The nursery

Mares are so funny--I am so used to them and their habits that I do not think a lot about it until I am seeing it through someone's eyes. I took Court out on the Gator Friday afternoon to see babies, and the first thing we saw was the nursery---a pack of four mares who were sharing babysitting duty.

Something you would not necessarily know unless you knew them is that although they look like they are paired up appropriately, they are not---the mothers do not necessarily correspond with the baby closest to them. I did not notice it either until I looked at some of the pics.

Notice how filthy they are---from all the rain last week, water was pretty much standing everywhere, but these babies do not let that interfere with their naps---they just look stupid when they get up.

Gizmo was most resentful of having her nap interrupted--doesnt she look disgusted with me?

Belly update

As requested by Lorna, updated pics of tummies.

This is Diablo on the left, with Xanadu in the background.

This is Snap, wearing the halter.





















On the left is Melody, she is due around March 13.

Next is Gyro, I dont think she is due until early May


Last is Xanadu, who is due in April sometime.

I need to get decent photos of Aries and Gyspy still, as theirs were taken in the barn and are way too ugly, as well as a clean shot of Squeak, who is filthy.

Broodmares

The Blaze gang

This new hay must be working well, too. Mares that have weaned their babies, but have no other issues are currently living in the back pasture. There, the eat only the alfalfa round bale, and are not being fed Strategy until the last trimester. In our pursuit of those who need their pheumabort shots last nite, we were treated to a rare show---broodmares gone wild, bucking and playing like yearlings. Unfortunately, most of those pics were obscured by humogous dust clouds.

Some turned out kind of cute though...these three (left to right) are Fuzzy who is still nursing, Gyro who weaned last week, and Hotrod who weaned a month ago. I never realized how many of my girls had similar wide blazes on their faces. I always have to study Hotrod and Gy closely as their main difference is the top of their blazes point different ways. Fuzzy and Snap also have very similar face markings. No wonder Barry cannot keep anyone straight! Anyway, these girls are only four to five months in foal--and look at those bellies! Gyro better suck it up as she is going to be a special guest on next weekend's girl trip at Indian Creek, and it will be her job to tote a nervous trail rider. She is only four months in foal, so there is no call for her to be so fat.

The second photo is Melody and Rock, with Xanadu behind them. Mel also weaned the Hammer about a month ago, and has been in the back, cut off of grain since then. She is also five months in foal, but sure looks like a lot more than that. She must be standing funny, as her left leg looks wonky and it is not. Any mare that can make Rock look narrow like she does in this shot must be packing!


The last photo shows Nita--she is keeping on her gaining slowly but surely, but look at that color coming back! And Diablo---who is also still nursing, and is about 4 months in foal or so---look at the belly on that one! She looks like she could trip over it and it is hard to believe this beast is the same little girl I bought as a two year old that was so feminine and sweet--she looks like a mack truck now.

After all the catching, vaccinating, and general treatment got done, the improperly places mared were returned to the back pasture where they belong. Now that I have done that, I bet Marvin calls and says he can trim on Wednesday after all, and I will have to fetch Mel and Hotrod back up to start over....