Foxy is looking like my kind of baby

 

[targetsmom]

Wow - congrats on your VERY nice foals so far. Love them!!