This message is from: "mizgriz" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I've enjoyed so much reading the birth announcements. Every one is so exciting and wonderful!!!
I guess I'll lump 4 announcements together here... I just came in from the barn just now after welcoming our 4th foal in less than 3 weeks at about 5:55 this morning. Ingrid III had a beautiful dark filly. I'd arranged a stall in the barn so that I can see inside the barn from our bedroom window if I leave the barn door open. I woke up at about 5:45 and could see that Ingrid was standing in a different spot than her usual favorite so I decided to go check her heartrate to see if she was in labor. Usually a higher heartrate is the only warning my mares will give me. I got on my boots and jacket and grabbed the camera and cell-phone (to notify everyone at the house without having to leave the barn) and stethoscope. By the time I stepped outside I could see across the yard that she was already lying down. It had been only about 5 minutes from when I last saw her standing from the window until I got to her, but I'd missed the birth by seconds. It was still exciting to be there that soon. Our first foal, a colt was born April 11th in the horse hospital. Anitra, his mom had gone off her feed and water and ended up on an I.V. in the hospital for ten days. Her and her colt are fine, but it was scary for awhile. I think she'd quit eating because the baby was squeezing something, but that caused too much stress on her system. After 3 days of having to have the vet give her water, etc. with a stomach tube she layed down and rolled and got up and started eating and drinking again like normal...I guess the baby shifted postition. By then though, her liver had been stressed and she became jaundiced (hyperlipidemia) so even though she was now eating and drinking and acting normal she needed her system flushed out. Her colt was born 4 days after going to the hospital and came home with her at 6 days old. Fortunately, he was handled a lot by the vet's staff (and us when we could make the drive to Farmington, NM) They are both home and doing great now. Four days after Anitra's colt was born Sondra had a beautiful, very tall filly. It was good that I was there for that because she had a leg stuck during birth that I needed to help her with. Then 11 days later Hilde (BBF Hildegard) had a beautiful little filly. Each one seems like such a miracle. I'm still glad to have a break for a few weeks to get caught up on sleep before the next one is due. I just got our website somewhat working so there'll be pictures at www.fawncreekfjords.com . P.S. You may notice that some of the haircuts on some of the horses were done during my early learning phase, I'm getting a little better. Dianna Saleh
