Three Checks and No Baby

Yesterday morning I went out early in the morning to check Sultanna. She and Hokey were grazing together in the nursery paddock when I arrived.

I went into the paddock and checked her - no milk was leaking yet, 

but she was very wet under her tail. I checked Abby and Diablo to see if maybe it was just sweat, but neither of the other mares had that wetness there.

Sultanna was also very restless, walking up and down the paddock and occasionally nipping at her sides. (Hokey was not nipping at his, so I figured it was not fly irritation.)

 She was cranky, too - for the first time in the six years I've known her, I saw her pin her ears and warn off another horse - in this case, poor Hokey. (He drew babysitting duty because he is so sweet and gentle.)

I decided to hang around for a while and see if anything happened. Two hours later, she had settled down and was standing in the corner.

Since Sultanna had settled down, I ran home, grabbed some lunch, walked Pepper, and then returned two hours later to see how she was doing.

There was no change in her behavior. Still calm and quiet, no pacing or restlessness, and the nips to her sides had stopped. She was standing in the shade relaxing. I stayed and observed her for a half hour, and then went home again.

At the end of the day I took a third trip out to check her. Again, there was no change in her behavior so I sent a quick text to Tim to keep him updated on her status and returned home.

Today I plan to again make several checks on her. That foal's got to come sooner or later! I have my fingers crossed that it is sooner.