New Foal!

Christmas has come!  Tulah (the mare due to foal) spent all of the 4th of July in labor.  I kept an eye on her as I went about my chores, but I could tell she wasn't quite ready yet (although the rule is "Any mare can foal at any time").  I set up my chair out by the arena and planned on leaving her in the arena while we waited.

No such luck - between her friends that were out of sight and the banging, booming and whizzing of fireworks, she ended up in the foaling stall with a small run.  I spent the first half of the night alternating between sitting by her stall and heading inside to get some R and R.  The other horses liked me being out there too - they kept watching me and asking if the world was ending. 

Usually I have a group of people to help spell me, but the timing didn't work out this time, so my husband Larry checked on her for a few hours while I got a little nap in between booms.

I sat out in the barn in the morning calm (around 5:30 am) and she was pacing but not seeming like she was going to foal immediately.  So, around 6ish I headed inside and grabbed a few more minutes of sleep and then did some email until Larry came running in (he'd been starting to feed the horses) and shouted "The baby is here!" 

I threw on some clothes and ran outside; the foal had just arrived, but hadn't stood up yet.  I did the most important thing....checked the sex.  Sigh.  I've been joking that I never get what I wish for, so this time I wished for a bay colt.  Should have wished for that buckskin filly, I guess! 

But, he's gorgeous, big and very robust.

Look at those long, long legs!  Yes, he has a little bit of blood on them, but mama took care of that pretty quickly

Tulah getting to know her boy.  She did very well, especially for a maiden mare.  Guess the older ladies have been giving her tips.

He hadn't found the milk bar yet, and was exploring everywhere, including mom's muzzle.

 

As I got to listen to rockets, whizzers, booms and bangs all night, his barn name is Rocket.  Also, he got up in less than a half hour (which is really good) and was nursing in less than an hour.  All excellent.  I will have to think of a 'real' name for him befitting his heritage.

 

And, as he's a colt, he's for sale.  Glad I have another one for sale, but I sure wish he was that fabled filly...