Sending prayers for you Auntie too Cassie, and your Grandma - hope your Aunt will be back home again very soon. Please keep us up to date with her progress.
Regarding the pain meds - we dont automatically use them, but just nice to have them handy in case. Knowing my girls, I can easily tell if something is wrong or if they are just uncomfortable within an hour of foaling or less. Those that I have given pain meds to have often proved to be just a one off - not needed them for previous or later foalings, just the once. So it is not something I do on a regular basis, and to send for you vet if you think Suzie needs a little help, is fine.
Thank you - I did manage to have a resonable night's sleep! Some 40 odd years ago ( bl**dy h*ll I AM OLD!!) I dislocated both my knees when a trailer ramp crashed down on my legs (ouch!) and although one knee has been ok since the other hasn't, and often suddenly 'loosens' and causes me trouble and much pain. It only happens once or twice a year and with a bit of strong strapping and careful movement on my part, it seems to strengthen up again. It usually happens at night if I'm over restless and it happened the night before last, so yesterday was spent trying to do everything on one sound legs and one supported with a walking stick! Apart from the pain which is like a gnawing (sp?) toothache, it is very tiring hobbling around! Just couldn't get comfortable all day - even had to give up on a rest on the bed in the afternoon, knee said this is just as painful, up and down from chair at computer - same result as lying on the bed! Actually it is at its best strapped up with me slowly walking on it very carefully, but the problem with this is that walking like this - unless I'm very careful - throws my back out!! Always the same - knee out puts back out and conversely back out will often throw knee out!! LOL!! Dont get old my friends.
However after strapping it firmly in a stiff straight 'line' last night and allowing myself one pain killer pill, it is a lot better this morning and pain almost gone as it settles back down. (with my other meds I'm not supposed to take painkillers unless an emergency - this I call an 'emergency' so had saved my one painkiller allowance specially for last night!) Just got to be sensible today and by tomorrow all will be back to normal and good to go.
Suzie certainly not looking too comfortable this evening - tail up as you say, not munching either. Think she needs seriously watching from now on?????
Regarding your light - all fine for us watching, but we always kept barn lights on all the time (not glaringly bright) and used an extra decent torch for actual foaling (one of us holding it) reason being that to see something happening on camera and then to go down and suddenly switch on a strong light, sure seemed to make our mares 'jump' and wonder what was happening right at the moment they should have been thinking about foaling. Once we left the lights on all the time, it never bothered them and it stopped the need to suddenly flood the place with an overhead glare. Actually a torch is always useful as very often the rear end of a mare is in the shadow of her hind end, and to be able to actually direct a light straight on to the very place that you need it, is brilliant.
