The Castle Rock MARE-TERNITY WARD
Message Boards => Foaling Questions & Help => Topic started by: Julia and Smudge on April 25, 2016, 08:35:34 PM
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Moving Smudge over here! Checked her bag tonight and got liquid out for the first time!! It was a clear colour, not at all white or milky but not yellow either, like I've read. What does this mean? Are we still days/weeks away or could she go anytime?
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Was it sticky yet? She's moving ahead nicely for you, and let us know about the consistency of the fluid. Clear will start to turn more white or milky color. But we're also looking for a bit sticky!
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It was very sticky!
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Sounds like she is moving ahead just perfectly . ;D
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She seems very uncomfortable tonight and keeps looking back at her belly/rolling. Also a lot of tail swishing going on. At this point, I'm sure she's just messing with us! ;)
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If she's rolling tonight, it sounds like she's positioning that little one. That with her udder change, keep a good eye on her, as she can change quite suddenly. Can't wait! Can you post a few pictures for us? She's moving ahead just beautifully, but with these girls you just never quite know when they decide it's time! Keep us posted!
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Well you know they like to drive their owners crazy ( well you do now lol)
Perfectly normal that she will be trying to rub on anything and everything possible. She will be starting to feel very uncomfortable due to the lack of room.
Keep a close eye on her , you could very well have the first baby born here. Best wishes for a safe foaling ;D
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Looking forward to seeing pictures of Momma, and her wee one soon!
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I got so busy today and was so excited about getting some liquid out of her bag that I completely forgot to take pictures! I will get some for you all tomorrow (unless of course she decides to have it tonight! Ha!).
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Do you have a barn cam we can watch Julia?
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We do have a cam set up, but we can't seem to figure out how to make it public. :(
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I could probably help you, are you able to watch it on your computer?
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We can go to the DLink website and log on from there, normally we just watch it on our tablet or phones through an app.
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That is good , I dont know how to get those online...
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Oh darn!
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Unless you have it connected to your computer, then I might could help...
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Just took this picture from a screen shot on my tablet. Couldn't believe how "dropped" her belly looked tonight. I know it's not a very accurate angle, but she looks more dropped than any other day! (I hope the picture works!)
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That looks good. Watch her closely, she could be planning a surprise for you! And as Ryan said, you'll have the first baby born here!!! Very exciting. Praying for a safe and uneventful delivery of a healthy little one!
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How cool! Let's hope Smudge co-operates!! :)
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Since you can see her in a full side view, look for baby to be a bit forward of center in her belly. That and being slab-sided would indicate baby is in position. That doesn't guarantee anything except baby is in position. As you know they can hang on for a long time, but once baby is safely on the ground, you'll forget how tiring the wait is.
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wow, it looks like I have joined the party just in time :) She will be delivering that parcel soon.
What app do you use to watch her on your phone? I am sure I can watch her too and I am in Italy so awake when you are asleep.
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Well, Smudge kept us up all night with her strange behaviour and still nothing! I took some new pictures today for everyone to see. Got more fluid out of her udder again today and it was still the clear really sticky stuff. Mom and I leave for vacation tomorrow, so tonight will be Smudge's last chance to have the baby with us here. At this point, we're convinced she's waiting until we leave :(
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Oh wow, these pics look very promising. Her hooha is nice and puffy and I would expect it to get shiny so have a look tonight and have a look inside to see if it is red. Her udder looks a good size and her tits are pointing straight down. She looks ready to me :D
What app do you use to watch her on your phone?
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We use the MyDLink app to watch on our phone/tablet. I sure hope she has it tonight, that would be just perfect!
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I hope she does too, try and get some rest before tonight as you will need to be watching her closely. Sending prayers and positive thoughts that all goes well and I look forward to seeing baby pics ;D
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I keep checking in! She is looking closer!
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Someone on the other foaling forum said that it's really weird she hasn't foaled yet and her belly "doesn't look extremely large" and mentioned a false pregnancy. Now I'm freaking out and worried that she's not actually in foal, but we've seen the baby move a number of times and even have it on video. Should I be worried? She's showing all signs to me and I'm having a hard time believing it's a false pregnancy. I think I just need some reassurance!
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Take a look at my mare Tana in the "you think your maiden is pregnant" thread at the top of this forum. Pictures of her not looking very pregnant in the morning, and baby on the ground in the afternoon. [I wasn't prepared for her to go at 307 days, so hadn't been checking her udder, so don't know what that was doing. Her little guy is 4 years old now.]
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I can assure you that she has a bun in the oven and it looks cooked to me. If I were you I would be up all night tonight watching her on your ipad, I don't think she will go much longer. How is she behaving today? Is she out in a herd during the day or in her stall? If she is with others, they often wonder off when they are due, they seem to want to be away from the others.
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She's our only mini and we don't turn her out with the big horses. She's dropping and rolling a lot today and doesn't seem very interested in food. I will be up all night watching her hoping for a foal!!
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Did a milk test strip to check her pH (since I am finally getting stuff). Looks to be around 6.8 to me, what do you think?
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That's great. She's getting ready. We've had mares drop from 7.2 to foaling all in one day. So, watch her very closely and we'll be praying for a safe delivery for you. You can recheck her on the milk strip and watch for the drop to 6.4 or below. Then stay right with her.
We're very excited for you. I posted on the other forum also that you may want to do a vet check -- but I really don't think it's necessary. I think this little one is going to make an appearance very soon!! And check out Chanda's posted pictures of her maiden mare -- didn't even look pregnant in the morning, and by afternoon -- voila! A beautiful filly!!!
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and the count down begins......Good luck!!!
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How exciting!!
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Sounds very promising , Best wishes for the safest of arrivals :)
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As Diane said, some girls drop very fast on the milk strips so it is best to keep a close eye on her.
Mares usually follow a similar pattern each year so once you get to know your girl it is easier. Some "good girls" follow the book and their udders grow gradually over a period of about 6 weeks and their milk tests slowly decrease a little each day until they get to 6.0 and then foal. Other girls (and there can be many that fit this group) will sit at 7.2 and then drop over night. You wake up to find a baby in the morning. That is why
we go on so much about watching them closely and being there just in case you are needed.
Anyway I am rambling. lol
I am looking forward to news from you.
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Then there are the mares that will sit at 6.0 for almost a week, waxed up and ready to go... (ask me how I know!) LOL :o
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ooops, I forgot to mention those little darlings! ;D ;D
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It's just GOT to come soon!! I hope it's here before you leave.
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Well, we're on the road to the airport now and no baby at home. :( we've left it to the men of the house so pray for them!
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We will certainly be doing that!! Keep us posted with what you hear!
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I'm back!! Had a wonderful vacation, but came home and still no baby! Her pH is sitting around 6.8-7.0 and hasn't really dropped but her calcium level has been slowly increasing. The milk is a clear/cloudy and sticky in consistency. Bag is still very large and hard and her vulva is pretty long. She has been rolling much more than usual but still doesn't really look "dropped" to me. I am going to try to get some pictures ASAP for everyone! :)
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Glad you had a great vacation , Im guessing smudge was waiting for your return before she decides its time to show you what shes been hiding from you :)
Cant wait to see the pictures :)
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Me either. Can't wait to see how she's been changing!!
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Good Girl Smudge for waiting! Looking forward to updates!!
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I am so glad she waited for you and that you had a great holiday :) It sounds like she is trying to get baby in to position. I am looking forward to seeing pics too.
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pH dropped to below 6.2 last night! Calcium is sitting around 500. Which one do you usually find to be more accurate? Here are the pictures!
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Once the PH drops that low I dont take my eyes off of them! Ive had mares go from 8.0 to 6.0 in less than 2 hrs, Ive had mares sit on 6.2 for 4 days, but typically once that ph drops to 6.4 or less its 0-24 hrs
I use different strips, but the ph has always been the best indicator for me. Alfalfa in the diet will cause the calcium levels to read higher. But once calcium levels start to rise and ph starts to drop it close!
Her vulva is looking relaxed, look for it to turn a scarlett red ( instead of the light pink).
Best wishes for a safe foaling!!
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Okay, here's what I see.....just perfect and nicely loose elongation! An udder that looks pretty ready, except it's hard to see because of the color, but with staring, I'm saying she looks ready in the udder department.
Baby still a bit sideways, but with her pH at 6.2, DO NOT LEAVE HER ALONE!! Pack up the sleeping bag and be with her. She's going to do some more rolling to get that baby lined up perfectly, but she should not be left alone. NO sleeping and checking on her hourly! That's not enough -- baby could try to arrive at 1 hour and 5 minutes, and might need your help and you wouldn't be there for another hour. That would be too late! So, hunker down in the barn -- I used to sleep in the stalls of the sneaky mares -- as she's looking really ready. You will start to see that inside lips of the vulva go from a salmon color to a red. At that point, gather up the supplies -- lubricant being an important one. Print out the "Preparing for the Birth of your foal, and post it in the stall for a reference. We pray you will NEVER need it, but it will be there for you should you need it.
I'm very excited for you, and hope to hear an announcement soon!!! To me, pH is what I relied on -- and yes, they can sit at the 6.0-6.4 for a couple of days -- but I PROMISE -- it will be worth being tired but available to her, should she or that beautiful little one need you~!!!
Sending lots of prayers for a safe and uneventful delivery of a healthy little one!! Keep us posted!!
~~Diane
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Wishing you a very safe arrival :)
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Any news yet? Sending prayers for a safe and smooth delivery.
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I agree it is the p.h to watch. I also agree that at this point she should NOT be left alone. These girls can be real sneaky, I have had a mare go from sleeping quietly to foal out in 20 mins so not even a coffee break is possible. ( Believe me, I lost a baby cos I went to the house to make a cup of tea).
It is also Karma, if you are there and prepared, baby will pop out nice and easy. lol
Sending prayers for a safe and easy foaling. Hugs
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<<<<< Also anxiously awaiting an update.... :)
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Another night with no sleep and still no baby! We asked her if she was going to have it tonight and she sneezed and shook her head LOL I think she's enjoying this way too much ;)
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Another night with no sleep and still no baby! We asked her if she was going to have it tonight and she sneezed and shook her head LOL I think she's enjoying this way too much ;)
Of course she is laughing at you, the more sleep deprived she keeps you, the more likely she'll be able to sneak it in when you turn your back for two seconds to get that cup of coffee and the toothpicks for your eyelids.
I have another couple days, before I'll really start keeping a close watch on my girl. I know they don't read the book so they can go at anytime, but she had her first at 324 days, so will watch her closely when we get close to that date, which isn't too far off.
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Smudge nightly update! pH is still sitting around 6.0-6.2 and calcium is around 450. I took some pictures tonight of her for you to see!
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That udder is just plain gorgeous!!! And it appears baby may be dropping some. She looks like she's been rolling a bit, and baby is poking out a bit less on the sides, so keep up the watch! She could go anytime --- especially if she things your not looking!!
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We don't take our eyes off of her! Luckily we have three people here to watch so we all take a shift through the night. Keeps us all somewhat rested! :)
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Oh how sneaky of you!! But I'm so glad you have help in the waiting. These last few days/weeks can be really tiring, but once that little one arrives, you are going to completely forget how tiring this wait was!! Keep us posted, we're all praying for a safe and uneventful delivery of this precious little one!!
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Oh Goodness! She is looking close!! I am so excited for you!
C'mon Smudge give us all our first forum foal!!
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Another morning with no foal!! She seemed a bit more uncomfortable last night, but not overly. Calling for rain here today so she'll be staying inside, we'll see what happens! Mom thinks she's holding out for mother's day :)
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What a delightful thought!!! Okay, I'm praying for an extra special "Mother's Day" !!!
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Rain stopped so decided to throw her outside. Did a milk strip test before putting her out and milk is sitting at a solid 6.0 pH!! She is far less round today than she has been the past few days and her udder is hard with nipple point straight down! Come on Smudge!!
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Sounds just perfect! Remember, when baby is lined up properly she may not even look pregnant when you stand at the back. Baby will line "spine to spine" with momma!
Putting her outside was just perfect. It will give her the rolling room she needs for these final adjustments! Sounds like a "Mother's Day" foal is right in the picture!!
Re-read the "Preparing For Your Foal" and even print it out and put in the stall just in case! Better to be prepared than not. We always hope nothing is ever needed than a pair of loving eyes, but just in case, we prepare!
Praying for a safe and uneventful foaling of this precious little one -- remember, Mother's Day starts at 12:01 AM !!!!
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We already have the "Preparing for your foal" printed off and in the foaling kit! We've been ready for this baby for weeks!! So excited and praying for SPOTS (but more importantly a healthy baby)!
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I'm glad, and I'm secretly praying for SPOTS, too!!
But we just want a healthy little one safely on the ground, and a perfect delivery for momma!
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New pictures from this evening! pH is still sitting at 6.0!!
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Come on little momma!! Mother's day is just a few hours away!!! ;)
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Happy Mother's Day! Just got home from our daughter's college graduation and had to check in before going to bed.
Hopefully, little "smudgey" will decide that this is the night. I've had 2 Mother's Day babies and 2 B-Day (April 15) babies since I started breeding ponies in 1995. It's always fun when they come on those days.
Come on Smudge!!
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No baby last night. :(
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There is still time for a Mother's Day present!! Come on Smudge!!!!
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My Goodness!
She sure is looking ready!
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Just brought smudge inside because she was standing at the gate looking very agitated. Vuvla is very very puffy and inside is a bright red. Also looks very different than it has, more open almost? Her bag is MASSIVE and milk is testing lower than my pH strip can go! Come on smudge!!!
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OH!!! EXCITING!!! Sound like this very well could be it!!!
Prayers for a seafe foaling and healthy wee one!!
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Can't wait to hear some news!!!
Just got back from my mom's, celebrating her as grandma and great-grandma. Nice family dinner, and just waiting until I could come here and check on Smudge!!!
Come on little momma!! ;pray
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Smudge did it!! Healthy little buckskin boy!! No spots, but he's still the most perfect little thing to us! :) :)
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Woo hoo! Congrats! Can't wait to see pics.
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Brilliant!! Many congratulations!! Did it all go smoothly - do let us have some details (when you have got over the excitement). :)
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FABULOUS!!!! CONGRATULATIONS, and we expect some pictures and lots of details!
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Big Huge Congrats!!
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Okay, finally have some brain capacity after getting some sleep (some of the best sleep ever! haha). So here is our foaling story:
Mom and I were getting ready to go to bed and watching the camera as we did. She was lying in a very unusual spot for her, so we stopped what we were doing and just watched. She got up and laid down 3 times in a very short period of time, on that third time lying down all of a sudden she started pushing! I ran to put my clothing on over my pj's and ran out to the barn! I got in there and slowly walked over to her. I could see the little white bubble, and was super relieved! I quietly went in there with her and could see the 2 little feet so gently tried to feel the head (it was there!). She was pushing and I helped her along. It went PERFECTLY! Baby was out in less than 10 minutes total. Mom and baby just laid there for a while so we left the stall to let them be. Smudge passed the after birth no problem (within 15 minutes after foaling. Baby was feisty and trying to get up! I wormed and gave Smudge some banamine to make her more comfortable. She stood and went right over to start licking her baby. She is the most wonderful momma! Absolutely loves her little boy. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect foaling, all of your prayers worked! :)
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Awwe! Love!!
What a sweet adorable lil cutie!
Great Job to both of you! So glad all went smoothly and you have your wee one on the ground safely!
Love the pics!! Looking forward to more as he grows!!
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FABULOUS JOB -- YOU and SMUDGE!!!
He's just precious, and we're so happy he is safely on the ground for you to love~!
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A MASSIVE congratulations to you and too smudge aswell.
Just when you thought it was never going to happen :)
Keep us posted with lots of pics, enjoy :)
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CONGRATULATIONS!! ;D ;D It sounds like you had a text book birth, Just the way we like them!
He sure is adorable, he is just like mamma. I can't wait to see some dry pics.
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Yes, please don't forget us while you're having lots of fun with him!!! We want to see him many times as he grows!!!
Congratulations again!! Have you picked a name for him?
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Here are some dry pictures! We're thinking of naming him "Rebel". Smudge is the best mom we could have hoped for. :)
Question: He is very raspy when he breaths, especially when he gets worked up. Is this normal for minis? My vet came and checked him all over and other that the breathing, she says he looks fantastic and really good. Should his breathing get better over the next couple days? At what point should we get concerned? Thanks!
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Oh! For the appaloosa people: do you think he will colour out? He has all app characteristics; striped hooves, mottled skin on his lips, nose and private parts and the white sclera. I'm wondering if he is possibly hiding some spots under is baby fuzz?
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Oh, that's fabulous news of him showing appy traits this early!! He may well have some spots under that baby coat. We'll have to wait and see in a little while.
Julia, where are you located? If you don't find spots now, that doesn't mean he won't color out.
This young man was born completely black, and then at age 2:
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I agree! He may very well color out!
As for the breathing being raspy, I would be very concerned too.... Ive never had one do that, hoping someone with experience can help... Was your vet not concerned? Does it sound like its in his nose or chest?
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I'm located in Ontario Canada. It's pretty cool here, but maybe he'll shed out come summer time when it's warmer?
As for the raspy noise, it seems to only occur when he gets worked up. More from is upper respiratory system, not so much his lungs. My vet wasn't concerned, but just said to watch him. Do you temp your babies? What is a normal temperature for them to have?
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I would bet he just inhaled a little fluid from the sack during birth. Normal rectal temp is 99.5 to 101.5, depending when it's taken after birth, but you'll have to convert to Celsius (37.5 to 38.6 I think). Tends to be a bit lower nearer the birth as foals have a bit of trouble regulating their temperature in the first day or so.
Just watch for any change or worsening of the sound, as foals can go downhill very quickly, and you want to be sure he comes through this just fine!
Can't wait to see more pictures!
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I took his temp last night (and I learned foal temps in F!) and it was 101.4. I'm going out to temp him again now and will let you know what it is today. I'm pretty worried about him so we watch him very closely and have left the camera running to monitor him while we're not in the barn.
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Normal temp is between 37.7 degrees Celsius and 38.8 degrees Celsius. New borns under a month of age is usually 37.5-38.6 degrees Celsius.
Only if there seemed to be an issue would the vet take the temp. Years ago when I was more involved with the racing Industry , all new borns had there temp done by a vet, though I think this was more a routine by the stud farm.
Hope his respiratory problem/raspy noise clears up quickly , hes a lovely boy so glad that smudge is being the perfect Mum :)
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Thanks Ryan. Not to bad for someone who hasn't done Celsius in decades......
Thank goodness someone knows better! 😉
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I worked at an appaloosa breeding farm in Florida for a summer and it was just routine to temp our babies. Since foaling out my own I just kept the practice for peace of mind! I just decided to monitor his temperature because of the rasp. But I do hope it clears up!!
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100.9 tonight. His raspy breathing seems to be improving!
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Great news!!!! ;)
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Good to hear that his raspy breathing seems to be on the improve :)
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Glad to hear he is better!!
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Temp is up today to 102.2 and he has an increased respiration rate. Vet is coming out :(
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You are doing a fantastic job keeping watch over him. Please keep us posted, and we're praying he returns to health asap!!
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Sending good wishes, yes, please let us know what the Dr says... sure hope he is ok!
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Yes, looking for an update on this special little one, and praying all is fine with him!!!! ;pray
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He seems to be doing a bit better today. Temp has gone down again, but his respiration rate is still pretty high. My vet listened to his lungs and can confidently say that his lungs are clear. At this point, we're not 100% sure what's causing the rasp but she thinks it may be his trachea. She just said to keep a close eye on him and to notify her instantly is he gets worse. So we're not out of the woods yet, but getting closer!
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Well, I'll be praying like crazy for this special little guy!! We know that prayer works, especially here, so I'll be praying up a storm until we know he's out of the woods!!! ;pray
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Thank you! I will try to do daily updates, but things are pretty crazy around here so it may be tough!
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Just keep us posted as best you can. Remember, if you go "toooooo" long, we'll all be very worried! So, do the best you can, and we'll trust that things are improving, unless you let us know something isn't right.
We just love seeing him (hint.....pictures when you can....) and hearing all about how he's doing, and Smudge, too!!
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Hope he gets better very soon!!
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Hope he's better soon.
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Little Rebel update! He's doing much better today. He's getting out to run around and seems like a normal spunky foal! I've attached some pictures of him. You can see the mottling on his lips. Do you think he's a buckskin or a bay? I'm not so sure anymore.
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So cute.
Unless he's really sooty, which could darken buckskin a lot, I'd say he's bay.
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Yes, remember that "sooty" buckskin that looked completely like a black? Tide Creek Agustus??
If not sooty, he may well be a bay, but only time will tell!! Whatever color he is, he's a doll!!!!!
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OMGosh just look at that tiny nose!!!!
So glad he is doing better!
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He is the cutest little one! Hope he's continuing to move in positive directions. Can't wait to see more pictures of him!
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Still doing well today! No temp, and only gets raspy when running or when he gets worked up. I think it might just take him a while to grow out of it. I don't have any new pictures, but I will get some soon! :)
And idea how big he's going to be when full grown? He's exactly 20 inches now!
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I have been on holiday so missed all of this but WOW what a gorgeous little man, im SO happy for you :D
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Did you measure him at birth? If not, how old is he now? And he's 20" at what point are you measuring?
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He appeared just below 20 at birth and he's now a solid 20 at 1 week old. He hasn't really grown much at all since birth. When I measure, I go from bottom of hoof up to withers, if there's a different way to do it just let me know and I'll go get that measurement! :)
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I'm located in Ontario Canada. It's pretty cool here, but maybe he'll shed out come summer time when it's warmer?
As for the raspy noise, it seems to only occur when he gets worked up. More from is upper respiratory system, not so much his lungs. My vet wasn't concerned, but just said to watch him. Do you temp your babies? What is a normal temperature for them to have?
I'm in Ontario too and it was snowing today ! I was worried that if my mare has her foal should I get a blankets or coat for him/her hehe
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I'm in Ontario too and it was snowing today ! I was worried that if my mare has her foal should I get a blankets or coat for him/her hehe
I wouldn't hurt. Mini foal blankets can be hard to find; but dog coats will work (although measured differently than a horse blanket), goat coats and in a pinch a child's sweatshirt can be cut and used. If you are any bit crafty, one can be made from an old fleece blanket.
[Dog coats are measured from neck to base of tail; horse blankets are measured around the side from middle of chest around to edge of tail.]
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I love to sew and I quilt alot so I'll get crafty tonight then and make some just incase this silly weather doesn't brake. Who wants snow in may?? So silly! Lol
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I'm a bit of a quilter, too, you can see some of my quilts on my foaling thread for HC Minis.
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Oh nice! I'll have to check them out :) my mother had me in sewing and quilting classes at 10 with her, I'm. So happy she did !
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As to the question about foal height prediction at maturity, I'm attaching a height prediction chart. Stand the foal on something hard, and measure from the ground to the last bottom hair of the mane, or you can do a cannon bone measurement. I always did both, and then used an average of the two. ;D
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I missed the excitement when he wasn't feeling well but I'm very happy for you that he feels better!!
I don't think I'd like it if it snowed in May. But then our temps here in NC have been all over "the map" since Jan 1 this year, so who knows what "mama nature" is gonna throw at us next!
Diane - does measuring the cannon as a yearling and just using the actual " work in the minis? That is what we did with our larger pony foals. Same measurement - we found that if the yearling's cannon measured 9.5" then the yearling matured to 9 1/2 hands or 38" at the withers. I now need to check some of our current ponies (haven't done this on any of the ones we now have) and on our Arab mare and see if it's still accurate... To see if their cannons = their mature heights.
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For large horses, I know, when you measure the canon....say 16"......just use the same number and convert to hands. So, a 16" canon, will be a 16 Hand horse. And remember, these are just averages.
I personally have never measured anything but foals up to 4 months old to judge adult height, but it sounds like your measurements are proving the HH table correct. 9.5" being a 9.5 hand horse, or 38". That's fun to know!
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For large horses, I know, when you measure the canon....say 16"......just use the same number and convert to hands. So, a 16" canon, will be a 16 Hand horse. And remember, these are just averages.
I personally have never measured anything but foals up to 4 months old to judge adult height, but it sounds like your measurements are proving the HH table correct. 9.5" being a 9.5 hand horse, or 38". That's fun to know!
Yes, but it only worked on the yearlings with the knees pretty much closed (no more cannon growth)... On the ones that I followed. I didn't follow all of ours. Haven't even done it at all on the Shetlands since 2010 when we started getting foals - that's why I'd be curious to know if it matches now (cannon = height in hands). Have quite a few that are now mature and shouldn't be growing any more...
Was very surprised by a couple that stayed small, stayed small and then suddenly "SPROUTED" at 4/5 yrs of age! Had one gelding that grew over an 1" between the 3 yr old measurement and the 4-1/2 yr old measurement that I did for a prospective purchaser that wanted not bigger than a certain height. I lost that sale - he'd grown too much, LOL!
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I am sorry I missed him being poorly, I have been very sick myself and had to take to my bed (not like me at all) Anyway I am back now and he is super cute. I love his colour and am curious to see how he turns out.
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He seems to be improving every day! Now he only "huffs and puffs" after running hard. But he seems to get pretty warm. Should we try clipping him? Or is he still way too young for that (he's just over a week). It's finally starting to get warm here and I'm worried the warmer it gets the hotter he will get.
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If you don't mind him looking funny, you can clip just under his neck and chest to help him cool off, these are the areas where they seem to hold the most heat, so clipping here helps to dissipate the heat. If you have a cold snap you might have to blanket.
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I always clipped my foals, as here in Florida it would get beastly hot. But if a foal was born during the early part of spring, and didn't start blowing their foal coat, I'd start out with a head, neck and chest clip -- including under the bottom of the belly. This made them cooler, and made it easier for them to adjust to the heat.
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Finally clipped little Rebel today. Had to share this picture with all of you! I'm thinking we might be seeing some light skin/possible spots under that hair! Any guesses on colour? He's definitely not buckskin like we originally thought.
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Hard to tell real color in a clipped coat, as you clip off all the color. Black-based and bay-based horses both look rather dark clipped, so he may very well be buckskin if that's what you thought before clipping.
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I agree Chanda, it is impossible to tell when they are clipped, we will just have to wait and see ;)
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When I clipped black babies - they looked 'steel grey' or 'blue'. Here's our stallion - no pics of his 2 black daughters when we clipped either of them - simply didn't think about it.
(http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd46/purplepaintpony/AJ%20-%20WF%20Action%20Jackson/b9c6.jpg)
(http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd46/purplepaintpony/AJ%20-%20WF%20Action%20Jackson/7561.jpg)
This pic is huge, sorry. 3 months later, when his coat fully back in.
(http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd46/purplepaintpony/AJ%20-%20WF%20Action%20Jackson/63fc.jpg)
I do have 2 darker bay pinto foals by that stallion but unfortunately, the pics of them cameo clipped (head/neck only) just don't show the difference very well...
(http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd46/purplepaintpony/Blizzard%20-%20SH%20Kota%20Blizzard/90fe.jpg)
(http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd46/purplepaintpony/Frosty/00Apr24FrostyR.jpg)
I've had one dark/sooty buckskin in 1979 - but never clipped her to my knowledge. The very light buckskin filly we currently have is our first!
Diane is one of the experts on Appy coloring, but that looks like it may be appaloosa to me... ??
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Give it a few days, and the color will come back in. And yes, it's a little "suspect" to me, but we'll have to wait and see what develops.
This little boy was born completely black! And by age 2 -- well, you can see what "developed" !!