A Day of Animals

                

Yesterday was quite some day.  I usually have Mondays off from work, and yesterday was no exception.  We planned to get Hubby up to have an x-ray of his neck the doctor had wanted.  But he slept in late and I piddled away time, afraid to get into anything too involved, for he'd just wake up and be in a rush to get away.

 

Finally, he did start his day and we made the necessary arrangements.  While I was phoning and doing this, Pete went out to check the live traps he had set near the woods where eggs and chickens had been disappearing.  He had baited them up with old eggs the night before. 

 

To his surprise and mine, we had a small but full grown red fox in one of the traps!!  He was one frightened and vicious little animal.  Pete was pondering what to do with him.  He looked much like Todd from the Fox and the Hound.  He finally decided we'd simply load the cage in the trunk and drop him in the woods many miles from here on our hour journey to the hospital.

 

Pete found a good dirt road to go down.  Nothing but woods, no sign of houses.  He set the cage on the ground pointed into the woods and lifted the door.  That fox shot right out of there!!!  Obviously happy to be free once more.  Yet, somewhat confused as to which side of the road to enter the woods on.  He darted back and forth while he loped away from us in indecision.  Just as he almost disappeared from sight he darted in the brush. 

 

So, hopefully his story has a happy ending.

 

The other big event of the day, didn't end so well. 

 

When we returned home it was late and the school bus had already ran.  The kids were in the yard doing chores.  Hubby was walking around checking his garden.  He noticed our quarter horse, Blaze, was acting oddly and stopped to watch her.  She was turning round.  Laying down.  Getting right back up.  Then next thing he knew, water came out and she presented a birth sac just emerging!!  He had no idea this mare was bred!  He is calculating how long it had been since she was last known to be in.  The math wasn't adding up.  We were immediately worried.

 

I came in and found a great online sight about horses:  Horsetalk.  They had a full article on the birthing process.  You see, in the past, every time the mares have given birth when we were asleep or gone from home.  We had never been such a part of it before.  Although, Pete has come upon them immediately afterward.  

 

I run out to tell him if the front hooves didn't appear within 15 minutes or so, he'd better get ready to help her.  But they did.  And then the head.  All still covered by the sac, which is normal.  Time passes.  And on schedule she finally delivers her whole bundle.  But the bundle appears way too small.  And the bundle does not start to kick free of the sac in the required time.  So, Pete enters the pen and burst the sac.  But the poor thing is stillborn.  No sign of life.  Fully developed but no way near the size it should be yet.  He figures a month to two months too early.  

 

Would have been our first filly.  White stocking legs, line back paint.  Blaze is still down.  She keeps checking behind her to see if the little one will stand.  Pete pulls a wagon over and puts the baby in it.  As he pulls the wagon away, Blaze finally stands with some coaxing.  That is a relief!  As Pete pulls the wagon on out of the pen, Blaze stretches her neck to nuzzle the head one time.  May be just dumb animals, but there was a definite disappointment in her eyes. 

 

Pete thinks she may have been kicked by another horse to have caused this.  Or it may have just been one of those some unknown thing not right situations.  He and the kids buried it down the hill by Bug's mare that died.

 

Now we just wait expectantly for Emmy (Immaculate Conception) his Tennessee Walking horse, who we know is bred, to give birth in May or June.  (One month difference in the gestation between male and female.)  The hope is for a mare.  Bug wants to raise and train one by her own hand. 

                       

Tags: red foxes, horses