Figure 340 days, it's the "accurate" guess work.  Because horses don't like to foal on their due date, any more than rats, cats, dogs or people like to have their offspring on the due date

I think I'd have a hard time letting the issue go.  Having an intact animal, of any species, is a responsibility. Keeping that animal away from females that could be bred is simply part of that. The owner being ignorant about the issue, or not set up to keep an intact male, really isn't an excuse.

If I boarded my female dog (if I had an intact female dog that is) at a kennel, and an intact male on the property bred to her, there would certainly be some issues for that person. Not to mention if the person didn't think it important to mention to me Seeing as how they have the male FOR breeding purposes, I have a hard time believing they didn't realize pregnancy could occur.

And if my SO knew and didn't tell me, that would be an entirely different set of issues

I swear Tina has doubled in size in the past week.  Thats a litte exaggeration but she is getting huge, i can see a visible difference. 

I still have to get pics!  I've been insanley busy preparing for them to come home.  The new fence is almost up, we only have the back fenceline to do.  But i dont know when we can borrow a trailer to get them over here, but i'm hoping this weekend if the trailer is avaiable.  Then i'll DEFINITELY have tons of pics.

I can't deny it, i'm pretty damn excited! At least this lit a fire under us to get them home!  One more good thing to get out of it.

And i think i should mention, that me and the SO have been having a TON of problems for the past few years.  Thats probably one of the reasons i wasn't told, we fight a lot even without things such as this fueling it.  Its a very complicated situation, to say the least.    I know its not a good reason, but if we didn't own a house together and have so many furkids, i probably wouldnt still be here.  I tend to "run" from things, so maybe its a good thing.  Five years isn't something you can just drop, which i probably would have done if i didn't have things keeping me here.

I haven't been able to update due to being bitten by the dreaded Virtumonde adware on my computer, which has made everything slow.
If anybody is still following this, i finally have pics (lots!)

They came home on Monday, it was uneventful for the most part.  Socks was a little attitudey, but she hasn't known any other place but the place she was born, so i can forgive her!  Her first time in a trailer, and she wasn't too freaked out.  She would only load for me, so we made her practice getting in and out with the SO AND his dad.  She always seems to think i'm the only one she has to listen to, and thats not going to fly!

Tina is getting huuuuuge.  I'm trying not to baby her too much, but i'm SO nervous and have to check on her a thousand times a day.  She's quieting down a lot, tiring out easily, and is getting annoyed with Socks constantly trying to get her to run and play.  It is very hard for me to believe we've got aways to go, she looks like she's going to pop.  But, as i've said before, when i saw her pregnant with Socks it was just barely noticable, so this seems "out of this world".  You can kind of see in these pics how small Socks actually is, she's probably not even 12 Hands.  I need to try to measure her, i lost track at 11 Hands and that was awhile ago, but she's done growing.  Its going to be very different raising this baby compared to her, she was so itsy bitsy when she was born! This is going to be a fun/newish experience for me i guess.


This was taken out my window, against the screen so its not the best.  And they were far away.  But its such a nice sight to look out the window at


Monday, the first day.  It was SO windy so most of the pics from that day aren't the best, if you get it just right the windy mane/tale look nice, but otherwise not-so-much.




This was after they finally calmed down that first day.  Tina wasn't cut out for thatkind of stuff, and she was pretty sweaty/foamy and tired out.  Not the most flattering for her, but it shows her stomach the best.

And because she's so gorgeous, my little pony...

Aw...
She's got such a big belly.
I love horses, and your girls are gorgeous.
You MUST get pics of the baby as soon as it's born!

Im keeping my fingers crossed for a healthy wonderful delivery....I hope everything is ok.

Great news! She's here, and happy and healthy as can be!  *deep breaths* FINALLY!!!

So, on a day of grief and sadness, a little ray of light appeared in my life.  My great grandfather passed away at 91, on 4th of July, his birthday.  Up until last year we had always had a 4th of July celebration in combination with his birthday.  Last year he sat on the porch swing, drank a few beers, and it was like he was still a young man inside though his outside was wearing thin.  I'm going to miss that old man terribly, its not going to be the same without him.  Today is the calling hours, tomorrow is the funeral.  I woke up this morning to my SO coming through the door, at 7:30am (i stayed up studying until 3am - and also fretting over Tina and couldn't sleep out of nervousness!), with "HONEY!!!!" And the way he said it was scary, i jumped up, half asleep... panicked for a split second before he says "She had it!!"  Relief.  So i get up, first thing out of my mouth is "A boy or girl?"  He rolls his eyes.  "I haven't been out there yet, i wanted to get you first!".

Bad things is, we needed her to hold out a few more days.   I really wanted her in a stall.  The flies are terrible, Tina doesn't get along with Tia, and i knew it'd just be problematic for the baby to be born on pasture.  Sure enough, Tina had other ideas.  We've got her stall halfway done, but my father couldn't come out to help until after the funeral and stuff, and we really need him (I know nothing about this stuff -bare with me) for drilling some plate thing into the concrete to support it, because the ceilings are so high.  But anyway, so Baby was born out on the pasture.  Sometime between 3am and 7am.  She was still very wobbly and "fresh" when i first went out to see her.  Pictures aren't great, dont mind the flies (even with Fly Spray, fly strips, everything... we really need to do something about them!).  I'm going to go try to find a different kind of fly spray that might help.  And see if i can find a baby fly mast (not likely).  I took mama's mask off for the pictures, though the flies decided to all congregate to her eyes, so pictures with the mask may have been better. 

Any yes, its a girl.  A little disappointed there, but oh my goodness - she's perfect!


I think we're going to have an exact replica of mommy! Though, she seems to be more 'gray-ish'. 


I think mom has Percheron in her, and from this angle thats what her color reminds me of.  Minus the dapples.

If anybody finds the following two pictures indelicate - I just think its cute, so i apologize!


Baby tongue shots!! WOOT!


Its precious!  She's eating, Tina is producing milk.  She's EXTREMELY attentive.   She wont let the other two, even her older daughter, near the baby.  She's okay with us, but a couple of times she "steered" the baby away from us.  I'm giving her time before pushing the issue too far.


She... is going to be HUGE. 


This is my favorite, i wish it had come out better.


Mama looks so pretty and proud.    She's doing great after we cleaned her up and gave her tons of love.  I'm so happy! Everything is going splendid so far. Unfortunately i wont be able to have the vet come out today because of everything going on, but hopefully tomorrow after the funeral i'll be able to get an appointment.

    

I am IN LOVE!

THANK YOU for posting pics!!  What a happy accident, huh?  I'm loving the little curls in her tail, mane and forehead...  she is adorable.   

More pics! I can't get enough of her, and i'm scared to stay in the house for more than a few minutes.  It is HOT today, and Mama isn't leaving the sun.  Baby is extremely hot to the touch (being so dark and all doesn't help), and i'm panicking a bit because of what happened to Belle's foal.  I know in the great scheme of things it will be fine, and its finally starting to cool off now, i think because rain is coming in. 

These are much better pictures, so i thought i'd share them too. 

The "whole family"!


She wants to see Auntie Tia, but Mommy doesn't like that idea too much!


Its as if she's saying "look what i did!"


Where'd her other ear go?









I need name suggestions.  I want something unique (all my animals have unique names, unless they already came named... Like Tia and Tina -Tia was Tina, but i changed it by taking out the N since she responded to it.  Never changed the second Tina's name. I guess i was meant to have a Tina after all! )  I've been looking online.  If i could find something that meant something it'd be great.  Like since she was unexpected, i didn't really want her, but then she turned out to be a blessing in disguise? I've been somewhat depressed/stressed.  It was adding to the stress levels until today when she was born.  Then it was like a swoosh of relief/happiness.  I can't find what i'm looking for, and its probably a tough one, but if you have any suggestions, please tell!   

What about Liberty, or Liberty Bell (Belle for short) in honor of your grandfather and all the wonderful fourth of July parties you shared with him?

Belle sounds good. To me,she looks like a..Gracie ,Grace for short? Or how about..Bessie?? I dunno..Just picking random names..Or maybe Lucy. I don't know. She's so pretty,congrats on the foal,both you and the mom!