Well the paddocks are picking up and Roxy and Tahoe are looking shiny and healthy. I am starting to get into the routine of caring for them and also discovering what a cheek Tahoe is. He is a friendly little guy but likes to try and push mum around a bit to try and get her to move so he can get to her feed. A quick swift stomp of her feet soon puts him in his spot. He also likes to try and lean on me too but I am teaching him to respect my space and yield to pressure. His leading is going well and he is getting the idea of coming forward to release the pressure, Roxy is patient when we practise this as we do it on the way out to the herd and we often have to stop while Tahoe lets it all sink in.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Tahoe is One Week Old!
Trying to stand in mums hay
Looking a bit like he might go dark bay
Ok so lets share it then!
Little Tahoe at One Week
Monday, February 16, 2009
Message for my QS Friends!
Hi Ann and Petra I just found your comments...so tired I only just noticed that they had been left. Thanks so much for following my blog...I miss QS and I will be back. I didnt renew my monthly membership because I needed the money for the mountains of feed that ole' Roxy is consuming, so I cant post my news but if you guys want to I would love that, you can add my blog link if anyone wants baby pics.
A Practise Group looks definate just a matter of letting the dust and manure settle! I have been using QS and common sense with Tahoe and he is letting me do all sorts of stuff, although I have heard along the grapevine that he wont do the same for others (Rhonda and Leah :-))...I am doing lots of no yield contact with him and picking his feet up using the chestnut squeeze. I can touch his legs, tummy, rump and chest. He is still a little nervous around the face, but he gets more and more confident every day. I am also teaching him to move away from pressure. He is going to make a wonderful little horse.
The colour is still debatable but I think dark bay, maybe smoky black.
Well I have a delightful head cold which I need to deal with so I will be back later hopefully with some new pictures...I am waiting for some sunshine to get a nice shot but I am in no way complaining about this wonderful rain!
Cheers
Lorrie
xxx
A Practise Group looks definate just a matter of letting the dust and manure settle! I have been using QS and common sense with Tahoe and he is letting me do all sorts of stuff, although I have heard along the grapevine that he wont do the same for others (Rhonda and Leah :-))...I am doing lots of no yield contact with him and picking his feet up using the chestnut squeeze. I can touch his legs, tummy, rump and chest. He is still a little nervous around the face, but he gets more and more confident every day. I am also teaching him to move away from pressure. He is going to make a wonderful little horse.
The colour is still debatable but I think dark bay, maybe smoky black.
Well I have a delightful head cold which I need to deal with so I will be back later hopefully with some new pictures...I am waiting for some sunshine to get a nice shot but I am in no way complaining about this wonderful rain!
Cheers
Lorrie
xxx
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Oh the vet fees!!!!
Well baby Tahoe is one week old tonight and already a little legend. Roxy continues to be the greatest mum and as for Tahoe he is super friendly. I can already brush him all over and today I had the halter on him and picked up three feet!!!
However last Sunday I had the vet out to a constipated little man, today I had to call him again.
I had a bit of a panic attack this morning when I found Roxy lying down in the stable (like I have said before she doesn't ever lie down). She got up when I approached and I thought she might have just been having a rest. I put her feed in the feeder and she looked at it, turned her lip up and lay down again. This is around about when I freaked, I got her up again and she trotted into the paddock and lay down again, I was terrified. I got the halter on her (while she was lying down) and made her get up again. I noticed her bag was full, which meant Tahoe hadn't been able to drink. I have all sorts of thoughts running through my head, retained placenta, mastitis, twisted bowel...but I think it is more likely that it maybe colic and the vet gets a phone call.
Now I have seen enough colic episodes on McLeods Daughters to know that with colic you keep them moving so off we go doing laps of the paddock. After three laps we rested and let Tahoe feed and rest. I kept walking her until the vet arrived, these two were getting some decent exercise but I had to be careful not to over do it for Tahoe's sake, little foals can tire easily.
The vet arrived and long story short, no infection, no temp but increased gut activity. She got a shot of pain killer which acts very quickly, so quickly in fact that she proceeded to walk briskly to the stable and started eating like she always does. GEEZZ! However..... I am a big believer in getting to something before it gets worse or more expensive.
It turns out is was a painful cramping that she had which is quiet common but painful. She was lying down trying to find a way to alleviate the pain and get more comfortable. It possibly may have sorted itself out but I didn't want to take the risk.
Tonight they are fine and spent the day in the big paddock to get accustomed to the new environment they will be in because, as of tomorrow they get to join the herd during the day. The herd consists of another mare and foal (Rose and Ted) as well as Sheba, Tully and Dawn. All mares....Roxy is very keen to join them and seems to eager to be part of a group and not on her own all the time.
I am SO tired but enjoying every moment with the two of them. A big mile stone for Roxy tonight too was that she picked her foot up and held it up without me holding it for the first time. I gave her the lightest touch on the chestnut and up it came and she just held it there for me. I reached under her belly and asked her to pick her opposite hoof up and she did the same thing with the other foot. It seems like such a small thing but I never thought I would achieve that with her and I have. Petra you will have to do a Tah Dah post on my behalf!! :-)
Gotta love horses they are so good for the soul..
Will post more pictures soon
Cheers
Lorrie
xxxx
However last Sunday I had the vet out to a constipated little man, today I had to call him again.
I had a bit of a panic attack this morning when I found Roxy lying down in the stable (like I have said before she doesn't ever lie down). She got up when I approached and I thought she might have just been having a rest. I put her feed in the feeder and she looked at it, turned her lip up and lay down again. This is around about when I freaked, I got her up again and she trotted into the paddock and lay down again, I was terrified. I got the halter on her (while she was lying down) and made her get up again. I noticed her bag was full, which meant Tahoe hadn't been able to drink. I have all sorts of thoughts running through my head, retained placenta, mastitis, twisted bowel...but I think it is more likely that it maybe colic and the vet gets a phone call.
Now I have seen enough colic episodes on McLeods Daughters to know that with colic you keep them moving so off we go doing laps of the paddock. After three laps we rested and let Tahoe feed and rest. I kept walking her until the vet arrived, these two were getting some decent exercise but I had to be careful not to over do it for Tahoe's sake, little foals can tire easily.
The vet arrived and long story short, no infection, no temp but increased gut activity. She got a shot of pain killer which acts very quickly, so quickly in fact that she proceeded to walk briskly to the stable and started eating like she always does. GEEZZ! However..... I am a big believer in getting to something before it gets worse or more expensive.
It turns out is was a painful cramping that she had which is quiet common but painful. She was lying down trying to find a way to alleviate the pain and get more comfortable. It possibly may have sorted itself out but I didn't want to take the risk.
Tonight they are fine and spent the day in the big paddock to get accustomed to the new environment they will be in because, as of tomorrow they get to join the herd during the day. The herd consists of another mare and foal (Rose and Ted) as well as Sheba, Tully and Dawn. All mares....Roxy is very keen to join them and seems to eager to be part of a group and not on her own all the time.
I am SO tired but enjoying every moment with the two of them. A big mile stone for Roxy tonight too was that she picked her foot up and held it up without me holding it for the first time. I gave her the lightest touch on the chestnut and up it came and she just held it there for me. I reached under her belly and asked her to pick her opposite hoof up and she did the same thing with the other foot. It seems like such a small thing but I never thought I would achieve that with her and I have. Petra you will have to do a Tah Dah post on my behalf!! :-)
Gotta love horses they are so good for the soul..
Will post more pictures soon
Cheers
Lorrie
xxxx
Monday, February 9, 2009
Finally baby Tahoe is here!!
Well finally after all the waiting on Saturday night Tahoe was born.
I had already spent two nights camping just in case. On the second night Roxy's udder starting waxing and dripping milk so I knew we were very close.
On Saturday morning I checked on her and her legs were covered in dry milk she was pacing and irritable....but it was extremely hot so I knew mother nature would get her to hold on until night time.
I packed my car again and two cans of Jim Beam and Coke as well as a nice chunky magazine to help me pass the time. I cleaned her up and then spent some time hanging around with her. I soon found that Roxy seems to have a thing for bourbon! I knew there was a reason we were together. Not interested in carrots, apples or bread but that can of Bourbon well forget about impending labour she wanted a piece of that! Just for the record I only let her sniff :-)
I had already spent two nights camping just in case. On the second night Roxy's udder starting waxing and dripping milk so I knew we were very close.
On Saturday morning I checked on her and her legs were covered in dry milk she was pacing and irritable....but it was extremely hot so I knew mother nature would get her to hold on until night time.
I packed my car again and two cans of Jim Beam and Coke as well as a nice chunky magazine to help me pass the time. I cleaned her up and then spent some time hanging around with her. I soon found that Roxy seems to have a thing for bourbon! I knew there was a reason we were together. Not interested in carrots, apples or bread but that can of Bourbon well forget about impending labour she wanted a piece of that! Just for the record I only let her sniff :-)
A few minutes later one of the girls that I know out there came up to see how it was going on her way out to feed her horse, she stayed with me and we ended up talking and hanging out with Roxy until well after dark.
At about 10.15 Roxy's behaviour started to get unusual. She kept coming over to Bindi and I for reassurance and we noted that she was getting very hot and sweaty. Labour had started. A few more minutes and Bindi noticed that Roxy kept heading for the more protected corner of the paddock. Next minute Roxy starts circling and down she goes. I have NEVER seen Roxy lie down not even to roll so my adrenaline raced and I grabbed the phone to call another friend Christine who owns the property where Roxy is kept. I couldn't get through and wondered if I was over reacting to early. Roxy got back to her feet and I thought that maybe we have a bit more time yet. Seconds later she went down again...nope this was happening now. We heard the loudest grunt, and saw her legs go stiff. I grabbed the phone and called Christine again (she was at a party) and this time she answered. I told her " its on Roxy is down and pushing but I don't think you will make it in time".
Bindi and I decided it might be a good idea to head to the other side of the paddock for a better look. I wanted to make sure that the bag was open so the foal could breath. After a bit of mad dashing to find the right place to approach I crawled under the fence and quietly approached Roxy's back side. There in the dark were two small hooves, a nose and most of the head. I brushed my fingers down his face to make sure he was out of the bag. The fullish moon helped me see that all was ok so far.
Bindi and I dash out of the way again and then I think...wow is it moving? So off we go again this time with a torch and creep around the bottom side of the paddock. We slowly shine the torch up and see a dark leggy shape wriggling around...ok so now we know he is moving.
As we head back Christine arrived home and went inside and got her torch. We then all sat in the paddock about 20 metres away and watched the little guy begin to start trying to get up. Roxy is lying down resting but intently watching the slimy black creature. A few seconds later and we hear the little guy nickering, he is strong and well on his way to standing.
About an hour later and finally after many failed attempts we silently cheer as we see him get to his feet. There is the dark was a solid black foal with no markings at all just like his mum. We watched for a bit longer and then decided to leave them to it. Before I left I though...oh I really want to know if it is a boy or a girl? I might add at this point that it has probably been 25-30 years since I have seen a new born foal. I crouched over to the pair of them reassuring Roxy that is was just me and shined the torch underneath...I didn't see anything so I go "Its a filly!"...I went home and told everyone we had a girl.
Sunday morning I could barely contain myself and took off to see them again. There they were in the paddock, Tahoe lying down and Roxy standing over him. It was then I noticed that we had a colt not a filly and to be honest the idea of a little solid black colt was pretty exciting.
At about 10.15 Roxy's behaviour started to get unusual. She kept coming over to Bindi and I for reassurance and we noted that she was getting very hot and sweaty. Labour had started. A few more minutes and Bindi noticed that Roxy kept heading for the more protected corner of the paddock. Next minute Roxy starts circling and down she goes. I have NEVER seen Roxy lie down not even to roll so my adrenaline raced and I grabbed the phone to call another friend Christine who owns the property where Roxy is kept. I couldn't get through and wondered if I was over reacting to early. Roxy got back to her feet and I thought that maybe we have a bit more time yet. Seconds later she went down again...nope this was happening now. We heard the loudest grunt, and saw her legs go stiff. I grabbed the phone and called Christine again (she was at a party) and this time she answered. I told her " its on Roxy is down and pushing but I don't think you will make it in time".
Bindi and I decided it might be a good idea to head to the other side of the paddock for a better look. I wanted to make sure that the bag was open so the foal could breath. After a bit of mad dashing to find the right place to approach I crawled under the fence and quietly approached Roxy's back side. There in the dark were two small hooves, a nose and most of the head. I brushed my fingers down his face to make sure he was out of the bag. The fullish moon helped me see that all was ok so far.
Bindi and I dash out of the way again and then I think...wow is it moving? So off we go again this time with a torch and creep around the bottom side of the paddock. We slowly shine the torch up and see a dark leggy shape wriggling around...ok so now we know he is moving.
As we head back Christine arrived home and went inside and got her torch. We then all sat in the paddock about 20 metres away and watched the little guy begin to start trying to get up. Roxy is lying down resting but intently watching the slimy black creature. A few seconds later and we hear the little guy nickering, he is strong and well on his way to standing.
About an hour later and finally after many failed attempts we silently cheer as we see him get to his feet. There is the dark was a solid black foal with no markings at all just like his mum. We watched for a bit longer and then decided to leave them to it. Before I left I though...oh I really want to know if it is a boy or a girl? I might add at this point that it has probably been 25-30 years since I have seen a new born foal. I crouched over to the pair of them reassuring Roxy that is was just me and shined the torch underneath...I didn't see anything so I go "Its a filly!"...I went home and told everyone we had a girl.
Sunday morning I could barely contain myself and took off to see them again. There they were in the paddock, Tahoe lying down and Roxy standing over him. It was then I noticed that we had a colt not a filly and to be honest the idea of a little solid black colt was pretty exciting.
So I spent some time with them and have started the journey of getting Tahoe used to humans while reassuring Roxy that I still love her, even more now!
She is a fantastic mum and showed that when we had the vet out last night to help Tahoe with his constipation and to check Roxy over. She was very protective but not mean at all. Roxy sniffed Leah while she held Tahoe, sniffed Tahoe and then me and was ok once she realised that we were all only here to help. I LOVE THAT MARE!!
So that is the birth of Tahoe, many more months of tales to tell and I am excited that I might be able to find a good home for Tahoe given that he is such a fine looking foal.
Cheers
Lorrie
xxx
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Two nights camping no foal but what a nice way to pass the time!
Well I am back from my 2ND night camping, the first night was a bit dodgy with inadequate bedding but after a purchase of a single blow up mattress and some strategically placed mozzie net..oh yeah and drop of about 20 degrees in the overnight temperature, I had quite a nice evening and night. The only thing wrong was that every hour when my alarm went off and I pointed my torch in Roxy's direction I only saw one set of glowing eyes not two.
Her legs are a mess (covered in dripping milk), ...She is still pacing around a bit but doesn't look uncomfortable.
She saw me poke my head out of the car window this morning and came over at a fast waddle to say good morning and where the heck is the food!
Last night's camp was the perfect Australian summer night with stars, possums and no crashing bats!
So I am back home to freshen up head out again to check her, go for a ride on Monty, back to check her again and then I will take it from there.
It is supposed to be another heat wave day today with temps in the mid 30's, so I am thinking she may hold out til late this afternoon or tonight.
Regardless I am as ready as I can be!
Lorrie
xxx
Her legs are a mess (covered in dripping milk), ...She is still pacing around a bit but doesn't look uncomfortable.
She saw me poke my head out of the car window this morning and came over at a fast waddle to say good morning and where the heck is the food!
Last night's camp was the perfect Australian summer night with stars, possums and no crashing bats!
So I am back home to freshen up head out again to check her, go for a ride on Monty, back to check her again and then I will take it from there.
It is supposed to be another heat wave day today with temps in the mid 30's, so I am thinking she may hold out til late this afternoon or tonight.
Regardless I am as ready as I can be!
Lorrie
xxx
Thursday, February 5, 2009
What Foal?
Nope there is still no foal....as each day goes by I am doing my head in when I wake up and realise that if there was a foal my friend Chris would have called me by now. This is way worse than being pregnant myself and to complicate matters I am doing my head in a bit wondering if I should have given her back, got my money and bought a different horse. However after a bit of a heart to heart with my awesome sister I realise that I am in it with Roxy for the long haul. She is a good horse and is going to be a great mum!
So here are the latest belly pics...will update again....fingers crossed it is with foal pics!
Love Lorrie
xxx
So here are the latest belly pics...will update again....fingers crossed it is with foal pics!
Love Lorrie
xxx
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