A Baby Boomer Dreams of Arabian Horses Part 7 Getting Ready for the Foal

Part 1

The biggest issue facing us before my dream Arabian horse, Scandalous, had her first foal was a place for the horses to live. There was no way I could afford board on two horses. Most certainly not at the high end training facility where the mare was currently. Even though I was working as a groom to pay board for the mare, it just wasn't going to work having two horses.

The price of land in our area was through the roof. Trying to find a place we could raise Arabian horses that was within our budget was practically an impossible task. Dave thought everything should look like the Arabian horse facility I was working at only on a smaller scale. I knew that anything like that was way more than we could afford . A simple mini farm with an old barn and safe fencing would be the most that we could hope for.

We finally had to widen our search. Dave had to agree to a longer commute and I had to give up my "real" house and settle on an older double wide mobile home but we finally found a place that would work for us. There was a creek running across the back of the property and a pond in front of one barn and the 5+ acres was wooded like a park. The most of the fences would have to be replaced because they were barbed wire and there were lots of repairs to be done but we could afford it.

We moved into our new home on labor day weekend. Scandalous (the Arabian horse) had never been by herself. Being pregnant was not a good time to test how the horse would handle it so I brought a friend's mini horse along to keep Scandalous (the Arabian horse) company. We had re fenced a small field with 2x4 non climb horse wire fencing and all new posts before we moved my dream horse to her new home.

We continued on with the replacement fencing across the front of the property as far as the driveway and around the yard. I laugh when I think of those first attempts at fencing. While we bought good supplies, we knew nothing about putting up fences. It wasn't the prettiest looking fence I've ever seen but it was safe and we were happy.

The kids settled into their new school ok. The owner of the Arabian horse training/show facility that I'd worked at gave them each an older pony. I think that darn mini horse taught my kids enough about how to deal with horses before the ponies came. She was a mean little snot and the kids soon learned they had to stand up to her or get kicked or bit. By the time Nick and Lindsay got their ponies we were all ready to see the mini horse go home where she belonged.

Scandalous (the Arabian horse) definitely preferred the company of the larger ponies to the mini horse. I think that darn little mare had even terrorized Scandalous. Each pony picked a kid to own and our herd now numbered three. It's amazing how fast it a herd can grow.

By the time winter came we had all settled into our new surroundings and not so patiently awaited the new foal expected in June. I spent the winter months reading everything I could get my hands on about pregnant mares, foaling and taking care of neonates.

In May, I had to leave town for a month but was scheduled to be back two weeks before Scandalous was due. It's the only way I would go, knowing I would be home in time for this huge event in my life, the foaling of my first Arabian (dream) horse and the birth of the very first Arabian horse of my own breeding program.

To be continued.....

Part 8