Why Patrick is Special Part 2
The mare meets the gelding...(pictured below)
During
the winter the mare spent “open” at the girl’s parents place, she met
the girl's new show gelding…..and hated him. The girl thought the mare
was just jealous - but the bad relationship between the two continued.
When the girl dropped the mare off at her trainer's barn where the
Stallion lived (he obviously missed the mare from all the noise he
made) the trainer tied the mare up next to the girl's show gelding. The
girl had previously warned the trainer that the mare didn't care for
the gelding - the trainer dismissed the warning. Upon spotting the
gelding the mare tried to kick the crap out of him right through the
trainer (who was standing foolishly between the two). After some
scuffling the trainer moved the gelding to a different spot agreeing
that the mare didn't like the gelding, with all other horses she was
fine.
Later the girl learned that the stallion was fairly fond
of the mare, not just for obvious reasons either - as it turns out even
when they weren't busy the mare and the stallion enjoy each others
company.
Pregnant 
In
a short time the girl heard that the mare was pregnant - HAPPY DAYS!
She knew the baby was a winner already! The girl started thinking about
names, and asked the vet about color. After checking both stallion and
mare papers the vet declared the baby would be either Bay like dad or
Grey like Mom. Both were dominate colors and with those odds the vet
felt confident. The girl hoped for a gray filly! And took her mare
home. The mare got nothing but the best of care from the girl - she was
given special grain, vaccinations that the girl learned to give (the
mare was not fond of vets either) and all the love she ever wanted.
Rotten Gelding
During the summer the mare sat pregnant – the show gelding turned out
to be very rotten. He bucked off the girl and shattered her shoulder
blade. Unable to sell him the girl continue to ride and show him and
continued to get bucked off until the girl’s trainer finally traded her
out of the horse in an attempt to keep her safe. So it seemed that the
mare was right and the gelding was bad and in need of kicking.
The ColtDuring
a very warm Spring following a week of the girl watching the mare and
the mare trying her best not be seen giving birth – the mare gave birth
to a colt. Spotted by the girl’s dad in the smaller pasture (it was
determined that the mare did not want to have the baby in the barn) –
to the disappointment of the mare – the whole family was there to
watch. The mare gave birth just before midnight and the girl helped
clean him up and made sure he got his first meal – then imprinted him
with halters, brushes, feet handling, and clippers. The colt was huge!
41 inches at birth! This legs were all crooked from being bunched up
inside her – this was the first sign the girl had that the colt was
going to be a Hunter Horse. He was gentle and accepting – the girl
instantly loved him.
The
girl finally went to bed at 3 in the morning, but then after a nap she
got up to check on the new colt at 6 in the morning. All was fine out
in the smaller pasture but she discovered something that she couldn’t
see last night, the colt was sorrel and had SPOTS! Surprised and a bit
disappointed she thought she would have better luck next time, as there
would surely be other babies. The girl did not want to leave baby that
morning so the girl lay down next to the foal on the hay to nap with
him resting her head up against his belly. Later when pair woke up they
had become friends.
Can you see mommy and daddy in his face? I can.