Morgan ~ What else?!?!

[Michelle Clarke]

I give up! Another blondie filly!!! This one is super duper light with ice blue eyes. I think Charros' recessive red really LIKES Morgan since all I am getting are red based foals from them too! Oh well. She is gorgeous with those long legs and really built - she's gonna be another big gal. Her knees and hocks are the same height as Morgans already and she is not even unfolded.

Morgans' water broke at exactly midnight - but she would not lay down. She went and stood in the corner and thingyed her back leg. No sac appeared. She laid down a few times, then would get up and stand quiet. Usually she does not mind me helping but this time every time I would go in to check things out she would act like she was getting up. When I was finally able to get my hands on the feet, everything was in the right position but the nose seemed far back. Morgan was not pushing. She would roll a little, get up, stand and start again. I massaged her uterus and even tugged the legs a little to get her going, but nothing. At this point it was 12:30. I had my hand on the phone to the vet when she laid down and began hard contractions. I helped with every push but it was tough and I was scared. When the foals head finally appeared and I got her shoulders loose, I thought she was dead. Her tongue was black and her eyes only half open and not moving. I stuck my fingers in her mouth and shook her head between my hands - FINALLY she opened her eyes and started to cough and wheeze. I was shaking. I thought the umbilical cord had been pinched and that was that.

Surprisingly, she perked up quick and was up and standing before Morgan. Even pooped twice before she latched on - which then she did not take a breath until the udder was empty! I was happy to see she was vivacious and lively to say the least.

Her eyes are ice blue - thank goodness they will darken up and turn amber. So color...cream champagne dun is my best guess. She has dark ear tips and you can see a mask low on her face...

[fantasykiger]

OH my goodness she is a fabulous big girl she reminds me a golden haired Amazon Princess I can only imagine your anxiety during her birth and sigh of relief as she vigorously nursed in the end.
Though she is a yet another filly, she is a great foal to end on ;D

[sbutter]

WOW!!!! That is a big filly!!!! I am so glad she is ok and bounced back quickly.

What Charro foals will you have next year?

[mustangdara]

WOW I agree she is huge !
I am so glad everything went well in the end...it must have been a real scary birth if you were scared.

[DianneC]

She is really really beautiful Michelle....What ARE you feeding those mares this year! Those are some really big foals you've been having. A credit to you that they've been so healthy and beautiful. Now, for some good sleep! Can't wait to see these last two all fluffed out!

[Michelle Clarke]

Thanks guys...it is nice to have a safe place to share experiences, I know everyone feels the same here about that. Dianne - you are about the eighth person that has asked me about feeding! I hate to think I am feeding everyone too well! The only thing this year is I added more barely with the mares because we did have some spring grass and the mares got some insulin resistant symptoms, so I upped it to half which I usually feed a third of the ration. The only thing new is freeze dried peas, but only a few times a week and not enough to make much of a difference in anything as far as growth (at least that I can figure).

Eric says to stop over analyzing because most people that breed have many more issues than I do and I am blessed that most everything works out as well as it does. I never really worry about the purebred mares having purebred foals - they birth so easy and are such good mommas...the crossbreds is where issues usually come up (I believe mostly because of issues with domestication but that's another topic!).

Charro and Morgan have two other full siblings to this filly and there was no problem with either of them. When Morgan first laid down the front feet where pushing up more toward the anus (in fact she wound up tearing some up by the top of her vulva). Usually that happens when the mare lays on the wrong side of the way the foal is turned to be birthed (like with Chilli); then they get up, lay on the other side and it all works out. But with Morgan, the feet where correct. I just think that her pubic tendon is very stretched, so the foal had to come up higher first before pointing to come out so those long legs were positioned up more than they should have been.

I will be giving Morgan two years off so she can retention. Dr. Mary was out today to work on the mares and babies and the new filly, named Nivea (meaning Snow White) and she was twisted in her lumbar and sacrum. She must have been really torqued during birthing. It is so interesting because of the obvious pain she has there, she is very protective of that area to the point when she bumps her back legs on the stall, she tucks her tail and baby talks with her mouth. It is amazing to me because if we did not find that so early, she could have developed with big fear issues with her hindend or even her back when it comes to saddling.

Gosh...there is so much to learn. Each horse has so much to teach us.

[DianneC]

Snow white, I love it. It shows how astute you are Michelle, that you recognized the need and took care of it.

[kigerkrazy]

What a beautiful (and huge!) girl!!! This is the reason I love this board, you guys give so much great info. Whenever I come here, I always get to learn something useful. Thank you for sharing Michelle and congrats on your new filly =) Glad her momma are doing good.

[kimk]

Lovely filly Michelle. I was so hoping you'd get your colt, but you sure can't be too disappointed in this girl!

[gotkiger]

I come back from being out of town and there is a new baby... i should go out of town more often, lol. Congrats she is beautiful, and big.