Oh, those days of getting up in the middle of the night and checking for waxing. (That's when you crawl under a broodmare to check for white waxy secretions on her teats.) And just when you decide that the mare is going to hold the baby in forever, you come out one morning and there's a little one in the stall. One of the great mysteries this summer was why the mares only gave birth when Kate wasn't around. Not that the mares need much human assistance -- they knew what they're doing. It's the poor human left in charge who needs moral support at the prospect of equine midwifery.
Little Gus (Gossamer), the Arab/Swedish cross, was the first foal born. There were four of us at the horse show eating breakfast when the cell phone rang. It was the farm, calling for Kate, because one of the two brown broodmares had foaled during the night. We finished Kate's breakfast while she worked out which brown broodmare it was. It turned out to be Angel (the smaller brown broodmare). Gus is the oldest foal, but he's smaller than his half siblings. He does get extra cute points for being photogenic from birth.
Inspirada, the larger brown broodmare, foaled Galanura (Norie) next. Norie is an Andalusian/Swedish cross. Sara and Dave, proud owners of "Inspy," eagerly awaited their first equine baby. Sara even had a foal imprinting kit, with a little halter, petroleum jelly, aromatherapy and windchimes (ok, I'm making up the aromatherapy and windchimes, but I'm positive petroleum jelly came into it somewhere.) Sara planned to imprint Inspy's baby as soon as it popped out. Inspy had other plans. Not only did she wait until Sara and Dave were out of town; she proved to be the most watchful mother of the three. NOBODY got near Norie for the first week of her life. Today Norie is a happy, well-adjusted filly who likes people very much. Sara and Dave are thrilled with her.
Sweep, Kate's Grand Prix Thoroughbred mare, foaled a colt on the fourth of July. What else to call him but Glory? (Nobody took my suggestion of George M. Cohan seriously, but I'm the only Jimmy Cagny fan in the barn). Glory is easily the most athletic of the three, able to leap straight up in the air. He's already bigger than Gus, his best pal.
www.missviewfarm.com
Newborns
Copyright c1997
by Kate Phillips
1997 -
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
posted 11/05/2003Mississippi
View Farm
5310 River Road
NE
Sauk Rapids, MN
320-252-6198