Jingles for Tasker--day 364 it's a colt!!!

[not again]

This may seem a bit premature, but Tasker has two mares who will probably foal simultaneously in the next 24 hours. She has gotten very little sleep on her cot in the barn as the cats are fighting about who gets to sleep on top of her. And the mares moan all night. But tomorrow Bill and I leave at 3 am to go to TJUH for his second hip replacement so I will be gone all day. (Did we mention that when the first one was done in February, they did the wrong one? Hence the rush to get the correct one done in the middle of (a) breeding season (b) foaling (c) getting entries in and (d) getting ready to do 70 acres of hay and 40 acres of soybeans planted.)
So, when do you think those mares will decide to foal?!!

[MagicRoseFarm]

they will foal when tasker decides she cannot go on for one more minute, and takes an afternoon power nap :)

[camohn]

Ahh, yes....I am whining with Tasker (really...I am...via email!) as I have been staring at my 2 for the past week. They are also in foal to Tasker's stallion and sitting at days 343 and 338!! The one at 338 waxed up days ago/has white milk and the one at 343 has mild placentitis and a history of red bag foals. Bleah!!!
Good luck to Bill on surgery number two though!!!

[Evalee Hunter]

Tasker will survive. She's young (but maybe doesn't feel young at the moment). I'll send my jingles to Bill, though. Two surgeries in less than 6 months is very hard on anybody. The anesthesia lingers a bit in the body fat (or so I've heard) & a 2nd round can really lay you low.

[M.K.Smith]

<coffee> for Tasker. I work overnights and I know how draining that can be on very little sleep... I know when I had two mares foal withing a few days I just didn't know how I was going to make it thru, but I did. Good luck for easy foalings and sleep soon.

Jingles for Bill & his surgery. I hope all goes well.

[not again]

Thank You Everyone!:yes:
Evalee, the last hip was done with a spinal block, and so will this one. The whole procedure is pretty quick. Does a block last as long in the system? (As for me I would want earplugs!!)
Hopefully these mares will foal today so we can relax tomorrow night.:)

[lorik]

Good thoughts, jingles, and {{{{{ hugs }}}}} coming your way. My best to all of you. I'm sure you know how fond I am of your family.

[monami]

I am in the same boat as Tasker (fighting cats included!)

Jingles !

[camohn]

Thank You Everyone!:yes:
Evalee, the last hip was done with a spinal block, and so will this one. The whole procedure is pretty quick. Does a block last as long in the system? (As for me I would want earplugs!!)
Hopefully these mares will foal today so we can relax tomorrow night.:)

Well the whole system,no.....but it can take a couple weeks to wear off the LEG that is affected. (You can't lift it up like you should....even aside from the fact he is having hip surgery.....the quad muscle can take a while to "wake up". In theory they tell you it does NOT take that long to wear off...the reality of having seen pots of folks that had spinals versus other anesthesia tells me differently..........)

[Home Again Farm]

Jingles and best wishes to your hubby. :yes:

Coffee and jingles all goes well for Tasker. :winkgrin:

[ljshorses]

Jingling for both hubby and Ellie...

this is why we rely so heavily on the milk test kits. The Foal Watch one has saved me many sleepless night!!! Very rarely lose more than 2 nights in a row and never miss a birth. We also got cheap (did I say CHEAP) cameras from Radio shack and run (again CHEAP) underground (just a few inches) wire into 2 monitors in our house. The cameras are wireless to the main monitor in one of the barns then we wire from that monitor into the house to a tv upstairs and down. If we have more than one mare close (and we always have a few that like to go around the same time) we put the cameras in all the stalls needed (monitor can handle up to 5 cameras) and then we set the toggle on the monitor so that it wraps and each camera stays on subject for several seconds before going to next etc.. etc.. one continuous loop. Let me tell you, my husband and I are not very good with electronic stuff and this was done very easily and simply by just us (and did I mention CHEAP). The whole system cost around $300 (we had old tvs that we used for the inside monitors). I can't believe I ever use to sleep in the barns or lost many nights sleep...now I can munch on cheese curls and watch our regular tv while foal watching. I just turn my head to view the monitor every so often. The one upstairs is in my office, so if I want to work on the computer through the night I can and again just have to tilt my head to view the other monitor. I feel like those roughen it days were so very long ago (even though they weren't). Best wishes and if you want more info on the kits or camera/monitors feel free to email me I'd be happy to share the info to make your life easier as ours have become.

[Sugarbrook]

Having foaled 6 and waiting on #7 right now I, also, could not of survived without Chemetrics Foal Watch test. After #7 I still have 3 more to go. YIKES!!!! I just dont do staying up all night unless all signs are on go for the mare to foal.
Good luck and have a safe foaling!!

[camohn]

Well poor Tasker finally sprang for the camera stuff and the guy that was supposed to come hook it up for her bailed so she is still sleepin' in the barn with Oreo and friends (hey... what ever happend to the tent for cat proofing Tasker....??) until it gets hooked up. I can attest to the fact that wireless systems do not work in an old stone bank barn like Tasker and I have. I tried that route first!! I also could not bury my cable as the barn is on the other side of out ashphalt driveway....can't dig under it!! So I just run a temporary cable across the driveway at night during foaling season and roll it up in the morning before hubby drives over it. The sofa IS better than the barn!! At least Tasker only has a gravel driveway (grin!) to cross to HER barn!!

[Tasker]

Thanks guys...I'm hanging in there! :) The cats who regard me as disputed territory can kindly find somewhere/one else to sleep IMHO. :yes: Cranky (or is it evil) little beasts!

Chemetrics would be fine for the mare who has rapidly progressed to being loose behind, huge udder & wax (obviously foaling in the next 6-18 hours) except knowing her the way I do - this is not a surprise. The kit would be useless for her full sister who had a red bag & subsequent dummy foal last year (colt didn't make it) 3 weeks early with no warning whatsoever. They were bred on the same day and the second mare has had extremely large foals in the past with difficult deliveries. That mare is also extremely high risk due to a past founder...one of those situations that it is better to be on hand for no matter what. :sigh:

And don't ask what I want to say to the electrician who was going to put the camera system in for me...or my cousin (the computer/electrical engineer) who was here a month ago. The system will be up (hopefully) for the next group but it wouldn't change where I am sleeping right now due to mare #2.

The tent is packed away as I am spoiled with a king sized bed in my house and that tent was for someone 5'6"...being 5'7" it is just NOT big enough at this point. However, if the cats pierce the air mattress in their squabbling, that is where I am headed next.

I'll catch up on sleep at some point as there is a nice long break after these two...provided the remaining 3 stick to the schedule and foal closer to their respective estimated delivery dates of the first week of June.

Good luck monami! If you come up with some cat repellent, let me know what it is, will ya? :)

[camohn]

Thanks guys...I'm hanging in there! :) The cats who regard me as disputed territory can kindly find somewhere/one else to sleep IMHO. :yes: Cranky (or is it evil) little beasts!

If you come up with some cat repellent, let me know what it is, will ya? :)

Your Jack Russell!!

[Tasker]

Your Jack Russell!!

*snort* He'd be more likely to pee in my bed from terror...total wuss dog.

[M.K.Smith]

Well poor Tasker finally sprang for the camera stuff and the guy that was supposed to come hook it up for her bailed so she is still sleepin' in the barn with Oreo and friends (hey... what ever happend to the tent for cat proofing Tasker....??) until it gets hooked up. I can attest to the fact that wireless systems do not work in an old stone bank barn like Tasker and I have. I tried that route first!! I also could not bury my cable as the barn is on the other side of out ashphalt driveway....can't dig under it!! So I just run a temporary cable across the driveway at night during foaling season and roll it up in the morning before hubby drives over it. The sofa IS better than the barn!! At least Tasker only has a gravel driveway (grin!) to cross to HER barn!!

We also tried a wireless system and it didn't work for us either- and we don't have an old bank barn. We ended up just returning it. I'm hoping we won't have the same problem with baby monitors.

Hoping Tasker will be able to get some sleep soon!

[not again]

Tasker will post tomorrow on the 2008 foal thread: the first mare foaled at about 8:30 tonight. A lovely filly by Dressage Royal--Savannah WF by South American Way. All is well so far, but Lucy the cat moved in to the sleeping bag and is reluctant to share.
Thank you everyone for the jingles. One down and one to go!

[nsm]

Jingles to Bill and Ellie, You all have ALOT on your plate right now, sending positive thoughts and wishes your way as well--

Nancy

[Evalee Hunter]

. . . . I can attest to the fact that wireless systems do not work in an old stone bank barn like Tasker and I have. I tried that route first!! I also could not bury my cable as the barn is on the other side of out ashphalt driveway....can't dig under it!! . . .

If you ever want to run the camera wire permanently, you can get a machine that grinds through asphalt leaving a slot just large enough for a wire. I have seen such a machine used to put down the wire for an underground dog fence across an asphalt driveway. Really, the machine makes a very neat slot about the width of a pencil (or maybe less). Just press a little gravel over the wire & a line of tar & you have a nice, smooth, permanent installation.

[camohn]

Yawn...not here! Still 2 fat mares and no Wally babies. Even sleeping on the sofa has not in fact helped the cat situation here. We have 3 housecats. When I sleep in my bed they do not sleep with me, they do not bother me. For some odd reason they think that if I sleep on the SOFA then it is perfectly OK to sleep on my chest or try and knead a bigger space to nest between my back and the sofa. Ugh!

[not again]

Well it certainly has been a busy day: Tasker and Camohn each got their dream filly, Bill got his new hip early this morning, and at the end of the day, the hospital found a room for him to move to from the recovery room. Now about the WBM who is down again and moaning rhythmically......

[Evalee Hunter]

So, any more excitement? How is Bill feeling? As well as possible under the circumstances, I hope.

[Tasker]

No more foaling excitement as of yet. The WBM is getting closer (imagine some Jaws music, please) but seems content to stare at Savannah's filly and then lay down, moan for a while and then get up and eat some more. :rolleyes:

I took a few hours off yesterday and went and got some new photos of the already-arrived babies - Wynona PF, Well Maid and April Moon, so take a peek at the Foals of 08 thread for those. We also got our Dressage Royal filly out for a bit in the morning and there are some photos of her as well. :)

[Lenny]

Jingles and good vibes comeing your way

[not again]

Two out of three things have gone well so thank you for all of the good jingles. Bill's hip replacement went very well. He heads to the Rehab Hospital tomorrow. Savannah's filly is healthy and lovely in every way. But about Sabrina..... I checked her about 4:30 this afternoon while Ellie was catching a nap. I have never seen a horse out flat cantering and jumping in their sleep before, but there she was, going fast with her eyes tightly shut.
Very cute, but not foaling.

[not again]

Soooo.....Bill has been discharged to home care and PT/OT here, and that brown mare is at day 363. She looks smug and glows like a conformation hunter. Who says mares want to foal at all??? At this rate we will be foaling out the next three before she deigns to deliver this one.

[lorik]

It's so good to hear about Bill. :)
I'm doing the foaling dance for you now, and I'll ask around to see who has the golden plunger. :winkgrin:

[Horsecrazy27]

Just saw this thread! PIC'S! (of the dream filly's!)

Prayers for Bill's hip! GEEZ----busy busy!

Good luck and happy foaling!
Tanya

[not again]

Thanks for the golden plunger Lori--We have a colt. Yippeee!!!!! He looks like he is two weeks old, but then again he is! Ellie will get pictures up after a nap.;)

[camohn]

I lost my bet then!! Before seeing this thread I sent Ellie an email betting it had to be a filly being this stubborn entering the world!
And how is the impatient patient doing?

[lorik]

Glad to hear it Anne! Now, when Ellie is recovered from her lack of sleep, she must post pictures!!! I can't get enough of the baby pics.:D

[Evalee Hunter]

So when was the colt born? I know Ellie was on this forum around 2 AM this morning & she didn't mention a new arrival.

[camohn]

Pics are on the foals of 2008 thread!

[Tasker]

Pictures from this afternoon are on the Foals of 08 thread like Christine said...I was too beat to update this thread as well this morning.

There are other baby photos (some client, some mine) here - http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y271/elrawle/2008%20Foals/ Enjoy! (and thanks Lori...it means a lot to hear people like my pictures!)
:)