Grants Pass Auction Minis - Katya - colt born June 22

[countrymini]

Her hooha is looking good. Had to start for a bit to see it tho, those spots are an amazing camouflage lol.

 

[AnnaC]

I've been sending her messages to remind her to add some spots to whatever she's cooking for you.

 

ME TOO!!! I love seeing the spots -- and I believe we will be seeing them bouncing around the stall soon. LOVE that nose!

She's moving ahead nicely, and filling unequally is perfectly normal at this stage. She's doing fine!!

 

[Gone_Riding]

Oh, yeah! I'm seeing spots!

Love that nose!

My mare's been rubbing her behind for a month now, so I can't count on that one for a sign...

 

[Evelynk2000]

Thanks for all the SPOTS encouragement! Perhaps that's why she's moving so slow: she's meditating on placement of each SPOT, a very thoughtful business, requiring her constant attention.

 

Sounds reasonable to me......

 

[Evelynk2000]

Well, this is kind of depressing and hopeful at the same time. All these foals hitting the ground in a flurry!

It's not FAIR.

Katya, I really could use some help here. She's cooking . . . and cooking . . . and . . . well, you get the idea. And then, on top of not knowing where she is in the process, I see that some mares hang on to those babies until they're on the verge of overdone, and then spit them out during stormy weather, and in the middle of the night. Gosh, this is fun

:HappyBounce This kid BETTER have SPOTS!

I know, I know, you get what you get. I feel like a little kid the night before Christmas. I'm going to wet the bed from anticipation. I swear, she looks exactly like the little picture of her next to my name. The only change I see is in the milk bar. I've stopped driving 30 miles every day to see her and my TB mare, just going every other day or so. Sometimes I see a change and sometimes I don't.

Every time my niece calls me, I hear this ghost conversation in my head "you missed it! When I went out this morning, there were 4 minis instead of 3". (That actually happened with a mustang mare they had in CA). I am so grateful that it isn't so when she starts talking and everything is normal. I must go distract myself, now.

 

We all know how hard this waiting period is -- so we sympathize with you -- but each day is one day closer to playing with your new little one!

Changes in the milk bar, and the hooha are what we're looking for, as well as a tummy that's moving forward and slab-sided. So, there are many things to watch for -- and just know you are not alone in the waiting! We're here for you!!

 

[Evelynk2000]

Thanks, Diane. I could hear the soothing sound of your voice while I read. I admit, I was being childish, but when you reach a certain age, it becomes your prerogative to throw a hissy, just to vent, you understand.

I've noticed some folks shave their mares before the event, either partially or completely. Is there a reason for that, or is it personal preference? Katya has very close-laying wavy hair, rather than the furball look of some. She's shedding in a snowstorm of hair when I brush her, as are the others. I tend toward the natural, preferring to believe mares have been foaling and nursing forever while retaining their hair. Niece has suggested we clip the longer hair around her udder, which sounds reasonable to me. I wouldn't want to mosey up to the milk bar, only to suck on a lock of hair!

 

Shaving is just a precautionary measure -- as babies have had problems when searching for the milk bar and getting a mouth full of hair. It can be dangerous for them....sometimes deadly....so most just shave around the udder and out to the sides on each side in front of the hind leg -- where baby will be pushing her head to find the milk bar.

If you don't want to shave anything else -- that's fine, but if she's shedding quite a bit, it IS safer for baby to keep them from ingesting the fur and possibly choking.

 

[blazingstarranch]

I know how you feel, we've waited for months, foal watching for 6 weeks, then all of a sudden we get two healthy babies in less than 2 days. It will happen! You're in the right place for support and understanding too, I know it's helped me tremendously

 

[AnnaC]

I have never shaved a mare and never had a problem, but that is not to say the 'problem' might not happen for me in the future. Non of my mares have ever had the clippers near them and as that area of the tummy and flank happen to be one of the most ticklish areas, I dont think they would approve of me diving in there with a set of clippers! LOL!! But with the girls who are used to being clipped, I'm sure there would be no trouble.

 

[Eagle]

I only had one girl that gets really hairy (mini shetland) so I clipped her because it was almost impossible to even see her udder under all that fuzz.

 

[Evelynk2000]

I do hear consensus on the hairy issue: do it if it needs it.

I have a feeling that once Katya's bag comes in, the "long" hair issue will recede, however, considering the amount she's shedding and the fact that I would *never* come close to that long hair with a shedding tool or rake, I see a scissor-trim in her near future! This should be fun. She is exceptionally adept at swinging her butt away from whatever is bothering her (usually ME), so we double team her against a wall. She's compliant up to a point, but the point is getting closer to our needs and farther from her instinctive nature over time. Hmmm, did that make sense? It did to me. Oh, well, more coffee!

I told Crystallos yesterday that there are days when I have no idea whether Katya is pregnant or not, and days when there's no doubt in my mind. Yesterday was a "no doubt" day. Tomorrow, she'll probably just look fat. I'm awfully glad I saw ribs when we scanned her at the vets!

Thank you all for commiserating with my lack of patience. I'm the impatient, immediate action person in the family. Over the years, I've schooled myself to wait with patience and fortitude, but I see my true nature peeking through.

 

This is always the hardest part of the "pregnancy" and you're in good company!

 

[Evelynk2000]

Don't I know! Most everyone here has been in my shoes at some time. I contend that I can read all the books and lists and blogs, and search the internet exhaustively, but there's nothing better than asking a question and getting an answer that I trust.

Back to watching, waiting, fondling, trimming, taking the chubby one out for clover

 

[Eagle]

Lol sounds like a plan

 

[Evelynk2000]

I'm pleased to report that Katya let Crystallos approach and trim with clippers yesterday

. She was ticklish in a few spots, but for the most part it was a non-event. Shedding has become a game with us. I rake, she moseys off, I follow along and shed whatever side I'm on. I'm going to miss her slow walk when she's back in trotting trim.

Today, I'm going to work with my TB mare, I think. I haven't ridden since I slid off months ago and damaged my sacroiliac. I like to ride her with a bareback pad, and the belly strap wasn't cinched up tight enough. I looked like a cartoon character sliding off my horse while she stood there wondering what kind of signal that was. Ain't life a learning experience?

 

[AnnaC]

And we are all learning continually!!

Well done with the clipping, now could we have some nice side on pictures and also ask her permission for an udder shot or two please!

 

[Evelynk2000]

Oh, ok. We'll take some pictures. Such a chore