LP Painted Ponys - 2015 Foaling

[paintponylvr]

OK, there's a lot going on then w/ blue eye genetics. Neither parent has blue eyes... Nor the grandparents on either side that I'm aware of, that's why I was asking how it may have worked...hmmm.

More studying to do!!! YAY!

 

[paintponylvr]

AH - so it works the same way that tobiano and black do! GOT it! Thanks Diane

OOPs that not right.... the way that chestnut works... and the way that a solid can come from two Tobianos.

At least I do understand it.

 

[paintponylvr]

Wow, it's been 20 days since I posted those pics of 'Clipse and Tory.

I will take and post some more tomorrow as 'Clipse has started making progress in the udder department and it's time to start taking pics...

Tory - hmm - not so much???

 

[Ryan Johnson]

Me too

 

[paintponylvr]

Well - the ones' of 'Clipse turned out really BAD. I will try again tomorrow &/or Sunday.

Tory - however...

 

[paintponylvr]

Also got some pics of her galloping! They turned out kinda neat!! Have to share.

 

[paintponylvr]

and here are the pics that turned out of Kava.

2 of her head showing her eyes (whew - they are BLUE!)

She was MAD here - Koalah wanted to walk/trot off & Kava wanted to nurse. Every time Koalah started moving off, Kava "threw a tantrum" - bucking and kicking beside and into her dam. I haven't really seen this before, so I find it quite interesting to observe. This is the one that I caught...

Here they are at the far reach of my phone camera - racing back towards the hay bales...

Being a big girl drinking water from the big tank and you'd think she was Tory's foal -

 

[paintponylvr]

'Clipse has gotten funny about me taking pics, that's for sure! She's looking huge and miserable, but bagging up really, really sllloooooowwwwllyyyyy.....

The angles aren't quite right (and there were more than these two, but the others ...not good pics, so will not be "fixing them" and loading them into online photo albums).

My farrier is unhappy w/ how her hooves are growing - they've been sooo 'wonky'. She's not due to be trimmed for another 3/4 weeks - but she will be getting done next time farrier is out - her toes are growing out long and ... kinda lopsided. Wonder if it's how she's carrying the foal? This pic also shows that she's lost a bit of weight on her topline - so she's now getting slowly increased in feed amount (she was holding her weight and almost too overweight so I didn't increase it when I probably should have...). She's probably going to be ribby after she foals, darn it.

and all the photos of Tory are blurred, so none of her this time around.

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Sent the hair sample in on the last foal sired by our first stallion. Knew that color wise he's heterozygous for black (Ee), since his dam is chestnut. Well, he's now tested homozygous for Tobiano! What a treat for us w/ AJ's last foal and really only the one colt that I'd even considered keeping a stallion (well, had a couple of REALLY nice part shetlands by him, but I wasn't into retaining them as larger pony stallion prospects and they all made AWESOME geldings). That's still up in the air, though. I just haven't been as excited this year w/ how he looks. I hope it's just the 2 yr old "icks" (out of balance awkwardness), but we shall see. I got some photos of him that were nice in July that I don't think I posted... He still has his very nice personality - even though he is definitely starting to notice the girls!

Rio is out of the first shetland foal (mare - Stuffy) that AJ sired for us in 1996 and Echo is the last foal & purebred shetland that AJ sired in 2013.

Echo is out of Tory, the chestnut and white Tobiano mare whose pregnancy we are following now... Here's a pic of him and her together 2 yrs ago.

 

[paintponylvr]

So, we are making some progress and I'm thinking 'Clipse might foal this week. I went out in the dark and the rain to check her this am and of course, no foal and not really any preparing either...

Sierra grabbed flashlight and rode in passenger seat as we circled the outside of the paddock looking for the Sr mares - 'Clipse and K-La were down almost at the far end by themselves. Sierra was laughing - said OCTOBER 1st! That's Madira's B-Day (this Thursday) - she'll be 23 yrs old. She was 3 1/2 when our first shetland foal was born in May 1996.

Pics of 'Clipse on 8/28 (the bad ones - but not near as terrible as the ones from yesterday) -

And yesterday evening - it was foggy/hazy; had been raining off and on all day and was just yucky. Pics are blurred - but you get the general idea. Her udder needs to fill some more, her vulva needs to elongate some more (I HOPE!) and will be a bit redder I believe. But DEFINITE changes towards the end goal. Sorry, sorry, sorry for the really BAD photos...

I don't usually advocate moving a mare right before she foals, but we've gotten most of the back paddock, behind the house, fixed where we can keep ponies in it. Have to drag a couple more fence panels up, feed/hay, fill a water tub and then will be moving both 'Clipse and Tory into it this evening. Will start doing alfalfa pellets 2x daily - and as they clean them up, will increase them. That should bring weights up to where they need to be again. Have a couple of others I will be moving as well - but now they will be going in a different spot...

The reason I finally feel we are making progress - she has reddened in the vulva, her muscles have really "dropped off" along her tail bone and have gone to "jelly". Though she has had several foals, I don't know her foaling history and since we don't have a breeding date (or really know which of the boys is the sire), we watch. She can elongate and fill udder while foaling, so really think this week...... Of course, she's a mare and can fool us all around!!

More pics later!!

 

[Ryan Johnson]

Excited for you Paula , cant wait for the news

 

[Rocklone Miniature Horses]

Wishing it all goes smoothly

 

[paintponylvr]

Welp - I have good news and I have bad news. On one hand, they balance things out and on the other (the way I see it at the moment), it totally sucks and not even close! And man, o man, life truly isn't fair at times... :

We've kind of all been checking ponies lately - expecting this foal. I was out in the pasture on Sunday evening, a couple of times thru the night & into the wee hours Monday morning. I didn't get Tory and 'Clipse moved the way I'd wanted to. I topped off water tanks, fed some hay Monday morning and headed into the house - at 545. Took my shower and dressed for work and stopped at the gate @ 630 as I was leaving to study the pasture where the mares are. Kava had been playing earlier and now she's settled into an early nap at Koalah' hooves. 'Clipse and K-la are holding a corner up and standing there looking like "Woe is me, Woe is me".... I always find that expression on pony's faces sooo funny. Off to work I go.

Larry texts me to let me know he's arrived home (early - due to having to do some stuff) and ponies are all OK and there are "no new legs" (a favorite chant right now)... He's headed to his DR appointment. That's over and he's texting me than there's no texts - but a call comes in. I don't normally take phone calls while at work (I answer the phones and schedule appointments, talking personally makes that difficult and it's a big "no-no"...), but I answered it. Larry didn't have a voice for a moment and I don't remember exactly what he said ..something like "Kava isn't with us anymore..." WHAT? He clears throat and says "Kava has passed on - Sierra and Julie are taking care of her body at the moment"... WHOAAA

Well, it seems Sierra's little impossible girl, Kava, had a freak pasture accident. Between Larry leaving for Dr appointment and Julie arriving around 10ish, she passed on. Some of the dogs I was recovering yesterday afternoon were kinda salty and wet, too... They cleaned up ok and didn't seem to mind when fully awake. For once, I embraced the work of "working in the back" while they were short handed. Say a prayer to speed her Blue Eyed self on her way across the bridge for our family and our daughter Sierra - who is REALLY HAVING A ROUGH TIME w/ this...

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When I checked on 'Clipse last night, after I arrived home (it was getting dark, had been raining off/on all day) - I was stumped. By the look of her belly, sides and rump, she was about ready. Her vulva hadn't changed color but it had started elongating (YAY!!). BUT her "bag" was really really small (to me!). I didn't sleep much and let me tell you my legs did some serious cramping w/ the number of times I went out and checked on 'Clipse. NOTHING and no changes. OK, I DO have to get some sleep - so got a 3 hour nap. Larry made me breakfast this morning while I went out and checked. No more positive changes, but no backwards movement either. NO wax. I again left late for work & stopped at the gate to locate each of the mares in the pasture. It was difficult as it was steamy w/ humidity and the haze was hard to see thru. BUT located them and 'Clipse and K-la are standing around (again). Larry had some plans for today, but I called him and asked him to check on 'Clipse. Not sure why - nothing had changed.

First text... You got it - "No new legs"... Then ...

***

***

at 0850 - "WE got EXTRA LEGS..."

and he was nice enough to send pics...

 

[paintponylvr]

Here's the 1st pic he sent...

and the 2nd one...

He also sent a pic of the placenta. I won't post that here right now...

**********

Later, Skye and her family came out (Sierra is understandably not thrilled with this colt) and they sent these pics. She thinks "Riddler" (Marvel Comics aficionados) due to the backwards ? mark on his forehead would work for his name. For color junkies, you can see his "stripey" hooves and the black counter shading over his hips and withers (where it's not interrupted by the painted white), the black "points" on his ears & forelock, his right knee & his.

And then the pics after I got home. My camera DOES NOT LIKE evening or humidity anymore than my phone does. Before it got too dark, here's the only 2 I "fixed" out of 17 shots...

In a couple of days, when I can accept him more objectively (that's rotten terrible, I know) and when he unfolds all the way (doesn't look too bad right now!), I'll post some more photos and maybe we can get a good look at him. In some ways, it's a real shame he arrived when he did - but soon enough - his coltish antics will help to soothe aching hearts....

 

[chandab]

So sorry for your loss. And, at the same time happy for your new addition.

 

[Ryan Johnson]

Oh Paula I am really sorry to be reading this, my sincere condolences to you all. I agree with you , life just isn't fair at times.

On a slightly brighter note, from someone that's on the other side of the world,I just have to say that IPPainted Ponies really does produce some amazing ponies. And the little fella that has just arrived is no exception.

Thinking of you all at this horrible time, RIP Kava , enjoy those lush paddocks over the rainbow bridge (Hugs)

 

[Rocklone Miniature Horses]

What a beautiful Colt. I'm very sorry to hear about kava x

 

[Silver City Heritage Farmstead]

Paula, it truly was a tragic day. Again I offer my heartfelt sympathies. I hope you and Sierra will look at me (in time) and not think "aarrr-bearer of bad news." >:-( know it really kicked Sierra in the gut and pray she'll recover her heart in time.

As for Riddler....he is the sweetest little fella!!! When 'Clipse brought him to the fence he just nuzzled right on over. It'll be interesting to see how first impressions pan out as he fills out.

Again, RIP angel baby Kava......

 

[lovemylilbit]

I am so sorry about Kava.

Riddler is so cute. What a beautiful boy.

 

[paintponylvr]

Thank you all, everyone.

GGGRRRR - this RAIN. Hadn't realized (paid attention?) to the hurricane coming our way. Wasn't planning ahead for this weather. Think we are drowning - hasn't stopped raining since I arrived home from work and it's been accompanied by serious thunder/lightning. Our rain gage isn't registering - and it will be tomorrow before Larry is able to figure out what is going on there. Let's just go with we've had a lot of water "dumped" on us!

Riddler was doing good before I came in, but wish this rain had held off a bit more before he came along OR that he'd waited a bit longer to make his appearance... Koalah is no longer calling for her Kava...

 

[paintponylvr]

We won't talk about how much driving I did today... But after I made it to my Drs appointment this morning **ugh - that age that requires "things" to be done for the "good" of your health - did I say UGH**, I stopped on the way back to visit Vicki. It's been a little while... We visited, checked the weather, I braided a complete haystring rope and then asked "hey, you want to ride along w/ me - I can take my trailer to the shop (the OPPOSITE direction I'd already been in) and you can see the new baby"? She did and amazingly - as we pulled into my drive, the rain stopped and cleared off a bit.

SOOOO we got some decent pics. She took some and shared them with me, and I took some of her handling Riddler. So...

Then we got the trailer in to be serviced, learned new things didn't realize (!) and then brought Vicki back to her house. Rain started again at her place and I drove thru not 1 but 2 heavy downpours between her place and ours. BUT it had cleared off by the time I'd gotten home, we had good drainage almost everywhere in the pasture and I fed pretty quick before the next band of pouring rain hit!

Good day.

*****

Thanx all for the condolences - they are appreciated and warmly accepted. Always a bit uplifting to share w/ you guys here.

& NO Julie, I don't think that and that made me smile!

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Now we just need to find out if Oly (now owned by Vicki and a gelding) or Wizard is the sire of Riddler!