# Lizzie's Pregnancy Thread



## Remali (Jul 22, 2008)

Looking forward to pics of your mare, she sounds very pretty!


----------



## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

And I know of no worthwhile registry that would accept that cross unless by some miracle the foal had pinto markings, than you could register with PtHA. 

All foaling threads require current pictures of the mare as she progresses... And pics of daddy to be if possible. 

Hope you have at least a barn, preferably with a heat source for foaling around February/March. The risks to a foal in cold temperatures are very high when exposed to all the outdoor winter elements. Keeping a foal warm and dry are essential for foals born early in the year.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

I'll post some pictures when I get the time. We don't have a barn, but there is a boarding barn a couple miles away. If she looks like she is going to foal and it's still cold, I'll board her for a month or two possibly. I will also get a foal blanket, and if possible, get some sort of heated shelter set up. The dad is a pinto, but I don't know much about the pinto registration. Lizzie isn't registered and don't both parents need to be registered? I'm guessing that this baby is bound to be grade.


----------



## TimWhit91 (Feb 3, 2012)

Not for registering pinto. As long as the baby has pinto markings it can be registered with them
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

If the sire is a pinto, there's no way he's a QH. He's either APHA or a grade pinto stock horse type. 

As for registration, IF the baby ends up with color, here's the guidelines for registration with the PtHA (only registry the foal could possibly be registered with): Registration


----------



## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

DraftyAiresMum said:


> If the sire is a pinto, there's no way he's a QH. He's either APHA or a grade pinto stock horse type.
> 
> As for registration, IF the baby ends up with color, here's the guidelines for registration with the PtHA (only registry the foal could possibly be registered with): Registration


Umm... I think you forgot about the AQHA rule change about excessive white ;-)

A stallion can be registered with AQHA and be pinto marked (just not tobiano pinto)


----------



## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

Ebonyisforme said:


> I'll post some pictures when I get the time. We don't have a barn, but there is a boarding barn a couple miles away. If she looks like she is going to foal and it's still cold, I'll board her for a month or two possibly. I will also get a foal blanket, and if possible, get some sort of heated shelter set up. The dad is a pinto, but I don't know much about the pinto registration. Lizzie isn't registered and don't both parents need to be registered? I'm guessing that this baby is bound to be grade.


You need to talk to the boarding barn well in advance as they may not have room or want to have a mare foaling on their property (liability/safety/preference/space available). Just like you don't breed a boarded mare without talking to the barn owners first or knowingly buy a pregnant mare without telling the barn owners where you board... You cannot use a boarding barn as your backup plan unless you have already made arrangements with them so you don't throw a desperate situation on them at the last minute. You need to know about bedding, feed, costs, stall cleaning and any rules pertaining to who has access. And for a Febuary/March foal, expect and plan for the weather to be against you. Be ready for the worst case scenario and the rest will simply fall into place 

Doesn't the previous owner know exactly when her stallion got out with the mare and for how long before they were seperated? A responsible stallion owner would at least write down the dates as they need those for accurate stallion reports whether or not it was an intentional breeding.


----------



## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

SunnyDraco said:


> Umm... I think you forgot about the AQHA rule change about excessive white ;-)
> 
> A stallion can be registered with AQHA and be pinto marked (just not tobiano pinto)


You're right. I always forget that. :icon_rolleyes: Ugh. I hate today.


----------



## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

SunnyDraco said:


> Umm... I think you forgot about the AQHA rule change about excessive white ;-)
> 
> A stallion can be registered with AQHA and be pinto marked (just not tobiano pinto)



Just curious, why not tobiano?


----------



## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

LoriF said:


> Just curious, why not tobiano?


The tobiano gene is not present in quarter horses and thoroughbreds. There are tobiano pintos in the paint registry because there were other grade stock built horses with tobiano pinto patterns which were allowed to register with APHA when APHA was new and open books. Closed books now and those paints with tobiano have the tobiano trace back to lines dating to grade horses.


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Sire is a overo. The owner doesn't know because apparently, he just had them out in big pastures and then came to check on them and he was with her.


----------



## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

Ebonyisforme said:


> Sire is a overo. The owner doesn't know because apparently, he just had them out in big pastures and then came to check on them and he was with her.


"Overo" is very vague as it is simply "not tobiano"... Has he been tested for frame? Has your mare been tested for frame? I believe Tennesse Walkers are one of the breeds who have individuals who have tested positive for frame and frame may or may not be expressed on carriers.


----------



## TessaMay (Jul 26, 2013)

Considering this was an accidental breeding by what sounds like a less than reputable breeder/owner I doubt that the mare at least has been tested for frame. Since the OP didn't know she was pregnant when she got her, I don't think there's much point in testing now, since what could be done? I believe the OP has expressed in other threads that she would not consider aborting the baby so whether frame is present or not, it would be a wait a hope sort of situation regardless of testing. 

Hope everything goes well for you Ebony! At least you have quite a while to prepare for the baby. 

I'd personally look into getting a good, roomy, warm shelter built well before she's due if you are able to. Somewhere she can be apart from your other horses and sheltered, but still have plenty of room for foaling. She'll be more comfortable foaling in her own home anyway and the boarding barn near you might not be able or willing to accommodate you. 

Do you live in a place that gets very cold in the winter?


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

It can get under 0 sometimes. Definitely not by far the coldest in the world, but it does get pretty chilly. A foot or two of snow on the ground. Although, last year, we had a very mild winter.


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Pictures of her saddled are from today. Picture without her saddled are at 2-3 months when we first found out about the pregnancy.


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

At 5 months, we will get her first set of shots. And, I think that I will start feeding her grain around 8 months, or when Winter really hits as our horses tend to get skinny over the winter even with upped hay.


----------



## LilyandPistol (Dec 2, 2014)

Subbing


----------



## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Well 50% that the foal is grey so that makes pinto even less likely...


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Yeah, this foal will most likely be grade. :/


----------



## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Well the foal IS a grade. As is the mare. If there is a grade the offspring are always a grade.

There are breed registries that accept part breds. Half Arabians for example- as long as one parent is registered the foal can be registered. (though many are crossed with other purebreds as opposed to grades it can be done).

Color registries and similar are just that. They do not make the horse a purebred or a breed they are just a way to register the horse. Not a bad thing but they don't make a grade horse ungrade. "Grade" just means "mutt" or "not purebred" or even "unpapered" (you have an unregistered purebred) though I don't agree with the last one.

Registering him if possible is great. If not then there's nothing wrong with that. There are plenty of unregistered horses out there, it's not a good thing, but it's not a bad thing either.

But the foal (and mare) ARE "grade" regardless.

Hey at this point just worry about a sound sane and healthy foal. I know plenty of really nice grades.

Not knowing anything about dad is worrisome (is he tested? can you find out?) but mom is at least decent if not breeding quality. With luck you'll have a nice foal registration or not.


----------



## Tazzie (Nov 8, 2011)

Yogiwick said:


> Well 50% that the foal is grey so that makes pinto even less likely...


How does being grey make pinto even less likely? Clearly my mare missed this memo...

And good luck OP. I have always had a soft spot for grey mares. Lizzie looks like a sweet mare.


----------



## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Ebony, I realize that it's probably your parents feeding the horses and providing shelter, but your nonchalance about your horses getting skinny over the winter worries me. Large weight fluctuations are damaging to a horse. Plus, they need the extra weight in winter to help keep warm. Then there's the fact that on top of losing weight in your harsh winters, they don't even have shelter to help protect them.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Tazzie said:


> How does being grey make pinto even less likely? Clearly my mare missed this memo...
> 
> And good luck OP. I have always had a soft spot for grey mares. Lizzie looks like a sweet mare.


Point made 

I'm just unsure for color registration purposes how that would work.

I guess if you have a very obviously marked pinto foal that does grey out later but does not look grey as a foal and is registered as a foal that would work.

Your mare is very obviously a pinto but there are plenty of older grey horses with white markings that are NOT obvious unless the horse is wet. For a color registry I'm unsure how that would work.


----------



## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

I'm curious where Ebony lives.

In most places some shelter is a legal requirement. She may have a run in shed I'm not sure.

I agree with the sentiment though. Our horses never lose weight as we feed more as needed.


----------



## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Yogiwick said:


> Point made
> 
> I'm just unsure for color registration purposes how that would work.
> 
> ...


Since in this case the foal would be registered while it was still young and would not be born obviously grey, the foal could be registered pinto, even if it ended up grey. Now, if we were talking about an older horse who had gone "white" already, I would assume that as long as you can provide photographic proof that the horse has pinto markings (i.e.-pics of the horse as a foal or pics of the horse wetted down to show the markings), it could be registered with the PtHA.

However, since the foal in question would be registered as a foal, whether it is grey or not is a moot point, as it will be born a solid color, then grey out eventually.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Yogiwick said:


> I'm curious where Ebony lives.
> 
> In most places some shelter is a legal requirement. She may have a run in shed I'm not sure.
> 
> I agree with the sentiment though. Our horses never lose weight as we feed more as needed.


I believe she has said she's in Utah, IIRC.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Tazzie (Nov 8, 2011)

As Drafty said, the foal would most likely be registered as a foal when the patterns are still very prominent. And my mare is not normally that easy to see her pattern. I've had judges ask what her other half is since all they originally saw was her pink/white chin. She's a registered Half Arab and I never bothered to register her PtHA. There are more than enough Arab classes in our area that I don't need to add another registry to her.

And I didn't catch the skinny in the winter. I'd be doing what you can to keep all of your horses from dropping weight in the winter. Our friend/barn owner feeds a lot more hay in the winter (bales inside the run in barn area to give them something to munch on indoors, a round bale outside to munch out when they want to be out). He also ups the grain for everyone in the winter as is needed. Sometimes he checks with me before uping my girl's food, but he knows I'd rather her be at a great weight year round than to ever look skinny.


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Sorry, I must have not been very clear. If we don't up hay and grain they start getting skinny. We give 2-4 cups of grain a day starting around December and up the hay. They do have shelter, but nothing to foal in, for sure! I'm going to definitely get a foal blanket. And I am going to do my best to get a stall or something arranged. Thanks for all the kind comments, I absolutely love Lizzie!


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Nothing to do with her pregnancy, but I am hauling her to our first jumping lesson today! So...some advice? How long until I should stop doing hard work like jumping, loping, etc.?


----------



## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

is she sound at the moment? last i saw she was dead lame. hope it goes well.


----------



## Roman (Jun 13, 2014)

Um...I thought she was lame like not more than a month ago. >.>


----------



## Rainaisabelle (Jan 2, 2015)

Ebonyisforme said:


> Nothing to do with her pregnancy, but I am hauling her to our first jumping lesson today! So...some advice? How long until I should stop doing hard work like jumping, loping, etc.?


How far a long is she? 

Honestly if she was lame I wouldn't be working her period considering the pregnancy would already be putting stress on her body? 

But that's up to you ?


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

She's not lame. We had xrays and the vet determined it wasn't arthritis and because she has such a short back, you couldn't tell, but her feet were about a inch long on the breakover point. She also had tender soles and walking hurt, so we got shoes on her and a extra short trim and now she is like new!


----------



## Rainaisabelle (Jan 2, 2015)

Ebonyisforme said:


> She's not lame. We had xrays and the vet determined it wasn't arthritis and because she has such a short back, you couldn't tell, but her feet were about a inch long on the breakover point. She also had tender soles and walking hurt, so we got shoes on her and a extra short trim and now she is like new!


Okay but how far along is she? Jumping puts a lot of stress on a horse I probably wouldn't be jumping her?


----------



## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

Pregnancy is not a time to try new things that have physical strain or train. During pregnancy, you don't over stress a mare which means you work to keep in shape (don't work to get the mare in better shape) with a normal exercise routine that is what she is already conditioned for.


----------



## Roman (Jun 13, 2014)

When she's got 5-6 months left, I would not be jumping her at all.


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

She is only 3-4 months along. But, I don't know that I will actually start jumping or not. I really would like to get her going on something though because before I got her, she was just sitting for a year so she is overweight and out of shape and I would like to get her in shape before she foals.


----------



## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

^Why? She's just gonna sit and get out of shape and pregnancy is not the time to say "hmm lets get her in shape!!"

Have you been around pregnant (anything) much?

Since when you got her she wouldn't go unless you grabbed her tail I would make your project teaching her basic riding skills.

All you're gonna do is stress her physically and mentally. She needs pampering right now.

Not learning new things and DEFINITELY not getting in shape!! Not healthy either.


----------



## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Also, there is a reason many broodmares have no training. Nothing wrong with sitting.

Her weight looks just fine from the pics I have seen and while it's obviously a pic on the internet she is definitely within normal and healthy.

Not to mention a pregnant mare SHOULD be kept slightly on the heavy side.

Don't try to get her to lose weight. If anything you should be adding.


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Oh, I know she shouldn't lose weight. I am taking your advice into hand, and we will just be doing groundwork to gain respect at this lesson for the first half and then I am hauling Midnight for the riding portion.  Lizzie is doing way better with riding now, though. All I say is "walk" "Trot" or "lope" and she usually goes into that gait. Occasionally she won't and then I give her a squeeze and she does. The only time I have had to do anything past that is when another horse stops and she thinks that means she does too and then I hit her on the bum and she gets going again. So, she has come a long ways!


----------



## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Glad she is doing so well!!

No reason you shouldn't be riding her at this point, but it should be "relaxed". You can even ride her in your lesson depending on what you're doing.

Regarding hauling I would be hesitant to haul a pregnant mare a ton. I know some horses turn into nervous wrecks and even if she doesn't it's still some degree of stress and mostly unmeasurable. She is also exposed to more.

I guess I was confused by your overweight comment.


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

I just meant that she is more fat and less muscle, sorry for not being more clear. She does get stressed out in the trailer. She gets claustrophobic. But I don't know if I should stop bringing her to lessons because she gets out and gets a bit better each time. :/


----------



## Rainaisabelle (Jan 2, 2015)

Ebonyisforme said:


> I just meant that she is more fat and less muscle, sorry for not being more clear. She does get stressed out in the trailer. She gets claustrophobic. But I don't know if I should stop bringing her to lessons because she gets out and gets a bit better each time. :/


I would wait until after the goal. Do some dressage work and trail riding keep it relaxed.


----------



## Rainaisabelle (Jan 2, 2015)

*foal lol


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Okay, I will. Or only take her occasionally. I don't want to hurt her or her baby. Midnight did really good at our lesson yesterday! We started working on side passing, leg pressures, half halts, and getting her collected. All in one hour. She hadn't done any of that before. But, she was catching on really quick. Still have a LONG ways to go, but we'll get there!


----------



## Rainaisabelle (Jan 2, 2015)

I really think you should keep her away from the float if she is stressing even if she is getting better every time. I would just keep her at home take her on trail rides and just bond that way its easier when the foal comes.


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Lizzie is getting plump. Her stomach sticks out about 4 inches and is lopsided depending on when you look at her. The vein on her stomach also has popped out a lot more. Is this normal at 4-5 months along?


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Lizzie is one fat girl!! She still has 4-5 months to go. Is that normal?


----------



## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

Ebonyisforme said:


> Lizzie is one fat girl!! She still has 4-5 months to go. Is that normal?


Depends on how you define "fat"... If she is getting a cresty neck and/or fat deposits around the tailhead... Then that would be an issue


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

No, it's just around her stomach. Her stomach sticks out about 6 inches on either side now. :shock: I had one non horsey person comment, "She's for sure to have twins." Of course, they are non horsey and don't know about pregnant mares, but just to give you an idea of how big she is. I kind of rolled that comment off, just wondering if it is normal for her to gain so much weight already.


----------



## Rain Shadow (May 1, 2014)

Did you have her checked for twins?


----------



## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

Rain Shadow said:


> Did you have her checked for twins?


There isn't even a known breeding date, just the vet guessing how far along she is. Previous owner had her pastured with the daddy to be, OP had her vet checked after buying her. 

Each mare has their own "normal" for development.


----------



## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

^You can still check for twins though. Don't remember how the vet did the exam but did they mention that?

There should be an estimated breeding date. The exact date isn't know but it's not like the stud was in THAT long before he noticed. I'm missing why we don't even know which MONTH she's due..??


----------



## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

Yogiwick said:


> ^You can still check for twins though. Don't remember how the vet did the exam but did they mention that?
> 
> There should be an estimated breeding date. The exact date isn't know but it's not like the stud was in THAT long before he noticed.


I don't think the previous owner wrote down the date (didn't matter enough to them at the time, happens too frequently with careless stud owners) so they are relying 100% on the vet's estimate. At the time the vet check was done, it was too late to check for twins, and even with ultrasounds you can completely miss twins after the first couple months as one can be in front of the other.

Edit: read through the first couple pages of the thread again, previous owner had the horses out in large pastures, had no idea when they got in together or for how long as apparently they didn't know for an extended amount of time. Mare was estimated at 2-3 months along at the time of the vet check.


----------



## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Yeah I get the vet's estimate but I'm just saying the previous owner didn't know the stud got out or when but it seemed to be within a set time frame (like oh my horse has been missing a few months?) Sounds like a couple of days maybe and that would give you a general idea.

May be worth contacting the previous owner.


----------



## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

Yogiwick said:


> Yeah I get the vet's estimate but I'm just saying the previous owner didn't know the stud got out or when but it seemed to be within a set time frame (like oh my horse has been missing a few months?) Sounds like a couple of days maybe and that would give you a general idea.
> 
> May be worth contacting the previous owner.


They just happened to find them together when they went out to check on them which may have been a few weeks since their previous check especially if those large pastures are a distance from their home (I have an aunt who rents a very large pasture for her herd of all mares and she might go out every few weeks to check on them as they have food and water available all summer long)


----------



## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

^I get that but it's still a time frame right there "beginning of April"..right?


----------



## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

Yogiwick said:


> ^I get that but it's still a time frame right there "beginning of April"..right?


Sounded more like "I don't know and I forgot when I found them together"... Happens whenever you don't write things down. Recently I had a speech therapy meeting for one of my kids in school (she had delayed speech) and the teacher thought something had happened two weeks ago, then looked at her note and saw that she had wrote down when it happened two days ago. Sometimes time frames are completely lost when we don't write it down ;-)
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Yeah you are right. I guess that would be a "priority thing to remember" in my book which is why it seems so simple but doesn't sound like the previous owner had many horse priorities lol. If not a priority definitely easy to forget.


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Yeah, the owner and the vet would match up as either one would leave her due at the end of February or beginning of March, but as for exact dates, apparently that's not important to him.  We had a ultrasound. Vet mentioned nothing about twins and I got to see the ultrasound myself.

On a totally unrelated note, my mom purchased a foal that was delivered today. Weaned today. She busted through our fence and galloped off, so I ran after her on Midnight and started herding her home. Someone came out and I stopped to talk to them. Midnight was nipping and kicking and everything and then all of a sudden I looked down and the foal was trying to nurse from Midnight!! She just sat there and let it happen too! We brought them home in the trailer and she sucked the whole way home. Ever since then, she has been following Midnight everywhere. Nursing, and everything! And Midnight is usually very food dominant and we have to put out several piles so the others get food, but she is letting this baby eat not even 3 inches away from her! It's adorable, but does it have any risks, cons, etc. I should be aware of?


----------



## EliRose (Aug 12, 2012)

Why did your mom get a foal? Weren't you guys panicking a couple of months ago at the thought of having two babies?


----------



## Rainaisabelle (Jan 2, 2015)

I am confused again...


----------



## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Rainaisabelle said:


> I am confused again...


Yup...


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Yeah..I have no idea what she was thinking...but her decision, not mine.


----------



## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

Now you will have to wean that foal away from Midnight. Probably not critical right this minute but at some point when Midnight starts getting her milk in, you don't want it nursing. Most mares will usually wean an older foal before this happens but not all of them and really this new foal should have been kept separate especially from Midnight for a quarantine period.


----------



## EliRose (Aug 12, 2012)

Midnight is not pregnant. Or at least she wasn't the last time Ebony posted . . .


----------



## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

Thanks for straightening me out EliRose. I guess you can count me in on the confused column when it comes to which mare is pregnant and which isn't. LOL


----------



## EliRose (Aug 12, 2012)

I hear ya lol.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## FrostedLilly (Nov 4, 2012)

I'm a little confused. About a month ago you said she was 3 - 4 months along, but due February - March? Would that not make her approximately 5 - 6 months along? It's late, I could be totally fuddling the math at this point.

I would go with the earliest possible due date so you don't end up surprised. This is what my mare looked like around ~6 mos. She showed a pretty large belly fairly early on, but didn't foal until day 359.


----------



## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Lets say the mare was officially bred March 1. It's always a range anyways so let's just call that good, honestly the day doesn't really matter at that point. We know it was very close to that day, it wasn't the beginning of Feb or end of March.

She would be 6 months along and can be expected to foal in early February (roughly). "Exact" due date from March 1 is Feb 6. The OP started this thread 7/29..

Let's just stick with numbers (which are accurate) instead of ranges.... This whole range thing is throwing me off. I knew it was more accurate than that, it's not like she was running loose with the stud for months.

So again, mare due Feb 6 and is 6 months along!!


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Okay, specific numbers sound good.  Except that figuring the range, we figured she would be due beginning of march/end of february not bred at that time. She looks a bit like that picture of your horse. Not as exaggerated just yet, but close.


----------



## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Ohhh got it. ..See I told you it was confusing!!

So she was bred April 1 and is due beginning of March making her 5 months!

Now it's official  lol

Half way there!


----------



## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

We need some pictures!! Please.


----------



## Red Gate Farm (Aug 28, 2011)

Yes, could we have some pictures?


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

I'll get some pictures up as soon as I get time. With school and everything, I've been really busy. April 1st it is.  So, she would be halfway. She definitely isn't a overload yet, but she does poke out more than the others for sure!


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)




----------



## CowgirlMaddie (Feb 14, 2015)

She's really pretty!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

that is a purdy mare and a beautiful pasture!!!


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Thank you both! She is my dream horse as far as coloring!!


----------



## FrostedLilly (Nov 4, 2012)

Ebonyisforme said:


> Thank you both! She is my dream horse as far as coloring!!


Lol, too bad she likely won't stay that colour. But maybe her foal will inherit grey, so you could get another with that colouring for a period of time.


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Yeah, but white horses are pretty too! Our farrier was actually really surprised she hasn't faded out more because she's part Arabian and 6 already. He thinks she may never completely fade out, just partially. *Crossing fingers*


----------



## EliRose (Aug 12, 2012)

That's a completely normal state of graying for a six year old.


----------



## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I'm unsure what her being part Arab has to do with the speed at which she'll grey out.

My best friend's TB gelding is 17-years-old and flea-bitten grey with darker points.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

Being part Arabian has no effect on the speed of the greying process being homozygous grey however can impact the greying process and some will be finished greying out by 4 or 5 years old. The heterozygous greys can really vary in the greying speed and each year can be a faster or slower rate. We had a midnight black filly born with a few white hairs on her face near the eyes. By the time she was three years old, she was almost entirely black still with a small scattering of white hairs around her entire body. Then the greying process quickened and by the time she was 6 years old, she was nearly done greying out. She was out of a grey Arabian mare and a black QH stallion, her grey Arabian dam was still a medium shade of dapple grey at 10 years old at the time she died in an awful thunderstorm. A half sister of the black based grey filly was also out of another grey mare, born chestnut and quickly transitioned to a light dapple grey which very slowly lightened but still got lighter and lighter. While each grey goes through the process differently and may experience rapid and slow progress depending on the year, they will always get lighter every year ;-)
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

I wonder if that is what was meant, grey is so common in Arabs that I'm sure homozygous greys are also more common and IF (though no guarantee) she was homozygous she may be expected to be lighter?

I think she is normal for her age, which is still very young..


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

We had her 5ish month checkup and shots. She got neumabort and the vet palpated her. He said she has a big healthy baby and nothing seems out of the ordinary.


----------



## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

(psst there's a silent 'p' on pneumabort ;D Gotta love English!)

Yay for a good vet check up!


----------



## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

Great news! Here's to a healthy foal!


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Almost done with the shelter! It's about 12X16 and just a simple 3 sided one with a open front. We are getting shingles today. We might put up fence panels in the front when she gets close so that I can lock her in there at night or when weather is bad so she won't have it outside. Thoughts?


----------



## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

Ebonyisforme said:


> Almost done with the shelter! It's about 12X16 and just a simple 3 sided one with a open front. We are getting shingles today. We might put up fence panels in the front when she gets close so that I can lock her in there at night or when weather is bad so she won't have it outside. Thoughts?


Panels are OK if you make sure the baby can't slip through or get stuck so you may need to attach wood or a tight woven wire to it.


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Okay, so the panels we have are generic metal ones. Probably a foot in between each rail. Too far apart or ok?


----------



## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

Ebonyisforme said:


> Okay, so the panels we have are generic metal ones. Probably a foot in between each rail. Too far apart or ok?


It is far enough apart to put a foal leg through and not get it back through as easily. Best to play it safe by making it solid with boards or close to solid with a tightly woven wire.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

Get some chicken wire and fasten it securely along the bottom. Foals are bad about lying down next to the fence and rolling out.


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Okay. I will do that! I just had a panic moment because I realized that she is "due" in a little over 3 months!


----------



## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

It sneaks up on you, doesn't it??


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

I can't believe she's due next month!! Time flies! She's had get checkups, her 9 month shots, and I got her examined inside and out for overall health of her and baby. Vet says shes doing great and he doesnt have any worries.  im stressing over it, though, because I am in debate and right now is heavy debate season. So, I am constantly staying after school practicing or at overnight competitions and she could very well go into labor while im gone.


----------



## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

I for one DEMAND current fatty pony pregger pics now!!! LOL! I also want to see her foaling stall set up too


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

I will get pictures as soon as I can! I'm almost done with her shelter, I just need to put panels up and get some straw.


----------



## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

Is she getting grouchy yet?


----------



## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

WELL! lol seriously i love arabians and half arabians and i want to see that purdy girl of yours. also if i live vicariously through you maybe i can convince myself not to breed my mare XD!


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

She still let's me go for short bareback walks with no problems, but she does have a face she pulls whenever the baby starts moving around. I actually got a picture of that face! She pins her ears back and half closes her eyes and just looks miserable. No udder change, and she seems pretty normal, personality wise, so no exciting news. :/ but I did get pictures. This one is of her shelter..not the best thing in the world, but we only had a couple months. I'm going to put some straw in there and hopefully get some panels moved over so I can keep her locked in there at night.


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

And here are some of the miserable, heavy load lizzie.


----------



## Luv equins (Oct 10, 2014)

LOL! So cute! Looks good!


----------



## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I know that face she's making. :lol: It's the "You're pushing it, kid!" face. I used to make the same one when my son would wiggle around and poke me in the organs. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Candy123Kisses (Dec 31, 2015)

I read the whole thing, wow! What an experience for you. I am super excited for you, I hope the baby is a gray!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

She's definitely getting sick of baby! I am hoping for a grey or a unique pinto..really want a grey though!


----------



## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

Ebonyisforme said:


> And here are some of the miserable, heavy load lizzie.


As future reference for taking pictures to show off her roundness... Stand back and zoom in with the camera. The size of your camera lens and the nearness to the subject cause something called lens distortion. If you stand back 25+ feet to take pictures, the closest part of Lizzie won't be so disporportionate. In fact, you will be able to capture all her beachball with legs look... Which is what we really love to see when watching/stalking pregnant mares :loveshower:


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Okay, I will do that next time I get some extra time! Thank you!


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

I'm going to put her panels up today.  and I'm hoping that she will go sometime this week because the lowest is forty degrees which is amazing for this time of year here.


----------



## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Any updates on the horse? lol Does she look ready? If she's in the last week there should be some hints.


----------



## Mary7518006 (Aug 30, 2014)

No baby yet. Hurry up Lizzie. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Still no baby...she was lifting her tail and pacing a lot yesterday, but no change in her udder. I have stopped riding her for even short rides because the last time I did, she was a emotional mess. She acts pretty normal exct that she starts pacing and lifting her tail every so often.


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Usually she is perfectly okay with me touching her udders, but when I tried yesterday, she kicked out at me. :shocked: It really caught me off guard because most the time when I do that, she just falls asleep. Ideas?


----------



## FrostedLilly (Nov 4, 2012)

She's basically telling you that it's getting sensitive down there. Make sure you look out for your safety first, but also don't reward this behaviour by backing off. There may be reason in the future for you to need to touch around there and she needs to know that, despite the fact that it's uncomfortable for her, kicking out at you is not acceptable.

My mare used to be really touchy when I first started touching her udders and then she learned that no matter how many times she stamped her foot, it wasn't going to deter me. I would read her body language though. If her ears pinned or she started to show signs of discomfort, I wouldn't push it too much. After she did foal, the weather was very cold and dry and she got really chapped and cracked on her teats so I put some ointment on to provide her some relief. Because she knew that kicking/stamping was not acceptable behaviour, I was able to apply the ointment safely, despite the fact that it was a little bit uncomfortable for her.


----------



## AnalisaParalyzer (Apr 25, 2012)

Baby yet?


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Still no baby! Her udders are getting bigger and firm. This is her udders a couple days ago...


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

And here they are today as well as we finally got her to let us touch her tail long enough to get it braided and in a tail bag!   That's a huge accomplishment for Lizzie!


----------



## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

Ebonyisforme said:


> Still no baby! Her udders are getting bigger and firm. This is her udders a couple days ago...


She looks like she is still several weeks off by looking at her udders, but you never know, she might blossom overnight.

And be careful with a tail bag, wrapping the strings like that around the tail bone is a really good way to cut off blood circulation and cause huge problems. Even wrapping stretchy vet wrap too tight around the tail can cut off blood circulation ;-)


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

How often should I take it off and let it breathe? And that is so frustrating! Also, last week, her previous owner messaged me and told me that another mare that had been bred a few weeks before Lizzie by the same stud foaled about 2 weeks ago.


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

It seems like her udders are growing really fast. Both of these pictures were taken in the evening, btw. I know they get smaller as the day goes on. But, those two pictures were just two days apart and there is a big difference. You can tell more in person and feeling them.


----------



## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

Ebonyisforme said:


> How often should I take it off and let it breathe? And that is so frustrating! Also, last week, her previous owner messaged me and told me that another mare that had been bred a few weeks before Lizzie by the same stud foaled about 2 weeks ago.


Normal gestation is 320-365+ days. Cannot fairly compare a mare who has a shorter gestation (fast cooking speed) to one who holds out longer before their oven is done cooking ;-)

There isn't "breathing" when it comes to cutting off blood circulation. A tail bag with straps should never tie around the tail bone. It is meant to tie through the tail hairs/braid only, not wrapping around the actual tail bone. If the tail bag straps are tied around the actual tail bone, it needs to come off NOW, it is already going to be causing circulation problems. If you use vet wrap to wrap the tail, it needs to be changed frequently and be barely snug (on the verge of coming off)


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

SunnyDraco said:


> Normal gestation is 320-365+ days. Cannot fairly compare a mare who has a shorter gestation (fast cooking speed) to one who holds out longer before their oven is done cooking ;-)
> 
> There isn't "breathing" when it comes to cutting off blood circulation. A tail bag with straps should never tie around the tail bone. It is meant to tie through the tail hairs/braid only, not wrapping around the actual tail bone. If the tail bag straps are tied around the actual tail bone, it needs to come off NOW, it is already going to be causing circulation problems. If you use vet wrap to wrap the tail, it needs to be changed frequently and be barely snug (on the verge of coming off)


I did not know that! Sorry, I'm pretty dumb and inexperienced when it comes to this sort of thing. I am going out right now to fix that!


----------



## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

Ebonyisforme said:


> I did not know that! Sorry, I'm pretty dumb and inexperienced when it comes to this sort of thing. I am going out right now to fix that!


Thank you 

Just think of it like wrapping a string around your toe and tying it tight enough to support the weight of several pounds (weight of the tail). The circulation restriction will effectively kill your toe and it will fall off if left long enough (lambs commonly have their long tails cropped by having a tight rubberband left in the location the new tail length is desired to be).


----------



## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

It doesn't have to be wrapped either.

Agree she should have a little longer.

I didn't know the udders shrank during the day?

You will know when it's full and that has quite a ways to go


----------



## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

Yogiwick said:


> It doesn't have to be wrapped either.
> 
> Agree she should have a little longer.
> 
> ...


Udders will go up and down between morning, midday and late evening in the beginning part of development depending on amount of movement/exercise and laying down frequently can also be an influence, then they get fuller and stay full as they begin the final leg of development ;-)


----------



## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

You also need to get her desensitized to handling her teats, tail and everywhere else because her foal will be touching her in all those places and you don't want her kicking at it. Use a crop or something else (flexible not something that would poke and hurt) that makes your arm longer at first so if she does kick you can stay up near her shoulder and out of range.


----------



## FrostedLilly (Nov 4, 2012)

Tail wrapping isn't necessary, but if you really want to wrap her tail, you can use vet wrap. It's sticky so you don't need to wrap it very tight, just be careful because it is stretchy. If you pull it too tight, it will want to stretch back and tighten. Honestly, based on her udders, she doesn't look all that close yet, but that can change very quickly. Some mares don't develop an udder until right before foaling.

And yes, get her used to you touching around there. Not only will the foal be nosing around and touching, but you may have reason to need to go back there, whether it be if her udders get chapped (like in the case I told you about with my mare) or if she has complications and the vet needs to be in that area. Using a crop like JC mentioned is a good idea if you're concerned for your safety. Also make sure to reward her every time she doesn't react negatively to touch. 

I know it's hard to do, but don't compare gestation periods between mares. They are all different. I had a thread for my mare on here a few years ago and everyone was sure she'd be the first to go because of her size and she ended up being one of the last out of all the foaling threads on here. She carried to 359 days, which is well within normal range. I have a friend whose mare carried right to 370 days as a maiden mare. This mare is in foal again this year and so we're both curious to know if her longer gestation was an anomaly, or if that's just how long she takes to cook up a baby.


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Absolutely no change today. In udders, personality, or baby position at least that I can see. Kind of discouraging. I'm getting really nervous just sitting around waiting because I've done everything I can think to do and now it's just a waiting game.


----------



## Phantomcolt18 (Sep 25, 2007)

Ebonyisforme said:


> Absolutely no change today. In udders, personality, or baby position at least that I can see. Kind of discouraging. I'm getting really nervous just sitting around waiting because I've done everything I can think to do and now it's just a waiting game.


 That's usually what happens, it becomes a waiting game. 

You sound pretty prepared, so just take a deep breath and tell yourself you've handled everything YOU can. And now you just have to just let nature run it's course. Nerve-racking, yes. Annoying, yes. Normal, completely. But it will all be worth it to see that healthy baby on the ground =) 

Just breathe.


----------



## FrostedLilly (Nov 4, 2012)

Ebonyisforme said:


> Absolutely no change today. In udders, personality, or baby position at least that I can see. Kind of discouraging. I'm getting really nervous just sitting around waiting because I've done everything I can think to do and now it's just a waiting game.


I feel your pain. I went through the same thing with my mare 2 years ago. Her belly dropped and had that V shape, a good 10 days before she actually foaled. I took 2 weeks off work, starting on day 342 of her gestation, thinking that I would surely be around for her to foal and she waited until I was back at work for a few days and foaled in broad daylight in a sleet/freezing rain storm. If you read the last few pages of the thread I made for her, it was like 10 pages of "nothing new", "nope, no baby", "nothing yet."

What day is she at now? Just remember there is a huge range that is considered safe - anywhere between 320 and 370, so you have a ~50 day window that she could safely foal. That even varies by a few days - I've known people whose mares foaled at day 318 (although this is a tad early) and day 374 with no complications and healthy babies.


----------



## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

The OP does not know the exact date, we (I? lol) decided she is officially due March 1. Obviously that means very little other than that she should have a baby relatively soon! haha


----------



## Mercy98 (Jul 25, 2013)

Any baby yet?


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Still no baby. Like Yogiwick said, no concrete date. The previous owners didn't know when the stud got out or how long he was in there, so who knows, really? He thought a couple weeks and when I figured that with when I bought her and the estimate the vet gave me during both palpation and ultrasound, it put her at having her baby end of February, beginning of March.


----------



## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Even when you have a date it's never concrete either


----------



## Mercy98 (Jul 25, 2013)

So true....I sometimes think that they hold out as long as possible to make us go insane


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Still no baby. Yesterday, the baby was moving A TON! Her entire stomach would come up and then go back down and there would be a couple kicks and then she would kick out with her back leg or start pawing with her front. She wouldn't eat her grain even if I hand fed it to her, so we kind of thought she was going to have it. And then she went back to normal.  Even still though, if you touch her udders,stomach, or tail, she pins her ears. Also, I'm a bit worried. Her udders were swelling pretty rapidly and she had some edema right in front, and now all of a sudden, they are empty again. I haven't checked this morning, when I do, I will update, but they were empty as of yesterday.


----------



## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

What kind of hay is she eating? If you have fescue grass in your hay, it will prevent her from developing an udder and prevent milk production. I would be concerned about having no udder at this point of the pregnancy.


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

She is on free choice alfalfa. And then her grain, but that doesn't have any fescue in it... When I went to check on her this morning, she has swelled back up again, but her udders are still firm. No milk as of yet. Should I be worried?


----------



## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

Ebonyisforme said:


> She is on free choice alfalfa. And then her grain, but that doesn't have any fescue in it... When I went to check on her this morning, she has swelled back up again, but her udders are still firm. No milk as of yet. Should I be worried?


Can you post pictures?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Yes, I'll go out and get some a bit later today.


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Alright, I got a udder picture and a picture of her.


----------



## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

No expert but she still looks like she has quite a ways. With how ..thorough the breeder was I wouldn't be surprised if the whole date thing was way off, or the stud got out twice or something.

She is looking cute and I love the hair all over the stall lol!


----------



## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

From the udder shot I would guess that you likely won't have a baby until April. That seems to be what her udder says. Too bad you can't check her vulva with the attitude she is giving, it would turn a deep red inside as she neared foaling.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Yeah, I wish I could check that! She's been a brat! Anytime anyone touches her, even if they are just petting her neck, she flips out. I make her let me pet her at least, but don't want to push too hard. If she waits until April, I might go crazy!


----------



## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Pregnant or not that's not acceptable...

Maybe best to leave it alone in this situation though.


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Yes, it's definitely not acceptable! I say, "Knock it off!" and kind of shove her head away when she tries to bite and then keep repeating until she lets me pet her. I figure that me petting her neck shouldn't be a big deal..I'm not touching her where it's sensitive or anything so she better let me. But I haven't tried too much with udders and vulva because I don't NEED to and she definitely wouldn't like it. Should I be trying?


----------



## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

Sounds like she has trust issues, work on your relationship of trust before pushing her into further defensive corners by rushing to touch sensitive areas that require a trusting relationship. I thought you had been riding her earlier? I just can't wrap my head around a broke/trained mare being so touchy everywhere unless some level of trust was recently broken.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

If she's this grouchy towards you from being pregnant I worry she's going to be worse once the foal gets here. Be very careful the first few times you enter her area after she foals Ebony and always have a clear path to safety. We had a neighbor whose mare got him cornered and attacked him when she had her foal. She was a larger mini and he was a big man and she still was able to do damage.


----------



## FrostedLilly (Nov 4, 2012)

Ebonyisforme said:


> Yes, it's definitely not acceptable! I say, "Knock it off!" and kind of shove her head away when she tries to bite and then keep repeating until she lets me pet her. I figure that me petting her neck shouldn't be a big deal..I'm not touching her where it's sensitive or anything so she better let me. But I haven't tried too much with udders and vulva because I don't NEED to and she definitely wouldn't like it. Should I be trying?


It looks like you still have a ways to go, so yes, I would be getting her used to all kinds of touching while you still have time to do it. You don't need to now, but there may be need in the future and it's better to get her used to it now when there isn't a pressing need than wait and then be trying to get her used to it should an occasion arise that you actually do have to go back there.

When my mare started getting udder development, she initially showed some attitude when I tried to touch back there, so I just kept working on it, little bits at a time and very gently. Like someone mentioned earlier, if you're concerned with your safety, maybe use a crop or something else that will give you some distance if she decides to get nasty. It might be best to only work on touching back there every 2nd or 3rd time you're working with her too, otherwise, she might start to associate every visit you make with discomfort. Try and make your interactions pleasant and she should start to settle down. I remember with my mare, sometimes, I would just go and scratch and give her treats and other times, I would go and work on touch. Sometimes I was only there for 2 or 3 minutes, then I'd leave her alone. Other times, I would do a full hour of grooming. She would look forward to when I was there because she associated our time together with mostly pleasant things. Even when I sometimes touched her where she didn't like she knew she was probably also going to get scratches in her favorite places too. 

Lots of mares make a total 180 in their temperament when the foal is born. My quiet and docile mare all of a sudden was super protective when the foal was born. Because I'd spent so much time with her, she didn't show any aggression towards me and I was able to handle her without any issues. If she's showing aggression towards you now, this can worsen when there is a foal on the ground. It may not, but I would be using the extra time you have to really bond with her and build that trusting relationship. Do you have anyone who can help you with her? If she is getting really ornery, it might be helpful to have someone help you work with her.


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Thanks for all the comments! I had been riding her and she was coming along nicely! She's never had trust issues...nothing happened. I haven't made her do much other than lead occasionally lately and other than that, it's just been checking on her and feeding her...

She has calmed down a bit and will let me pet her everywhere but her stomach now. So, that's improvement! Still no baby, but her udders have doubled in size!


----------



## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

Ebonyisforme said:


> Thanks for all the comments! I had been riding her and she was coming along nicely! She's never had trust issues...nothing happened. I haven't made her do much other than lead occasionally lately and other than that, it's just been checking on her and feeding her...
> 
> She has calmed down a bit and will let me pet her everywhere but her stomach now. So, that's improvement! Still no baby, but her udders have doubled in size!


Trust issues may arise due to hormones and maternal instincts. Watch yourself, she is already giving warnings of great discomfort towards being touched in areas that shouldn't be sensitive. Have some calm grooming sessions, get her to relax as you slowly groom her over and over, love on her with treats if she is relaxed. 

If she isn't comfortable with you touching her now, it is very likely she will get worse when the foal arrives. Make sure that when the foal does arrive, you give her ample space and time to bond with her foal. Arabians have a higher risk of foal rejection, especially maiden Arabians and the risk of rejection increases for maidens if you do all the initial cleaning and are all over the newborn foal. My cousin had this happen to her last spring, maiden arabian mare, foaled during the night when the watchers (my cousin, her husband and their friends) thought they could get 1 night of sleep. When the foal was discovered in the morning, they lost even more sleep trying to get the mare to accept the foal for the next week before giving in and separating them to give the foal milk replacement in a bucket. The filly even had to have a different pasture companion as her dam would drive her off in attack mode if she had stayed with her mom. So, my cousin decided that she would never breed her cherished mare again as the thousands of dollars spent in vet bills and milk replacement outweighed any desire to produce additional foals out of her mare who apparently hates foals.


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

She's only half Arabian so hopefully that won't be as big of a problem!! A vet came out and looked at her and said he'd give her a couple weeks before he started to worry because everything looked like it was coming along nicely..I went out and brushed her and just got a little closer to her udders everytime I brushed back, while she was eating her grain and she finally got to the point where she would let me, so that was good!


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

When I went to check on her last night, I noticed she had one or two drops of a redish brown discharge on her vulva....Ideas?? Should I be worried? She is starting to get a v shaped belly...but still no baby!


----------



## Triple E (Jan 27, 2016)

Ebonyisforme said:


> When I went to check on her last night, I noticed she had one or two drops of a redish brown discharge on her vulva....Ideas?? Should I be worried? She is starting to get a v shaped belly...but still no baby!


I wouldn't worry. My mare this year did that for several days before foaling. As long as it's not an extreme amount and stays just a few drops then everything is fine. I've been wondering how she has been doing!!! More pics please


----------



## FrostedLilly (Nov 4, 2012)

Sounds like she's losing her mucous plug.


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Alright, I do have some news. No foal still, but her tail muscles have relaxed and feel like jello and her udders have doubled in size. Still no milk. She's torturing me!


----------



## tinaev (Dec 2, 2012)

She is really making you wait for it!


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

She definitely is! A lot of tail swishing today, still no milk.


----------



## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

It sounds like you keep on trying to milk her? I would let it be.

She is definitely drawing this out, huh?!


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Finally have news! She is dripping white milk!! I have a friend that breeds her horses every year and said she thought it would be by tomorrow! I am so scared now!!


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Pictures..


----------



## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

Looks like she's getting ready. Don't be afraid, I'm sure she'll be fine. Just keep an eye on her.


----------



## Dehda01 (Jul 25, 2013)

Start checking her every hour.


----------



## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

If you think she's going to go soon I'd bed that area pretty heavily, it looks like a ton of mud under the straw. You don't want that.

Take a big breath. Birth is natural it happens. In fact it's better if you just leave her alone. If you really think she needs assistance call the vet but otherwise take a step back and try to relax. Heck, you may even miss the whole thing. Yes it CAN be dangerous, but that's not the norm. So be aware, but try to just let nature do it's thing, I'm sure she will be fine!


----------



## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Can't wait for pics of the baby! :O I bet it's today~


----------



## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

Good luck, Lizzie! Cannot wait to see the baby!


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

She's still dripping and tail swishing has become constant. I'm going to hide behind the other side of the wall do hopefully she'll think I'm gone.


----------



## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

Ebonyisforme said:


> She's still dripping and tail swishing has become constant. I'm going to hide behind the other side of the wall do hopefully she'll think I'm gone.


She's going to know that your back there creeping around and possibly get nervous because, well, your creeping around. Just casually stand back and watch her like all is well.


----------



## Triple E (Jan 27, 2016)

LoriF said:


> She's going to know that your back there creeping around and possibly get nervous because, well, your creeping around. Just casually stand back and watch her like all is well.


I have to agree. And not to be a giant downer but since she is a maiden the dripping milk is not a 100% sure fire deal. I had one maiden who dripped and streamed all her colostrum out for a week before she had her foal. My maiden this year dripped for two days before having hers. 

That said I really hope that she is being honest and having it tonight!!!!


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

We have a baby! A gorgeous little Colt! Lizzie is being a pain and not letting him nurse, if we twitch her, she will let him and then we can let go and she'll be fine, but I can't leave them alone yet. His name is freedom.


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Here's a picture


----------



## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Congratulations!
He is absolutely adorable <3<3!


----------



## Rainaisabelle (Jan 2, 2015)

How beautiful ! glad she finally gave him up!


----------



## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

How adorable is he?! Congratulations!!! :loveshower:


----------



## Dehda01 (Jul 25, 2013)

Congratulations. Make sure you have the vet out to do a IGG test to make sure he got enough passive immunity from colostrum particularly since she has been difficult to let him nurse. Have you given her banamine? Or discussed the problem with a vet? Sometime pain causes maiden mares more likely to reject the foal.


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Yeah, he's pretty adorable.


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

We've talked to a vet, he said she is probably just sensitive down there and the more he nurses, the easier she will be.


----------



## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

He'l adorable. Welcome to the world Freedom Ask the vet about pain meds for the mare when they get there.


----------



## GMA100 (Apr 8, 2016)

Congrats!! Love his face!


----------



## 3rdTimestheCharm (Jan 18, 2015)

What a cutie!


----------



## FrostedLilly (Nov 4, 2012)

Yay! So adorable. Glad everything went well.


----------



## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

What a happy face! Congratulations!


----------



## Silver Whisper (Jan 26, 2015)

I've been following your journey with Lizzy, and just wanted to say congratulations! He is so adorable <3 (I must admit I'm a bit of a sucker for Chestnuts though- and the more chrome the better!)


----------



## Triple E (Jan 27, 2016)

He's adorable!!! Congratulations!!!


----------



## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

Congrats!


----------



## Red Gate Farm (Aug 28, 2011)

Cute little fella  Congrats!


----------



## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

How are things going? Will she let him nurse now?


----------



## tinaev (Dec 2, 2012)

Oh my gosh he is so cute! Definitely worth the wait!


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Thanks everyone, I'm definitely obsessed haha! He seems like he is fading a little around his muzzle, flanks, and legs... Think he will go grey? We had to twitch Lizzie the first day, but she has accepted him now and she's been an amazing mother. She shares one wall of fence with the other horses and anytime they come over, she chases them away from her baby, haha. He is definitely worth the wait! I tried putting my 100-200 pound halter on him and it was huge so I'm making him a paracord one tonight. He is just darling. When I go out there and sit in my chair, he comes and puts good head in my lap and just stands there.


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Some more pictures because he's too cute but to share.


----------



## WendyJane (Jul 11, 2015)

Congratulations, he's adorable! Can't wait to see more pics as he grows!


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

What would you price him T? Contemplating sell/keep?


----------



## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

Ebonyisforme said:


> What would you price him T? Contemplating sell/keep?


As a grade colt, selling price greatly depends on training, temperament and the right buyer. Look at KSL and craigslist, compare to other 2016 grade colts. Don't compare to fillies as there is an added expense for colts to be gelded. If your colt is halter broke, leads, ties and does well with having his feet handled, he will have more value than a run of the mill 2016 colt who doesn't have that training. 

While he is cute, almost all foals are and buyers looking at buying a weanling grade colt aren't going to pay much. With basic foal training, you could price him at $700, maybe more depending on how much demand there is in your area.


----------



## EliRose (Aug 12, 2012)

IIRC you're near Idaho Falls, where grade foals are a dime a dozen. I consistently see attractive grade babies having a hard time being sold for $600.


----------



## CrossCountry (May 18, 2013)

Anywhere near Idaho? Might be interested if you do sell


----------



## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I believe the OP is somewhere in central or southern Utah, IIRC.


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Cross country, if you really are interested, pm me. ?


----------



## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

How is your little colt doing?


----------



## Ebonyisforme (Oct 23, 2013)

Freedom is doing great! I can put the halter on and take it off with no trouble and we are slowly getting there with leading. He's the cutest thing! When I go into the pasture, he'll lope up to meet me and follow me around. If I walk too fast, he'll start trotting. Do you think he will go grey or stay sorrel?


----------



## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Difficult to say, but my vote is chestnut/sorrel.


----------



## stargirl90 (Aug 28, 2012)

How are the ponies doing? Would love to see more pictures!


----------



## timonlionking (Sep 28, 2015)

How's little Freedom doing? If I did my math correct, he should be 9-10 months, same as my 2016 filly! I'd LOVE to see how he's turning out!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

timonlionking said:


> How's little Freedom doing? If I did my math correct, he should be 9-10 months, same as my 2016 filly! I'd LOVE to see how he's turning out!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


This OP also hasn't logged in since late May 2016. I doubt any updated pictures will be posted.


----------

