It's a.....

Filly!!

We had a surprise this morning! Wonder, our Canadian mare, (aka LDR Ghost Premiere) gave birth! This is a blessing that all of us, most especially Wonder, have been wishing, hoping and longing for, for a very long time!! Wonder is the mare I have mentioned in previous posts, who steals calves to mother, and who also did her best to care for Wishes when he lost his dam, Neena, Wonder's sister. It took us a long time to get her into foal, only to have her miscarry twins at 9 mos along last year. We were uncertain for quite awhile this year as to whether she was bred or not. Even last nite, she was showing no signs of her udder filling, and, other than kicking at the stallion in annoyance, didn't seem to be up to anything unusual!

(Aww! Nursies!)

The letter the foal's name is to begin with this year is "Y". Miss Tabitha is NOT impressed with this system of nomenclature, b/c she thinks the little tyke should be named "Nike" after a horse in one of her favourite books!! (For those wondering-there is a specific way Canadian horses are to be named. The first part of their name is derived from the name of the farm that owned the mare at the time of breeding. This is why Wonder's prefix is LDR, even though she was foaled at our house. (On our anniversary actually! Her dam was wonderful, and let me watch the birth!) The second part of the name is the name of the stallion. In Wonder's case, her sire was Humeny Blackjack Ghost. The final part of the name can be whatever the owner wishes-but must start with a designated letter for that year. In Wonder's case it was "P", so we came up with "Premiere" as she was our first Canadian foal. (we call her "Wonder" though, b/c at first, not realising that the letter was "P" and not "O", (which is never used), I had been mistakenly calling her "Oneder"). She is also our "Wonder" filly, b/c we almost lost her as a two week old foal. The vet was shocked that, with the high temperature she had, that she was even standing. So it was a "Wonder" she even made it!

(Look at those loooong legs!!)

Two years ago, when Wishes was born, I was rather certain he would be a colt, b/c our Jacob, born only a couple days earlier, had been a boy, and we had sort of a boy theme going on with the births around our place. I wonder (secretly hope! :) ) if the same thing will happen this year as well-that our excitedly awaited new baby will be the same gender as this year's foal? In any case, seeing Wonder out, so proud and happy being a mama, really and truly, FINALLY, brought tears to my eyes. So beautiful!!

(One proud Mama horse!!)