OK, I know this is another post about foaling…
But, I kinda got caught up in the moment!
You see, this morning I was minding my own business when all of a sudden…
THIS MORNING
Here I was, sitting at my computer checking what needed to be done and making sure my work chores were situated before starting in on my blog. Le de dah. Dum de Dum.
And then, when I wasn’t expecting any commotion, I received a comment on the Horse and Man comment board. Again, I wasn’t expecting anything so I opened it to read as I normally do.
This comment mentioned that the author had been watching Marestare and happened to click on a live camera that had an interesting sounding barn name ( “Asstec Acres Mini Donkeys”) and that when she went to the site, the camera was focused on a mini-donkey who seemed to be about to deliver.
Well, having foaled out a bunch of mares, I was skeptical. They always seem to be ‘ready to foal’ but they really aren’t until certain things happen. So, as I finished reading the comment, I wasn’t sold that this was actually happening right then.
However, I decided to click on the barn cam, just to be sure. OMG! It was happening!! I’ve seen lots of mares who were minutes away from foaling and this looked just like that! I was glued, gripped, white-knuckle watching! Yup, she was up and down, her tail was in that ‘ouch this hurts’ position. Her stomach was heaving and the poor girl was standing as if she was about to deliver an elephant.
Game On!
It is at this point that you commit yourself to either watch – no matter what happens – or not watch and miss out.
I chose to watch. I had to.
I knew nothing about this farm, this jenny or this impending baby… I knew nothing about the sire or the pregnancy or if she was maiden or anything like that. I was watching a strange-to-me donkey who was in the throws of what millions of donkeys have gone through since donkeys began. This little donk and I had something in common. We both wanted her to be OK and for the baby to be OK. And even though I could only see her, not interact – and I was only one person watching – I knew that any other human watching was probably thinking along the lines of what I was thinking.
Through this entire process I was chatting to myself and commenting to no one! I felt so alone as I was witnessing these incredible moments because there was no one around to share.
So, I’m sharing with all of you!
MY PHOTO JOURNAL
*This photo journal is not based on any reality other than my thoughts at the time. I still know nothing about this particular birth or the people involved. I’m just sharing as if you had been here with me during the process. If you had been with me, you would have been subjected to this running commentary.
All the photos are screen grabs from the actual event as it was unfolding. I simple captured the images from the Marestare camera and saved them to my desktop.
This is the first image I saw... Tail out, donk in pain, stomach heaving... THIS WAS HAPPENING!
I took this photo because the neighbor donkey decided this was all too much and had retreated into her stall...
As I'm yelling (in my head) that this donk is READY, luckily a human arrives. Always a good vision on Marestare... Note the neighbor has come out again.
Human Mom sees what is happening and realizes that this donkey mom needs some help...
Donk wants comfort from HM but is not ready to push more. HM must be anxious because she knows part of baby is visible and she just wants to get it out!
Donk lays down and HM continues to try to help with this big? baby... I have no idea what is wrong at this point and I'm worried. Is she maiden? Is the baby huge? Does this happen with all mini-donks?
Donk stands up again but HM has her hands on the baby and doesn't want to let go so she travels on her knees around the stall with Momma-to-be
Here we have THE WAITING GAME. Mom and Baby are taking a breather. Neighbor donk has left again.
Oy, little donk flops down with her tail right at the door so HM has to open the stall door to get into position.
Human Mom grabs again and is very intent as donk stretches her legs straight outward and looks back at her stomach
Now I'm stressed. HM is so intent on delivering this baby NOW that she has put herself in an awkward position to pull on that baby and maneuver it out of whatever situation has gotten him stuck. It looks very odd to me but I know HM wouldn't have put herself there unless it was the best position to get the baby out.
HM is obviously pulling and donk is obviously pushing and I think I see baby coming out!
Yes! Baby is out! I can see the entire sack and a dark form inside. Donk puts her head down and looks exhausted and relieved!
This was so sweet, I had to take a capture. It is HM patting donk and I'm sure she was saying what I've said, "You did great! You are a very good girl!"
HM goes about drying the baby, stimulating it and making sure it responds correctly
This looked like HM took the baby's face in her hands and said, "Hi Baby!, Welcome!"
HM checks Momma donk's parts to make sure all is good
HM leaves and I expect donk and baby to get to know each other. Note neighbor coming out again...
More wipedown and neighbor looks on.
Helper enters with something - probably betadine for the umbilicus.
Vigorous baby rubdown as Momma donk recovers herself
Mamma and baby sniff
Baby climbs on Mamma
HM leaves and neighbor watches her go (hoping for a treat?)
HM retrieves placenta so the vet can make sure it is all there and healthy
(I had gone away from my computer and when I came back moments later...) Huh? Where did they go? Neighbor is looking at something...
Oh, OK. HM is cleaning up. The birthing process is messy. (hay bale appears in neighbor stall)
After the stall is clean, HM spreads fresh bedding
HM carries baby back in. Hay bale stack is larger in neighbor stall.
Mamma donk walks in on her own - a good sign
Neighbor says hello to baby
Sign on door is up! A BOY! He is almost standing!
HM kisses them both and waves "seeya" as she leaves them to figure out nursing
The nursing begins as HM looks on. Neighbor retreats again.
HM goes about her day - cleaning neighbor's stall while mom and baby keep working at the nursing thing...
Neighbor peeks out as cute little, healthy baby boy donk stands in his new world just 27 minutes after arriving!
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Copyright
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
I just bought this new baby and this was great to see the birth as I missed it due to travel. HM is a wonderful and knowledgeable lady that is very experienced with this.
Yes it is Cha Cha and I look forward to many visits to bond with my new Mini!
Thanks so much for posting this, I heard about the birth and now to see it.
Kian
Yes I think we would all like to have update(s) on Glory and of course the nurse-mare-foals too, I would love to be able to look at a cam periodically and check up on little Armstrong. I don’t think DETC has cam-capability yet, though.
I wake up to visit the bathroom,then must turn on the ‘puter and check on “my” 3 mares-2 stables.. Glory is one,I ca’t wait to see what she has :) Hope it’s healthy.. and I check several times a day.. Addacted?? oh yeah,you bet..
Another mare stare addict here! Also if you love mini donkeys Half Ass Acres has four cams on Mare Stare and then when the little ones are a couple of days old and get their first foray out into the sunshine they video that and put it up on their website which is also linked to MareStare.
Re MareStare and smart phones, I think Heidi (MareStare admin) is working on that capability as so many have asked for it. I for one will be a cam subscriber if I can monitor by smart phone when I’m not home at the farm, even though I don’t have mares or donks about to pop my horses are quite on in age and I’d like to keep tabs on them when I’m not there (esp as neighbors have two less-than-desirable dogs often at large who aren’t real friendly toward livestock).
Hola! So we were cheering in unison then! Wasn’t that absolutely brilliant? We were a little confused when the gentleman hung a sheet/towel over the rail that said “girl” and then it was later changed to “boy”, or was that the other way round? but still … It was absolutely amazing to watch, and I feel so priviledged that we got toa new life brought into the world – thank you for posting the MareStare link – I have a new obcession!
We will soon have our own mini donkey baby. One of our jennies was “accidentally bred” after the neighbor jack jumped the fence. He also lives here now and is now gelded. This will be Belle’s 2nd baby. We still have the first one and will keep both of them forever. They are true lovebugs. Just the right size to hug.
I think this jennet is “cha cha” or she looks like her from their website. If it is then I think its her first baby. Congrats to both human and donkey mom. :)
How adorable! Wish I could get MareStare on my phone but it won’t work. Thanks for posting about Baby Mini-Donk. That’s one thing I have never seen in person, a foaling (seen plenty of video), and I’d really love to. MareStare doesn’t really “count” either, but it would still be neat! I’ll try to peek at work – although I know most mares deliver in the wee hours. Both of my kids were born at 7:00 AM, having seen the need to keep me up all night right out of the gate. :-)
This is why I cannot be allowed to watch MareStare! Just your screen captures and narrative have me teary and glued to the screen. I’d be total wreck and get nothing done if I were to watch MareStare regularly! Cute baby donk and I’m glad it went well!!