Foaling Around...

It's been an lucky/unlucky year for foaling. I've had premature births, detached placentas, and stuck foals. Only 3out of 5 lived, and the vet doesn't know why- but the ones I did get are FABULOUS and I'm so pleased with the crosses!

Welsh pony mare "Princess Gretchen" and her colt "Hawkmeadows Knight Charger"

Hawkmeadows Elora Danan- Welsh pony/Thorobred cross- named after the princess in the movie "Willow"

"Chewy" is the foal that was premature and as a result had ligament problems- he had surgery in july to close off the growth plates on one side (they had been compressed) and alow the other side to catch up. I was going to put him down, but a friend who owns the pasture they were in for the spring fell in love with Chewy (he has the most loveable personality!) and insisted on paying for the surgery. We hope and pray it works.

My New Best Friend...

So when I got back from boston I was at a birthday party for Cari (Happy 30th!) and was wearing sandals when my kids noticed my ankle. "Mom! What's wrong with your ankle! (etc, etc.)" I had sprained it back in April and hobbled around for a few weeks then finally the swelling went down enough I could put a lace-up boot on and just basically tried to ignore the pain. I never went to the Doc's to get an x-ray, just figured it was a bad sprain. Well, it was still hurting 3 months later and still very swollen, so I went to the doctor. I had broken it- and he sent me to get an MRI- I had ripped tendons and ligaments. So he put me in this boot/splint thing (he really wants me to have surgery- but that's over $7,000- and I have "0" insurance.)

So this is my new best friend. I only take it off at night and to shower. I have to say I was VERY depressed the day I got it. Not only am I alone, taking care of ranch & businesses, but I can't even take advantage of Tom to wait on me "hand & foot!" I've had to let alot go- baby foals haven't been properly handled/halter trained, my yard looks like a jungle, fortunately neighbors have come from time to time to help mow, edge, move hay for me, invite me to dinner, etc. I actually got so exhausted (I was only sleeping 4 hours a night) that I basically had a physical breakdown. I couldn't stand up for longer than 15 minutes without getting dizzy/sick to my stomach. I was having hotflashes all the time and couldn't function. A good friend made me cancel anything I didn't absolutely have to do and helped me for a week so I could rest up. I still went to work, but I didn't stress over things- I've learned my lesson- not more type A personality (if I can help it.)

But seriously, I have play rehersal (I'm the director- I have to be there!) I'm so impressed with this group of kids- they are well behaved and awesome!!! So talented- I'm excited for our production of "The best Christmas Pageant Ever." It's a great story to read with your kids- funny and also brings home the true spirit of Christmas. Anyone who wants to come see it we are opening Thanksgiving weekend (I'll even throw in a Turkey dinner on Thanksgiving!)

Sage loves to come to the office with me most days. If she doesn't want to come she'll hang back on the porch- but if she wants to come she goes to the back of the truck and waits for me to say "Get in the back" and then jumps in the bed of the truck!

He's Homesick & I'm Tomsick

I finally have a minute to catch this blog up- needless to say it's been CRAZZZYYY!

So I'll post some pictures from my first trip back there to Boston area in July- we went to the Hill Cumorah Pageant, drove up into Canada and did a "drive-by viewing" of Niagra Falls

and drove down to Susquehannah River/Harmony PA (but it's not called that anymore) and went to Church there in a cute little old fashioned church that the Branch uses until they get their Ward building next year.

Stopped in a little town for the night in new York State and watched the final Harry Potter movie in a theater with maybe 30 other people!

And went to Plymouth, MA where we saw "the rock" but more interestinly connected my geneaology to a passenger (Edward Doty) on the Mayflower, (there had always been the family talk of it- but no big deal made about it).

Work, deadbolts and other things

So, Tom had a pretty big list of "to do's" before he left. One of which was install deadbolts in our front and back doors. Since we just replaced the front door when we had the flood problem- it hadn't been drilled yet for a deadblot. Needless to say- between foaling mares, training new help at the office, and getting the center ready for renters- it never happened. So he arranged for a contractor to come and get it installed this past week- which happened yesterday.
But, before he left, Tom handed me the 22 handgun and said"cock it"- which he then showed me how. He then gave me this wonderful advise: " Put this on your bedstand- if you hear any noise grab it, cock it, and hide behind the bed on the floor and use the mattress to steady your hand and shoot anything that comes throught the bedroom door- and call 911." I hope you see the humor in this- because I thought it was HILARIOUS!

The other funny thing was Tom's (almost) week long drive out to MA. I would get these calls because he is BORED TO DEATH- while I, on the other hand, am running around like a chicken with my head cut off- training a new person, cleaning the Center inbetween guests with my crew, and handling work- which I was going a tad crazy with messed up orders and inspections! I think I was still emotionally drained from losing the colt, no sleep, and Tom leaving, I just hope this week is better...
I have my first rehersal this next week and that's another story about the crazy Samuel French guy that I talked to so I can get our theater company licensed and get our scripts! Is anything ever easy????? I know- not if it's worthwhile!

They released Tom today at Church- it was very nice the Bishop went off on how much he loved Tom and all the work he did, same with the Stake Presidency. Women kept coming up to me crying (for me) which then made me cry. I kept saying he didn't die and I'll see him in three weeks! I'm so grateful for all the ward members who have offered to help me if i should need anything. I even have volunteers for the next "foal watch." One sweet lady I visit teach who is rather weak from a series of illnesses offered to come and keep an eye on her while I'm at work- she'll just read her book and lay there on the lawn lounge.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START...

Lots has happened since I last Blogged- so I have a fair amount of catching up. It seems to never stop amazing me how I can have have both bad news and goods news and ride a roller coaster of emotion all within hours of each other.

First-Good news: Tom got a KM consulting contract back east. It happened rather quickly- 2 phone interviews and HIRED! He sounds perfect for the job and it's with a VERY large , international company so it will continue to improve his resume. But then we had 2 weeks of hassle trying to get everyhting they wanted (insurance mostly) so we could go direct corp to corp- but it turns out the insurances they wanted us to carry aren't even available here in Utah so instead we ended up being an employee of the recruitment company and will get a w2- but for less hourly $$ because they will be paying some of the SS. It works out better in some ways because they can make part of the payment a perdiem- which is not taxed income. Tom arrived in MA yesterday and has already found a room to rent!

The other good news is a beautiful purebred Welsh colt out of Gretchen. "Hawkmeadows Midnight Charger" was born Thursday @ 4:30 AM (after keeping Tom & I up all night cause Gretchen paced nonstop starting at 6 pm the night before and was completely bagged up!) I actually watched her until 3 am when i couldn't stay awake a minute longer. Then Tom took over and woke me up 1 1/2 hours later to- "She's having it" over the baby monitor! The delivery was text book- which was a relief after Kaydee's catastophe. He is black for now but will "gray out" like his mom. He has the prettiest eye color- they are smokey gray- very unique.

Annie had her colt a few days after Gretchen- but not exactly "text book." Similar to gretchen she kept me up all night and had the foal around 4 AM. Unlike Gretchen- she had a "red ball" delivery. It's called that because the placenta detached prematurely and presents before the foal does- looking like a big red ball. I had never seen this before (and don't ever want to see it again!) Toma nd I were both surprised by it- I thought her uterus had prolapsed and told Tom to push it back in while I was at her head getting a halter on her to walk her while I called the vet. Unfortunately my vet was out of town and there was only a very new vet available. He didn't tell me to cut it, which would have allowed the foal to be born. But, the foals legs pierced it with her next contraction and the colt was born.

Everything looked fine that morning- the colt stood and drank- cute little bay half pony colt was going to be for my grandids. But the next mrning when I went out he was very lathargic. I took his temp and it was over 103- I called the vet (my regular one was back in town) and she came right out. She explained that a "red ball" baby rarely lives due to oxygen depravation at birth. We tube fed him and tried several things but later that afternoon he died.

This all happened the day Tom left to drive back to Mass. I haven't cried that hard in a very long time- it was heartbreaking to watch him slowly die. I felt horrible having lost two foals this year and I've never lost one before! The vet is trying to figure out what is going on with my mare's placentas. Why I'm having so much problem getting a healthy foal. I have one mare left to foal- Frankie- so I'm almost afraid to have it come. So much for starting my breeding program.

CRAZY pt 2

While Summer was there at the ranch, I had her look at "Chewy" our crooked legged colt that was dysmature. The prognosis isn't good- nothing much they can do for him. The ligaments aren't working right. So, one last hope is what they call a newspaper splint.

You wrap the legs in newspaper and then wrap vetwrap around that.

Chewy was cooperative while getting the wrap on- but immediately started chewing on it (hence his name-he chwes on everything) when we finished. The splints lasted a day before he had them rendered useless.

It was somewhat comical to watch chewy learn how to walk with them on. It reminded me of the militaries that march with straight legs.

I thought and thought and prayed that I might beable to come up with somehting that will help strengthen his legs. we came up with PVC pipe with an aluminum insert that acts likes a hinge of sort so he has the flexibility to walk. The long piece aligns with his cannon bone and the short with his pastern, with the hinge in the middle where the fetlock joint is.

On Sat morning, I felt like I had an idea that might work. So Tom and I went to Home Depot to see what we could find that we could create the splint with.

Here is the finished product on him and secured with vetwrap (looove vetwrap!) I think it may be working- it will take a week or more to know for sure.

CRAZY part 1

The past 2 weeks have been crazy. Crazy weather and crazy busy and crazy mare foaling. Unfortunately not all of it turned out good.

I'd been keeping a real close watch on Kaydee, one of our Welsh pony mares. She bagged up 3 weeks early (here we go again...) and so I brought her in where she'd be out of the bad weather and I could watch her closer. We bought a nursery monitor and hung it in her stall so I could here any suspicious noises, like, her water breaking.

Kaydee was just HUGE, and i suspected all was not right with the pregnancy. After a week of checking on her through out the night, last Saturday morning she gave signs of early labor. I was off for the day -first to mt Pleasant and then to Moroni where we were holding auditions for a play I'm directing. So Tom was staying back and was going to call me as soon as she looked like she was getting serious. I thought it was odd, when, I returned at 3ish to find her exactly as I left her. So I thought a little walking around would be good for her edema (poor thing had 4 posts for legs) and put her out in the round pen to graze and walk around.

About 1/2 hour after placing her there, she laid down and started to roll (never a good sign with a pregnant mare), while she was rolling I could have sworn I heard her water break and I looked over to see a bit of bloody tinged water. After she finished rolling, she simply jumped up and stood there- no contractions, pushing, nothing. I immediately called the vet- no response, left a message. Called vet #2 (45 minutes away in Spanish Fork) he advised that possibly it was a "pre-waters" bag- keep an eye on her. She walked around a little, then dropped and rolled again. I called him back and he said not good- why don't I go in and see if I can feel 2 legs and a head.

GULP! I went in the house and cut my nails and grabbed some oil. As I was heading back out- my phone rang and it was vet #1- she apologized and I advised her of the sittuation. She was about 40 minutes away.

So the low-down on a mare foaling is that once the water breaks, the foal must be born within 15 minutes to live. IF that was her water that broke- it had already been 40 minutes. Summer, the vet, arrived and went right in to assess the foal. It seemed in the right position, and the water had broke when I thought it did. So she started pulling on the front legs- with no luck. She got her chains and attached them to the legs and then went in to try and determine what the colt was hung up on. Somehow the head wasn't coming along with the legs. She gave a shot of oxytocin to the mare to help her contract. And I took over the head while Tom went back to help pull. Over a half hour later, they finally got the colt pulled. It was still alive, but our relief was short lived when it started fading. within 5 minutes of being born it was dead. It's lungs had been compromised during delivery.

It was heartbreaking. He was a beautiful, big colt. This is the first foal I've ever lost- I guess the odds were against me.

Summer and I milked off the colustrum from kaydee- incase I have MORE bad luck with foals this year. Summer looked at me and said, "How many more foals do you have coming?" She's beginning to believe me when I said something's not right with my babies this year! Is it the crazy wether? Something in the feed? Or were these two coincidences? I guess we'll find out when the next mare foals.

So Annie and gretchen are due next- in about 10 days. They both seem normal for their due date- keep your fingers crossed.