HC Minis - new pics pg 172

[chandab]

I've found that mine vary.

Another mare - distantly related to the girl above - keeps a slightly distended or stretched bag - but it's "flat". Or hangs flat? Not sure how to describe it.

DO TELL - Do you think she's in foal??? OOOO, another one to watch!

I think I understand what you are saying about his mare, and this is probably how I'd describe Honey's udder, it "hangs flat". Its not full, but its not small and tight against her body. She's had health issues, not sure exactly what all despite the vet seeing her; the only thing I know for sure is she has laminitis issues and last year she had an E.Coli infection which I suspect we didn't fully get rid despite a rather long course of antibiotics (or its just back another thing to work on with her). She's thin, but bright, alert and has good appetite (she gets more than almost everyone else); her hooves don't bother her much, but her arthritis does.

The stallion was with the mares starting June 27, I think.

Here is a pic from April 2012 (I don't share many pics of HOney, as I'm not happy wiht her condition or the shape of her hooves, farrier was doing a good job bringing her around, but he abandoned us after our Oct 2012 appointment, so I've been on my own):

 

[chandab]

When was she in with the stallion Chanda - our 30" boys manage to cover our 38" mares!

My little 31" stallion just can't reach the tall mares. I know many who say theirs can, but not my little guy, and he gets so frustrated he gives up trying. [That's why I bought Baybe, she's just 32" tall, and it looks like he caught her.]

 

[chandab]

And this is why I don't foal before late April, if I can help it; this came in between about dark last night and 3-4PM today:









Dakota and jasper were pretty much snowed under, so they were moved to the calving barn this morning in the blizzard. Jasper was trapped in his shelter, with only about a 2' wide space to stand in, and Dakota had about an 8' square to stand in. They are curently sharing a stall in the calving barn, so only about 10x10', but at least they are out of the weather.

 

[eagles ring farm]

oh man Chanda...I hate the sight of snow anymore hope it at least melts soon wishing you some warmer weather to help with it

 

[chandab]

Wish it would melt soon, but as its only the first week of March and spring isn't officially hear til like Mother's Day (that's when my MIL, who runs a greenhouse, feels it is safe to plant outside), we have aways to go. [Actually, we'll probably have some warm days soon and start on that melting, but it won't be gone til April/May.]

It was warm enough the day before yesterday, that my barn was flooded and there was 2" standing water in the barn; today there is a 3' snowbank blocking the barn entrance. [my "barn" doesn't have a door, just a gate.]

I don't have a current picture, but Topper's pen looks about like this (the pic is from winter 2009, when we had lots of snow; same pen, just different resident and slightly different snow pack this year):

 

[AnnaC]

WOW! Chanda, that looks really bad!! Hope you and the little ones can stay safe, dry and warm. Take care!!

((((HUGS))))

 

[chandab]

Its mostly our yard; the buildings, trees, equipment, fences and etc trap the snow and cause it to drift horribly. If I were to take pics facing south into our pasture, you can see the swamp grass sticking out of the snow, so its probably only 6-8" deep. [This particular storm system did drop quite a bit of snow, I have a friend over in ND, and their schools were closed today. Roads were closed around the town my Mom lives in, about 30 miles East of here. We can't get down our driveway, so I have no idea what the county roads look like.]

I'd love a nice big barn with indoor arena, so I could have everyone under cover when its like this, but that's not in our budget (probably ever); not to mention we live in a coulee, so there isn't a big enough piece of flat ground for something like that, no matter how wonderful it might be.

 

[paintponylvr]

wow, chanda, I remember sno like that!! And the coulees, too.

I'm sure you're doing fine with that little b/w mare! Keep us posted on how/what she's doing.

As to height - when I wanted to breed larger mares to a smaller stallion, if we were handling them or even watching, the stallion often got mad and or discouraged. It was both funny and sad... I've built stocks where I can put the mare w/ the sides low enuf to accomodate the "boys" legs, put a gate on the back of the stocks and a ramp up to get the boy up to where he needed to be. Both of our stallions learned to cover larger mares this way (our 11.1 hh stallion routinely covered mares from 13.3 to 17 hh live cover using "his" ramp(s)). I never considered what you are mentioning as a problem - until I compared the height in " to the heights in hands that we dealt with, LOL.

I have had some surprises though. The latest one - she's 13.1(51") and he's gotta stand on tip toe to be barely 40" (at the withers). I had to put her in my stocks, and put two 6" tall ramps under him to get him "high enough" to where he could mount her properly - for the first two foals. The 2nd foal, she was out full time with him - and I didn't think anything of it. She barely spreads her legs to pee, even when in hard heat, she doesn't squat at all... BUT she turned up pregnant and we had a 3rd foal in 2012. We figured she must have laid down for him out there!!! She didn't get put back in THAT pasture again. Their foals are NICE, crossbred ponies with spectacular movement (god, wish I was small enough to ride them) but they haven't sold and I don't need any more right now, LOL.

IF you could transport the drivers who know how to drive in it, the equipment to deal with it - I'd take ALL of that snow in a heartbeat! But w/o knowledgeable drivers and proper equipment - NAH.... U can keep it. The sandhills of NC are not ready for that! I am so glad I can "hide" when it snows here! Not sure what will happen when I finally get a "real job", and will have to go in daily to keep it...

 

[AnnaC]

Regarding a lovely big barn, I know exactly what you mean LOL!! In fact, ANY barn would be great for me right now! With us having turned over our old stone barns to reconstruction for residential accommodation, this winter I have 'lost' the space for some 15 stables, and been left with just 3 in a draughty open sided old tin barn, and these have been in use for one of my boys and the two oldest mares. The rest of the chips have had to lump it and brave the elements. At least for the past week we have had just freezing temperatures but lovely sunny days, such a change from the pouring rain they have been suffering for most of this winter. Looks as though the rain may be back again this coming weekend, hopefully of a lighter more gentle type and only lasting a day or two - well I can dream cant I?

But I'm also dreaming (and hoping) that this coming summer we may be able to build a new barn ready for next winter as the old tin barn will also have to be taken down on completion of the building work. Keeping my fingers crossed! LOL!!

 

[chandab]

My little stallion didn't have much success trying hills, holes, ramps and whatever else I had to try, short of building him his own stocks and ramp, so I gave in and bought him a little girlfriend. Perhaps I'll try again with the taller mares, but I'm really liking what my Top Cat son is throwing, so will probably keep crossing him on the tall mares.

Even in MT, there are idiots that don't have a clue about driving in snow.

Will let you know how the b/w mare is as time goes by, but for now she's holding her own and is bright and alert. Even today's blizzard didn't really phase her, but then again, she was in her "stall" (open front shed, so still managed to get plenty of snow inside, but it blocks the worst of the wind). [Just hope we can get out and get to town, I'm running out of her feed fast.] Might need to get out her blanket and liner, but so far, she's not shivering or acting like she's cold.

 

[chandab]

Anna, I hope your construction is complete before next winter for you. I have another shelter in process, but we didn't get past digging post holes last fall, so I have a levelled area with post holes dug (and pallets laying over the holes, so no one falls in (again).

 

[Eagle]

Yes I sooooooooo understand where you are coming from

we are in the mountains here and get loads of snow, sometimes the French from the coast come up visiting and wow are they useless winter drivers

Then again I have snow tires and drive a "don't mess with me I have horses" jeep

 

[chandab]

Got out today and made it to town. Got feed (one of two I'm almost out of), dog food, groceries, and most important of all... Chocolate.

My brother in law picked up two bags of the other feed I'm almost out of, so I'm good for a couple weeks. Hopefully this storm system will move on and I can get to town in the next couple weeks and finish stocking up on feed.

And, its officially started... We have our first two calves. And, that's all I know right now as it was about dark when we got them into the barn.

The two geldings might get relocated again, as they are currently sharing a stall in the calving barn, and its going to be fully needed soon. [Not sure where I'll put them, everything is under a ton of snow.

 

[Eagle]

Congrats on the safe arrival of your first 2 calves

I hope the weather improves for you soon

 

[chandab]

It'll be awhile for any calf pics, they are currently in a dark barn staying warm. I need to get out and get my chores done, so I can move onto keeping an eye on the cows. Shayne went to a bull sale today, so I stayed home to hold down the fort and keep an eye on the girls.

Now that calving has started, I'm going to have to find another spot for Dakota and Jasper, til we have time to dig out their corral; I certainly don't want to move that much snow by hand. Hopefully, Shayne can use the snowblower on the main portion of the corral, so I'll only have to dig out Jasper's shelter and a bit around it. If we get a run on calves, I can put the boys in the "diet" corral, and put those girls out with everyone else for now. I don't know how people have the energy to hand dig out corrals for their hrses when they get a lot of snow, I just odn't have it in me to move that much snow.

 

[AnnaC]

Many congrats on the new babies - pics would be great when you have any 'free' time!!

 

[chandab]

When I lived in New York, there was NO digging anyone out. Barn doors were left open, and they fended for themselves -- tramping out their own pathways!

I'm with you -- who in their right mind would move all that snow by hand?? Certainly NOT me!

I only dig out what I absolutley have to.

While not quite the same this year, I have this photo of Dakota's pen from 2009 (its now Topper's pen):



Dakota never did, but Topper took to climbing up on top of the snow drift, as you can see, there is not much fence above the snow (left side of pic past shelter, you can see the top of the railroad tie post sticking out of the snow) and he was on the verge of leaving, so I moved in some portable panels and made another fence on top of the snow. shayne asked me why I didn't just remove the snow along the fence.

Cause, moving 4 panels is a whole lot easier than moving nearly 600 cubic feet of snow.

And, here's the entrance to my mini paddock (also winter 2009):



I've since moved this gate 6' to the left (down the hill), and that helps the gate area a little bit.

There is now windbreak and a shelter on this pen, but here is the pen Jasper and Dakota share; pic taken while it was still Cheddar's residence (he got snowed out and had to be moved to the calving barn for a few days or longer.

[There is now windbreak along the top of this fenceline.]



My haystack didn't fair too well that winter either (hay is stacked elsewhere this year):



[And, there is also 24' of windbreak in line with the back of the shelter you can see. Windbreak is off the end of the shelter and coming towards where I'm taking the pic from.]

 

[Eagle]

I know all about the problems of snow, here in Italy it is normal winter life. Here are my paddocks in 2010 and last year



Luckily I didn't leave them out over night

 

[blazingstarranch]

Wow, I guess I didn't realize that Northern Italy got so much snow! Looks like you both have seen some snowy winters. Here in Southern Colorado, it's been a while since we've had a snow like that!

 

[chandab]

Wow, Renee, that's a lot of snow.

I got one more pic for you guys (well maybe two), from the first or second winter we were married, we were snowed in for 3 months. Our driveway was snowed shut the day after Christmas, and it was the last week of March before our driveway was open again. [We plowed a path out across our neighbors hay field for awhile, and my BIL's hay field for awhile.]

This is what we woke up to:



And looking at the shop from the barn, our driveway is on the right side of this pic under several feet of snow.



I lost some pics when my computer crashed of all that snow. My in-laws came down, my FIL had his little tractor with the snowblower on it, and all you could see above the snow was the exhaust pipe and my FILs cap (and probably the chute the snow comes out of).