Annie keeps surprising us with how big she grows every day, even with her being at 325 days gestation today, she looks like she’s ready to pop. (Average gestation is at 340 days, however 320-360 is normal, too)
(View of Annie through Nadia’s, the Arabian mare’s, ears.)
Her distended belly looks like she swallowed a large exercise ball or beach ball.
The weight tape won’t even fit around her belly anymore.
Her udder has grown larger and firmer. A mare's udder often starts filling with milk 2-4 weeks prior to foaling. The teats may fill 4-6 days prior to foaling.
Her muscles seem very flabby and loose. Typically, a few days before foaling, the muscles of the vulva and croup relax, and the tailhead become more prominent. Often the gluteal muscles become soft and "flabby" as the ligaments and muscles prepare to stretch at foaling.
Her belly has dropped and is very distended.
Poor Annie. I hope she doesn’t have to go too much longer, but we hope the foal is born during some warmer weather. We’ve had some afternoon rain storms over the past week, that end up making the evenings very chilly.
Annie’s taking it all in stride, though. And looking beautiful as usual.
To learn more about Annie, the sire, and Annie’s journey towards Motherhood, check out Val's Fantastyk Voyage Blog and be sure to enter her contest in guessing the foaling date along with the sex and color of the foal, too.
From the Tower of,
24 comments :
Wow! Doesn't look like it'll be long now!
The verification word is "pellize." A good name for a foal, perhaps? ;o)
Oh my! Look at Annie's belly! Come on baby! It is time to come out! We are waiting to see you!
She looks ready to pop any second. I love Annie's flea specks and wish Jaz would get some more.
Poor Annie! I've already submitted by guess but it seems they always want to deliver during a lightning/thunderstorm.
She is really one heavily pregnant lady! I hope for her sake that she get to foal soon, but I'm sure she's waiting for that "right moment"!
I love your under the belly pictures.
She is so "round"!
I hope it's soon and that it's healthy!!!
thanks for keeping us up on annie's soon to be event...enjoy seeing her photos and hearing about her progress. she's a beautiful mare ^..^
Hopefully she has a foal before she esplodes.
Oh Bless her heart, hope it's soon! Looking forward to baby pics!
She is beautiful!! I also can't wait to see baby pictures!! I love the horse in the background in the last picture, too.
can't wait to see the baby...
Do you call her a roan? love that coloring.
Talking about selling eggs - I am only able to get the $3.50 per dozen at the Farmers Market, outside of that, no one is willing to even pay for eggs. I heard that at the larger, more established Saturday market, the vendors are now getting $5.00 per dozen. Our Sunday market is sorta new so I was just sticking with $3.50.
I try to tell people that $3.50 per dozen only helps pay for some of the chicken feed, I don't know that we get in the black.
The Saturday market costs more in vendor fees, and the Sunday market just costs $35 for the season.
I'm advertising my Nigerians at the market, not that I would sell them out of the parking lot, but getting the word out that we raise them.
Annie is definitely starting to look like she is getting ready to pop. Looking at her belly is bringing back memories of my own belly when I had about a week or two left...lol!!! :)
Wow! She really is looking pregnant! Haha. Best wishes to Val and the mare.
Bless her heart...are you sure she is bred???
Good pictures, Lisa! I hope Annie has her baby soon so we all can see pictures. Boy, she sure is round, poor girl I'll bet she will be glad to have it over with too!
~Jane and Gilly~
Nice pictures. If Betty and I were younger we would have loved having a foal.
Dan
Looking forward to the birth announcement. :):) She's a beauty.
Annie is gorgeous. I can't wait for the day you and/or Val post a birth announcement!!
Oh, and I'm guessing the baby will be grey.
Yup she is getting close - looking forward to baby pictures! What a cutie mare!
WOW what close ups. I bet she is tired. Great photos!
WOO HOO she is big! LOL it shows me just how early my litle foal was that didnt make it..momma didnt get that big at all....what a disappointment that was...*sigh*...cant dwell on what could have been...cant wait to see her baby!
Not too much longer now!! I can't wait to see what her foal looks like! It's always so exciting!! Poor Annie, her belly is HUGE!
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