Mary's Pregnancy & Foaling Thread- SHE FOALED 5/22~~~FILLY~~~!!! New PICS pg 56

[mthowdy]

Well, I woke up in the middle of the night and had to go check on her before I went back to sleep...I shoulda stayed in bed- she was just munching on some alfalfa!

She definitely shops throughout the night though- and does not make any returns!!

I'm so happy to hear that she is progressing pretty quickly- the wait is killing me, but I do want her to wait until the rain stops!!

I've been observing her so I will be able to notice any behavior changes when it gets closer. The last day or so she has been a little stubborn and more ornery than normal- but I figure that is just from how uncomfortable she is when the foal is trying to move into position. This morning her sides were a little flat/sunken in looking, but her left side was poking out quite a bit near the bottom. I think the foal must be trying to get in the right position or something!

Anyway, here are some pics from this morning... I moved her back into her old pen for a couple hours so she can run around- this evening she will go back to the foaling pen

That hooha is definitely not ready, don't ya think?

Her tailhead is softer than it has been- but she can still take her tail away from me easily.

There ya go!! (let me know if I am over-doing it on the pictures!)

 

[mthowdy]

Just went and checked on her, and there was something weird about her hooha.

I'm not positive, but it seemed like a mucus plug or something came out. Other than that, all normal.

She was walking around lifting her tail so I went and looked and found that. She is still pale pink, but it is darker than yesterday. I'd put pictures up, but I fear being reported on photobucket for a picture like that! Haha, what would people think??!

She has continued her butt rubbing, rolling and this weird little kick/stomp/scratch motion with one back leg- not excessively often, but a couple times throughout the day.

 

[Becky]

You can post pictures on here without using Photobucket. As long as you have them in your computer, you can click on 'More Reply Options', then at the bottom you can attach files and browse for them in your computer. Mine are in Pictures and that way I don't have to put 'pony ****' in Photobucket!

Good luck with your mare!

 

[mthowdy]

You can post pictures on here without using Photobucket. As long as you have them in your computer, you can click on 'More Reply Options', then at the bottom you can attach files and browse for them in your computer. Mine are in Pictures and that way I don't have to put 'pony ****' in Photobucket!

Good luck with your mare!

I could do that, but right now the best way for me to get online is through my phone, so photobucket is the only option for uploading pictures! Pony ****- ahahahaha!!

Thanks

 

[AnnaC]

I've noticed that leg stomping seems to be the in thing with the mares this year - so again she's being quite normal! LOL!!

I would have said that she still has a few days to go from the look of her udder and hooha, but you never know, wspecially as her udder has filled so fast. Watch that pink colour - you might need to keep a closer eye on her if it gets any darker.

Oh, and we will never get tired of pictures!

 

[mthowdy]

I've noticed that leg stomping seems to be the in thing with the mares this year - so again she's being quite normal! LOL!!

I would have said that she still has a few days to go from the look of her udder and hooha, but you never know, wspecially as her udder has filled so fast. Watch that pink colour - you might need to keep a closer eye on her if it gets any darker.

Oh, and we will never get tired of pictures!

Well at least she is following the trends haha!

I'm thinking (more hoping) that she goes sometime within a week from today. I laid down some straw for her- not too much, and I will add more when she gets ready to foal.

I'll post some pictures when I go out tonight.

My new plan is to just park my car next to her pen and sleep in there (it's actually really comfortable, dont ask how I know haha) so I can be right by in case it starts to happen- and I can just look out the window to check on her.

I'm going to start that tonight, and do hourly checks.

I'll get more pics up later to see what you all think.

I just realized- my foaltime strips won't be here til Friday- she better hold out long enough for me to at least use one! Haha

 

[mthowdy]

No pics for tonight since it was too dark and it probably wouldn't help anyway...

 

[Eagle]

Just went and checked on her, and there was something weird about her hooha.

I'm not positive, but it seemed like a mucus plug or something came out. Other than that, all normal.

She was walking around lifting her tail so I went and looked and found that. She is still pale pink, but it is darker than yesterday. I'd put pictures up, but I fear being reported on photobucket for a picture like that! Haha, what would people think??!

Sounds like her mucus plug to me

She has continued her butt rubbing, rolling and this weird little kick/stomp/scratch motion with one back leg- not excessively often, but a couple times throughout the day.

Us loopy ladies call that the cricket dance

I could do that, but right now the best way for me to get online is through my phone, so photobucket is the only option for uploading pictures! Pony ****- ahahahaha!!

You can always email your pony **** to me

it really isn't any trouble :)

I have slept in my car quite a few times sssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

[mthowdy]

I have slept in my car quite a few times sssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Haha, oh me too! I can keep a secret

The cricket dance- perfect name!!

If that WAS her mucous plug (I could be wrong) how long until she "should" show me this baby??!

I am doing two hour checks tonight- her udder is not ready so I think I'm safe with waiting every two hours.

She has been shopping though- I bet she has a big bag to show me tomorrow morning.

She is still pale inside- earlier when it was dark it must have been from her laying down or something.

I will email you the pony **** pics tomorrow, and do the others on photobucket!! Thanks!

 

[mthowdy]

Midnight check done. She looks fine so I'm going to skip the 2 am check and go out at 4 am. I'll see how she looks and then probably just go to back to sleep til eight or nine if her udders still look the same.

I think we are a good two or three days off at least, but I am trying to get used to checking in like this every couple hours- in a day or two I will check in every half hour or less (probably going to sleep in my car out there)

(I keep checking the tracking updates on the foaltime test strips, I can't wait until they get here! I hope I can get milk out, when I went out at 10 I couldn't get anything- but maybe I'm doing it wrong?)

 

[AnnaC]

LOL!! If I keep your secrets, will you also keep mine??

Actually last year daughter followed your idea Ben except she used our horse lorry instead of a car! She was foaling our mares at her partner's farm, he has a huge agricultural barn and she made foaling pens in a small area of it. Then she drove the horse box inside and parked it with the big window in the living area right next to the mare who was expected to foal. She spent the nights either working on her computer or catching the odd snooze - sitting on the seated area, arm on the window ledge, head on her arm, eyes looking out the window. If she fell asleep, her arm would slide off the narrow ledge and wake her up again. LOL!! Well it worked because I got a phone call to say 'here we go' and I had time to jump in my car, drive across our mountain and arrive in time to see a cute little colt lying on the straw beside his proud Momma. So vehicles can play an important part in foaling minis - amongst other uses!

 

[mthowdy]

I'm a pretty good secret keeper haha

I plan to just pull my car up to the stall and have my computer with some movies, phone to get on here and update/call anyone, foaling kit, and some other things and just check in every twenty minutes or so and see how she is doing. It shouldn't be too bad- I won't even have to get out of the car but I might have to continue that for a week if she decides to follow everyone else's mares!

 

[AnnaC]

How's Mary looking today? Might we have a baby tonight or is she going to wait a bit longer - until she totally exhausts you. LOL!!

 

[mthowdy]

Mary is definitely getting ready...but I think tonight will be baby free.

Her hooha has definitely relaxed and elongated, and it looks a little different.

I was able to get a pin prick sized drop of clear fluid out of her udders today- but that was all.

Her udder went down during the day, so I doubt he is ready to foal tonight... Regardless I will be sleeping out in my car next to her stall

The foaltime strips will be here friday- so hopefully by then I will have something to test.

She has been enjoying her day in her foaling pen- I took her for a long walk and she got pretty tired- I think she will just stay in there and get comfortable until she decides it is time

I'll put pictures up tomorrow...I want you guys to see her belly!

 

[mthowdy]

Ok something weird is going on!!

About an hour ago I went out and scooped out her pen/stall. Then a minute ago I went out to check on her and there were about ten piles of poo- about half of them were mushy consistency.

I lifted up her tail and there was some fluid on her thighs- like dirty water kind of. Did her water break or did she just pee??!!!

I'm freaking out!! I'm going to go back out every half hour until someone tells me to calm down!

 

[Eagle]

Go out there and sit with her, it sounds like she is ready to foal.

 

[LittleRibbie]

Sending prayers for a happy foaling!! Any news Renee? You forgot to tell him to take the computer out to the barn to give updates! Im heading to sleep but when I wake I sure hope to hear some good news!!

 

[mthowdy]

Ok I've been sitting with her....and nothing. She had another poo- but this one was normal.

I checked her udders and they are slightly warm, but flabby. (is that a word?)

She is still what I would consider her normal pink color inside- but her hooha is definitely swollen.

Could this just be pre labor or something?

I'm going to continue checking on her every twenty minutes or so- I don't want to annoy her, but I don't want to miss it! But I'm thinking this might be a false alarm- (hopefully not haha!)

 

[mthowdy]

Just checked in on her- she is standing in the only spot in the entire pen that is getting hit with rain. So typical of her- she loves the rain!

Question- wouldn't I be able to get some colostrum out if she were going to foal in the next couple hours? In other words- do mares always secrete colostrum prior to foaling?

I am just wondering if it is safe to go back to checking her every forty five minutes or so- her udder doesn't feel ready to me, and her hooha is still light pink. What do you think?

To be safe I'm going to do half hour checks for the next two hours, then if there aren't any changes I will sleep a little longer in between

 

[LittleRibbie]

Thank you for keeping us posted. now I really am going to bed!!