.EDIT... Added first day out in field

Hope these links work.. my friend Becky's horse gave birth this weekend...
on the first link you have to click on the picture to start the video.
Meeting Mary for the first time

Eatng.. revised

after going to the link... click on the picture and it turns into a video

first day out

Oh Winfrey! Thanks for sharing. That is wonderful!

Like the other posts, I'm asked for an email address and a password. I want to see them!

I was only able to link the first picture but it was beautiful. Love those ears.

Thanks for sharing

I changed to public... you should be able to see them.. if not let me know

So sweet!

Ana

Real good looking youngster.

Wonderful!

Pray they always have a fine home. A horse is a wonderful animal

Thanks Winfrey.

Bummer. Do you need to have a Picasa account to view? I'm up in NW Iowa on my mom's computer and both links take me to a sign in page. I really don't want to sign up for a Picasa account on her computer.

no you should not... let me try a private one to you

Check your email please

It takes me to a google page with a sign in in the upper right but I am not signed in and I can see it fine for the first one.

The second one I am not signed in either at picasa but I do have Picasa installed on my computer so maybe it knows.

I was able to watch both without any problems and they were just wonderful !!
Thank you so much for sharing, Winfrey

Thanks for sharing Winfrey!

Thanks Winfrey Beautiful pics and video.

What a cutie!

Thanks for showing us those Winfrey!

joe

Well, I got home late this afternoon and am able to access these files just fine on my Windows 8 computer! I did get them in the email, so thank you, Winfrey! I was just dying to see them.

look on facebook I posted 3 more... his first day out... walking in the field with his momma .. he is so cute. I would post more here but I don't want to bore everyone

I think we've only got one due at Longmeadow this spring... which is a good thing as we have SO many horses right now.

Not bored Winfrey, but I can see them on FB. Feel free to add them.

Here are three videos... after going to the link.. click on the pictures and the video will start.
enjoy...


First day out

He's sure a handsome litle one, thanks for share your videos, Winfrey.

Marie

So precious! Loved the last one where he walked by his mom. I'm still saying awwwwwww.

Enjoyed his first day out. you do a pretty good job walking and videoing. He is a beautiful little colt. Hope we get to see him in a week, a month.....

Why can't they just roam free and explore together? He is such a cutie. Are they always so hesitant and timid when they are born?

Ana

Normally, it is much better to leave the mare and foal on their own together for their first week or so together. At Longmeadow, we put new mares and foals in a stall in the quiet corner of the barn and interact with them as little as possible. It gives mom and baby important time to adjust to each other without human intervention. We do start working with the foals with haltering and leading alongside mom at about 2 week of age so they get used to it. But we always turn them out together alone too - they both need to get used to how to interact without human interference. I always did the same things when I raised horses for about 15 years.

Some are timid and some are bold and brave. That's another reason to limit the human interference at such an early stage. They need to learn to explore on their own and run back to mom for assurance. It's actually very important to early development of their personalities.

I'm sure they have good reasons for so much human presence at this early stage though.

We had a horse when I was little and my dad was in a horse riding club so we hung around them quite often and I remember what you are saying Drac. That is why I was wondering why he is getting so much attention and not allowed to be free with his mom. Thanks for the info.

The mom and the foal are in a barn by themselves. I guess there a different views on handling new borns. The first night I was there I was helping getting the foal up and finding how to get his milk.....they spend most of their time together alone...but over here they feel you need to touch the foal so they get used to human touch . We keep them away from the others. One cause mom doesn't want them around the others and two you are never sure how the others are going to react.

Wonderful !! Thank you so much, Winfrey

Thanks Winfrey, I am not judging whether one way or the other is right or wrong, I was just curious if there was a reason. THanks for answering. He is such a sweetie!

That must have been quite an experience that first night! We also do not help the foals up or to find how to get milk - they do that all by themselves. It takes a little longer than WE would like, that's for sure. I always watched from another corner of the barn and it was so hard not to interfere! We definitely touch them or allow them to sniff us so we are familiar to them, but we keep the human interaction to a minimum for at least a couple of weeks. We don't even allow other mares with foals to be turned out together as the mares sometimes will nip at foals that are not theirs. It was usually at about 4 weeks old that I started turning out mares and foals together and that was after allowing them to be out at the same time with a paddock fence between them for a day or two.

Everyone has a different way of doing things. It won't be long before he will be stretching those long legs and tearing around like mad. I always was amazed at how they never got all those legs tangled up!

Pictures were perfect the 2nd time around Winfrey!

Now that I'm home on my computer, they are perfect for me too! I don't know why they wouldn't work on my mom's computer. I love the half-moon mark on his forehead.

Amazing Thanks for sharing <3 thank-you

OMG what a TOTAL sweetie!

There are many different ways of training and this sounds like they are "imprinting" the foal. Some of his very first memories will be with him the longest...makes sense, actually. I am not judging either way. I always did a little of both. It Is very important for baby and Mum to bond but it doesn't hurt to play with the little one soon...also can depend on the Mum. One of my mares who really taught me so much made sure I didn't intervene with the filly until she was on her feet. She then had to find the milk bar on her own. After that Mum didn't mind how much I interacted with her baby and the baby knew and loved both me and her Mum. She never really knew she was a horse...always thought she was a big, red dog... Those were some good times. Thanks again Winfrey.

I agree there is no one right way and everyone has their own way of doing things. The one time I had to interfere was when one of my mares rejected the foal. It's very rare, but it does happen. I was totally hands on when I had to force the mare to nurse the filly for 48 hours for the colostrum. Then I became "mom!" It isn't something I would ever care to do again, but it sure was interesting!

Boy ,does that bring back memories .

And I agree ,there are lots of ways to do it - I think i was somewhere in the middle ,but of course ,like Lotus says ,it depends on the mom - some like to show the foals off , and some are a little more protective.

It was always interesting to watch a couple of moms and foals all together,as the moms took turns "baby sitting" while one napped - funny to see.

thanks for sharing.

Yes Lotus777, we were doing what they call foal imprinting. His mom is very good with it. But he does spend most of his Time with her alone in the other barn where they have an inside arena, he is so cute.. he follows mom around like glue! Becky walked him out to the outside arena and they put holters on three of the others and walked them up to the arena fence. Boy were they interested! The male Able was extremely interested. After the foal left the arena we put the horses in....Able went racing to the other side...bucking... almost thought he was going to jump the fence.......this sure has been one FANTASTIC experience!!!!

And it never gets old, Winfrey! One spring I had 4 foals - I was exhausted! But hubby and I would take a couple of lawn chairs out to the pasture fence in the evenings and just watch them tear around and play. Better than any TV. It will be so fun to watch him when he's turned out with mom alone and starts to explore away from her side. I remember one little guy checking out a bee on a piece of clover. When it flew up, he tore back to mom's side for safety!

4 foals.. wow... yea, can't wait til he starts exploring on his own. He doesn't go far from his mom's side right now.

It almost looks like there is an invisible elastic band only about 2 feet long between them, doesn't it!

Like synchronized bird flight!!! I was always amazed at how they learned this so fast. That same mare I mentioned retained a placenta when she foaled once and it took a few days and lots of drugs to make it come out. She definitely didn't feel well and I will never forget her lying on her side to rest and lifting her hind leg so baby could nurse. So incredible. I swear she used to speak to me in my head. I called it her dark, brown voice. Maye that was how baby learned??? Now you will think I am seriously wacko, lol!!!

Not in the least, Lotus... In the many years that I raised Missouri Fox Trotters I also saw some absolutely amazing things sitting in the corner on my straw bale just watching to make sure things went well. I even slept on those straw bales on more than one occasion with first time moms. The middle of the night interactions were awe-inspiring. I will never forget "foal breath" on my face when that little one on its wobbly legs would come over to inspect just what that strange thing was over there in the corner. Right after mom, I was always the first smell they had in their little noses. You could always tell how they had imprinted on me by smell when anyone else would come out to the barn.

Maybe all of us who have been in on equine births are a little wacko, so welcome to the club, Winfrey!

OMG the MOST precious creature!