# Bella's Foaling Thread (2021 APHA)



## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

Aces April Dawn aka Bella was bred to Sexy N My Carharts for a May 2021 foal.

My luck hasnt been the best with this whole breeding thing....originally I had Bella booked to a Shire stallion, due to coronavirus, and a few second thoughts/bad feelings about the breeder, I cancelled the breeding. Breeder told me she would refund, and here we are 7 months since I sent the stud fee and she tells me if I want my stud fee back I can take her to court....so I started searching for versatile, calm, nice demeanor, good conformation Quarter or Paint horses....I love flashy Paints, so opted to go with Sexy N My Carharts. He is APHA, AQHA, PtHA, NSBA.....he is also overo but does not carry to LWO gene, instead carries the W20 gene.

Bella was originally bred back in May, confirmed in foal at her 14 day ultrasound, at her 30 day ultrasound she was no longer pregnant. I decided to give it another try as my vet was certain it must have been a hormonal inbalence. So mid June she was AI'd again....she was put on regumate the day after she was bred, confirmed in foal at her 14 day ultrasound, and was deemed still pregnant at her 30 day ultrasound yesterday! Heartbeat looks good, and everything looked great! She did end up having a caslick done yesterday. 60 day ultrasound is scheduled for mid August.

I am beyond excited for this foal! Gender and color make absolutely no difference to me, but as a Paint horse enthusiast, obviously Im hoping for some flashy markings! 

Bella has had 2 foals, one in 2017, and one in 2018. Both chestnut overo fillies.....color chances in this breeding are Buckskin, Bay, Chestnut, Black, and Palomino with high chances of Buckskin and Bay.


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## JoBlueQuarter (Jan 20, 2017)

:clap: Great! Can't wait for baby


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

Looking forward to foal pictures come next spring!


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

Figured Id update.....this past Monday, August 10th, Bella had her 60 day ultrasound.....everything looked picture perfect! Vet believes the foal is a colt from looking at the ultrasound.


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

Wow! they can sex the colt that early! How cool. Looking forward to that baby next year


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

carshon said:


> Wow! they can sex the colt that early! How cool. Looking forward to that baby next year


My vet said its pretty hard....she did say shes right 50% of the time! LOL But was fairly certain it was a colt!


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## Palfrey (May 29, 2020)

Can't wait to see the foal--I'm especially curious to find out the color! Wishing you and her the best of luck!


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

csimkunas6 said:


> My vet said its pretty hard....she did say shes right 50% of the time! LOL But was fairly certain it was a colt!


You'll have to ask her if she's related to Doc Ferris in Indiana. Years ago before ultrasounds I had the vet out to palpate a mare to check for pregnancy. "Yep," he says, "and it's in the left horn so she's going to have a colt." So for 10 months I went around telling people that. By the time the foal was born that vet had retired from large animals but was still doing small so I called him to tell him that the mare had a nice healthy bay colt and that he'd been right about the sex. He said, "I usually am about half the time" and started laughing while I sputtered and said "WAIT, you mean you made that up? I've repeated that to people who probably now think I'm as nuts as you are!" Which only made him laugh harder. He was quite a character.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

Can't wait to see who this baby looks like when it gets here. Congrats, so happy that it stuck this time.

I did the same thing that you did in changing studs with Laela.
I had paid for the stud fee and then Laela had a pasture accident and totaled her hock. I wasn't sure if she would ever be able to be ridden again or even bred. 18 months later I was starting to ride her again so I also wanted to breed her again. By that time I started re thinking who I wanted to breed her with. I never asked for the stud fee back though because it was no fault of theirs that I changed my mind.


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

LoriF said:


> Can't wait to see who this baby looks like when it gets here. Congrats, so happy that it stuck this time.
> 
> I did the same thing that you did in changing studs with Laela.
> I had paid for the stud fee and then Laela had a pasture accident and totaled her hock. I wasn't sure if she would ever be able to be ridden again or even bred. 18 months later I was starting to ride her again so I also wanted to breed her again. By that time I started re thinking who I wanted to breed her with. I never asked for the stud fee back though because it was no fault of theirs that I changed my mind.


Thank you! So are we......as far as the Shire breeding goes, I was ready to go. Had my mare UTD on all vaccines, health exam done, breeding exam done....literally everything the Shire owner requested I had done. Breeding was scheduled for April 10th......I emailed her April 2nd making sure everything was good, didnt hear anything back from her until April 10th stating I couldnt bring my mare there due to covid-19.....asked for another date and she couldnt give me one. Communication on their part became more and more sporadic and I was left having absolutely no idea what was going on with the breeding. I had no issue not getting the $200 booking fee as that was nonrefundable, but the $475 stud fee, I felt as thought it should have been returned as she couldnt keep me informed as to what was going on. 

BUT its all said and done now....Im $675 in the hole and I have learned my lesson! Digging into them more, I found that they have done the same thing to others and are not 100% reliable and are a sketchy place to work with, not to mention they require things of outside mares such as hoof trimming that they dont have done for their own horses, so you live and learn, its all in the past now


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

Yeah, people can sure be flaky sometimes. I'm glad that you were able to just let it go. Piece of mind is far more valuable and worth a lot more than 675. dollars. unethical people always end up paying for their deeds anyway. Besides, this baby is going to be beautiful. 

I just love your mare.


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

LoriF said:


> Yeah, people can sure be flaky sometimes. I'm glad that you were able to just let it go. Piece of mind is far more valuable and worth a lot more than 675. dollars. unethical people always end up paying for their deeds anyway. Besides, this baby is going to be beautiful.
> 
> I just love your mare.


Thats how I look at it  Wasnt meant to happen, I believe this stallion compliments my mare much more than the Shire stallion, so all working out 

And thank you! Im very excited!


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

So we have made it to 5 months along! According to a few sites I've found, the foal is approximately the size of a rabbit. As per my breeding contract, Bella has to have the rhino vaccine at 3,5,7, and 9 months along. Her 5mo appointment is scheduled for Tuesday so looking forward to that! My vet is so good at reassuring me that I'm doing everything right and that all is going well with the pregnancy! I worry quite a bit since she absorbed the first pregnancy! I've been given the go ahead to stop using regumate so that will be pretty nice to not have to do every morning!

I started to buy supplies for a foaling kit this past week, figured if I started buying a few things every month by the time May comes along Ill be more than prepared! So any name suggestions? I believe we figured a name out but Im always open to other ideas for names! I havent figured anything that incorporates both their registered names that I like though.....


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

csimkunas6 said:


> I havent figured anything that incorporates both their registered names that I like though.....





csimkunas6 said:


> Aces April Dawn aka Bella was bred to Sexy N My Carharts for a May 2021 foal.


Still Sexy at Dawn
Aces N My Carharts

The foal is going to be here before you know it!


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

Aces Up My Carharts How many letters including spaces do they allow now? I'm pretty sure it used to be 21 for APHA.


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

phantomhorse13 said:


> Still Sexy at Dawn
> Aces N My Carharts
> 
> The foal is going to be here before you know it!


Love Still Sexy at Dawn! And yes! Time is flying!!


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

JCnGrace said:


> Aces Up My Carharts How many letters including spaces do they allow now? I'm pretty sure it used to be 21 for APHA.


21 sounds about right although I havent looked for a little while now! Aces Up My Carharts is a good one too!!


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

Bella is just a few days shy of 6mo pregnant now! Kinda got big overnight it seems lol. All is well, no twins, vet says shes healthy. She has her 7mo Rhino vaccine and general exam already scheduled! Overall, really not much longer to go. Ive begun gathering supplies for the foaling kit and really just need to pick up a few more things and it will be complete! I am getting more and more excited everyday! Bella has always been friendly but the further along she gets, it seems the friendlier she gets as well, although Im sure that will change as w near the home run!


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## Palfrey (May 29, 2020)

She looks great! Excited for you! The background in your pictures is gorgeous!


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

Palfrey said:


> She looks great! Excited for you! The background in your pictures is gorgeous!


Thanks so much!


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## ~Wildheart~ (Nov 17, 2020)

I can’t wait to see pictures of the foal! Gonna be a beauty for sure.


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

A little over 200 days in now. I reached out to the previous owner that bred her in 2017 and 2018 to get an idea on how long she's gone in the past, not that it matters as she's going to keep this baby as long as she chooses. Both previous pregnancies Bella went over 340 days but under 345 so we'll see what she decides to do. Regardless we have 4.5 months or so left. 
I still have quite a bit to do but overall most doesnt need to start happening until a month or so away so I have plenty of time to be getting everything done.


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

Yesterday was day 230! Starting to go by pretty fast now! I have everything on my list for foaling supplies now, just have to start looking for some straw which I have a strong lead on so thats a plus! I scheduled her 9mo Rhino Vaccine appointment for early March already, can only imagine how big Bella is going to get with over 3months to go! LOL
She gave me a good scare this morning, she was no where to be seen for her grain this morning, so I took a drive to the run in and where their hay is kept and there she was laying down relaxing! She got up, not sweaty, normal temp, gut sounds, and then she proceeded to follow me along the truck up to the barn, what a Queen she is haha!


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

Cannot wait for Baby pics!


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

Bella is at day 253! She's been increasingly sweeter and sweeter, not that shes never not sweet just more so than usual the further we get along into her pregnancy, so far anyways! Im sure that'll change when she gets near the end! Her 9mo vaccine is right around the corner, and then in April she'll have yet another appointment, she'll have her caslick removed and all her vaccines will get updated which actually works out perfect because she'll actually be due for them then anyways! 
Baby has been moving more and more! I love watching the little kicks, Im hoping Ill eventually be able to get a video but it seems anytime I attempt to video movement, baby decides not to move an inch LOL. 
I attempted a maternity shoot with Bella. She wouldnt keep the flower crown I made, and the ribbons didnt look as I had pictured! I ordered a new halter for her that should be in today or tomorrow, once it arrives Ill be attempting some more pics and Ill try a few different things with the ribbon so hopefully photos will come out much better!


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## SummerAwaits (May 18, 2013)

csimkunas6 said:


> Bella is at day 253! She's been increasingly sweeter and sweeter, not that shes never not sweet just more so than usual the further we get along into her pregnancy, so far anyways! Im sure that'll change when she gets near the end! Her 9mo vaccine is right around the corner, and then in April she'll have yet another appointment, she'll have her caslick removed and all her vaccines will get updated which actually works out perfect because she'll actually be due for them then anyways!
> Baby has been moving more and more! I love watching the little kicks, Im hoping Ill eventually be able to get a video but it seems anytime I attempt to video movement, baby decides not to move an inch LOL.
> I attempted a maternity shoot with Bella. She wouldnt keep the flower crown I made, and the ribbons didnt look as I had pictured! I ordered a new halter for her that should be in today or tomorrow, once it arrives Ill be attempting some more pics and Ill try a few different things with the ribbon so hopefully photos will come out much better!
> View attachment 1109659
> View attachment 1109660


She is just so beautiful  I cannot wait to see this baby


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

@SummerAwaits thank you!

Bella has reached day 280! She had her 9mo rhino vaccine, and in a few weeks Ill be trailering her to my vet to have her caslick reversed so to speak, she'll also be getting all her other vaccines as well. 

Foal moves around quite a bit during feedings, I was finally able to get a video of the movement a few days ago, every time I start recording the foal stops moving! LOL.

Bella is starting to shed out, her dapples are shining through which I absolutely love and she overall just looks fantastic in my opinion! I've been getting all the last minute preparations done, just bought supplies this morning to make the walls to the stall solid all around, not sure if you can tell in the pic but the front of their stalls are open with two wooden fence boards, so that will be made solid like the rest of her stall, besides that and finally straw at a reasonable distance, everything is set and ready!


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

I was wanting to wait until day 300 to post these but I cant wait any longer, if you're on my Facebook or Instagram, you've already seen these but I finally got around to a re-do maternity shoot with Ms Bella with much better luck in my opinion!

So here we are at day 295! Bella is BIG! She's had some changes, filling up in her udders just the slightest amount already, she'd like to be fed 3 meals a day LOL but thats not needed considering she has 24/7 access to hay and 20 acres to roam and graze on as she pleases, shes not starving by any means despite her attempts to get even more grain!

Her reverse caslick surgery is in 10 days, she'll get another check up and get all her vaccines updated at that appointment as well. Anyways on to the pics!!!!


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

Since we're about a little over a month away, I added a poll to this thread! Vet believes its a colt based on the ultrasound done at day 60 or so.
I have four color possibilities.....Bay, Buckskin, Chestnut, and Palomino. So vote in the poll as to what you think the foal will be. Chance for Paint markings according to the online color calculator is 50/50 (genetically anyways). Bella is a frame carrier and and the stallion carries W20!


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

Voted for an overo buckskin colt. Just for giggles I'll guess further that he won't be loud and it will mostly show up as face and leg white.


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

JCnGrace said:


> Voted for an overo buckskin colt. Just for giggles I'll guess further that he won't be loud and it will mostly show up as face and leg white.


That's my guess as well! As far as how loud I cant make my mind up! Stallion seems to have a lot of solid colored babies....Bella has had two very loudly marked fillies, was bred to the same stallion that looks like her basically (marking wise) so Im incredibly curious to see markings!


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

I know I was always anxious to see to how our paint foals would be marked too. Part of the fun of having them. LOL


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

I voted for a solid buckskin filly, because I am generally not right.. so hope that brings you something loudly marked!


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

phantomhorse13 said:


> I voted for a solid buckskin filly, because I am generally not right.. so hope that brings you something loudly marked!


Haha! Im the same way, hoping I'm right this time although to be honest, I could get a solid palomino filly (which is my least wanted combo) and Ill be completed happy! Regardless what this foal comes out as or looking like....its stuck with me forever! 😂


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

Bella had her caslick removed on Monday. She was great for the trailer ride there, the procedure, her vaccine and loading.....what she was NOT good for was catching her the morning of the procedure.

She's been a hard to catch horse since Ive had her but its progressively gotten so much better I didnt think Id have any issues catching her. Wrong! And to add a 10mo pregnant horse is just as fast as a not-pregnant horse haha! She was faster than Rodeo before she got pregnant and continues to be faster even nearing the end!

Vet said she looks fantastic and that based off how she looks doesnt expect her to foal for another 30-35 days


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

Bella is 320 days along on Tuesday! Her bag has started to fill quite a bit since the vet 2 weeks ago, I still dont expect her to release her hostage until further along as she foaled after 340 days her last two pregnancies, but she could surprise me. Her separate pasture is set and ready to go, but Ill probably wait to put her in there this weekend.


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

She looks great!


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

carshon said:


> She looks great!


Thanks so much!


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

Tomorrow Bella will be 330 days pregnant! Her udder/bag started to fill earlier this week and Ive been taking pics morning and night to be able to compare each day. I started to stall her at night several days ago to see how she does being stalled, I have a camera up in there and she is relatively boring lol. She's very calm and pretty much dozes off majority of the night. I have her "pasture" set up and ready to go. My gelding is a bit over the top at times and so for the safety of everyone really, Bella and her foal will be in their own pasture until I feel all has calmed down.

Originally my plan was to start stalling her and pasturing in her own pasture at 320 days but she didnt look anywhere near close to foaling anytime soon, now that her bag is increasing in size everyday Ill probably start pasturing her by herself within the next few days. The positive thing about her own private pasture is that its actually my arena, well was intended for that originally, LOL....but the other other horses are surrounding and have access to the fence line which I believe will be my safest bet for them getting used to the foal once he/she arrives! 

Besides Bella literally looking like a milk cow, the muscles around her tail head have started just slightly to relax more....since she foaled after 340 her last two pregnancies, I have a feeling she'll be the same with this one but regardless, I'm ready whenever she is!










Now hopefully the next time I update this, itll be with foal photos! Fingers crossed for a buckskin overo colt but in all honesty it can come out a purple people eating monster and Ill be ecstatic!


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

On Monday May 17th Bella was 340 days along, the next day I woke up to her waxing.....by noon she was dripping milk, so I knew she was close, literally didnt take my eyes off of her. 1:30 am on May 19th Bella had her absolutely gorgeous foal!

I was fully expecting a buckskin colt so when a jet black filly came out I was in complete shock. I honestly thought Id be disappointed if Bella's foal came out a filly or with no Paint markings, and I can tell you there is absolutely no disappointment in this incredibly gorgeous filly! 

Birth went well, I did end up helping Bella a bit but hardly did anything, baby was trying to stand before she was even out all the way! Bella is absolutely in love and a lot more protective than I was expecting. I came up with the name "Lacey" for her, which plays in very well to the registered name I am planning on naming her! Im also very very interested in her color genetics....it is VERY possible she carries a W20 and a frame gene so will be getting her tested soon! As far as her color Im thinking shes bay, a friend of mine thinks she is black and several people think she is smokey black. We'll see!


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

My timing into this thread was perfect! Lol. She’s a beauty!!! Congratulations!


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## knightrider (Jun 27, 2014)

She is spectacular! What a beauty! I love smoky blacks!


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

Well done Bella! Congrats to both of you for that gorgeous filly. I wouldn't be in the least bit disappointed either.


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

I have been waiting for this post! She is gorgeous!


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

Weather has been quite crazy here in Montana! We always need rain, so rain is always good, its when its in the 30s and raining and at the end of May that seems a bit crazy! But the weather cooperated enough yesterday to get Bella and Lacey out in the pasture for the day! They've had a run outside their stall, but its not quite the same! Lacey loved every second of being out! She did laps around and kept Bella pretty active which was great as Bella still had a bit of edema from the pregnancy. 

It was quite obvious however that the arena that I was planning on using as a pasture for Lacey to really find her legs in isnt going to work long term by any means, so we're buying posts first thing in the morning and sectioning off about an acre-2 acre section for the time being. Rodeo and Squishy have been a little too interested in Lacey and Bella isnt having it, so going to keep them separated a bit longer than I originally intended which Im nowhere near but looking like it might need to be slightly longer than a month which is when I thought would be the right time to let everyone out together, which it may be but Im going to take the 100% safest option! Anyways enjoy pics from her third day out in the world!

Still no clue on color, Im sticking with bay, stallion owner thinks buckskin, and Bella's past owner thinks black haha so genetic color test will reveal it sooner than later!


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## SummerAwaits (May 18, 2013)

Wow congratulations!! She is beautiful!! Keep her lolol I bet bay splash/overo or smoky black splash/overo


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

The filly is adorable! If she's anything like her mom, I want her!


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

Lacey turned a week old yesterday! She's a pretty friendly, curious little thing. Bella doesnt want the geldings anywhere near her, so we're fencing in about an acre section for them to be on for a little while longer, hopefully Ill either have more sections fenced off to start rotating, or Rodeo will relax some and Ill be able to turn them all out together. We'll see!


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

She's got some legs on her! About what height are you expecting her to be?


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

JCnGrace said:


> She's got some legs on her! About what height are you expecting her to be?


She sure does! Dad is 16hh and mom is 15.1hh.....so Im figuring right in the middle at 15.2hh-15.3hh but from what Ive been seeing, Dad seems to throw some height. A yearling of his is currently the size of a 3yr old, granted I dont know the mother of the yearling's height or the breeding of the 3yr old so


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

Finished fencing off a new section a few days ago. Turned Bella and Lacey onto it around 2pm to watch and make sure all was good with the fencing. Lacey and Bella absolutely love the new space! We're currently working on the fencing of another section thats about 3times the size of this one, but has a lot more permanent hazards in it....such as a rock wall and native plants, this section probably wont be done for another week or two but they have plenty of room at the moment and it'll get Lacey even more preparation for an even bigger area!

I put a halter on her day 1 and continued doing so for several days, she got to a point where we were actually regressing with progress and she didnt want a thing to do with me, so I took a step back and started from the beginning, we're back to Lacey letting me touch her all over, she loves to be scratched and absolutely craves butt scratches. Lol....last night she started following me around the pasture and this morning she stood still and let me spray fly spray all over her like shes always had it done. Im really hoping I can get a halter on her again soon but Im taking my time and trying not to rush everything! Plus side is, we have all the time in the world and I dont need to get frustrated if I cant stick to the timeline I made up in my head lol which is what I was doing. Im starting to realize she does things on HER timeline and not mine lol, much different than my go with the flow gelding.

Anyways, time for pics! She quite enjoyed the extra room right off the bat, Bella continues to relax more and more everyday although the geldings are not wanted anywhere along the fenceline, so its been rather interesting.

Edited to add.... Im sending off hairs to get Lacey color/genetic tested. Shes 5 panel negative by parentage but Im curious as to what color genes she has from her sire and dam.....I know Bella has a copy of LWO, and the sire has a copy of W20, so Im curious as to if she picked up both of those and if she has some splash thrown in there too!Super excited to find out!


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