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Friday, May 6, 2011
Jewel and her little man
Birthing season has officially begun at Merrimac. Kokopelli's Jewel gave birth to the season's first cria - a very nice boy sired by Luc's Captain Kirk.
Jewel did her usual quick birth - 3 pushes and the little guy was on the ground.
I have to say that she had me going all day. I thought she was in labor since around 11am that morning...but nothing much was happening except that she kept eating and every so often she'd go to the paddock gate, look longingly at the pastures and whine. I gave in around 1:30 and let her group out to a small pasture where I could keep an eye on them and get to quickly if I needed to but I had past the point of thinking anyone was going to give birth.
Around 3pm I noticed Jewel was lying on her side - (eating of course) when all of a sudden, her entire back end lifted up off the ground. She did this 2 or 3 times. It was one of the weirdest things I have ever seen.
I did note that she stopped eating while this was happening but it was so weird to watch that I was wondering what I was going to see next...a little nose and front legs - or something else!!
A few minutes and a few pushes later and her little man was on the ground and that girl was licking his little nose and talking to him...and back eating. A girl's got to keep up her strength you know.
So - 1 down...14 to go!
still wet behind the ears
with mom and Aunt Tess
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