Trials and Tribulations

Purdy has also been SOLD to *scaramouche2802


LAST BABIES OF THE SEASON!!!! EEEEEEEEEEEE..... scary stuff man!

But yes... TJ AND PURDY!

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TJ shoved his big bay head out of his dam at 2:58 am. The giant colt lacked the colour that we had hoped for in our first Geist foal. Blood red he looked more like his uncle Reign than anyone, the star and coronet the only white that adorned his body. Although disappointed by the lack of his sires colour we were grateful he was healthy. Rubbing him down we kept an eye on Copa as she had yet to stand.

Finally she rolled back over, nickering she licked her son before resting, eyes closed and exhausted. Finally stumbling to her feet she stood with legs splayed and head down. Small contractions still rippled along her bloated stomach and waiting for her to pass the placenta John watched her carefully.

TJ scuttled to his feet, looking like a giant crab as he sidled around the stall, only just managing to keep his balance. Finally steady he stood with those big dark fuzzy ears flopping around and stared dumbly looking at the man next to his mother. With a small whiney he stumbled over and started head butting the vet in the privates as he searched for something he didn’t quite understand.

Tears in his eyes John leant on the stall wall, trying to fend off the colt while remaining on his feet. Glancing around he caught the eye of his wife, tears in hers echoing his but the wide smile and shaking shoulders betraying her.

“Get him off me and point him at Copa will you!?” He grunted at her before shuffling through the door to plop down on a hay bale.

Gently laughing to herself she nudged the colt towards his dam and watched as that nose eased under her stomach, soft and hard nudges tracing along her flank until he found what he was searching for. Milk. Happy slurping sounds echoed around the stall as his tail began to squirm in enjoyment.

A loud grunt echoed through the stall, Copa kicked out, pushing the colt away as he stared at her in confusion, his milk moustache making him look plain comical. With ears flat Copa turned as another full size contraction hit her.

Neaghe grabbed her husband. “Something’s up, she just had a full size contraction. It’s not over”

Ducking back in the stall he stroked the mare’s neck, noticing her agitation. Feeling her stomach he counted the length between the contractions. Frowning to himself he waved Neaghe over to hold the mares halter. Gently rubbing down her side he checked her rear, watching as during the next contraction the white edge of another foals hoof emerged then returned into the darkness.

“No way!” He looked over her rump shock etched on his face “Its twins”

Confusion changed to joy as his wife registered the news. But she wasn’t him, she didn’t know. A distressed grunt escaped the big grey mare as she decided she wanted to turn again. Letting her move he backed off, sitting down next to the colt as he struggled to stand back up. Neaghe walked over and sat next to him, taking his hand as they watched the mare.

“Is there something wrong?” She asked, turning to scan his face while he stared at the mare.

“I didn’t see the other foal in any of the ultra sounds. We don’t know if it’s alive, or if it’s even correctly formed. This boy was so big there wasn’t much space left at all in her for another foal to develop. Even if this foal is ok Copa has had a hard time already, he was big and now to push out another... It will be rough on her.”

“But she is strong, and still reasonably young and your here to help her.”

“There is only so much help I can give. Once she starts pushing again you will need to keep the colt away from her. We will need space. Actually if you could call Ryan down as well the more help I have on this the better.”

Copa turned, nose to the ground before lowering herself down onto her knees then flopped sideways in the straw, neck flung out and legs awkwardly stretching and shaking as another wave of contractions shook her. Huge snorts and grunts escaped her after it stopped, nostrils flared and eyes white rimmed.

“She’s starting again.” John got up and walked over to her, crooning under his breath as he checked the mares pulse and gently rubbed her face, long even strokes, over her ears and down her neck. The long dark mane knotted and stuck in places where the sweat was heavy. Copa closed the big dark eye, sighing and resting. Continuing to stroke over her distended stomach he could feel the next contraction coming fast and hard. Reaching her rear he looked down, two hooves were out.

The next contraction hit, and a nose emerged. White. Grabbing the foals legs he struggled to retain a grip over the slippery bag. Cursing as the nose slipped back in he pulled his coat off, wrapping it around the legs for purchase he braced himself against the mare.

Ryan ran up, breathless and sleepy eyed from bed. His hair still stuck up at odd angles and looked like a big dark cockatoo’s crest. “What can I do John?”

“Neaghe will keep the colt out of the way but I need you to keep the mare as calm as possible. I’m trying to get this over with as fast as we can as she is already exhausted.”

Ryan ducked in the stall and as he began to talk to her, Copa’s legs stretched and shook, another contraction was starting. Feeling the foal begin to move John pushed against the mare’s rump, pulling the foal out further. Head and the first sign of a dark coat.

Pushing that out of his mind he braced again as Copa grunted and huffed, struggling to get enough air.

“Come on big girl” John muttered back already beginning to ache from the odd position.

Movement and another Pull from the man brought the foal out to the neck, just the shoulders left. One last contraction and a heave and the small body slid wet and unmoving into the world. Breaking the bag John cleared the foals mouth and nostrils before franticly searching for signs of life.

Not finding any he began to rub the foal’s body, rough and demanding he tried to stimulate both heart and lungs to begin. Still nothing. Grunting to himself he grimaced before covering the small mouth and nostril. Lowering his face he began to breathe for the foal.

Two breaths were all it took, wiping his mouth he watched as the small form came to life. Ears twitched and the ribs heaved, the first moments of the young foal’s life. Grinning to himself he sat back and looked up to find Ryan and Neaghe staring at him.

“What?”

“CPR on a foal? Thats a new one!” Ryan grinned then looked down as a small sounds escaped the foals body.

Clearing away the rest of the membrane from the foal they got their fist good look at it.

“Filly.” John noted then stopped. The entire stall seemed to stop. White, lots of white covered the tiny body. A big white face and an eye patch stared back at them. Here was the Geist genes in full bloom.

Copa chose that moment to roll back into a vaguely upright position. A throaty nicker escaped her as she called to her foals. Letting TJ go Neaghe stepped back and watched as the leggy colt stumbled over to his dam. Nuzzling him and licking him Copa closed her eyes and sighed. Opening them again she turned her head, searching for the small body still behind her and calling again watched as the small ears pricked and the tiny head turned and unsteadily lifted.

Copa trust her legs forward and with a gargantuan heave stood again. Taking a moment to rest she stood shakily before stepping over to the filly. A gentle nudge and nuzzling followed before Cope seemed to pronounce the filly ok. Finally still TJ took the chance and after shoving his nose towards her bag demanded she let him feed.

It took a while before the staff realised the filly wouldn’t stand. By then her brother had long since fallen asleep, his long legs taking up much of the stall. Helping the filly to her feet they eased her over and assisted her to drink the vital colostrum before allowing her to lie back down.

It was a hard couple of days. The filly caught a respiratory infection and antibiotics and several days of nerves and anxiety was finally eased when she fought it off.

Her fifth day of life cemented her grip on the world. She stood on her own and nursed. She even began to seriously protest anyone handling her. A week later she and her brother emerged to greet the sunshine for the first time.

Sunlight striking her baby coat showed rich mahogany and deep reds emerge. Nearly as red as her brother she also had the striking white that made her seem darker. A swift kick and a playful buck now seemed more precious as she followed the big grey mare out towards the other horses.

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</ end novel>

Kinda inspired by my grandfather giving one of the stillborn lambs mouth to mouth one morning at 5am in my early childhood.

So as with my policy on twins i off the owner of the other horse the second foal, but this time neither were mine so i offered the mares owner the second baby. Sorry GaQ.... if she had said no you would have had first choice!... as it was Purdy would not be a fit baby so TJ being the healthy love goober he is, will be going home with Copa to race for Mirkwood!!! Hope you like him Scara!!


Registered Name: Tijuana
Barn Name: TJ
Sex: Colt
Age: Foal
Breed: Thoroughbred
Appearance: Blood Bay with a star and coronet
Genetics: EE-Aa
Height: Expected 17hh+
Breeder: *sealle
Owner/Trainer: *scaramouche2802
Temperament: With all that testosterone in the colts so far poor Stormy was left terrified it was lucky TJ was not smart enough to pose a threat. While not as dumb as Annie, TJ has few brain cells to spare. He loves butterflies and rabbits and will climb onto you for kisses and bum scratches. One of the gentlest love goobers around he will do anything you ask of him.
History: Copacabana and Geist, a combination to end all. Copa did not put up with her suitors antics and as the experienced brood she was promptly dismissed him soon after. Her pregnancy was the best we could imagine and it was a great surprise that after TJ popped his nose into the world that another baby soon followed him. While TJ was the bigger of the two he fared the best in the growth and nourishment department, his health was never in question and he soon caused chaos when trying to play with his weaker sister.
Sire x Dam: Poltergeist x Copacabana


Registered Name: Purdition
Barn Name: Purdy
Sex: Filly
Age: Foal
Breed: Thoroughbred
Appearance: Greying Bay Splash, with bald face and left eye patch, two socks and two joined stockings.
Genetics: Ee-Aa-Gg-nSpl
Height: Expected 16hh
Breeder: *sealle
Owner/Trainer: *sealle
Temperament: While her brother seemed to get the gentle personality, Purdy takes after daddy. Well she does now, if she had been born healthy she may have been different but as a foal who doesn’t like human interaction the forced proximity to people has turned her into an ornery, mean little fusspot. She doesn’t like being touched, she doesn’t prick her ears like the other babies and no way in hell will she come to you of her own violation. TJ she puts up with, Copa is food and safety and the other foals a nuisance. We have no idea how she will be when she grows up.
History: Copacabana and Geist, a combination to end all. Copa did not put up with her suitors antics and as the experienced brood she was promptly dismissed him soon after. Her pregnancy was the best we could imagine and it was a great surprise that after TJ popped his nose into the world that another baby soon followed him. TJ was the bigger of the two, Purdy the runt. Born last she had trouble breathing and took far longer than usual to get to her feet, she needed assistance to nurse and was closely monitored for the first few weeks of life. She still has respiratory problems but we keep a close eye on this little lady.
Sire x Dam: Poltergeist x Copacabana