Maybe, maybe not expecting HMM guessing game UPDATE FOAL IS HERE !!pg11

[Never2Mini]

Yeah Baby ! I was tickled to see your post Diane !

Its easier to see in person.

Still no foal still sitting back and watching.

Some days her belly looks huge other days not so much. Hope since she has hanged in here this long that she waits till April.

Still seeing her belly moving. I think her teats are hanging more put still not bagging up.

 

[Eagle]

Hi and welcome. Great video of baby moving

and I am very jealous of her shiny coat

 

[Gone_Riding]

How exciting! I can't see my mare's baby moving, but I LOVE feeling it move everyday!

Definitely up the one little guys feed and use straw for when baby's born. Your minis are beautiful!

 

[Liz k]

I can see baby move just fine, you are going to have much fun with those baby's remember you must post pics when their born we will be waiting...lol

 

[AnnaC]

Video a bit glitchy for me but I could still see the movement!! Will she let you gently feel her udder - if you cant see it properly/easily through her long coat, then feeling is a good way of judging how things are progressing.

i wouldn't worry about founder with your two attractive boys, young colts playing together and having the space to run, chase and play fight will be having plenty of exercise and have no risk of getting laminitis. At times I have had to almost double the recommended feeding amounts to keep the weight on growing very playful youngsters - the amounts recommended on the feed bags are just that, recommendations; they dont necessarily take into account the amount of 'exercise' being taken. And plenty of time at grass will do them no harm either - it is after all their natural food and good for keeping their systems working properly.

Could we possibly have new pictures posted of your pretty expectant girl................please!

 

[Never2Mini]

Thanks all for more warm welcomes and compliments on my girl

Sure I will try to get some new pics here over the weekend.

Sorry I know the video can be glitchy and hard to see. AnnaC she will let me touch her udders

She does have a little edema in front and feels like a little edema behind her udders as well, her teats feel longer but not filling with milk yet. I did try clipping a little around her teats she was not real happy about it but gave in and stood nicely. Sorry to say I am not good or experienced at clipping and was afraid to clip to close and around her teats for fear of nicking her. I just clipped around the front of her udders a little as it was really really fuzzy. I worried about the foal being able to find the milk bar. lol !

Wee now my mini mare that is due late Aug will not let me touch her udders or even her belly in front of her udders. I have been working on that with her but she holds a grudge over it for sometime. lol ! I have learned to pick out her feet first then try rubbing her belly. If I try desensitize her to me rubbing her first belly then pick out her feet she will kick at me. lol ! She can be a little pistol at times but I love her just the same. I just got her in November and was instantly head over heels for her.

 

[Eagle]

Yes I agree slow and repetitive is the key. Horses need routine so just let her get used to you doing things in the same order and she will soon relax, scratching works well as they all get itchy with their winter coats so just work back and under. The first year my girls were pregnant I used to get hubby to check cos I like my teeth

but after months of scratches and cookies they became angels and I could poke and prod everywhere. It is important to work at it cos if there is a problem you will need the mare to feel safe enough for you to step in. Last year I had to milk for 4 days one of my mares that had a dummy foal and she was as good as gold and sometimes I even milked her whilst she was laying down. Just remember patience and routine.

Good luck

 

[Never2Mini]

Snapped a few new pictures of Dolly over the weekend. I think by looking at other prego mare pics on here she has sometime to go yet. She is not as spunky as she was. When I go to turn her out she acts like she would just rather stay in her stall and walks so slow to the ring. She has more spunk when I go get her to put her back in her stall. lol !

Picture before turnout



Picture after she rolled in ring. I sure wish this mud would go away. Lord knows we had are share of it this winter.



Behind shot



Udders look about the same except they seem to hang down more but still not bagging up.





Soon Ida will be getting her Rhino shot she is coming up on her 5 th month of pregnancy. : ) At least I have some idea when to expect her foal.

 

[countrymini]

Dolly is such a pretty colour.

 

[Gone_Riding]

My mare hated her udder touched too. She would stomp her foot, move away, and occasionally try to kick. I backed off doing it everyday to two-three times a week and she got better about it. Now, she lets me do it everyday as long as I don't linger at all. She will let me tug once or twice occasionally, so don't give up! Your mare will get better with slow persistence.

 

[Never2Mini]

I feel for poor Dolly she does look miserable right now. She is being so sweet, I try to spend time with her everyday just petting and loving on her. Ida is getting a little better some days about letting me touch her udders. I try to spend time on it with her a couple days a week.

I have a question ? I been told to get a dog blanket for the newborn foals to have on hand if needed. I was wondering what a good size would be to get ?

 

[Eagle]

My foal rugs are all down in the barn, tomorrow I will go and get one so I can measure it for you.

 

[chandab]

I want to say the foal blankets I have are in the 22-24" range, but I have mostly b-size minis, so perhaps they are a little bigger than what others use. [Just remember to measure the dog blanket as you would a horse blanket; the measurements on dog blankets are usually the length of the back seam, not around the side like horse blankets.]

 

[Never2Mini]

I am having problems figuring out what size dog blanket to order online.

I have found a few 600D on sale cheap but they are all measured like you said chandab from the back seem.

If someone can please measure their newborn blankets like a dog blanket and give me the horse way measurements as well ? Maybe that will give me a better idea of what size dog blanket to order online.

Or if someone has used a dog blanket for newborn foals what size worked for you ? Both my expecting mares are small size A's if that helps.

 

[Eagle]

I checked my rugs and they are 22 INCHES from mid chest to mid tail and 17 INCHES from withers to tail.

 

[Never2Mini]

Thanks Eagle

 

[Never2Mini]

Well got a cute little foal blanket

No change in Dolly..Still wondering if maybe she isn't prego but if not why is her flank area have strange movement.

I guess only time will tell

 

[Eagle]

How about posting some news pics of all 4

 

[Never2Mini]

Sorry gals might be a little while for me to get new pics. My old computer died. I don't have the software and picture program on my new laptop yet. Hope DH will get it loaded and working here soon. I went from a desktop to this laptop. Not real sure I like the new laptop I don't like change but I am sure in time I will get use to it.

Dolly is shedding like crazy ! None of my other Mini's or riding horses are yet. Do you think Dolly shedding could be a sign of foaling ? or a sign she isn't prego after all or she is just a early shedder compared to my others ?

 

[Magic Marker Minis]

Mares that are pregnant tend to start shedding earlier than the average horse.

I had a APHA mare that foaled in April three years ago. She was almost all shed out. Had a couple big snow storms(Colorado) after she foaled and she was freezing.

A couple years ago, both pregnant mares started shedding in Jan(foals were due end of Feb-beginning of March).