Darla's official foaling thread.

[jessj]

arg.....got stuck at my desk and didnt get to come home and check on D all afternoon. Then had to work 30minutes late. When I got home Darla was in her stall, down sternal. When she saw me she rolled and then got up to come see me. I went ahead and fed her and will check her milk when she is done.....pray for a 6!! Her udder looked even fuller than this morning! Will get new pic of it too!

 

[jessj]

PH hasnt dropped at all!

This is her udder this afternoon

 

[AnnaC]

Oh that poor mare! Red doesn't look quiteso bad, but then I think you said that he has been illtreated and abused and was full of infection and covered with sores, poor chap.

Will you be able to clear up his infections ok?

Is Darla's bag really tight yet? As she seems more like a normal mare in her udder development, then a good indication of being close to foaling is the udder being tight (smooth and almost shiney in looks) in the mornings when you go to let her out, and STILL being the same after she has been wandering around taking exercise during the day - usually the udder will feel a bit softer when a mare comes in for the night after moving around all day. Does this make sense? Of course we all know that a mare can foal with a small udder and gain her milk as/soon after she foals, but I'm talking about the mare who follows the book, and I have to admit to most of my minis 'following the book' and I have always found that the sight of a full, really tight, shiney udder, stretching from a mares tummy to out between her back legs, usually means that I will have a foal in 3 to 5 days!

looking forward to the new pics.

 

[jessj]

ok.... this is gonna sound far reaching for those of you who know how much i want a little spotty spot mcspotterson filly....BUT. When I was taking the udder pic a few minutes ago i noticed the pink spot on Darla's udder...then I remembered noticing before that her lips are mottled. For some reason it never clicked in my brain before, but isn't it true that ONLY APPYS have mottled skin??? AND if that is so, then is there a chance that i could still see spots??? These pics are her lips!

 

[AnnaC]

LOL!! You postd the picture while I was typing my post! Hummmmmm, think you have a little while to go yet, especially if that ph hasn't changed!

 

[jessj]

her udder is really tight...tighter this afternoon than this morning! she was also shifting from leg to leg like she was really uncomfortable.

 

[jessj]

her udder didnt develop like one usually would...it started out very pendulous and filled from the bottom first.

 

[jessj]

red is ok as far as weight, but that big bump under his stomach is infection!!! It is really kind of gross, if you poke it with your finger it leaves the imprint of your finger then slowly fills back in. Poor baby. He has to take 8pills 2x's a day, plus topical antibiotic ointment.

 

[anyssapark]

She's definately progressing. Wont be too much longer

Does D have striped hooves, or is her hoohar/under her tail spotted at all? And her eyes - do they have more white in them?

I would assume that the mottling on her muzzle might be appy. But from my experience - and i dont have a heap with breeding appies - the minimal ones generally dont throw loud colour unless bred to an appy. BUT if she has any of those other characteristics, then i guess the more characteristics, the better chance!

 

[jessj]

She has one stripped hoof and one pink spot on her vulva.

 

[jessj]

Ok Ladies.... I think that we may have some action starting!!! I just watched Darla while she had her dinner. She only ate about half of it. The entire time she constantly shifted her weight on her back feet. Literally about 2-4seconds with weight on one foot, then shifted to the other foot for 2-4 seconds, then back again. She would also occasionally lean slightly forward tuck her bum under and arch her back. Lots of front foot stomping and tail swishing. She ate about half her dinner then came over and wanted her face scratched and rubbed. She is carrying her tail very high and her vulva is extremely swollen and loose. It looks also looks moist. I am going back out to watch discreetly from my hiding spot, but will update if there is any progress! Come on D lets do this now, so that I have all weekend to watch that baby!!!

 

[lucky lodge]

wow hope these are baby coming...........

 

[LittleBittyBritches]

So excited!!!!

how's she acting now?

 

[jessj]

She is down sternal. Has been for a little while. I cant see what is going on from where i am at! I am torn....i need to see what is going on, but i dont want her delaying labor because I am too close watching!

 

[jessj]

I couldnt stand it any longer so I went to the barn to check on her. She is still down sternal. She is breathing hard, but other than that nothing abnormal. I watched her for a few minutes and never did see anything out of the ordinary....i don't knw if she is in labor or not....i think i am loosing my mind! I may try to sleep for an hour or so then check on her again.

Diane...as the owner of my favorite appy-ish mini i was really hoping that you would say "Why yes jess, that does make her an appy. And since the foal's sire is a pinto you are definitely going to have a pintaloosa that looks exactly like my K.C. only my ph

phsycic(sp?) abilities are telling me that your foal will be a filly." I am very disappointed that wasnt your answer...

:rofl

 

[jessj]

I got up to check on my girl and she was down sternal and I couldnt see a thing...so I went down to the barn to check on her. She saw me, attempted to roll then got up. She stood and watched me for a few minutes then slowly turned to her water bucket and took a drink. Made a slow circle of her stall, pooped, and came back to her original spot. She was so unsteady on her back legs that I literally thought she was going to fall down a couple of times. Her poop was firm and not "cow patty" at all. I swear, if she doesnt foal by tomorrow, there will be a camera installed by tomorrow afternoon!

 

[jessj]

Such a handsome fella miss Diane! I got your lovely pm and sent you one back!

 

[AnnaC]

I wouldn't worry about making barn visits Jessica. You need to be in and out of your barn as often as possible so that Darla takes your comings and goings as completely natural and well therefore NOT be bothered by you if she starts to foal. She is more likely to pause in her labour and wonder what you are up to, if you only creep in and out occasionally for a quick 'peek'.

If she sometimes seems a little unsteady on her feet, it may be that the foal is moving into the foaling position, (or just moving around) and occasionally pressing on a nerve somewhere.

Really hoping you dont have too much longer to wait for this foal - I'm sure the mares plan to make us wait until we are so tired we oversleep, and they can then pop their babies out in secret! LOL!!

 

[cassie]

hope you get a foal really soon Jess!!

hehe if she doesn't foal tonight you DEFINITLEY have to have a camera installed oh marestare included in that LOL!!

 

[Eagle]

I vote for Marestare too but maybe I am just being selfish.

Of course we all want to be there on her special moment and help you out with the night shift too. Lol