Yesterday when I checked Maddy I noticed her udder had become very tight and her teats had filled. Her tail head had also slackened noticeably and her belly taken on a very dropped appearance. The last test was a milk check and the milk I expressed was white, tacky and sweet - 'Thunderbirds are go' I thought and set about pulling the foaling kit together and setting the foaling alarm up. Maddy was alarmed at 5pm and foaled at 11pm (no alarm required, as when I popped out to check her before bed she went down and commenced foaling).
It was a text book foaling - By the time Nick and I had got our coats on and gathered everything together and got out to her, the colt was born and both were resting (foal still with hind legs inside and umbilical cord attached) and, within 30 minutes of his arrival he had taken his first wobbly steps and had his first feed. Unfortunately, because he is a colt and of no use to my breeding program (I desperately hoped for a filly), this little guy will be for sale. The weather is beyond diabolical outside and, as none of my foal covers fit him, they are both in box keeping dry and warm.
No names yet but, here he is!
Maddy just a few hours before foalng
Well hello there!
And now I am in the stable because it is SO nasty outside
How cute am I?!
Stretch!
Doug the midwife on duty
Adorable!
and stripey!
And, in other news ... At 5.45am this morning I was out in the pouring rain catching Brennan and loading him on to the float for a trip to SYENZ for collecting. Unfortunately the mare up north has decided to cycle so that she will require inseminating on Monday which means collecting on Sunday but, of course, no couriers run on Sundays! To get around this rather significant inconvenience, Victoria hatched a plan that involved getting the semen to Dannevirke show to pass on to a competitor who would take it with them for delivery closer to the recipient. So, this is why I was up so early rushing him to SYENZ. He was super to collect, especially considering he has only jumped the phantom a handful of times and not at all this season. Good boy.
The plan was going swimmingly until I got home and read on facebook that Dannevirke show had been cancelled! Argh! Luckily Victoria was on the case and alternative arrangements were made so, all going well, Brennan's swimmers should be well on their way to the recipient now. Phew! Did nothing good for my stress levels tho, I tell you! Please please please let it be a successful insemination now!
