For the last six weeks I have been sleeping on a couch that has theater seats. It definitely was not made to stretch out and sleep on! But it was all worth it. If you read one of my earlier blog posts, the one titled "In Our Children's Eyes", you read about my passion for mares and their foals and my efforts to ensure that I am there when the foals are born. This year was an exceptionally long year.The average of the average number of days a mare will carry her foal is 340 days. Corkiella went 373! One could argue the fact that a person should be able to tell when a mare gets close, and normally you can. There are "signs" that point to foaling being imminent - udder size and waxing, muscles relaxing at the tail head, etc. But.... there are also times when mares offer no indication that foaling is near. I was NOT going to take a chance of missing this blessed event. It meant too much to me and had been so long since we have had a foal. Truthfully, if I had waited for distinct signs I would have missed it. She really didn't show many.
She had seemed close several times and I even missed a fews days at work - taking half-day vacation days. Thankfully I have a very understanding boss and plant manager. Most big farms have a night watchman. I enlisted my father-in-law to become my day watchman. He was loyal about checking on her three and four times a day. When he'd get in for lunch I would call to get his update on what she was doing. It was usually enough to keep me at work for the rest of the afternoon. And of course I had my cameras going so that I could watch from the house during the late night hours...... sleeping with one eye and both ears open.
Saturday night was John's trap shooting night at the gun club and I was enjoying the night at home with my dogs and horses, making sure that Corki's stall stayed clean just in case. Yep, everytime she poohed I was on it and it seemed like she was poohing more than normal. Maybe a sign? Maybe just wishful thinking on my part. I had watched him bounce and kick his mom for months and I was anxious for it to be over for her but also for me. I simply could not wait to get my hands on this baby.
I was in the barn, hanging on the front of Corki's stall when she started walking in circles and then her water broke. Another thing to be thankful..... cell phones...... yeah, I know, but they can come in handy. I called John ..... "Ummmmm, Corki's water just broke...." He said he would come right home. I thought I could do this by myself but it is always nice to have moral support. Once the water breaks (providing that all is positioned normal) it doesn't take long. She went down and I started seeing feet, then a muzzle. Yep, it was positioned correctly......"Thank you, God!" Corki got up once and then went right back down. This time there was enough legs out that I could grab hold. When she pushed, I pulled being sure to always pull down toward the hocks. We hit a snag so I moved one leg around a little. That was all it took and here he came!
John missed the actual birth but not by much and he was elated to see that he had gotten his chestnut stud colt just like he had ordered..... chrome (white markings) and all.
It didn't take the little fellow long to try out his VERY long legs nor to find the good stuff Mom provides!
His first outing outside was yesterday. He was only a little over twelve hours old and we had his halter on him and a lead rope around his butt to help guide him. Mom is pretty protective of him..... she is such a good mom and is very proud of her little buddy. He is a little thinner than other foals that we have had here at our farm, but I am confident that Corki will provide good nutrition for him. And you can bet that I will provide the best I know how to for her. He has a hearty appetite and she is so patient with him...... letting him nurse all he wants...... and that is a lot! I can already see that he has filled out a little just in one day. Our vet will be here today to check him out and give him his tetanus shot.
I read somewhere last week that misery loves company but God loves a grateful heart. I am so very grateful for all the blessings that He has bestowed on us. He knows what we want, but He also knows what we need. It was somewhat worrisome that Corki went so long before she foaled, but I had put her in His hands and I do trust in Him with all my heart. God is so very good! Now let the dreaming begin. This guy could be the 2013 Kentucky Derby winner, or Indiana Derby winner, or both! Yep, I dream big but with God at the wheel anything and everything is possible.
