ANN'S LACE  --  VERY PREGNANT and "waxing" (expressing milk)

the EVE OF DELIVERY -- THURSDAY AFTERNOON, APRIL 10, 2003

SIRE: Nahdion (Arabian, chestnut)

DAM: Silver Ann's Lace (Arabian, grey)  

FOAL: Annahd (Arabian colt, brown for now but who knows later)

     FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 2003   PHOTO AT 4AM

David and I stayed at Ellen's house Thursday night. David was sleeping, and I was dozing a bit, and checking Silver Ann every 40-60 minutes. At 3am she was very restless, kicking out with a back leg, but she had done that a lot during the previous weeks.  Still, I thought she might be very close to delivering.  I was wide awake and reading a horse magazine, when I decided not to wait a full hour but check Silver Ann again.  I went out at 3:40, and saw her standing there pawing the ground.  It suddenly hit me that the pawing meant something.  I ran into her pen, and saw a shadow in the far dark end.  It was the baby, laying with legs stretched out.  At first I was not sure he was even breathing, he was so still---which is probably why Silver Ann was pawing so frantically, telling him to GET UP! (Already he seems laid back, like his dad!)  I must have missed have missed the birth by about 15 minutes, because Annahd's mane and tail were still wet when I found him. He finally managed to keep is legs under him around 5:30am.  Then, sucking at everything in sight, he eventually found the nipple about 7:30.  I was wondering if he would ever get there, but he refused any help I offered, so I just had to wait and let him do it himself.  At 8:30 he started to pass manure, dropping several little piles during the next hour.  At 9:40 I left. He had stood, nursed, and pooped properly, and Silver Ann was content, so we knew all was well.