Winsome Dreaming

LOOKING BACK, PART 5.

​Applewood Highland Heather was most definitely pregnant, confirmed via ultrasound.  To see the tiny pony fetus made our hearts jump but at the same time, reality set in hard.  We now had a pregnant pony and we needed to ensure all would go well.  However, we knew nothing about breeding. Once again, Cindy Mehaney was more than happy to mentor us.  She had much experience with these ponies, and many foals were born thanks to Cindy's efforts. 

Over the nearly year long gestation, we watched over Heather and sought advice from Cindy.  An experienced mare; this would be Heather’s 6th foal but unfortunately only her 4th purebred foal.  Crossbreeding with an endangered breed mare is not wise. It puts a purebred mare through the rigors, the risk, and time dedicated to carrying, birthing, and raising a crossbred foal that will not help the breed.
As Heather’s foal grew, so did our trepidation. I purchased books on foaling and over the winter, read everything I could find. Our birthing kit was set-up months before hand. Foal-safe fencing was installed. A foal blanket was purchased. I consulted with Poulin feeds and put Heather on their hay balancer. And bought a foal halter. What I had read was that it was super important to get a halter on the foal within 30 mins of birth so they will imprint on you. That stuck with me and so I was prepared.

All was well, but while her pregnancy progressed perfectly, our farm suffered a tragedy.  Winston, my beloved mini-donkey who had a police record in 3 towns and was so famous for his antics that Animal Planet reached out about having him in a show, and who was my reader’s favorite subject in a column I wrote, was found hanging from a hay net wrapped around his now broken neck. He was gone and I was devastated. 

When we found Winston, the ponies were standing all around him. They were clearly effected. Once his body was removed, I went back to comfort the others.  His best donkey pal, old Shaggy, stood there looking numb, with his head hanging down.  As I went over to him,  I totally broke down, I lost it and sobbed from the depth of my soul and heart.  Heather slowly waddled over to me.  Softly yet with purpose, she leaned her body against mine and hugged me. At that moment, I felt loved and as my tears fell on her, I felt her foal kick for the very first time.  It seemed like she was saying that there is life still, all around us, and another one on it’s way. 

That was the day when we named the foal.  Winsome Dream.  Winsome after my beloved Winston, and Dream after her father Macosa’s Dream.  But after the tears had subsided, a thought hit me.  Maybe Heather was trying to tell me that Winston’s soul had joined the unborn foal’s soul.  How beautiful but on the other hand Oh Shoot!!  If that foal was anything like mischievous Winston, we were screwed! 

Every day spent on foal watch seemed like this foal would never be born. I used my books to check for signs of going into labor, such as her udder bagging up, her tail head “softening”, and vulva lengthining…but there was nothing that I could see. 

On April 11th, I happened upon Heather laying down, looking like she was pushing. Convinced this was it, baby’s birthday, I stayed. But Heather gave me a dirty look, got up and did nothing else, all night long!  Exhausted, the next day I purchased a baby video monitor.  She still hadnt bagged up.  And to my eyes, she showed none of the signs I read about over and over. 

Just before sunrise on April 12th, via the monitor, I heard Heather moving around. She was in labor! We raced to the barn just in time to see Winsome born. With our veterinarian on the phone coaching us, Mom and baby met face to face.  Tansy and Mandy came over to see and nickered at Winsome, her wobbly legs unfolding as she stood. Then, all at once, the sun started to rise, a flock of wild turkeys showed up gobbling, 30 ft away. Chickadees called to each other amongst the trees. A neighborhood Rooster crowed. And Shaggy let out the biggest bray we ever heard.  It was a beautiful welcome to the world. 

Oh, and my worry about haltering the foal within 30 mins?  Winsome was born friendly, she came right over to us and to anyone who came to see her. Mom was cool with it too.  Imprinting with a Newfoundland Pony at birth I have since learned does not apply.