Click the mares' pictures to see their personal pages!
Welcome to the 2015 foaling barn !
Our Appaloosa mares are getting ready to present us with our 2015 Appaloosa foal crop. There are 11 colorful mares due to foal over 4 month's time with one late comer in August. They are in foal to three different stallions. I enjoy having the foals' births spread out over spring and summer so that I can give each one the proper time and attention to teach them to be gentle and well mannered for their new owners. I will post each mare as her time grows near and detail her development and delivery. The foals will be posted within a day or two of their birth. They can be reserved until weaning time with a 33% non refundable deposit. Click here to see our Policy on foal sales.
I hope you enjoy the foaling season as much as I do.
I love sharing this experience with my visitors, especially those not lucky enough to have horses
of their own.
Harte's Sizzler Jo X Nuggets Super Shado
Due February 25th
Mighty Bright Bandit
It's a BOY! 3:45 AM Feb 21st.
FEB 21st I arrived at the tack room at about 11 pm and the temperature was l8 degrees. The forecast called for it to rise thru the night into the 20's and be 38 by Saturday afternoon. It seemed to me the best possible night in a week of bitter bitter cold .. for Jo to let go of that foal she had been holding on to. Jo was in agreement.
Skips Jazzy Blue X Dreamin Dun Pa Naturally Dun
Due february 28th foaled march 7th Red roan blanketed filly foaled about 2 pm.
Tallie is offered for sale at $2000 Tallie is reserved for Milana!
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Click here to add text.Jo was wrestless and moved and circled the stall for tne next several hours. I dozed checking now and then until about 3:30 am when she lay down and got up, and seemed to be having obvious contractions. I got on my boots and coveralls and ventured out of my tack room cave.
I decided to bed the stall in hay prior to the birth, and to my surprise, Jo began to munch on hay which seemed to calm her. She continued to eat hay thru the entire foaling, even crunching while actually delivering the colt. Our stalls are 24 feet long, and I sat in a corner in the dim light. Jo was not concerned, so I had the pleasure of being with her for the birth. She lay down only three times, pushing with the skill of a 20 year old with many many foals to her credit. When I could see nose and feet, I got up and added a little pull to her push just to ease the work for her. I uncovered the colt's nose to breath and went back to my spot in the corner to let them rest. It was a lovely birth.
At 24 degrees, it was exactly 50 degrees warmer than the night before
which had been -16. Every horse in the barn seemed to relax, and I felt their relief as well.
The colt was on his feet and nursing with a little direction from me by 5 AM. I took off my coveralls and had a nap in the tack room until my husband arrived with celebration coffee and crumbcake. By then it was 33 degrees and you could hear the heavy layer of snow melting off the roof
and running into our water collection tank. It was in the nick of time because our water supply was getting very low and the driveway was impassable to bring water to the barn. I decided to name him Nick.
Nicholas will be offered for sale at $2,000. Nick is Reserved for Charles!
Strictly Ballroom X Nuggets Super Shado
Due March 9th, foaled March l0th 9:45 pm
a Black based fewspot fillly!
PA Krystal Spring
I don't have an exciting story for you on this birth, because Tango was very clear on her intention to foal as soon as the sun went down. That's exactly what she did. She had been dripping wax all day standing in her stall, and looking fairly bored and miserable not being out with the others. I checked on her at 7:30 pm and there was no sign of labor. She was just eating hay quietly. When I returned later in the evening, she had just delivered her filly and I was in time to clean her up, and help her nurse which she did without much coaxing. I was able to sleep the night in the tack room checking on the twosome every few hours.
The Surprise birth!
Today things really warmed up into the 40's with bright sunshine . The whole world was melting out there. I decided to turn Jazzy out for a few hours to enjoy the warmth. She had no wax, was very quiet last night and no signs of labor. In l82 foals, just a couple have been born during the day. So out she went.
I went to check the water troughs about 3:30 to see if they had melted enough for the mares to get water. I planned to move them all into the barnyard area for heated water if not. I trudged thru the mud up to their paddock gate, and there was Miss Jazzy. She was standing tall and proud, with an orange sherbet colored filly with white frosting over her rump, blaze and stockings standing tall next to her. Around her were the other l0 mares.. just hanging out. There was no commotion or trouble and the baby was perfectly clean! One problem. How to get them out of there.
As soon as i tried to offer them the open gate,THEN came the rushing about of mares and chaos. Peaches was protecting the mother and baby, and nobody wanted to leave. They were running about in circles ignoring me. Jazzy was rotating in place keeping watch from all sides. One by one i got the mares out, mostly by hollering and throwing snowballs.. until just Jazzy and her baby remained. I was quite worried about her being all dry and not nursing yet. So i was in a BIG hurry to get them inside.
I rushed to the barn and threw open all the stall doors, dropping a cup of sweet feed in every bucket and then started calling the herd in. There were l6 to get in, including the barnyard group of younger mares, pearl, Jo and her colt.
Mitch arrived to help me and took a video of this big strong fuzzy filly following her mother to the barn. You wont' think this is a two hour old foal! She is red dun, 43 inches tall. Her mama is l5.3.
She is covered in long hair and not shivering. I doubt she'll need a blanket! As soon as she was safe in the barn, she set about nursing expertly.. and i realized she had already gotten her colostrum with no help from me. GOOD JOB GIRLS!
This is Tallie's first turnout!
Krystal is offered for sale at $2,000
krystal is reserved for Glenn!
Fashion Dreamer X Nuggets Super Shado
Due to foal March l3th (not)
Fashion Quest
Jake is offered for sale at $2200
Jake is reserved for Ashley!
Fashion is a solid dun APHC mare and this is her first foal for us. She is a daughter of Live the Dream, and she previously had foals by Clear Vision and Hi Tech Cowboy. She is l5.3 hands and has wonderful halter build and a nice disposition.
He's HERE! 12:05 am March 27th
I arrived at the barn at l0 pm and checked all udders. Fashion?.. half full, Skipelletta? quite full.. River?.. still rather small but a maiden so you never know. I watched on my monitor for the next two hours expecting Skip to go into labor, but nooooo… Fashion began to circle the stall every 3 or 4 minutes and after an hour began laying down and rolling. At l4 days overdue. i was very happy to realize that she was indeed in labor. A little after midnight i helped her deliver her bay dun colt. Not because she couldn't do it herself.. just to make it a little easier.
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Skipelletta X Nuggets Super Shado
PA Desert Shado Foaled March 29th, at noon.
Buckskin near fewspot stud colt
IT HAPPENED AGAIN! Another foal born outside at noon in a pasture of pregnant mares! Skipelletta had been agitated the entire night as if in the first stage of labor, but she never lay down and actually delivered the foal. She kept looking out the windows as if worried about danger lurking and circling the stall. At 10 am, the other mares were outside and she was just frantic to get out. I thought well.. it's sunny , going to be 50.. only 5 mares in the mare pasture now that have not foaled.. and SURELY she won't have a baby in the middle of the day right after Jazzy did the same. Afternoon births are very uncommon! At noon I was about to go to lunch with my husband and I did a quick check on Skip. Cancel Lunch. There was a baby just arriving on the winter grass as I watched, and the other five mares simply grazed on. It took a full hour to get the colt on his feet and walking well enough to cover two acres to the barn. I slipped a winter scarf thru Skip's halter, and an arm around the colts ribs and we shuffled inch by inch to a stall where she could relax and stop guarding him against curious horses. He had a good sleep after his adventurous entry into the world.
Dusty is offered for sale at $2200
Dusty is reserved for Melinda!
Hair tested EE n/CR Aa LP/LP
Dreamer Intriguing (River) X Nuggets Super Shado
Due to foal, March 30th
Blue Eyed, bay colt with blanket and spots!
DUNKIN! is offered for sale at $2000
Dunkin is reserved for Lisa in CA!
April l6th: River was l7 days past her due date, and I had been sleeping with her for 10 or 11 nights, watching her on camera from the tack room. I was getting rather bored, but the past two days she had had a bead of wax on her still small maiden udder. About 2 am I awakened and saw her laying down in labor. I joined her in her stall in case she needed some help. She was working very hard, so I did help her deliver her bay and white colt. He was eager to stand up and get moving and didn't take too long about it. River was a natural mom and took great interest in him, licking and talking to him. She is 9 and was very pleased with this new addition to her life.
Once up, the little man was eager to nurse, but seemed only able to lick, not suck! I milked several syringes of colostrum from River and fed him those by mouth to get a start on his immunity.
We worked on that until 4 am, when i decided to take a nap and see if he could figure this nursing thing out. He kept at it, and finally did. He was nursing better when I checked on them at 7 am.
Rewardachic X Nuggets Super Shado
Due to foal April 24th
April 22nd, 12:l0 am
Shadocat, "Kitty" bay appy filly
Crystal delivered her filly in the traditional midnight hour, IN the barn,with me watching from afar. She needed no help.. just a little clean up and loving on baby kitty. She is sleek, bay and elegant in conformation. Cute little head on her too. She is curious and people friendly.
I think she is non characteristic, but could still carry the pattern genes of her parents. She's a great 4H prospect or broodmare for your fewspot stallion! She looks like a potential reiner in her video at l0 days old
Kitty is offered for sale at $1600. Kitty is Reserved for Paul!
Earthlight Cowgirl X Dreamin Dun
Due to foal April 23rd
Foaled April 23rd.. 5:30 pm?
In the last l5 years.. there have been three outside births during daylight hours.
In the last month.. there have been THREE MORE!!! Mauzi presented me with her dark bay colt last night about 7:30..when i came to bring her in for dinner! It was her due date.. and i have slept with her for a week.. but she showed no further changes to make me think it was imminent. Peaches and Cleo were in attendance. The colt had not nursed, and Mauzi had not cleansed.. but once in the barn we got those things attended to . He is doing well. Hearty and strong.. her third baby by Junior.
Mauzi's colt is offered for sale at $2200
Pictured at 10 days old.
Clay is reserved for Darlene!
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WF Stella Dallas , "Cleo" X Nuggets Super Shado
Foaled June 27th 5:l5 am
Cleo was a maiden and had been developing her udder since late in March. That was worrisome, because typically a mare’s udder changes begin about 30 days prior to foaling. Cleo was not due to foal until June lst. The changes might have indicated a premature foaling due to twins or infection in the placenta, but we were lucky and she just continued to develop at a snail’s pace for almost ten weeks. On Tuesday morning I noted that Cleo’s belly had changed shape and was hanging deeper in the center, and come afternoon, she had developed a little wax on each teat. I got excited and planned to sleep in the barn with her.
At midnight I settled in on my cot watching Cleo on the monitor and slept poorly for the next five hours, awakening often to check on her. She circled the stall often and was wide awake and restless. Her eyes glowed oddly in the infrared light.
Taylored by Moolah X Nuggets Super Shado
TB is due to foal July l8th
TB Foaled a Black bay filly (seal)
1 am July 7th.
Meadow is reserved for Marsha!
Tb had spent three nights walking around her stall, slashing her tail and acting as if labor was beginning, but daylight would come and still no foal. Last night was the same, but I had seen her lie down both in the pasture by day and in the stall around midnight. I decided to take a nap since I was not at all sure when she was going to get serious about foaling. So I drifted off while watching her on camera from 12 until 1 am. I opened my eyes to see her delivering her filly. I joined her with a bale of hay to bed her stall and cushion the filly as she tried to stand.
KK the Dream Begins X Dreamin Dun
Peaches is due to foal August 19th
August 7th, 7:20 am
A bay fewspot filly is born
This morning brought a lovely surprise. A baby with breakfast!
At 7 am, I was about to leave the barn for coffee, when I noticed Peaches pawing just a tiny bit. And circling, and pawing.. but really no agitation or tail slashing. Just this posturing that comes before laying down. And then she did lay down, and in about l0 minutes produced a beautiful bay fewspot filly. My plan in this breeding was to create a likeness of Junior, with a black gene (since he carries only red) and his elegant body. Plus Peaches good record as a color producer and quiet trail horse. I think that is exactly what this filly will be. Her head was pretty even while still dripping with fluid. She is the image of her daddy with a bay base.
This elegant filly should be an all around prospect for pleasure and show, and a great color/conformation producer. Summer is a fewspot and should put color and/or appaloosa characteristics on all her babies She is naturally people friendly and will make a nice family companion as well.
Summer will be offered for sale at $2,200
CliAt 5 am she lay down to begin pushing and trying to deliver her foal. I joined her when i could see feet and the tip of a nose, and left the stall dark and quiet and tried not to cause her to get up or interrupt her labor. I pulled on the foal’s feet when she pushed, but this was not going to be fast or easy. Cleo got up and lay down three times. The last time she changed to laying on a different side and that seemed to make a difference. The shoulder that was not coming thru, was now freed. I could see the baby’s tongue protruding and it was blue. That gave me renewed energy to work harder and get this foal out. Finally Cleo and I got the baby’s head, neck and shoulders out and the rest was easy. Cleo lay flat and exhausted and without movement for at least l0 minutes. I covered the floor in fresh hay and put a flake under her weary head. She began to eat it without even lifting her chin. You can see that in the little video, munch munch.
Her filly had more energy than Cleo, and to my surprise, despite a blue tongue.. she was soon trying to get up on her feet. I guess we got her delivered in time without any damage. My arms are sore today. That always happens. Me and the foal are about the same weight!
Cleo is an amazing first time mother. She treated the foal gently and skillfully, guiding her to nurse and standing completely still while the filly tried to figure out how to get the milk she needed. So many maidens keep moving away from the foal’s advances and have to be restrained and taught. But not Cleo. She knew just what to do from the start. Brandi is offered for sale at $2200
Brandi is reserved for Christy!
2015 foaling barn
Tb's filly was an eye catcher even in the dark. She was not quick to try and get up, so I encouraged her by rubbing her with a small towel. It seems like rubbing down the spine at the neck is especially stimulating to the foal. The two of them lay together for awhile, but getting that colostrum is so important that I urged them both to get on with the nursing. Once up, the filly had a good suck reflex and was nursing in 20 minutes or so. I was able to leave them to themselves and get back to my tack room cot at about 2:45. By morning the filly has really gotten skillful at nursing and was trying a few little runs and bucks about the stall.