Straight From The Horses Mouth…

As October 13th approaches I am feeling so confident about Feiner Abend’s Mare Performance test coming up that day.  She has been working hard under diff trainer than previous who specialized in Hunters.  Farrah is not consistantly rounder and SOOOOO much fun to ride with a trot to die for.  And interestingly enough her OK walk is now a beautiful overreaching walk.  Don’t know what that is about other than she must be using her back differently with her more classical dressage training.  What AHS gave a 7, I would have given a 6 BUT NOW I would give her an 8 plus.  That was totally unexpected.  “Farrah” is currently 2.5 months pregnant but is eager to play in the chute.

Below is a video when first day through the jump chute in over a year.  More video soon.  Today we jumped her with X and 2 oxers but only to almost 3 feet .  She cleared everything, everytime with about 1 foot to spare.  Next week UP, UP, UP and wider oxers.

What a Grand Prix Freestyle!  What else can be said?  I am proud of the careful and thoughtful breed standards that led to such quality!

Finally, I have found how to watch the Equestrian events!

http://www.nbcolympics.com/tv_and_online_listings/zone=ET/sport=EQ/index.html

It is exciting to see McLain Ward and Sapphire in first position for Jumping for the USA so far.

Also, we are following the incredible Jumper, Lantinus, by Landkonig who stands at Rainbow Equus Meadows in Lincoln, California.  I LOVE Argentinus which is the dam side of Lantinus.  Our D’Lyte is from Argentinus on Dam side.  On Q’s breeding plan is to  cross D’Lyte with Landkonig (Lantinus sire) and produce a world class athlete as these lines have proven.  D’Lyte looks a lot like Lantinus in build.  She is very athletic and agile.

VERY exciting to note is that of the 16 different horse breeds competing in the Dressage events at the Olympics, 6 of the top 10 are Hanoverians!  We are proud to be part of this breed.

I have so enjoyed my vacation from work and went to the $5000 Grand Prix class on April 25, 2008.  Such fun.  Brentina was spectacular and I especially enjoyed watching Rafalca.  Here are the riders in that class:  

After a miserable week of waiting and Predict-a-Foal saying she should have been born 4/7or8, we have a healthy, strong, TALL, leggy filly. She is BEAUTIFUL and will shed out to the color of dad. Not a hair of white. I am so pleased with this baby. 

What was not so much fun was the delivery. However, I am amazed looking back at how much control a mare has of the birth. Mare was ready for about a week and labor would start and stop the couple days before birth. I was going nuts. Turns out she could just not get baby into position. Then Tuesday morn as I was working from home and watching, I saw Allie go down in full sow pushing position with legs straight out and push for about 20 minutes. That was weird because I was sure I could not have missed water breaking. I checked and just cervical plug but no evidence of water. I called my “best vet in the world”, Dr. Paget. She came in 20 minutes. It took a while to get her bearings on this baby. First she thought breach but went deeper and found an eye. It turned out to be a “point of shoulder” presentation with cervix pushed and clamped beneath pelvic rim with uterus pushing into vaginal canal. Baby’s beautiful flexible neck was turned as if sniffing her ribcage. C-section, attempt to deliver or wait to see if mare could reposition, split second decisions. We decided to go for it. Dr. P broke placental sack and pulled legs and head into correct birthing position. Mare’s uterus was just not helping much. With much work we got to knees twice only to have filly pull neck back and put head under pelvic rim. Mare was standing whole time, so after much work we would push everything back in and reposition. Then with one person on each leg and vet holding head in position (poor mare, ow!) we had a successful delivery of a GORGEOUS and strong little girl. She stood in 10 minutes, strongly nursing in 50 minutes and next day IgG was off the charts excellent. WHEW, I am still sore shouldered today. BUT what a prize. Sorry pictures are not that great but more soon. (Angela: no way can I top your awesome action shots of your colt!)The moral of the story is, if you know your mare well and things do not feel right, call for help. You know, like Predict-a-Foal telling you “all systems go” for 8 or 9 days along with pH strips. I am so happy I called in time and avoided the stress and trauma of transporting for C-section not to mention probably death and expense. I think we may have had an hour or two max to come out with this happy ending.I learned a lot. 

People suggested oxytocin but luckily with vet hospital background I knew better. Vet did not use because she said it would have made repositioning very difficult and possible injury to arms with powerful contractions. Allie’s contractions were not great and in the end it was a good thing and NO she will never be bred again. She has contributed 8 or 9 beautiful foals to the world and now coming 21 is done with having babies and she is now retired. 

Allie, my awesome mare and friend, never complained (even with quite a bit of blood loss) and you would have thought a normal birth by her actions and composure afterward. Glad it is over.

I am so tired. According to my foaling test strips this mare should have had baby on 4/7 or 4/8. I am so excited but mare must be waiting for foal to position itself for the big event. Most people say these strips are “to the day”! I guess there are always exceptions!