What's Happening in 2010?

OFS is excited to announce that we are expecting four foals for 2010:

Ballykett Blue Diamond (Able Albert x Diamond Lad x Mickey the Marcher) to Contados (Contender x Mytens xx x Ahorn Z)
Royal Que II (Beachtime x Sussex Diamond x Arctic Que) to Warrior (Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve x Heartbreaker x Graaf Grande)
Gwen (Storm's dam) to Sempers Spirit (Semper x Astek x Watzmann)
Hobgoblins Late Night (Lauriston x Stonegrove Ace x Diamond) to Millenium (Manstein x Grandios x Caruso)

Day 321... not long to go now!

Here is Beth today at day 321. She just gets bigger and bigger, and dopier and dopier... The little foalie is VERY active now, bouncing around at all hours. Beth hardly bats an eyelid while it does its jumping jacks in there. We won't be able to keep up with it when it arrives, as it may be the fittest foalie yet!

Day 314!

Beth, day 314.

The Incredible Shrinking Mare

Day 309 gestation

Day 301 gestation

Day 289 gestation

Day 309 gestation

Day 301 gestation

Day 289 gestation

Well, it's day 310 today, and Beth is starting to look MUCH more pregnant. After giving me a few scares (spooky mare on ice, trying to hang herself with her rug, losing it in the field during hedge-trimming next door), she has settled into the dopey pre-baby homestretch. This week was a big week--the vet came to visit her specifically, instead of just peeking over the door during another call out to stave off any emergency visits, and administered her pre-foaling tetanus booster and opened her Caslick's (ow!). Beth was a star, though, and refrained completely from threatening to kick, probably because the vet, though unfamiliar with her, said that Beth's reputation preceded her. It's no fun to kick without the element of surprise! The following day, she had her last (hopefully) hoof trim before foaling. Although she doesn't LOOK huge, she is definitely having a more difficult time having her feet picked up, and is getting slower and more awkward going from yard to field and back. With the lovely weather we've been having, perhaps she's thinking about cooking up this baby as quickly as possible so it has dryish fields to frolic in!

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

above: a very muddy Beth on 24 December, 2008

above: a very muddy (again!) Beth on 31 December, 2008

We have had a good few sub-freezing days in the past few weeks, and hope to get those all out of the way by March! Well, above is Beth's baby, as of January 7--that's day 257 of gestation. Today is day 260. Which means, should she foal at the "average" of 340 days, we have 80 days left, with an estimated due date of 31 March. And thus, the guessing game begins! By day 270, much of the foetal development has already occured, and the whole body will be covered with fine hair. The mane and tail will have become longer than the rest of the hair. There is still a good deal of maturation within body systems which will happen at the very end of the pregnancy, allowing the foal to survive outside of the dam. Additionally, Beth's oestrogen levels should have finally peaked, and be on the decline, so we may notice some change in her behaviour. At day 300, we will begin to record daily observations to allow us to better predict when she will foal--especially rectal temperature, udder observations, and mammary secretions.

This is also the time of year when mare owners (and their hangers-on, like me!) begin the annual great stallion search. More than a few have caught our eyes this year, and one particular stud in Spain really seems to be catering to the show-jumping and eventing blood which we prefer: Yeguada Campos. The have stellar mares, a good few upcoming young stallions who look like they have real potential, and some nice stallions in competition. Personal favourites so far include Copyright C (Corrado I x Schampus xx x Calypso I), Chepetto C (Contender x Mytens xx x Lord), and Crunch C (Corrado I x Julio Mariner xx x Capitol I). Do you have a shortlist of stallions yet?

It's Winter Woolies Time!

Now that Fionn is *ahem* no longer a "stud" colt, he is allowed a bit more free rein. This has extended to allowing him to play uncle to the two weanlings, Max and Tamar. Storm is also living in their field, which is currently functioning as the local equine YMCA! Storm, at the wise age of three, acts as bodyguard to the weanlings when their uncle Fionn gets a bit too rough, but generally watches from afar.

Fionn thinks the youngsters are great, and is amazed when they "clack" or mouth at him in submission. That's usually Fionn's job! He seems bemused that they think he is a grown up. His two favourite games with them are "oh, you two youngsters are SOOOO fast that I just can't keep up with you--no really, I'm galloping as fast as I can" and "ha, I can pick you up by your rug, and I'll keep doing it until you kick me!". Next week I'll get pictures of the naughty weanlings lording it over the 15.2+ BYEH champion! Speaking of which, Fionn is now officially roughed off for the winter, and will spend nearly all of it outdoors with occasional walkies to keep his brain in gear.

What are your winter plans for your youngsters? And what will you be doing with your yearlings, if anything, to keep your hand in?

TA-DAH!

Well, that's what a BYEH Yearling Champion (Best Yearling, Best Colt, Best British Bred) looks like! Ayup, little Fionn went out and strutted his stuff on Tuesday, and kicked some serious backside. He was awarded a score of 84/100, with 21/25 for walk, trot at 20/25, and 21/25 and 22/25 for conformation and type, respectively. The judges were very impressed with him, and he definitely had the audience abuzz with his presence! The filly next to him was also clearly impressed... Fionn was absolutely besotted with her, but managed to contain himself--mostly. Enjoy those testicles while you can, little Fionn!