Lucky Four Real Doll! Foaling of 2008
Our Miniature Horse Foaling Journal page is getting way too full to put all of today's happenings on there, so we made a page just for Dolly!
March 30, 2008 1:30 PM
Day 328
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Click here to watch a video with tips on how to use the milk test strips! |
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More clues abound. To the left, note the 'V' shape to her belly, and to the right is a poop, we found in her stall this morning. Looks a cow was visiting her in the night! This loop poop left her vulva dirty, but it was very red inside. We have been carefully charting the progress of our mares in a journal so that we know their pattern in the future. Click here to read our nursery journal. |
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The fun part is Dolly is not acting any differently, but her buddy for the last 8 years (Magic) is defending her and keeping the other mares away. Afternoon of March 31st, 2008.We milk stripped her one more time to be sure. We are going to have a baby!!! Here is the video, but it only took 6 seconds to change this time. My youngest can't get over how sticky the milk is and it is already whiter. We are done testing her for today, for I don't want to steal all of her milk! In Lisa's hand is the milk from this afternoon. And no, she is not engaged. She is only 14 but chooses to wear a ring to symbolize that she is going to wait to even kiss a boy until her marriage day. She calls it her purity ring. When the strip changes so quickly, the pattern has been that the mare has her baby within the next 5 hours.
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7:30PM
My hubby, our foreign exchange student and my 2 oldest have to go to orchestra practice. My youngest and I are home alone. When I feed a late meal around 7 PM, Dolly lays down instead of eating. I knew it was all beginning. My youngest, who is 11, is videotaping so be prepared to hear the narration by a young girl. Her voice is so fun to listen to and I am thankful that Dolly is VERY used to Jessie being around her. Watch Dolly's water break. (narrated by a very excited 11 year old)
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Click here to see Dolly foaling her 2008 colt! (video of birth). This is a long video, but it is most of the birthing process. I asked my farrier questions when she visited and here are her tips: Try to straighten the leg when the mare is not contracting. Then all will not be so tight. I should not be pulling when she is not contracting, but rearranging. If I need to get her to stop contracting, walking her should help as would pointing her downhill. A schooled mini mid-wife (Thank you Kim of gave me some good tips that I want to pass on to those of you that are learning with me: It doesn't matter if the amniotic sac breaks during the delivery, if you do have to push the foal back in, it will most likely break open anyway. I typically wait until the head is out and then break the sac. The second hoof, or the one further back should be at the pastern or fetlock of the first leading hoof, if you had evened them our right away as soon as you saw they were not staggered correctly Dolly wouldn't have had to strain so much, she was trying to push both shoulders through the pelvis at the same time, and that won't happen, the hooves are staggered that way so the shoulders will pass through the pelvis one at a time. She was straining and nothing was progressing because she was pushing the shoulders up against the pelvis, but there wasn't enough room for them to pass thru (if that makes sense). I do make sure the legs are properly staggered, and correct if one foot is over the head, etc, then I provide traction. I don't actually pull much unless it's needed, just provide a little traction so they keep progressing. -Last when the mare stands up and breaks the umbilical cord, the pull/strain of the umbilical cord can cause an umbilical hernia, so it's a good idea to put to fingers around the umbilical cord on the foals stomach and push in a little supporting it as the mare stands and breaks the cord. I noticed your mare pulled the colt a little bit across the stall floor before the cord broke. Most of the time they are fine, but it's worth preventing a hernia if possible! Last year I had one with a slight umbilical hernia, thankfully his resolved on it's own and didn't need surgery. Here is our new little man trying out his legs at 2 hours of age! Click here to see the video. |
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Dolly and the baby got to go the pasture for some grazing time this morning! Baby ran and played, and Dolly was mad that she couldn't keep up with him! He is nursing well, and is strong, healthy, gorgeous, sweet, and everything a baby should be.....we are having so much fun, and can't wait for more babies. From this side, baby looks like a Medicine Hat with the bonnet and shield, but from the other side (see below), baby looks like a loud pinto with no medicine hat! Still no real changes in any of the other mares, though....... |
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He's slightly photogenic! We can't help going out and taking pictures of us with him. Jessie is holding him on the left with Dolly looking anxiously on. (Noel is very interested in him, too!) Lisa is holding him on the right...look at those smiles!
Click here to see a video of him running around our front yard his first day in the grass on April 1, 2008. He is adorable!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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to see a video of him running around the front yard on April 6th,
2008!
To read about Lily and Magic's 2008 babies, click here!
