Four mares up on cam now

[weerunner]

Here is the link to Ladybug's foaling video. Enjoy.

 

[Eagle]

oh wow thanks Amanda

I loved the way she looked back after 2 pushes to see if it was all over

When you put the cam down you moved her legs, was she a bit blocked? what did you do? sorry for asking but I need to learn. I really wasn't much help to Britt so I need to get as much info as possible

 

[MeganH]

Nellie was just pawing and looks like shes grazing..

Thanks for posting another video! LB did a good job!

 

[weerunner]

Renee, I believe we had a bit of a shoulder lock. When one leg falls a little too far behind the other, the shoulder gets caught up on the pelvic bone and everything stops moving. I could tell that's what was going on because the more she pushed the further behind that little leg kept getting. To fix, is easy, just move the one forward leg back a smidge and then there is more room for the second leg to slide back into proper position. If I see something I suspect is not right I get in there and fix it right away. I'd rather do that than leave it and have the foal wedged in so tight he cannot be readjusted. Also you might have noticed at the first when she was pushing and nothing was coming and there was no amniotic sack showing inside, there was a bump near her anus. I pushed that bump(foot) in and down and it immediately slid down to the proper exit. If she continued to push and the foot kept trying to exit the anus, eventually you can get a rectal tear and that is bad news for the mare. I'm a hands on foaler, some dont' like it, but Ive never had issues with getting my mares rebred, so I guess I"m not hurting them and maybe I'm helping. I like to think so anyways.

LOL long blurb. I'm a bit passionate about foaling. LOVE IT!

 

[weerunner]

Diane, I dare not move the mares. They are positioned in the stalls according to who is above who in the hierarchy of the herd. Nellie and Marcella are very low and Ladybug (being the daughter of the alpha mare) is very high, Fly being her daughter is also high up. Hopefully when fly's babe is born, things will settle nicely.

 

[Eagle]

Thanks Amanda, I bet we could both chat for hours about foaling, you could teach me loads

I am so hoping that one of you lovely ladies will be around when Britt foals so you can talk me through it. I am going to be a total wreck

 

[bannerminis]

That is very interesting about the bump near her anus.

This happened to someone only a couple of wks ago (big mare) and apparently the mare went into labour 3 wks early and showed no signs. When they got to her she was having some difficulty but they failed to notice that the protruding legs were coming through the Anus and by the time they realized there was a lot of damage done. The foal was dead and the poor mare was in a terrible state. They could have tried surgery but the vet said there was no guarantee as she was in such a bad way and there was so much damage. So in the end they put the poor girl to sleep.

It was a friend who told me this as her friends had called her to the birth. She was so distraught over what she saw.

I do believe in letting nature do its thing but if you spot something or the mares needs that little bit of extra help then if you know what you are doing then why not help.

You did a wonderful job with LB and she obviously trusts you and was probably glad of the help.

 

[Eagle]

how terribly sad

 

[weerunner]

Yes, rectal tears can be an awful mess. Especially if the foaling attendants are not there or are not aware it happened, it is not obvious there was a problem until days later when the fecal matter has entered the mares uterus and vagina and the infection can be deadly or at least very costly to fix. Better to guide that first foot out if you see it going in the wrong direction. I'm not expert, but I'm a biologist by nature and by education and this kind of thing interests me greatly.

 

[MeganH]

Love reading all these stories to learn from. So sad when things go wrong... I hate hearing anything has.. I like to try to learn from everything though. I am getting so nervous for my first foaling..

I LOVE all of this foaling stuff.. I always wanted to be a vet and everyone (including the vets I worked for) told me it was my calling. I had my kids and they are most important and the schooling scares me now though. I could research and watch and ask questions on this all day. I bred chinchillas back before I had my daughter and loved it... it all is just so interesting to me.

 

[vickie gee]

My starz above! I come in and Blossom has blossomed to looking a couple of weeks old! What an adorable long legged not quiet medicine hat gal she is (medicine hats being my fav, then leopards, then snow cap appy, none of which I have). And Fly has flopped down with ears back trying to get a pre-foaling nap. Hope I don't miss out...I have to get a little yard mowing done before rain hits again. OOOOOOOOOH that baby is pretty.

 

[Joanne]

Just love your foal Penny....

 

[weerunner]

Update as of 420pm. Nellies milk is snow white and she's been yawning all day off and on. fly's milk is just starting to turn white and is testing in the foaling range at 85% now. So we may get two but we will most definitely get one more tonight. I'm so tired, but for some reason could not sleep a wink today. Oh well, after tonight I WILL sleep.

Thanks everyone for the compliments on my little Blossom. I just can't believe my luck. Please God that everything continues in a healthy safe foaling mode.

 

[bannerminis]

Thats great that they are all progressing. Hope you get some sleep. I will be watching till I go to bed and will flick it on first thing in the morning when I get up.

 

[Eagle]

lets hope they go soon, we can all enjoy the new babies for a bit and then all off to zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[MeganH]

Nellie seems to be getting close. Come on, girl!

 

[Eagle]

Yes it looks like Amanda has decided to

lets hope she took plenty of

 

[Eagle]

here we go

for a safe foaling

 

[vickie gee]

here we go

for a safe foaling

Either a false alarm or prelude???

 

[Eagle]

I have powers, just you see