Update

It has been a busy Saturday. Today was the mock disaster that our students complete as their final activity in their disaster class lab. The mock disaster is a simulated earthquake exercise that involves 30 students (rescuers) and about 50 victims. It is an exercise that takes about 2 hours to set up and about 1 hour to complete. Mainly, it requires quite a bit of up and down stairs for me and I am generally worn out when it is over. After the mock disaster was completed, I was looking forward to a nice afternoon with a good book and a couch. I just had to go to the barn and check on Friday to see if she was doing okay.

Audrey and  I went to the barn to check on our sweet girl. We took Friday out of her stall to brush her and give her a daily pampering session. When I checked her, I was surprised to see that sometime in the last 24 hours she had decided to fill up her udder! I was shocked! She was making steady progress all week, but nothing too dramatic,  so I thought it would be a week or two before I saw a full udder. I checked with the trainer at the barn (who has been watching her with me) and she was shocked too. This was a definite issue and we decided to call the vet.

I called the vet and he recommended that we bring her in today. Audrey and I hitched up the trailer and got Friday ready to go. Friday was great about all the activity and loaded right into the trailer without a bit of problem. Audrey and I took her to the vet and she seemed to be adjusting to her new stall without problem. I was actually relieved to have her at the veterinarians. The vet and his staff can keep a close eye on her and make sure that if she decides to have this foal soon, there will be lots of help at the ready.

We could still be several weeks away from a birth, but a mare can have a foal anywhere from 305-405 days. Friday is at 319 days. Better safe than sorry!

On My Harley

Harley is doing excellent in his training. He has learned to collect himself (not race around like a crazy man) and to lead with the correct leg (most of the time). Here is a quick video Audrey took of Harley. He will slow to a trot with just a slight adjustment in the saddle (no pulling on the reins). I love this horse!

Link to Harley in Training

Friday is doing great today. She is getting a lot more milk. I was thinking of taking her to the veterinarian at the end of the month. I don't think we will make it........

We Are Getting Closer

As of today, Friday has been pregnant 313 days (the average gestation is 335 days for horses). Today I gave her the pre-birth required vaccinations and worming medicine. These help protect the foal. 

Friday was so dirty the other day that if you touched her, the dust would rise in clouds. Even though she is big and clumsy, she drops and rolls every chance she gets. It was warm outside yesterday so I took the time to give her a nice warm bath and let her dry in the sun. I braided her tail and trimmed her bridle path at the top of her head. It was a real spa day. She deserves one!

Getting some sun in the paddock

The side view

She is in good spirits, but is tired most of the time. In a few more weeks, I will take her to the veterinarian's place to have the foal. It won't be a long drive, just a mile or two. Harley will miss her terribly and we are already making plans on how to help him cope (someone suggested sedation). He is making some new friends at the barn, so maybe that will help.

Baby on Board

I have been slow in updating the blog this year. We moved to a new barn closer to our house and it required a lot of work and reorganizing and readjusting. The horses like the new barn just fine. Friday is in a stall now and is turned out in a paddock once a day. I try to get out several times a week as well and make her exercise. She is getting huge now and not very interested in moving around. She gives me that desperate, wild-eyed look when I put her on the hot walker or take her for a stroll. 

The baby is due May 8th. I am going to take her to the veterinarian's place to foal (he has cameras, alarms etc) so hopefully things will go well. Now I just need to time it just right. I am going to take her when around May 1st. Harley will be heartbroken!

Harley likes the new barn. His stall is right next to his bff Friday and that is just fine with him. She still puts her ears back every time he gets close, but I think she is starting to weaken a little bit. She is interested in where he is going and is glad to have him back. She just wouldn't ever let  him know that. 

Almost Christmas

I am finally getting back to the blog! Life has been hectic and although I still get out to the barn 3-4 days a week to ride Harley, I don't get much time to blog. Harley is doing great. He has such a fun and playful personality. He acts like such a kid. 

Harley is putting on weight and getting stronger every day. He will be five years old in January, but is still really just a kid (especially in his mind). He loves the girls. One day Grace was playing in the dirt just outside the arena where Harley was turned out. Harley kept running by the fence and kicking up his heels trying to get her attention. He wanted her to play with him so bad.  Sometimes the girls will run on the track outside the arena and Harley will gallop along beside them and then race them to the finish. He loves it!

Even though he loves to play, Harley is a serious worker when being ridden and picks up everything so quickly. He is learning to collect himself (have a slow, controlled trot and lope) and takes leg cues very well. He will stop on voice command and backs up like a dream. I have started taking some riding lessons from my friend Brooke. I don't want Harley to get too far ahead of me!

Audrey is riding Harley as well and gaining confidence. He is definitely more careful with her on his back. He is going to make her a great 4-H horse!

Enjoying the day

AHHH!

Silly Boy

If he ever figures out how fast he is......

Friday is doing great with her pregnancy! She looks as big as she did last year, but the ultrasound only showed one baby. She is in a paddock with another pregnant mare and they stand around a lot eating and getting fatter. I miss not riding her, but she is way to big at this point. Her due date is May 8th which seems miles away.

More on Harley

Harley is turning out to be a great horse. He is pretty quiet and has a great base of training under him. He likes the girls and is interested in everything around him. 

The vet came out the other day to check on Friday and examine Harley. Horses need to have their teeth looked at occasionally. Because they graze, their teeth grow fairly continuously. In the wild, their teeth stay worn and even  (more rocks in the diet, I guess). In situations like Harley's, where his fed hay and grain, they get sharp edges on their teeth that can make it hard to chew. Harley was kind of struggling to chew up his grain, so I had the veterinarian check him. Sure enough, he had sharp edges on several teeth. The vet gave him some sedation and then filed his teeth down. Hopefully, this will help him gain weight.

He said he thought Harley was a great horse and just needed a bit more weight. We have the feeding thing figured out, so that won't be too hard. Now it will just take time.

Audrey on Harley      photo by Grace!

Friday is doing great! Her pregnancy is progressing without problem. She looks good and the vet said she can be off ReguMate now. Yipee! She is still moody and is a bully to Harley, but otherwise great!

Photo by Grace

We Got a Harley!!

We have Audrey's new horse Harley now. He is a 4 year old registered Quarter Horse gelding and he has a great temperament. His registered name is Streakin Harley. He is descended from some great racing stallions and mares. He is almost the same color as Friday, but a little lighter. He is well broke and works off leg commands. He is a little skinny at the moment, but we will remedy that soon.