Talisman Farm : 02/12/12

Tuesday, 4 December 2012

Summer Breeze

Apart with a bit of a hiccup with her mother, Summer's foaling was textbook. I have never had a mare retain the foetal membranes before so this was a first for me. After nearly 4 hours I called and discussed with my wonderful vet Louisa from Wairarapa Equine and it was arranged that she would come out. Louisa managed to get the placenta out in one piece but there was a tear in one end and we could not be sure that something had not been left behind so it was arranged for her to have a flush out on Monday. Monday morning she had a mild spasmodic colic so Buscopan and various other goodies were administered along with her uterine lavage. She had a great day after she had slept off the sedation and no more signs of colic, even after each shot of oxytocin. Another flush tomorrow and hopefully she'll be squeaky clean!

I took a few photos this afternoon. Here are a few of my favourites.

Sunday, 2 December 2012

Summer Breeze makes me feel fine ...

... blowing through the jasmine in my mind.

Last night the wind blew and blew and we were blessed with the early but safe arrival of a beautiful purebred Connemara filly by Crossiebeg Brennan and out of Biwmares Madonna. She's has the most amazing buckskin colouring but, due to her mother being homozygous for grey, sadly that won't last. But hey, who's complaining - colour is absolutely the last consideration for us when breeding and she's strong, correct and healthy and that's all we ever hope for! Beauty and colour are just the icing on the cake.

Maddy was due around 21 December so the filly is technically a little earlier than expected but they come when they are ready and ready she was! She was out before we had even got to the paddock from the house (I think it takes me about five minutes from the alarm sounding to being outside) and she was on her feet within 10 minutes! She is feisty as all get out too and put up quite a fight when I grabbed her for the vet to have a quick check over. We had to get Louisa from Wairarapa Equine out as Maddy retained the foetal membranes. This has not happened to a mare I have foaled here before but when they were still well in place 3.5 hours after foaling, I chose to err on the side of caution and call Louisa with a heads up. She was here by 9am and oxytocin and antibiotics were administered and the placenta carefully removed. We will flush her out tomorrow just to be super safe and make sure nothing is left behind that shouldn't be.

I have pretty much decided to call the filly 'TF Summer Breeze' or Summer for short in recognition of the wind and the fact that she was so nearly born on the first day of summer (she was 4 hours inside the second day but, who's counting, right?). What do you think?

Here are some photos (of course) - At 10 hours ...

Tora is settling in nicely and although still in the yards (just want to make sure we can catch him for the farrier next week so not QUITE ready to put him out in the big paddock) and I stopped in on him with the camera on the way to see Maddy and Summer. Tis very hard to photograph a poky pants in yards with a telephoto lens on!

Where's the food?!