Changing Ways

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

Our first foal of the season is due any day now. The pregnant mare, a bright bay name Cherry paces her stall, clearing agitated. I've been assigned for the second night of foal watch, and it's nearing close. The foaling kit is all laid out in front of the extra large stall which gives the mare plenty of room to give birth. It consists of a fluffy, odourless white towel, gloves, a garbage bag to stash the placenta in and a couple of other things...all sterilized.

Since the foaling barn is so far away from the house, I have been left with very careful instructions on what to do if the mare starts birthing, and I can't make it down to the house in time. I've been reading plenty of books since my parents have finally decided to let me take over a birth, and I am startled when I see just how many things could go wrong.

One book says that the foal should come out with it's legs pointed forward, it's head in between, like it's almost a diving position. Then the shoulders are supposed to follow. However the book warns that sometimes once the shoulders have come out it's much to hard for the mare and it simply gives up. Mom says that if this happens, I am to first call the house as quickly as I can, alert them and then slip on the gloves. It's then up to me to pull the foal from the mare.

Of course I also can't forget that the foal could be in a strange position. This worries me...how will I know? I tend to be a bit if a worrywart and over think things, so this particular problem makes me slightly nervous. Mom says that if the foal is caught in a position where it gets stuck I am to call them right away, otherwise we could lose not only the foal but also the mare.

I sit excitedly at the kitchen table while I wait for it to be 6:00 PM so I can go down to the stable. Mom places a bowl of soup in front of me, and warns that if I don't eat it, I'm not going. With this in mind, the broth and noodles disappear in almost ten seconds flat. Kaya, at the other end of the table, just rolls her eyes at my enthusiasm.

Dropping her metal spoon back in her bowl so that a little bit sloshes out over the sides, she turns and looks at Mom. "So tell me again when I'm going to be allowed to breed Karma?"

Mom looks at her carefully. "Breed Karma? I didn't know that you were interested in putting that mare of yours in foal. After all, the cross country season is coming up, and you wouldn't be able to compete. Not to forget the Fall Fair...you enter in almost all of those events!"

"Yeah, but think about it," Kaya says, almost pleading, "I'd only be missing one season. And then once Karma has her colt or filly, I can train it and have another mount to compete on."

Mom nods, thinking about Kaya's reason. "Well...if you want to breed her, I suppose that it's fine. We'll leave it up to you however to choose the stud, and cover all fees. Breeding with another persons horse isn't cheap."

Kaya smiles happily. "Do you know of any hano studs in the area? I have to admit, I have been looking, but Telkwa seems pretty Hanovarian deprived from what I've seen."

"So you want the foal to be a purebred?" I ask, keeping my eye on the ticking clock, counting down the minutes until I can go to the stable.

She nods and pushes her empty bowl of soup away from her. "If I want to register it, it'll have to be."

"Isn't there a place aways down that breeds Hanovarian warm bloods?" I ask, suddenly remembering how one time when our crop of hay was ruined, Dad took me to see this guy who sold hay for $3 a bale. We also got a tour of the place, and three of the gangly yearlings were shown off. One, a chestnut colt, just barely past one year had almost reached 16.3hh.