After many days (and nights) of watching, waiting, and checking up on her for at least 30 minutes at a time (and usually much longer), every 2 hours, 'Gerin still snuck up on us.
This morning,
nbarnes went out to give the horses their feed around 7am while I finished getting ready for work. I didn't expect anything just yet, since I'd been out there only 2 hours previous.
He came running up from the barn, waving his arms, grinning from ear to ear, and gesticulating towards the barn. I quickly woke up
ocicat and
aralon, then ran out to the barn...slowing to enter quietly.
Sure enough, there was momma, laying down resting up in order to finish the work of delivering the afterbirth, with a little foal at her side, mostly, but not quite dry.
I went into the stall to check up on things. All was well. We have a little bay (I think), filly. Estimated delivery time was 6:15-6:30. She must have broken her water right after I left from hanging out with her from 4:30-5am.
I proceeded with the foal mauling, also known as imprint training, which is a desensitization of the foal to being handled and touched everywhere.
The stall is now clean again...amazing how dirty it can get just from foaling, since I left it clean from my 5am visit. The filly is thoroughly desensitized, for round one, anyway. The afterbirth is set aside for the vet to check this evening. The vet is called and informed of birth and then again at first nursing, at their request. All on the 24 hour call list have been informed. Momma is doing well, though still a bit blood stained, as expected.
nbarnes is incredibly pleased to have been the one to discover the wee one. He and I are both exhausted from cleanup and imprint training, which involves rather a bit of foal wrestling. My arm is sore and I hope I didn't overdo it.
This morning's timeline was:
5:30-5:45 estimated water breaking
6:15-6:30 estimated birth time
7:15 foal discovered by humans
7:45 standing
8:00 passed meconium
8:35 first nursing
I am very pleased. 'Gerin is such a good mother.