Jewel

Another cold morning but this one turned into a beautiful day. The second in a row.  Right after the walk Foxy and Sheena's udders were checked and there is no change in either one.  As soon as Foxy starts to bag up more she will need to come back here to be stalled as this will be her first foal.  Galena and her colt,  Ayanna and her colt, and Rosalie and her filly were turned out into the pond pasture.  I really wanted to see if Rosalie is in season but she was not and neither were the other two. I took a few pictures of them enjoying their freedom.

 Below Ayanna is warning the other two mares not to get too close. 

A few of my favorite pictures:

 Above is Ayanna's colt by Evan and below is his cousin and half sister Claire, Rosalie's filly by Evan. Rosalie and Ayanna are full sisters out of Lily by Raven. 

 Above is Claire and below is Drifter, Galena's colt by Valiant. 

All three had a good time. Rosalie's filly was brought inside, haltered and handled. She did very well today, remembering everything and standing quietly as each of her 4 hooves were picked up.  Once she was put away, Ayanna and her colt were put in the breeding shed paddock then Galena and her colt moved in with them. By first turning them out together in a large area they were fine to be together with their foals in a paddock. Jury was teased and showed well. She stood  very well for Valiant and it was a successful cover.  The only other mare showing was Hadassah but she was covered yesterday so will try her tomorrow morning. Next it was Lola's colt's turn for handling. I had someone wanting to see updated pictures and today was warm enough to clean those white legs but still too cold to clean the mud off his belly. His legs weren't too bad and he stood well for that.

 He also got a haltering, tying and hoof pick up lesson. For some reason Lola's foals are all very easy, they come out loving people and this one is no different then the rest of Lola's foals.  

That is the reason we ALWAYS breed Lola back to Valiant. Why mess with success.  Once those pictures were sent to the person interested I left for Middle Grove. Today I was meeting Karin after she got off work to bring Jewel home. Jewel isn't due for 11 more days but typically goes early. When I arrived the horses were in sight, at least most of them.  This was good news and bad. For some reason today (it could be the burrs in their manes) I couldn't tell the mares apart. The good news is I could tell almost all of them are pregnant. Still can't tell with Oksana, Indy or Tatiana as they aren't due until September but Rosaleigh, Roxanne, Wicktoria, and Zalena are all carrying a baby bump. I forgot the camera so no pictures from Middle Grove today.  Jewel had just rolled in one of the big mud puddles and was dripping wet with slavered mud on each side.  Once home she was taken right to the wash rack and hosed off before taking her into a stall to remove any burrs in her mane, forelock and tail.  Mark got home from work before she was finished.  She was put in the field, Missy and Star stalled, fed and watered and just as I was going to head to the house to make dinner Rhonda called to tell me that Tara saw a baby out in Mike and Diane's drive. When I hear baby I take off running believing either Sheena or Foxy must have delivered and the baby slipped under the fence. It wasn't a baby, it was Easter Bonnet who is a yearling. I just led her back into the cabin field. I'm not sure how she got out but she is such a sweetie she was standing there waiting for someone to put her away.  Right after supper Spark and Rhonda's kids and grandkids came over to see the babies and discovered a piece of electric fence wire caught on a colt's leg. He was taken into the stall, haltered and tied so that could be removed safely. No damage done but I was SO thankful they saw it and let us know. That was the 3rd foal that got a haltering, tying, and hoof lesson today. 

The last trip up to the barn was to do a last check of the udders, scoop up any manure or wet spot in the stalls and turn off the lights. Star is still not showing any sign of wanting to deliver. Missy had a few drops of colostrum on her udder tonight but both mares are standing quietly in their stalls so probably no baby again tonight. I'm going to sleep good tonight!