Operation: Let's have a real-life Knabstrupper! Current Stage: BABY IS HERE

[Silverine]

Here is Mojo's test strip from 6PM EDT today. If I'm reading it correctly it says 90-95% chance we'll see baby tonight. I guess we'll see.

[BlackOak2]

Almost making her due date. And nobody has this date! She's tossing her tail at all of us.

Somehow it seems just! like her.

Good Luck! Both of you.

[Silverine]

I don't know if it's her or the baby being the stinker at this point!

As an aside, here's Mojo having fun with the herd today:


She got to go out with everyone while they were on the grass and then got excited when everybody else was called in to eat.

[Silverine]

BABY IS HERE

She was born just before 9AM EDT. I'm reserving this post for now to add more details.

[Softball_Training]

Ahhhhhhh So exciting!!!! Also pretty sure the day that nobody picked to guess ofc

[islandhill]

WOW! I'm sure the foal is SO CUTE!! I was one day short I think XD

[Silverine]

Oh my gosh, guys. She's here and she is perfect. I couldn't be any more in love with this baby if I tried. She was born just before 9AM.

Full story - Mojo went into stage 1 labor around 3AM. I watched her on the camera from home until 3:45 then drove to the barn. I sat in the car at the barn and watched the camera until 6AM. At 5AM Mojo had calmed down and just chilled and hadn't done anything so at 6 I thought maybe she had been spooked by something and had decided to pause labor so I went home. At home I watched for another hour. Then I slept in ten minute bursts and checked the camera in-between. Then, at 8AM, I fell asleep.

Just before 9AM I woke up and checked the camera. Mojo was lying down but she looked like she was just resting and I didn't see anything going on so I decided to actually get some sleep. I was getting ready "for bed" when I checked the camera again. What did I see? Ears. She'd gone and had the baby without me! Not that I'm surprised.

So I rushed over to the barn and got there at 9:07AM. Baby had not yet stood up but had obviously been trying. This is what I found.



Baby is a beautiful dark brown with a lacy blanket pattern and a tiny star. No tobiano in sight. (And I'm okay with that.)

Mojo is absolutely smitten with her baby and is a perfect mother! She's already broken a fence board getting the nosy mares in the next pasture over to BACK OFF. I feel lucky that Mojo let me close to the little one. After two hours, though, she was ready for me to leave and give her some alone time with her offspring.

Here is this morning's photo dump:


Foal slipper.


Better view of baby's pattern.

Before baby got up:




After she stood up:






Fell down and slept a bit. Then I put her little blanket on because the ground was wet.




Nursing for the second time. (I didn't get pictures of the first.) Mojo is only haltered because she was so infatuated that she kept spinning to sniff her baby and little one couldn't reach the milk bar. We held her in place so baby could find it. Mojo had no issues at all with baby latching on and nursing.


Protective mama keeping watch just before I left.


I do have some videos of the two of them but haven't had a chance to upload them yet.

Birth went perfectly from everything I can see/tell. Baby had broken the umbilical cord by the time I got there (I know it was baby because Mojo hadn't gotten up yet). Mojo rested for a while after I got there and passed the placenta during her rest. It's whole as far as I can tell but the vet will check it over when they stop by (scheduled for around 3). Baby stood and nursed within the hour - I helped her a bit with the standing because the ground where Mojo had her is awful right now but she was getting up and down on her own by the time I left. Baby passed manure at about hour 2 with no straining and no need for an enema. I couldn't have asked for a more textbook-perfect birth.

I'm home right now resting a bit then am going for something to eat and will be back at the barn just before the vet should arrive. I can't wait to spend more time with the little one.

Baby does not have a name as of yet. I was thinking Dawn since she was born at dawn, but the more I think about it the less I like it. So if anyone has any cool suggestions I'm all ears.

[Hidalgo]

She is absolutely perfect and adorable!!! Congratulations to you and Mojo <3

[SecretHolding]

BABY IS HERE

She was born just before 9AM EDT. I'm reserving this post for now to add more details.

CANT WAIT TO SEE THIS BABY!!!!!

[Softball_Training]

Congrats! She is a beauty!!!

I spent a little time trying to think of names but my mind was blank for a little. The only name I could think of was Zora which means Dawn in Croation.