The Tessy bear BOGOF thread

[tessybear]

Just want to add my congratulations, I'll be following the thread avidly!!!!

Oh, and here's a little tale. 43 years ago to this very day (it was a Good Friday) I'd taken my new 3 year old mare, I'd only owned her for 2 weeks, for a walk around the lanes in hand. She was uncharacteristically slow that day, lots of stop and start, so I cut the walk short, popped her back in the field with my gelding and went home (I was a clueless teenager in those days). A couple of hours later a neighbour knocked on the door to say that something funny was happening to one of my horses. Dad and me dashed up to the field to find..OMG....she'd had a foal!! She'd literally just given birth, her and the gelding were stood looking at this minutes old foal in absolute shock, as did we. The foal was a gorgeous chestnut filly with white socks, Dad ran home and called the vet who came out and said mare and foal were both completely fine and healthy. The odd thing was that the mare hadn't looked pregnant at all, well really I had no idea about teats at the time but she was finely built and there was no baby bump. The woman who'd sold her to us, who was an experienced dealer, had no idea the mare was in foal either, hmmmmm, well that's what she said!!

wow ! how exciting and strange that must have been having no clue

Holy hell, scrap everything I said on the other thread. Do NOT move that mare. Have you got your foaling bed down? You need to make sure that goes down tomorrow if it isn't already. (That's if your planning to foal inside which I would personally recommend with the night's going so cold) Get your foaling kit ready (big bucket for placenta, silver/purple spray, a Bute for afterwards, scissors, a baby bottle and teat incase you need to milk the mare..though unlikely) make sure you have the vets number and stud on speed dial. And get ready for a foal in the next week.
Read up on waxing up, a honey coloured substance that you'll find on the teats, this usually indicates your 12/24 hrs from foaling. If she's running milk you'll see baby within 12hrs.
Good luck!!

Yes foaling bed down she is in and happy vet seemed to think she will foal fine as could tell she had had them before during internal check. Thanks for the advice x

What a lovely idea to start the thread for future owner!! How fab to have updates and pics from the start!

Dying to see what she has, I reckon she looks ready to drop at any time. It would be lovely if it were this weekend!

Thank you lovely , something i would love to see if i could, i have everything crossed mini T makes an appearance soon...


Theodore... teddy for a colt what do you think everyone ?

 

[Charley657]

Just wanted to say congratulations!! You must be terrified having not planned to be a granny at such a young age.

Really hope all goes well with Tess and mini T and look forward to lots of photos.

 

[morrismob]

Theodore... teddy for a colt what do you think everyone ?[/QUOTE]

Love it but then my daughter is a theodora so works both ways ! So exciting !

 

[tessybear]

Just wanted to say congratulations!! You must be terrified having not planned to be a granny at such a young age.

Really hope all goes well with Tess and mini T and look forward to lots of photos.

It was a slight shock

Thank you and i will put plenty on x

 

[Toast]

why have spray and bute ready? xx

Because you need to spray the umbilical stump once the chord breaks to prevent infection entering via the umbillicus.
Bute just helps with any pain that the mare might have whilst passing the placenta.

 

[Coblover63]

We checked our mare (3rd foal) at 10.30pm and there was no wax or running milk. I uttered the famous words "Oh she won't have it tonight" but for some reason I woke with a start at 5am so got up a couple of hours earlier than usual to go over and check her.... lo and behold, the baby was born, dry, suckling, passed his meconium and bouncing around! I'd packed up my car with a sleeping bag and torch and had planned the very next night to start sleeping in my car overnight so I could be on-hand. She was early. I felt cheated! (and VERY relieved....)

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

I must have missed your post after the vet came, so it was true then, unexpected but so exciting. Foals can be absolutely wonderful, and crikey yes, she looks incredibly pregnant in that picture!
Be very interesting to see what pops out being as it is all a surprise, very much looking forward to seeing tessy's baby when it arrives

 

[tessybear]

We checked our mare (3rd foal) at 10.30pm and there was no wax or running milk. I uttered the famous words "Oh she won't have it tonight" but for some reason I woke with a start at 5am so got up a couple of hours earlier than usual to go over and check her.... lo and behold, the baby was born, dry, suckling, passed his meconium and bouncing around! I'd packed up my car with a sleeping bag and torch and had planned the very next night to start sleeping in my car overnight so I could be on-hand. She was early. I felt cheated! (and VERY relieved....)

I'm sure they do it to be awkward

I must have missed your post after the vet came, so it was true then, unexpected but so exciting. Foals can be absolutely wonderful, and crikey yes, she looks incredibly pregnant in that picture!
Be very interesting to see what pops out being as it is all a surprise, very much looking forward to seeing tessy's baby when it arrives

Thank you I know its likfe waiting for christmas at the moment

 

[Fools Motto]

Oooo, I will keep my eye on this thread! Nervous excitement eh?!

I'm going to agree more with your vet and say 1-2 weeks (10 days?) which seems against the majority here who say days (practically hours!) Then, if I'm wrong, I'm wrong in good company!!

Just bank up a bit more straw by her door, keeps the old draughts out!

Everything will be fine.. x

 

[tessybear]

Oooo, I will keep my eye on this thread! Nervous excitement eh?!

I'm going to agree more with your vet and say 1-2 weeks (10 days?) which seems against the majority here who say days (practically hours!) Then, if I'm wrong, I'm wrong in good company!!

Just bank up a bit more straw by her door, keeps the old draughts out!

Everything will be fine.. x

Oh really ? there is no wax yet so maybe you are right

We will do

Thank you for the support x

 

[MrsMozart]

Yipeeeeeeee

 

[ibot]

Good luck ill be another one watching this post Told my horse all about it when i mucked out and he is very excited and offered to be god father

 

[tessybear]

Yipeeeeeeee

Good luck ill be another one watching this post Told my horse all about it when i mucked out and he is very excited and offered to be god father

Thank you, oh you did he is more than welcome to

 

[HBM1]

another interesting page for you
http://www.equine-reproduction.com/articles/Foaling.shtml

a few subtle signs you can look out for - which my mare gave last year, she actually did an absolute text book foaling (unlike with her first foal whereby she threw him out 2 weeks early, having not slackened, waxed or anything!)...

she waxed up on the Friday, but I knew she wouldn't foal - I had an idea it would be the Saturday, at 4pm she was itching her bottom against her stable door...then she paced a little. I went in and sat with her and she would pace, come see me then pace some more, at this point the milk started flowing and each circle she did I got sprayed - As soon as she started pawing for Australia and creating huge holes in her bed, (after i had refilled them), i sat outside the stable instead. At 10pm she went down, baby appeared and was out in less than 5 minutes. Soon as she went down i went back in. I could not have asked for a better foaling, or notice of it, from her.

So watch your mare, she may even indicate, as mine did, that she wants you to stick around as she is ready.

do get the foal bed really clean and thick though..not all mares foal laying down and it is a long drop!! Plus a huge amount of amniotic fluid comes out and on a thin bed that can be cold and nasty, especially in this weather.

 

[zigzag]

Monday the 1st April : I think the foal will be here

 

[Merrymoles]

Not all mares wax up but if she's had a few foals it is more likely that she will or will run milk. I'm in the pretty soon camp! Looks about ready to me. Good luck, she is lovely and I'm glad you're over the shock!

 

[Shysmum]

I'm having trouble keeping up to date !! This has to be one of my favourite HHO threads ever, we are all just rooting for Tess and mini- Tess.

I haven't read everything, but if your dad is a problem, if he's there at the birth, I bet he will be weeping into a hankie, and then he'll be no problem.

 

[zigzag]

You may even miss the waxing up, its quite easy for the mare to knock it off

 

[tessybear]

another interesting page for you
http://www.equine-reproduction.com/articles/Foaling.shtml

a few subtle signs you can look out for - which my mare gave last year, she actually did an absolute text book foaling (unlike with her first foal whereby she threw him out 2 weeks early, having not slackened, waxed or anything!)...

she waxed up on the Friday, but I knew she wouldn't foal - I had an idea it would be the Saturday, at 4pm she was itching her bottom against her stable door...then she paced a little. I went in and sat with her and she would pace, come see me then pace some more, at this point the milk started flowing and each circle she did I got sprayed - As soon as she started pawing for Australia and creating huge holes in her bed, (after i had refilled them), i sat outside the stable instead. At 10pm she went down, baby appeared and was out in less than 5 minutes. Soon as she went down i went back in. I could not have asked for a better foaling, or notice of it, from her.

So watch your mare, she may even indicate, as mine did, that she wants you to stick around as she is ready.

do get the foal bed really clean and thick though..not all mares foal laying down and it is a long drop!! Plus a huge amount of amniotic fluid comes out and on a thin bed that can be cold and nasty, especially in this weather.

Thank you, you really have been fab like a bible bedding is thick but if foal doesn't come tonight i will make it extra thick tomorrow

Monday the 1st April : I think the foal will be here

Hopefully before tuesday

Not all mares wax up but if she's had a few foals it is more likely that she will or will run milk. I'm in the pretty soon camp! Looks about ready to me. Good luck, she is lovely and I'm glad you're over the shock!

Thank you lovely Im sure we will be fine

 

[tessybear]

I'm having trouble keeping up to date !! This has to be one of my favourite HHO threads ever, we are all just rooting for Tess and mini- Tess.

I haven't read everything, but if your dad is a problem, if he's there at the birth, I bet he will be weeping into a hankie, and then he'll be no problem.

aw it's comforting to know so many people are thinking about her and Mini T Well he went goggly eyed at bailey ( the dog we begged for) as a pup... and once he removed Tessy's rug by hiself ... WITHOUT A HEAD COLLAR so i think there is a bit of equestrian blood in him

You may even miss the waxing up, its quite easy for the mare to knock it off

Im going to check on her at half 8 just to check she is ok

 

[Spring Feather]

All this fuffing about trying to guess when she's going to have it. Just get yourself down to a garden centre/pool shop and buy some pool testing strips and milk her! Then we'll all know when it's coming. Some of us do have lives you know!

 

[tessybear]

All this fuffing about trying to guess when she's going to have it. Just get yourself down to a garden centre/pool shop and buy some pool testing strips and milk her! Then we'll all know when it's coming. Some of us do have lives you know!

I'm going to sound like a complete tool and say i dont know how to milk her ? and i doubt anywhere will be open till monday??

 

[zigzag]

Hopefully before tuesday

Monday is before Tuesday Its April this Monday !! be ironic if he/she was an April fools baby, she has fooled you

 

[zigzag]

I'm going to sound like a complete tool and say i dont know how to milk her ? and i doubt anywhere will be open till monday??

Nah they will be open tomorrow its Saturday!

 

[tessybear]

Monday is before Tuesday Its April this Monday !! be ironic if he/she was an April fools baby, she has fooled you

That would be great, she bloody did have us fooled

 

[Spring Feather]

I'm going to sound like a complete tool and say i dont know how to milk her ? and i doubt anywhere will be open till monday??

You milk mares just like a cow Really? Do your shops close all weekend? Everything is open here tomorrow and Sunday and then some places are closed on Monday. I thought your stores were way ahead of us in opening hours. Oh well ... taste it instead! Sweet = very soon. Sour = not for a while.

 

[Megibo]

So exciting she looks fit to burst! 3 horses i work with are due around may/june and it is immense fun to watch their bellies moving around/feel foal kicking!

 

[Equilibrium Ireland]

I do the taste test too!

Terri

 

[HBM1]

I'm going to sound like a complete tool and say i dont know how to milk her ? and i doubt anywhere will be open till monday??

Are you kidding? Garden Centres do crazy business at Easter

 

[tessybear]

I do the taste test too!

Terri

so to milk do you just pull/ massage gently downwards ?