# Foal Watch 2020



## monte1 (14 April 2020)

At the request of MP and a few others I am starting a thread for my own personal foal watch

the mare is a lovely BWB with Ramiro Z bloodlines and sire is Vagebont, he has Mecenas and Samber bloodlines, the official due date was 12th April and foal moved around into position on Friday, we have colostrum and now just waiting, all very exciting and slightly stressful 

This is my first ever foal, but not the mares, she has been a mum a few times and her owner has a rising two year old by the same sire, who is just stunning!

I am very excited to be able to finally meet him or her in the next week or so and will keep you all posted and add pictures once I can upload!


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## splashgirl45 (14 April 2020)

at my old yard all of the mares that were due recently were late, 2 of them have now foaled, one on 9th april and one last night, all ok....there is now one pony mare who is now 12 days late so YO is watching her and is absolutely shattered after having to watch the other two mares for nights on end.   once this one has been born there is a gap till the last one is due so YO should be able to catch up on her rest.  .  wish i could be there but am being sensible and keeping away, i am being sent pics so at least i can see the foals on my phone..


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## monte1 (14 April 2020)

The lock down has indeed made it all a bit more difficult, I had pre-planned foal watch duties with the mares owner, so we would sleep in her lorry at yard, but obviously can't do that, so we are doing opposite ends of day for care, feeds etc and I  will stay up in my trailer for my overnight watch. if we do need to be there together for anything, we are making sure social distancing and using gloves and disinfecting everything used. 
makes it slightly easier it is private place and no one else is there
certainly didn't factor the current situation in when excitedly planning this last year :-(


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## milliepops (14 April 2020)

No, but hopefully its giving you something nice to think about monte


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## monte1 (14 April 2020)

absolutely MP


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## Peregrine Falcon (14 April 2020)

I shall be on foal watch at the end of May😀


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## Peregrine Falcon (14 April 2020)

Best wishes for safe delivery monte1


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## monte1 (14 April 2020)

Peregrine Falcon said:



			I shall be on foal watch at the end of May😀
		
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best of luck for your foal as well


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## ihatework (14 April 2020)

Exciting times 😁


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## TheMule (14 April 2020)

Good luck! I slept in my trailer for 3 weeks and the old baggage waited for me to have to pop into work and had him at 9am.


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## DabDab (14 April 2020)

Ooo, you're  having a fancy foal! 

Good luck with the foaling


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## Errin Paddywack (14 April 2020)

One of mine I was checking 2 hourly.  Went down looked at her, calm and eating hay, no signs whatever.  2 hours later lovely foal, totally dry and up and sucking so had been there for a while. With that particular mare I never managed to be there when she foaled, all my others I did.  One I would swear used to wait for me to appear before she went down to foal.
Fingers crossed all goes well  Enjoy the experience it is magical.


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## Peregrine Falcon (14 April 2020)

It's the mares 3rd foal. 1st one I missed by about 5/10 mins. The 2nd one caught me unaware, she didn't wax up and as she'd run with the stallion I wasn't too sure of dates. Funnily enough I had woken (and I rarely do) during the night at 4.36am. Went down a couple of hrs later and she'd had her. This time we are camping out in the trailer. I know it's the end of May! 3rd time lucky. 😀


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## milliepops (14 April 2020)

Tagging along to hopefully learn some tips  mine is due late may and I'm planning to sleep in the horsebox. OH thought having horsecam set up would be enough but home is a 5 min drive away and I think that's too far


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## Peregrine Falcon (14 April 2020)

Are you on duty tonight monte1? Perhaps a pic of teats for MP? 

Honestly, if someone had got hold of my phone when my mares have been due.......


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## milliepops (14 April 2020)

been lots of teat pics on the foaling hub on FB, that has been very helpful esp as mine's a maiden so handy to see other maidens iyswim

People say that they sometimes don't have all the normal giveaways


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## Peregrine Falcon (14 April 2020)

Pepsi was dripping wax as a maiden, 2nd foal she didn't. Lady produced milk (maiden) then foaled within 14hrs or so. Took 24hrs with subsequent foals. My forest mare went missing! I knew she'd foaled when I couldn't find her.


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## TheMule (14 April 2020)

I can not recommend pool/ hot tub testing strips enough, I have used them now for 3 foalings  and they have been spot on


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## milliepops (14 April 2020)

TheMule said:



			I can not recommend pool/ hot tub testing strips enough, I have used them now for 3 foalings  and they have been spot on
		
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I have got some of those after seeing all the posts on the foal hub  good to know they are effective.


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## milliepops (14 April 2020)

Those who've been there before, what should I have in my foaling kit? Not sure what is necessary and what's only really useful if you are very experienced   vet will be on speed dial obv if necessary but we're an hour away from the practice (stud mine went to is a 10 min drive and they would be Ok to assist if we had a disaster I think).


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## splashgirl45 (14 April 2020)

last year YO was not at the yard,  pony mare (who we are waiting on now) wasnt supposed to foal for a few days and YO checked her before she went out and was happy she wasnt ready.  i was just leaving the yard at about 5ish and looked over the door of the foaling box and mare was getting down and up and was sweating.  phoned YO who was an hours drive away and while i was on the phone the front feet and nose popped out,  i was the only only one at the yard and so YO phoned her friend who was 20 mins away then phoned me back and i could tell her he was out.  this was my first and only foaling experience and as i had read lots i knew to clear his nose and YO's friend arrived after it was all over.  it was scarey but lovely at the same time.  good luck everyone...


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## TheMule (14 April 2020)

milliepops said:



			Those who've been there before, what should I have in my foaling kit? Not sure what is necessary and what's only really useful if you are very experienced   vet will be on speed dial obv if necessary but we're an hour away from the practice (stud mine went to is a 10 min drive and they would be Ok to assist if we had a disaster I think).
		
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Lubricant in case you need to put an arm up, baler twine in case you need to hook a leg, iodine or similar for the cord stump (easiest to do in a little shallow tub) a bucket for the placenta for the vet to check, an enema (human stuff fine), a little foal or dog rug and a couple of towels (Generally don’t actually use unless foal very weak)


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## milliepops (14 April 2020)

Thanks TM, it's just the lube I'm missing then, seems there was a run on it when covid hit!   Hopefully local farm shop will have some in stock, I'm guessing lube is lube....?


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## TheMule (14 April 2020)

milliepops said:



			Thanks TM, it's just the lube I'm missing then, seems there was a run on it when covid hit!   Hopefully local farm shop will have some in stock, I'm guessing lube is lube....?
		
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## monte1 (15 April 2020)

Morning all,

Nothing to report yet, mares owner was in lorry on watch last night, we are taking turns due to CV19- 
I slept with phone under my pillow so could rush over, as am 5 minutes drive away.

we have borrowed a remote access camera for foal watch, which is just brilliant, so we can watch her from our phones, it is a bit addictive though and i find myself checking constantly to see what is happening ( by the way doing this every hour or so, uses loads of data !! :-})

MP, I joined Foaling Hub on FB as well, it is really useful and a bit scary as it shows you how much can go wrong, but I am confident that we have made as many contingency plans as we can and mares owner is very experienced so I am very much following her lead.

Photo of her from this morning eating her breakfast  

Will keep you posted, good luck to anyone with foals due


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## monte1 (15 April 2020)

Peregrine Falcon said:



			Are you on duty tonight monte1? Perhaps a pic of teats for MP?

Honestly, if someone had got hold of my phone when my mares have been due.......
		
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LOL the photos  
yes, I will take some later on, when i am back up there, she hasn't bagged up all that much to be honest, but certainly has milk, which apparently is good and I was told last time she didn't bag up that much till after foal was born, so this could be normal for her, it seems they are all quite different and classic signs sometimes can't be relied on


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## milliepops (15 April 2020)

More pics needed 
My girl has started to bag slightly, so now it's all starting to feel real. Hoping we can get her stable sorted out this weekend. Hope you have a good night in the trailer monte


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## ycbm (15 April 2020)

TheMule said:



			I can not recommend pool/ hot tub testing strips enough, I have used them now for 3 foalings  and they have been spot on
		
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What on earth do you do with them?

.


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## ycbm (15 April 2020)

Exciting thread. New life, just what we need


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## Peregrine Falcon (15 April 2020)

ycbm said:



			What on earth do you do with them?

.
		
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Test the ph of mares milk


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## TheMule (15 April 2020)

ycbm said:



			What on earth do you do with them?

.
		
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They indicate the pH and calcium content of the milk- milk a couple of drops onto your hand and dip in, as soon as the pH drops below neutral and the calcium rises they're good to go- it's fascinating watching the numbers slowly changes (and addictive, poor obliging mares!)


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## milliepops (16 April 2020)

No news?!


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## Elf On A Shelf (16 April 2020)

I have a shetland mare due the 2nd week of May. She is a maiden so who knows what she will get up to! Her stable is ready for her to come in at night on May 1st, it has a camera set up in it so we can watch without interfering unless needed. The foal will be black - that is guaranteed!


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## monte1 (16 April 2020)

milliepops said:



			No news?!  

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Hi MP, no news, still waiting ............ this is her happily chilling this morning and her udder for those who wanted to see, I have just ordered some of the PH strips- thought we would give it a go


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## JJS (20 April 2020)

monte1 said:



			Hi MP, no news, still waiting ............ this is her happily chilling this morning and her udder for those who wanted to see, I have just ordered some of the PH strips- thought we would give it a go 

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You should have seen Mary’s by the time she foaled: she had an udder to rival a dairy cow’s! 😂


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## milliepops (20 April 2020)

Aarghhh saw an early morning update and thought it might be from the OP 😂


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## monte1 (20 April 2020)

Morning all, still waiting :-}   day 342 - although she has bagged up much more since yesterday, am hoping maybe this week, since the weather is now warmer again....  mare seems perfectly happy, so we will just have to wait for her to decide


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## Peregrine Falcon (20 April 2020)

Me too was hoping for foalie pics.


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## Pippity (20 April 2020)

I'm never going to have a foal of my own so I live vicariously through these threads!


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## monte1 (23 April 2020)

Morning all, still no foal... camped up at yard last night, as was convinced was going to happen but still waiting


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## milliepops (23 April 2020)

Aaaarghhhhhhh 🤣


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## monte1 (23 April 2020)

milliepops said:



			Aaaarghhhhhhh 🤣
		
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so frustrating, but mare is just fine and not worried, so we just have to wait .................


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## DabDab (23 April 2020)

Hmph...could really do with some foal pics


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## milliepops (23 April 2020)

monte1 said:





so frustrating, but mare is just fine and not worried, so we just have to wait .................  

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Yep 😄 patience...


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## ihatework (23 April 2020)

monte1 said:



			Morning all, still no foal... camped up at yard last night, as was convinced was going to happen but still waiting 

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I remember the agony of the wait!!
Mine went 3 weeks over and then had the bloody cheek to have it at 9.30am when I was at work


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## Ambers Echo (23 April 2020)

Can't wait!! Do love foals. One was born in the middle of a storm last year. Mare had been popped out for a couple of hours and owner went out to pick up some shopping. Heavens then opened and YO rushed down to retrieve mare to find a bedraggled and freezing foal. All fine after a dramatic ewntrrance though.


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## Peregrine Falcon (23 April 2020)

Dammit, I opened the thread eagerly awaiting pics.............


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## Errin Paddywack (23 April 2020)

She could go a bit longer yet.  My mares had  a variety of length pregnancies, earliest 319 longest 350 days.


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## Rasadi (26 April 2020)

I am due my first every foal mid may very excited and nervous


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## Peregrine Falcon (26 April 2020)

What will be the breeding of your foal?


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## Rasadi (27 April 2020)

Arab from my fab Mare it has been a long road to get this far. The first year she had a huge tumor the size of a rugby ball so has one ovary removed, the 2nd year was scanned pregnant but at 30 days had lost it. So 3rd time lucky can not wait!


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## Peregrine Falcon (27 April 2020)

Fingers crossed for you then. It's an exciting waiting game.


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## Meowy Catkin (27 April 2020)

Oooh arab foal!  What bloodlines?

*can't wait for pics*


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## Peregrine Falcon (27 April 2020)

Meowy Catkin said:



			Oooh arab foal!  What bloodlines?

*can't wait for pics*
		
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Wondered how long it would take for you to prick your ears up!😉


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## Meowy Catkin (27 April 2020)

Peregrine Falcon said:



			Wondered how long it would take for you to prick your ears up!😉
		
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Well you told me to stay on the forum for the good bits.   

I think arab foaly-foals count as excellent reasons to keep reading.  Well all foal pics are wonderful.


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## Peregrine Falcon (27 April 2020)

Meowy Catkin said:



			Well you told me to stay on the forum for the good bits. 

I think arab foaly-foals count as excellent reasons to keep reading.  Well all foal pics are wonderful. 

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😂So I did!

My mare is huge got another 4wks yet. Still managing to toss her head and be on her toes coming back for tea.


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## tda (27 April 2020)

I've just started to watch my first mare due on 30th april/1st may , very excited, she's had a couple of days looking a bit down but perked up again now.


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## milliepops (27 April 2020)

Ohhh so impatient now.  Looking forward to seeing some HHO foalies soon.  Mine was thumping away at feeding time today, can't wait to meet it 🥰


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## Peregrine Falcon (27 April 2020)

My girl is making me chuckle. Such a laid back girl normally but got very cheeky recently. Runs away from my son when needing to be caught. Bounces on her toes being led back to the field. Tosses her head at feed time. Become rather a diva. I hope she settles back down when the foal is born!!


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## DabDab (27 April 2020)

Peregrine Falcon said:



			My girl is making me chuckle. Such a laid back girl normally but got very cheeky recently. Runs away from my son when needing to be caught. Bounces on her toes being led back to the field. Tosses her head at feed time. Become rather a diva. I hope she settles back down when the foal is born!!
		
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Probably, but I bet the foal with be trouble


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## milliepops (27 April 2020)

Peregrine Falcon said:



			My girl is making me chuckle. Such a laid back girl normally but got very cheeky recently. Runs away from my son when needing to be caught. Bounces on her toes being led back to the field. Tosses her head at feed time. Become rather a diva. I hope she settles back down when the foal is born!!
		
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As a first timer I'm finding the whole thing utterly fascinating but my mare is currently extremely cwtchy,  she's pretty gooey anyway but she is very keen on cuddles at the moment,  I love it 🥰


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## Peregrine Falcon (27 April 2020)

DabDab said:



			Probably, but I bet the foal with be trouble 

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Better not be else I'm coming after you! 👅


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## Elf On A Shelf (28 April 2020)

Peregrine Falcon said:



			My girl is making me chuckle. Such a laid back girl normally but got very cheeky recently. Runs away from my son when needing to be caught. Bounces on her toes being led back to the field. Tosses her head at feed time. Become rather a diva. I hope she settles back down when the foal is born!!
		
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Pips is like this just now, normally quite chilled about life (except when ridden then she is a turbo pony!) She has been coming in overnight for the last few days and it takes me 10mins to catch her everyday because she goes for a yeehaa and then in the mornings she literally bounces out of her stable and drags me to the field. Once turned loose she just meanders off like it's no biggy! The way she goes out you expect a firecracker to go off! 

Mares really are daft at times!


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## CPL20 (29 April 2020)

Our filly foal arrived at the very respectable time of 4.45pm yesterday evening. Mare and foal both doing well.


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## milliepops (29 April 2020)

😍😍😍😍😍


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## DabDab (29 April 2020)

Congratulations! What's the breeding?


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## Meowy Catkin (29 April 2020)

CPL20 said:



			Our filly foal arrived at the very respectable time of 4.45pm yesterday evening. Mare and foal both doing well.
		
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Gorgeous!


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## Ambers Echo (29 April 2020)

So lovely!!


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## Peregrine Falcon (29 April 2020)

How lovely of her. She looks beautiful. Who is the gorgeous foal by?


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## HashRouge (29 April 2020)

CPL20 said:



			Our filly foal arrived at the very respectable time of 4.45pm yesterday evening. Mare and foal both doing well.
		
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Oh what an absolute cutie!!


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## Elf On A Shelf (29 April 2020)

How incredibly convenient and helpful your mare is foaling in the afternoon!


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## HufflyPuffly (29 April 2020)

Oh I want a foal 😍


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## splashgirl45 (29 April 2020)

lovely


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## monte1 (30 April 2020)

Oh wow, congratulations, so beautiful   
Still playing a waiting game here, stayed up on foal watch all last night and nothing, but this morning (in the rain of course ) she now appears to be in first stages of labour and watching her very closely, so will keep you all posted


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## Peregrine Falcon (30 April 2020)

Am opening every post from you hoping it's a foal pic. Next time I hope it will be!


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## Jeni the dragon (30 April 2020)

Aww what a wee stunner!


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## monte1 (30 April 2020)

me too 


Peregrine Falcon said:



			Am opening every post from you hoping it's a foal pic. Next time I hope it will be!
		
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## milliepops (30 April 2020)

aaarghh monte you're killing us!  opened the post again... aaaaaand still nope


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## Peregrine Falcon (30 April 2020)

You see you've done it again! No pic - stop it!!


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## milliepops (30 April 2020)

maybe we could have some more pictures of the lady in question while we are waiting so patiently for her to produce


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## monte1 (11 May 2020)

**************Drum Roll *********

We have a foal... YAAY 

he was finally born @ 5am Friday 8th May, just in time for VE day celebrations, a bright bay colt with two white socks and just adorable.

He and mum are doing brilliantly and he was up and drinking, pooping within the hour

he is very bold already and loves a bum scratch, cannot believe he is here and mine


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## DabDab (11 May 2020)

Woohoo! Welcome to the world little man 🍾🎂😎

Congrats Monte, love his face marking


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## Pippity (11 May 2020)

Oh, he's a little stunner!! Congratulations!!


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## milliepops (11 May 2020)

🥰🥰🥰🥰
Yay!  Congratulations 🤩


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## Pinkvboots (11 May 2020)

His gorgeous congratulations


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## Jeni the dragon (11 May 2020)

Awww, he's gorgeous!


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## Errin Paddywack (11 May 2020)

Very nice indeed and well worth waiting for.  His mum looks a nice kind sort so should bring him up well.  You should have a lot of fun with him.


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## Orangehorse (11 May 2020)

Gosh, he is absolutely lovely.  Have you got a clever name?


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## monte1 (11 May 2020)

Orangehorse said:



			Gosh, he is absolutely lovely.  Have you got a clever name?
		
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 thank you ! I am a just a  little bit in love 

Stable name, "Ollie" and in honour of the time of year and the historic date he was born, passport name - "Springtime Victory", as long as it is not taken and acceptable


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## monte1 (11 May 2020)

Errin Paddywack said:



			Very nice indeed and well worth waiting for.  His mum looks a nice kind sort so should bring him up well.  You should have a lot of fun with him.
		
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 thank you, she is a super mare, fabulous temperament and quite a looker herself


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## HeyMich (11 May 2020)

monte1 said:



			thank you ! I am a just a  little bit in love 

Stable name, "Ollie" and in honour of the time of year and the historic date he was born, passport name - "Springtime Victory", as long as it is not taken and acceptable
		
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I was just thinking that you should call him Victor or something along those lines... Congrats, he's a wee stunner!!

.


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## Rasadi (11 May 2020)

Congrats he looks adorable


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## Peregrine Falcon (11 May 2020)

FINALLY! Fabulous news. Glad he arrived safely. He looks lovely, like his face marking.

(I assume you are getting nothing done now!😃)


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## monte1 (11 May 2020)

i must admit to being slightly distracted- they are time wasters aren't they  !!!


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## milliepops (11 May 2020)

how amazing. I've saved all my annual leave for guilt-free days of foal watching


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## monte1 (11 May 2020)

milliepops said:



			how amazing. I've saved all my annual leave for guilt-free days of foal watching 

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MP, after keeping us waiting for over three weeks, she has certainly redeemed herself by very obligingly foaling at 5am on the Friday so we had the long weekend to chill and foal watch :-D 
i still find myself checking in on the camera umpteen times a day, while we still have it there!


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## milliepops (11 May 2020)

yeah that was excellent timing!


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## ihatework (11 May 2020)

Does he have a name yet?
Congratulations btw

ETA - just seen, Doh!


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## Peregrine Falcon (11 May 2020)

I've also booked the nights off when my mare is due. 😀


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## Alibear (11 May 2020)

Daisy had a bay filly foal at about 10am this morning, both doing just fine and Daisy showing every sign of being a great mum.


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## ycbm (11 May 2020)

How did I miss these new  babies!  Thankyou for spreading a little joy by sharing pics, everyone, they are just lovely. 

.


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## TheMule (11 May 2020)

Alibear said:



			Daisy had a bay filly foal at about 10am this morning, both doing just fine and Daisy showing every sign of being a great mum. 
	View attachment 46900

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Great news! Congratulations, lovely civilized time too


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## Peregrine Falcon (11 May 2020)

Many congratulations Alibear.


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## milliepops (11 May 2020)

Fabulous Alibear!  

When is yours due PF?


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## monte1 (11 May 2020)

Congratulations Alibear, she is gorgeous x


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## Peregrine Falcon (11 May 2020)

milliepops said:



			Fabulous Alibear!

When is yours due PF?
		
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She's due end of May. Still making me chuckle with snaky head shakes.


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## tda (11 May 2020)

Congratulations both xx
I'm on foal watch too, she's only 5 days over her preferred date (343 days) but teats have filled right up this evening so fingers crossed


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## Peregrine Falcon (11 May 2020)

Ooh, exciting. Will look forward to pics tda.


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## Jeni the dragon (12 May 2020)

Another very cute wee one!


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## Dusty 123 (12 May 2020)

Congrats everyone who’s mare had a foal. I going to breed my mare one day.


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## Alibear (12 May 2020)

Sorry,not sorry


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## Pippity (12 May 2020)

The downside of having a mare is that I look at all these adorable foals and think, "What if...?" (I'm never going to. She's not good enough to breed from.)


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## Ambers Echo (12 May 2020)

Just gorgeus, both of them. Ahh a spring/summer of foal watching. Lovely.


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## tda (13 May 2020)

Our mare foaled this evening at 8.15pm, I think it's a bay colt. Took him a while to actually latch on, but all good now. Will try and load pic in the morning  😁  
Hoping she cleanses in the next hour or it's a vet visit, I've already spoken to them so they are aware


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## Peregrine Falcon (13 May 2020)

Fantastic news. How lovely, awaiting pics. 😀


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## monte1 (13 May 2020)

Congratulations tda, look forward to photos


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## Apercrumbie (13 May 2020)

Gorgeous foals everyone, thanks for keeping us posted!


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## tda (13 May 2020)




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## tda (13 May 2020)




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## tda (13 May 2020)




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## Jeni the dragon (13 May 2020)

Look at the length of those legs!


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## Peregrine Falcon (13 May 2020)

Look at those hocks! Gorgeous foal.


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## Peregrine Falcon (13 May 2020)

Look at those hocks! Gorgeous foal.


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## Dyllymoo (14 May 2020)

Oh he is lovely Monte1 (sorry late to the party!).  Gorgeous boy and his mum looks so proud in the photos


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