still waiting on the mare maternity ward!

Waiting is the hardest part. One mare is over a week late and the big grey is due on Saturday. They are both restless, and very big but once tucked into the warm straw beds, they sigh, cock a hip and do not deliver their bundle of joy! I am running on interrupted sleep. I was afraid Michael wouldn't be able to sleep at night with the ambient light from the video screen but it doesn't seem to keep either one of us awake anymore. I just roll over, keep one eye open and keep watching. Watching horses' butts and switching tails! Sometimes the shadows make grotesque monsters in the straw but it has been very quiet. Hard to watch two pregnant mares when I only have one camera stall. It means I have to go out at midnight  and make a judgement call. Right now the maiden mare who is overdue still rates the camera but that could change.The first baby is doing well and actually leading not too badly. Hasn't kicked me yet, this is a bonus!

waiting and watching...

Baby no.1 is frisky and fast and happy to be alive and running around. I am waiting and watching for No.2 and 3.  Mare No.2, whose name is Regretable Romance  has been getting close for days. Her due date is actually today and I am presently watching her pace slowly in big circles around her stall. She is probably regretting her brief romantic encounter with a horse named Petionville about now. She keeps backing into her feed tub and trying to sit on it! They do this when it is starting to hurt. She is a maiden, her first foal and sometimes they act a little," What the hell is happening to me?....stall walking, sitting on feed buckets, rolling , getting up and down endlessly, chewing my fence. Little things that show they are uncomfortable. Well, it is starting to rumble thunder distantly and she keeps walking. Do I let her out to walk, chancing a baby in the rain or keep her in?  The weatherman just said rain was moving off so I guess I will get up and get going on feeding and letting them out to pasture. Th baby runs around for a good five solid minutes in big circles around mom before stopping to smell the grass. I just appreciate he holds it in long enough for me to get him to the paddock. It is kind of like cradling a giant, squirmy two-year old who is about to bash you in the head at any moment!

Awesome Hunt Ball and new foal!

We pulled it off! Over 150 people attended our 75th Anniversary Hunt Ball at Tulip Hill on Saturday night. It was a magical  night from the very beginning. The beautiful home of Rebecca Grant and Rick Lewis was transformed with lovely decorations and lighting, and creative furniture "moving"to host our annual Ball. As the almost full moon rose over the estate, the cars began to come up the big oval drive. We had spotlights on the house and "liveried" valets to park the cars. The step back in time continued with the Colonial musicians in the foyer, where the hosts and Mike and I were greeting and introducing the guests. Everyone looked so gorgeous in evening dresses and black tie and the gentleman in their scarlet tails added the touch of Hunt Ball elegance that made it a very special night. I believe Katherine Cawood was touched by her acknowledgement of 20 years as Master and we all raised our glasses in a toast to 75 years. I thanked our founders for their passion and love of this sport that we are still enjoying.  We were sorry that Tom Barnes and Glenn Levin missed the toast because they got "locked up" on the roof!!!
The hors d'oeurves and buffet were excellent and the house was brought alive in every room by the warm greetings between old friends. It was wonderful to see old friends and family brought together for such fun evening. Dancing continued throughout the evening, interrupted occasionally to have a few lively contests. Steuart Chaney won the whip-cracking contest and Greg Bush impressed us all with his horn-blowing skills. Steuart Pittman Jr. was able to raise over $800 for the Retired Racehorse Training Project and Tom McDermott was the happy recipient of its 50-50 raffle. Our Silent Auction was a great success, thanks to the hard work of Ann Bowie Rice and Mimi Calver and we raised over $4000 for the Hunt Club.

It was truly a wonderful evening and many thanks are due to our Hunt Ball Committee and especially our hosts, Rebecca and Rick. The decorations by Nancy Carter and flowers by Wallis Cain added an elegance and charm to every room. We all looked  amazing in our finery and it was a night to remember. Thanks to everyone who helped make it possible.
My mare waited one more night and delivered a healthy colt on Sunday night ! I nicknamed him "Jubilee".

"Broodmare of the Year 2011"

Carol (partner) and I won Broodmare of the Year for 2011 with Gabby's Love. She was the dam of Baltimore Bob and Baltimore Belle, who between them won several stakes races in 2011. We had been nominated before but I found out yesterday that this year we won! It is so cool and it feels like an accomplishment for these small breeders (us) to have won. Gabby's Love died couple of years ago, but she was a great broodmare and we are thrilled with this acknowledgment.
I also heard the spring "Peepers" last night  while we were walking to the barn to check on broodmares about to foal. It was an incredibly clear night with a lover's moon, my husband kept reminding me that it is so-called because lovers could find each other in the night easily under such a big full moon!! Lucky for me we were right beside each other! Venus and Jupiter and Mars were very visible in the sky with this beautiful moon, so it really was a gorgeous night. Alas, no foals tho'. But my cherry tree is starting to bud, the green willow is that beautiful spring green ( don't know what happened with forsythia this year but they are late!) and the peepers are peeping.  I saw my resident fox too, this morning while feeding, loping down the fence line. I always love to see him. Eagles, deer, fox , they are starting to feel spring fever. It is almost here, full-blown spring. I a almost forgot, I also saw an albino deer yesterday while fox hunting!  I thought a goat had gotten out and was running with deer until I quietly moved back to look, and, it was a completely white deer. I felt like I was seeing a unicorn and nobody else saw it because I kept asking later. Has to be a lucky thing.
Our hunt ball is also almost here. I am wrapping up last minute details and holding my breath that it will be perfect.

no baby yet

I will soon have a dilemma. My mare Goldie is a week overdue, my client's mare , Regretable Romance is due in two weeks. She is a maiden mare. Which one will come first?  Maidens come sometimes come early, my mare has gone two weeks late before. Who do I worry about? Both. They are both so muddy from rolling all day. They are positioning the foals and getting rid of winter coat, but it is so messy. I guess I will put them both on straw bedding and start walking out to barn at intervals as well as keeping camera on all night. I find myself watching a big horse's rear end, sort of mindlessly at night. The mares can get very relaxed, a hip cocked, sleeping, and I just fall asleep too- very relaxing. Sometimes I feel like a horse peeping tom, when  all they do is walk around, pooping and peeing- seems intrusive then!
Our fancy Hunt Ball is getting closer. I go over all the details in my mind, hoping I haven't forgotten anything. We set spotlights on the mansion the other night and it looks wonderful in the dark.Seeing the gentlemen in their "scarlet tails", or black tie , and all the ladies in the evening gowns is so much fun. Like rare, exotic birds in full plumage . Sometimes the guys are the most colorful! Can't wait. My luck the mares will foal that night. I am knocking on the barn boards that this doesn't happen!!!