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

[KingstonDressage]

Oh my gosh! The little butt blanket has got to be one of my favorite parts of "baby" I don't know what to call her! What a long journey! You must be pretty relieved that even though its just starting again, stage one of new horse is over! Congrats to you and Mojo!

Also, I have some name ideas- but I'm not too good at name suggestions so this could be a comedy show! Let me know what you think! XD
Belle
Bella
Nelly
Lucy
Kiddo
Morgen- Morning in German!
Lady
Duchess
Freckles
Luna
Opal
Ruby
Stella
Dancing Belle
Symphony
Mara
Tessa
Willow
Cricket
Malibu
Birdie
Aurora
Serpintine

I know its a lot- I just let my imagination run free! Again, congrats on a successful birth!

[tomahawk sky]

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.

The foal is so cute! congrats!

[Malakai10]

OMG BABY

I reckon you might want some sort of magic related name cause of Mojo?

Keira, Assire and Cirilla (Ciri) are the names of magic users in the Witcher.

Isis, Hecate and Hekate are goddesses of magic.

Varda, Yavanna, Nienna, Estë, Vairë, Vána and Nessa are godesses and Arien, Ilmarë, Melian and Uinen are lesser goddesses from the Lord of the Rings verse.

Kynareth, Kyne, Mara, Azura (goddess of dusk and dawn), Ayem, Boethiah, Meridia, Mephala, Namira and Vaermina are gods from The Elder Scrolls.

A friend of mine has suggested Aurora, Arwen, Sol (Danish for sun) or Daggry (Danish for dawn.)

[kasey1732]

She is absolutely adorable!, Congrats!!!

[h0rsey]

AHHH SHES SO CUTE And Mojo is such a good mama! Congrats!!

[Silverine]

Have a video of Mojo and baby after they were moved into the round pen:


The vet says Mojo and baby are as perfect as I could ask for. Baby's fetlocks are a bit weak so she and Mojo will be staying in the round pen for a few days to limit her movement while they tighten up. She also has a small hernia but the vet says it will most likely close on its own. Mojo had a small amount of bruising in her lady bits but is otherwise doing great. She is a proud, doting mama.

Back to names, several people (including my sister) have suggested Aurora, which I like. I also like Freya. I've also been thinking of looking up different translations for "dawn" to see if any words catch my interest. But I'll probably get a better idea of what I want to call this little one once she's a little older and I see more of her personality.

[Aubergine]

She's so cute!!

I've been on a Gilgamesh kick recently so the only names on my mind are Shamhat and Inanna

[keefesassy]

Congrats to you and Mojo! The filly is absolutely beautiful! I have a few generic name suggestions, like Juniper, Spice, Cappuccino, Toffee, Godiva, Java, Macchiato, Pepsi, and Coconut.

[BlackOak2]

...wow...

She's going to be a BIG girl. With a big personality. Comes across as solid and dominating, but really it'll be more like 'I know what I want and I'm doing it my way.'

And I can see that aussie filly's coat on her coat too. Kind of almost peacock-like. And on her right side there, just behind her hip... it's a bit reminiscent of tobiano. Kind of looks a little too irregular for it just to be leopard. Just about fist sized right now.

But those solid legs! That's right up my alley. I'm fine with lots of chrome, but there's chrome everywhere, I'm much more partial to uniformly unmarked legs.

She is certainly a looker! Even a gorgeous face too! Usually foals have that weird face they have to grow out of. And she has her mama's ears.

All in all, I think the combination popped out just right in line with original hopes.

As for names... I think I already sent you a number.

But she was born in the morning hours of a nice, gorgeous early spring day... with mud everywhere. And like a diamond being sprayed off of all of its hiding muddiness, she'll shine and shimmer in the bright light of day, too. Just like a diamond in the sun.
https://www.argylejewellers.com.au/natu ... -diamonds/

[Silverine]

After a bit of time to think, I have decided on baby's name. Baby will be registered as [REDACTED]'s Dawn Valkyrie and will be known around the barn as "Freya". (The redacted is my last name, which I didn't feel was appropriate to post here. )

I chose "Dawn" because of the time of day she was born. The "Valkyrie" is homage to the "Asgard" in her sire's name and also because I absolutely love the Marvel character. The lore behind the valkyries themselves is also pretty cool. "Freya" is more homage to Pax's name, but is also related to Mojo! In lore, Freya is the goddess that taught magic to all of the other Norse gods. Once I learned that I just couldn't resist, seeing as Mojo's registered name is A Touch of Magic. Interestingly, Freya is arguably more important than Odin in original Norse mythology - she actually got first pick of any warriors that died in battle and they would join her in Folkvangr rather than joining Odin in Valhalla. She's a pretty impressive figure and definitely worth looking up if you find that kind of thing at all interesting.

Anyway, back to your regularly scheduled entertainment, here is video of Freya from last night trying out her little legs.


I think she has a lovely little canter for such a little girl if I do say so myself.

@BlackOak - Considering who her parents are, it would be quite the surprise is she wasn't big. Having looked her all over I am pretty darn certain there is absolutely no tobi on this girl. But of course I'll be color testing her eventually anyway when I send in her hair for parent verification. Ooh, now I'm wondering which extension allele she got from Pax!

And yes, I love her little face! She is just too freakin' precious.

Can you believe this little thing is the same one we saw in the heartbeat video just 50 days ago? I'm having a hard time with it.