Oh, boy. Soo tired today! And no, Wyatt isn't the one keeping me up-he continues to be a dream baby!-no, it's these mares! I wish they would just hurry up and foal already!! Neena is waxing like crazy (waxing: a yellowish, honey like secretion from the teats). She lost her baby last year (BIG colt, and he got stuck, and we were too late to help him, though we still had to pull him out). That incident was a good part my fault, b/c I checked her at 10:00 pm, and she was acting normal, like she wasn't planning on foaling at all that night. I had however, locked her mother, Etta, up, b/c I thought she was pretty close. Then I set my alarm for what I thought was midnight-except it wasn't-it was for noon! My husband came home at 1:00 am and woke me up, saying "come help, she's having trouble!". I asked him "Etta?" (Etta's had several foals, without incident). He said "No, Neena" (Neena's my "baby" so I was pretty upset!) So anyways, we had to pull the foal, a big black colt-I was soo soo sad. So was Neena. I stayed up most of the rest of the night with her.
Then, that afternoon, Etta kept pacing her paddock, and glaring at me-I knew she was close to foaling, and she was doing her best to make it VERY clear she did NOT want to foal in the pen!-I finally gave in and said to Leroy-I betcha she'll have that foal in a couple hours if we let her out, but she doesn't want to foal in that pen. So we gave in and freed her. Sure enough, within 2 hours, she'd laid down on the straw right outside the pen and had another big black colt-would've been a perfect match to Neena's baby. Neena wanted to steal that foal SOO badly, but Etta would have none of it!!
So anyways, all this to say, we are watching Neena VERY carefully this time-but it is making me VERY tired!!
UPDATE!!!
Ok-I just typed that post, and saved it, b/c my Grandma and Grandpa Bailey came to give Jesse his b-day present this morning (his 4th!birthday is tommorrow, but they were coming this way today). They brought him two wonderful new DVD's that he was pretty thrilled with (so is Tabitha and Mommy too!!-"Land Before Time-The Great Day of the Flyers" and "Charlotte's Web 2") as well as some yummy cupcakes Grandma made, that disappeared rather quickly!!
Anyways, as they were leaving, Leroy came in and said "Neena's having her foal-I think we may have to help her!". So we said a hurried goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa (actually, I think I forgot to say goodbye to poor Grandpa!) and put on a movie for Tabitha and dashed out to help Neena (Jesse came with us). We did indeed have to help her-the foal had a foot turned back inside Momma, so Leroy righted it and helped pull a little-we did NOT want to lose this baby too!! I stood at Neena's head and encouraged her. And then she was born-a pretty little chestnut filly!! On Friday the 13th!! Momma and baby are both doing just fine-baby stood shortly after birth-just popped right up! and has already nursed. Neena's mothering her like a champ! Etta came over and acted like she was maybe going to swipe the baby, but has since relented.
This year is "T" names for Canadians-I'm considering "Teak" or "Tequila" or "Thirteen" for her!! Leroy's a little disappointed-he likes the black horses-but I'm kind of excited-it's neat to see a little splash of colour out there, amongst all the blacks (and one buckskin-old Kye!! but he's not a Canadian!). Anyways, I think the next two foals will be black, so that will make him happy.
I have to dash now, to get ready for Jesse's birthday tomorrow-but will try and post some pix of the new arrival soon (Got a really cute one of Momma and Baby right after birth-I think-so long as I remembered to turn the video camera on...)
Bye for now!
Jesse blowing out his candles:
All in all, I think a great day was had by all!! The kids all slept well last nite, that's for sure!!
The whole family!
and Baby Wyatt on his own...
