Starlite presented us with a perfect filly last night at 10:19 PM. Her name is Piper and she is bay with chrome.
I am always amazed as to the grace and knowledge these seasoned mares show. Each one labors different. Each one has their own system. Starlite needed patience and that is what she did. Filly was very large for a 15.2 hand mare.
She was getting up and down for about an hour before her water broke. On the final time she lay down, she sat quietly, positioning her hips back and forth to allow this large filly to slide through properly. Once her water broke, we waited a moment hoping to see the first foot.
Nothing.......
I went into the stall after about 7 minutes of nothing.....and reached in to feel a very large foot slowly making it's way out. Another graceful push and I could see the hoof.
She would lay out flat...that sit up....lay out flat, then sit up. The whole time never loosing her focus on getting this big filly out. After about 20 minutes....we had two feet and a head. THEN Starlite got down to business.
Forceful pushing...hard work....and out slid Piper. As soon as her chest cavity cleared the birth canal....she was thrashing her legs around trying to break the sac. Wacked me in the head before she even took her first breath! GREAT SIGNS!
Mama lay there resting while filly was scooting around the stall...demanding her stilts work so she could nurse. Piper was sucking on anything that touched her tiny nose. Mama was nickering softly to her....trying to recover. With perfect timing Starlite stood up. Umbilical cord snapped....no bleeding.
Piper was up and standing on her own within 20 minutes. She was very frustrated with mama who had laid back down to finish passing the placenta. Of course...the placenta took another hour to come out with Starlite going up and down. Piper getting more and more agitated she cant find milk. FINALLY....filly got Mama in the corner and she struck gold! Suckling until her belly was round and full.
What joy to feel after such heartache the night before. One precious foal lost....and another comes bouncing into the world. Amazing how God works.....amazing how he heals our hearts.
Time to go do barn chores....late this morning, but I think the horses understand :)
I am always amazed as to the grace and knowledge these seasoned mares show. Each one labors different. Each one has their own system. Starlite needed patience and that is what she did. Filly was very large for a 15.2 hand mare.
She was getting up and down for about an hour before her water broke. On the final time she lay down, she sat quietly, positioning her hips back and forth to allow this large filly to slide through properly. Once her water broke, we waited a moment hoping to see the first foot.
Nothing.......
I went into the stall after about 7 minutes of nothing.....and reached in to feel a very large foot slowly making it's way out. Another graceful push and I could see the hoof.
She would lay out flat...that sit up....lay out flat, then sit up. The whole time never loosing her focus on getting this big filly out. After about 20 minutes....we had two feet and a head. THEN Starlite got down to business.
Forceful pushing...hard work....and out slid Piper. As soon as her chest cavity cleared the birth canal....she was thrashing her legs around trying to break the sac. Wacked me in the head before she even took her first breath! GREAT SIGNS!
Mama lay there resting while filly was scooting around the stall...demanding her stilts work so she could nurse. Piper was sucking on anything that touched her tiny nose. Mama was nickering softly to her....trying to recover. With perfect timing Starlite stood up. Umbilical cord snapped....no bleeding.
Piper was up and standing on her own within 20 minutes. She was very frustrated with mama who had laid back down to finish passing the placenta. Of course...the placenta took another hour to come out with Starlite going up and down. Piper getting more and more agitated she cant find milk. FINALLY....filly got Mama in the corner and she struck gold! Suckling until her belly was round and full.
What joy to feel after such heartache the night before. One precious foal lost....and another comes bouncing into the world. Amazing how God works.....amazing how he heals our hearts.
Time to go do barn chores....late this morning, but I think the horses understand :)
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