You know when you’re waiting for popcorn to pop, it seems to take forever, then all of a sudden there are kernels exploding everywhere.  This year’s foaling has been like that for us.  Last Sunday afternoon, then early Monday morning then Thursday morning and now Sunday morning.  Taylor presented us with a perfect filly by Talib, a couple of weeks ahead of time.  Now we’re just waiting on Lacey for another Talib foal. 

 To quote childrens’ author Judith Viorst, Saturday had been a “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day”.  It started with me off to Wetaskiwin to buy farm supplies where I discovered I’d left my purse at home.  Then on further south for an Anivac demonstration where I had hoped to close a sale.  My shortcut home turned into a “longcut” during which the Anivac I had in the box bounced out onto the highway.  Then I had to return to Wetaskiwin to get my lumber and farm supplies which most of which weren’t in stock.  I was on my own, as Glen was at a music camp.  By the time I got chores done and checked the mares, I was cooked. 

Neither of the remaining mares seemed imminent, so I slept in.  It was almost noon by the time I worked my way over to the “maternity ward” and there she was.  The dogs had been out, so no surprise I couldn’t find the afterbirth.  Baby was dry and down, but had obviously been up and nursing.  It wasn’t the warmest day out, but everything was OK.  I tried to give Taylor Oxytocin in case she hadn’t completely cleaned, but when she saw me return with a purpose there was no way I was going to get close to her. 

Baby didn’t have a name until this morning when I dreamed it in those few extra minutes between alarm and giving into the inevitable.  So we welcome Razzmatazz.  Taylor has now figured out how to be a mom, something she didn’t quite completely get until Cover Girl was almost weaned.  AND… another straight legged colt from the acute angular limb deformity that earns Taylor no second looks.  I had a feeling she was the sleeper as a producer. 

Yesterday morning (Thursday), Izzie (Streaking Hour) the TB Mare we are leasing from Kim Berenbaum delivered a healthy colt.  I had sat up with Izzie until about 2:30, but the weather was so awful and it was getting past prime time, so I went to bed.  When I looked out the window at 8 am, I saw her down.  The foal had been there a while as he was dry, but he hadn’t been up yet and was quite cold.  Mom was getting frantic and had pawed at the poor guy until he had a bleeding nose.

I called my neighbor and rubbed him warm, helped him get up and put on a snuggly and left him to figure out how to nurse and bond with mom, as by now he wasn’t sure where his allegiance lay.  Soon he was down again and couldn’t figure out how to get up with all that clothing; so we helped out again.  We finally got him on the teat, he passed his meconium, and mom resumed her bodily functions.  What a good mom, except for another bloody nose when he fell the second time.  She kept him in the shed until early evening when it got warmer than took him to show off to all of her friends.

The colt is by Heath Purdy’s TB Snowbound Paisley.  I had taken a fancy to him 3 years back when Heath had been advertising him extensively.  I got the stud fee from a Missouri Vet College Stallion Auction.  He had originally been intended for our departed Rocky Top; it was through attempting to breed her we found out about her rare neurological condition “cauda equina”.  Heath was gracious enough to let me sub in a TB mare for the next year.  Paisley is Jockey Club, Quarter Horse approved and Paint Registered, as well (as I learned yesterday), the leading sire of sport horses in BC.

Last year, as I battled Victoria Day traffic, left the mare and my rig in the lower mainland and flew back to Edmonton, I thought I must be crazy to do this for one foal.  But I made a really good friend, as although we’ve only met twice, she let me stay with her and we stay in touch by email and phone; she is special.  And now I have a really nice colt with sabino markings.

Heath wants to carry on the “Snowbound” in naming of foals by Paisley.  I wanted something of the mare, so I came up with Snowbound Winter Tapestry, but its too long for JC, so Snowbound Tapestry it will be as first choice. 

My neighbor, Donna, a top level Reiki and Body Talk Master, helped a lot yesterday and informed me he wants to be called “Captain”; well it suits him – so, at home, “Captain” it is.  I know Greg never reads my blogs, so I’m safe to say that in the back of my mind I have the idea that this is his horse, so the military moniker suits.

Again, don’t know what color he is, except that he has a finger print white spot on his chin which means he can be registered as a Paint.  He is chestnut, or, well, maybe grey as he has 2 or 3 landmark white hairs on his tail, or, then again, maybe he’s bay, as he has a lot of black in his tail as well.  I guess that’s another one we’ll have to wait for.  2 more by Talib to go.

Glen called me a second time on Sunday, while I was in Grande Prairie.  This time to report that we had a new filly.  I knew we had 3 girls getting ready; Glen had even done due diligence and gone on foal watch for Friday and Saturday night. 

Wynona’s filly by Caspian stallion Talib was born mid afternoon on Sunday afternoon.  He was continuing to scrape/blade the sacrifice area where we keep the pregnant mares and had run low on diesel.  We’re way behind in our spring clean up due to the weather.  He went over to the neighbor’s to borrow some diesel and the new arrival was waiting in the shed for him.  We weren’t expecting her until the end of the month, but mom was showing us she was getting tired of being pregnant.  She is perfect.  We’re going to call her Gidget, after the 60’s television show and movies with Sally Field. 

Glen went out to check at 2:00 a.m in the wee hours of Monday morning and found Amie’s filly about 3/4 of the way into the world.  I went out and we waited for her to stand, pass her meconium and suckle.  We’re thrilled with her.  She is by the stallion Versace B (Haarlem, Goodtimes, Komeet), so with Amie being by Sandstorm, she is 2x Voltaire. She still has some straightening up to do, as there was “no more room at the inn”, but she is going to be a good one as well.  It is an “E” year for Dutch Warmbloods and the no brainer name was E-Bay.ca, as that is where I purchased the stud fee from Boreas Horses in New York, but we needed something more personal.  We thought we were ok with Electra, but when we found out she wasn’t a particularly nice character in Greek/Roman mythology, we went back to the drawing board.  Right now we’re stuck on Esprit, so it will be one of those, we’ll see what sticks.

We promise to be more diligent with pictures this year.  I think we’ll wait until they are all here before we post their birthday’s on baby pics.  We’ll also get some of the yearlings and Cover Girl on there as well. 

Time flies.  Somehow after the Mane Event, I managed to crack the LED screen on my computer, so now I am just trying to catch up.  Danielle Wolfe from Gaitpost snapped the following pictures of the Caspian girls back at the barn.

We had a great weekend in Halifax.  Greg was the perfect tour guide.  We crammed a lot in and managed our  much anticipated traditional lobster dinner with coleslaw and potatoe salad without too much more than the normal mess; lobster season had opened the day before.

The unfortunate part was, after all the anticipation over the Mane Event, I had become run down and two cross continent trips of recycled air did me in.  I’ve been struggling with being sick ever since.  I did get to Grande Prairie and the Double Dollar Barrel Race Finals.  What a lof of fun!  I have a whole new appreciation for the girls and their skills.  Although I will be planning our summer appearances, I’m glad to have a respite from all the travelling.