I found this really funny account of
"A Typical Night In The Life Of A Broodmare Owner" in an issue
of Horse & Rider Magazine. I just had to put this on my web site to
share it with all of my fellow mare watchers!! I hope you enjoy it – it’s
one of the funniest things I have ever read! I’d love to know who wrote
it!
Are you waiting for that equine bundle of joy to arrive? Here's a
tongue-in-cheek account of one horse-person's foal night-watch:
10:00 Gather sleeping bag, alarm
clock, and three old horse magazines and head for
the barn.
10:01 Return to house for bag of chips
and 32 ounce Diet Pepsi
10:10 Back to barn. Flashlight goes
out halfway there. Figure I can make if from
memory. Pat faithful ranch dog's head as he pants and slobbers alongside
me.
10:11 Suddenly remember I have no
ranch dog!
10:11 Run screaming to the house.
Change flashlight batteries. Change underwear.
Return to barn.
10:15 Establish foal-watch
headquarters.
10:16 Enter broodmare's stall for the
5,687th time.
10:16 Broodmare flattens ears for the
5,687th time.
10:19 Return to headquarters and
squirm into sleeping bag.
11:18 Finally fall asleep.
11:19 Alarm goes off.
11:20 Peek through peephole. Broodmare flattens ears.
11:21 Reset alarm clock and flick off
lights.
11:23 Flick on light. Realize 32 ounce
Diet Pepsi was a mistake.
11:24 Run to house.
11:29 Walk back to barn.
11:30 One last check of broodmare
through peephole. Ears pinned.
11:41 Check peephole. Mare is lying down.
11:42 Enter broodmare's stall carrying
"Ye Olde Foaling Manual", 3 pounds of rags,
and iodine.
11:42 Mare breaks wind and gets up -
ears pinned.
11:43 Return to sleeping bag and flick
off light.
12:29 Fall asleep.
12:31 Alarm goes off.
12:32 Peek through peephole. Broodmare
fine. Can't see ears. Assume pinned.
12:33 Back to sleeping bag.
12:39 Leg cramp.
12:40 Leg cramp gone.
1:10 Fall asleep.
1:39 Alarm goes off. Sleep through it.
6:30 Wake up. Glance at clock. Attempt
to leap from bed. Crawl to peephole. See
two sets of pinned ears!!
