Regards was heavy in foal that early winter. It was her first pregnancy and I figured from how she would waddle around that she didn't think much of it. Regards was not a happy camper at all. She discovered she couldn't keep up with the other mares due to foal later in the Spring and rolling in the mud wasn't as fun as it used to be. She could feel something in her stomach area that kept moving around.. she didn't remember eating anything alive, so what could that be all about? Sometimes she was sure it had kicked at her, which was quite bothersome. She finally got to the point where she would kick at her belly with a hind hoof. "whatever is in there needs to STOP!"
I ensured that she had the right supplements a mom-to-be would need and that she had gotten her vaccinations at the correct times. I could only imagine how miserable she felt. She was used to being fit and in top condition, not walking about feeling like some walrus. Two more weeks and she would finally understand just what was going on.
The farm ran along regardless of miserable mares, snow, sleet, or mud here in Maryland. Just like all of the other farms, animals, and livestock needed even more care in winter it seemed. The horses being turned out, went with blankets on to keep them warm, and those who had grown heavy winter coats always had hay available to eat. You see, hay turned into energy which in turn helped them stay healthy and fat. Extra feed to those hard keepers, and topped off with corn oil for extra calories but not as much feed. Water that was warmed by stock tank heaters, and heated water buckets in every stall. We made sure that every horse drank plenty so there was no colic.
Jellino was full of himself. Not enough miles and he was so fit that he could easily gallop for quite a few. Wintertime was not a safe time to go galloping through the forest. No matter how wonderful one thought himself to be. 😆
When I would turn him out for the afternoon, I would be confronted with hind heels flying and turbo boosts. ( aka - toots, farts, etc) He'd race about like an idiot bucking and throwing his head/neck from side to side. I told him like some others that one day, his head would go flying away from him, and that would be that. He didn't seem to care.
The babies from last year will soon be considered to be yearlings. Every Thoroughbred becomes a year older in January, no matter when they were born that last year. My little Skunk was not a pure Thoroughbred, so she will get to keep her actual birthdate. Speaking of my little baby horse, she was getting tall. And incredibly fuzzy! We practiced all of the things that a proper filly would need to know. So far, she would pick up each hoof, waiting for me to hold it and clean out anything that may have been collected in it. I could brush her literally from ears to toes without a fuss unless she had an itchy spot. Then she would move so I was currying that itchy spot some extra. She would follow me all over that barn and eventually all over the farm. I had a little black shadow and loved every minute of it.
One morning in February, I arrived to see a lot of people walking around looking very important. Or at least trying to. I ran to the foaling barn and realized that Ms. Wonderful was finally foaling! Oh, she was not pleased with anyone being there that she didn't know, so I told the strangers that they had to leave. Once they were gone, I got a soft nicker from Regards. She was relaxing and not pinning her ears any longer. My boss was there along with Anna, quietly waiting and watching the much-awaited event. I joined them as soon as I could. By now the mom-to-be was really seriously pushing as her body told her to. It wasn't long before we saw some small hooves. My boss said that seeing the tops of hooves meant the foal was going to be born properly. Seeing the bottoms of hooves told him that the little one was coming backward. A breech birth. Regards was pushing that little one ( who didn't look so little from the size of its hooves!) out further and further. A nose laying on top of those long legs, then a face, neck. It was difficult pushing those monster shoulders out but with one final heave, out came baby! We all softly cheered and told Regards what a grand mama she was. Of course, Regards was napping, finally comfortable. My boss let me do a dose of iodine on the new born's umbilical cord so no infection would happen. Wow, what a gorgeous baby it was! Four white stockings, and a blaze just like Papa had. All of a sudden, I thought: filly or colt!!?? Anna checked and said quietly, Regards has a daughter...... Once again, I was in tears. What a miracle a birth is. A whole complete baby horse and in 5-10 minutes was attempting to line those long legs to get up. Regards woke up at all of the noise, looking around at us. All of a sudden she saw the foal. What a wonderful soft welcome nicker she did. The filly looked around to find the creature who spoke her language and saw her mama. She too, nickered back to Regards. That was it- Regards was In Love. She licked and caressed her new daughter with such care and I could feel the love coming out of her soul to her baby. Mom got up and turned around to be sure her little one was alright. Then, she looked right at me and turned her face to her daughter. Just as though she wanted me to come meet her. I slid the stall door open softly and walked to Regards. I knew because of her past life, to not trust her explicitly. She looked at me and caressed her baby, nodding her head towards her. She was inviting me into her world and to meet her new foal. What a special compliment it was from a mare who would attack the stall bars to injure me. I walked over to her foal who was trying to figure out life as it was for her. When I touched her, she flinched like she was surprised. When I opened my hand and touched her again, she was happier. My boss came back into the stall and gave Regards a piece of carrot. Then stepped back to help guide the hungry baby to the milk department. It was so sweet to see that little pink tongue looking for something to latch onto. She took a big step and reached her neck under Regard's tummy, looking to find what smelled so delicious. All of a sudden we heard slurp, slurp, and my boss smiled widely.
"We have a first breakfast, Houston," he said. Anna and I gave each other big hugs as we knew how important it was for a new foal nurse to get the colostrum from her mama. That filly slurped and sucked like she was starving. Regards kept licking her rump and nickering things that only her baby understood.
I ran to the house to let my boss's wife hear about the new foal and she immediately came with me to the foaling barn.
'Oh, what a treasure,' she said, watching her trying to lay down. She too, had tears in her eyes... she knew how much it meant to have a strong healthy foal on the ground and such a fantastic mare caring for it.
Welcome to the world, little one!
