Foals 2008
8th April 2009
Today I delivered Shadow to his new home. He has gone to live the life of riley with a lovely family. I wish Caroline and Asia all the luck and happiness with their little boy. I clipped him out to go, and he was so fine without his woollies. He was 2 weeks off his first birthday and we struggled to make him 25 1/4" tall!!! Goodbye little man, we will miss you, but I suspect you won't give us a backward glance as you launch into your new and exciting life.
6th March 2009
Shadow had developed a large white splot on his nose, so I clipped out his face the other day and found that he had the most perfect white heart on the end of his nose! He has the most gorgeous little dished face, huge eyes and tiny ears. Cute or what! He is up for sale now, mores the pity, but I can't keep them all. He has grown into the most delightful little man. He is so light on his feet and very funny.
Shadow, with his face clipped showing his beautiful white heart on his nose.
Curiosity got the better of me and so Magic got her face clipped too! She is just beautiful. They both remain under 26" tall despite being 11 months old now. They have both gained in confidence and are such fun to have around.
Magic in her winter woollies with her face clipped.
Magic. A close up of her face, isn't she beautiful? She has a double whorl on her forehead.
7th January 2009. Magic and Taffeta are over 8 months old already. Where did the time go! I measured them this week. Magic is now 25.5" tall, and Shadow is 25.25" tall. I think that you will agree that they are pretty tiny.
According to the charts they are both destined to be 29" or under.
I will take some up to date photos and post them soon. Magic looks like a cross between Tina Turner and a "bog" brush. She has the wildest winter coat and hairdo.
Shadow has lots of pale places appearing, with white hairs all over the place. Is he going to spot out, I wouldn't be surprised if he did.
They are both incredibly cute, more than a little bit cheeky and very funny. They are loving this really cold weather.
30th August 2008.
Magic posing for her registration photos. She now measures 24.25" and is 4.5 months old.
She has the most beautiful face. She is a really lovely filly with the sweetest nature.
Shadow has grown into a lovely little boy. He is showing signs of changing colour as there is a lot of white ticking in his coat. His hooves are beginning to show stripes at the back, and he has spots on his lips, his eye and his boy's bits! It will be so exciting if he spots out.
He is a little stunner with a very sweet nature. It is hard to believe that he is 4.5 months old now.
10th July 2008.
Magic is really shedding her foal coat now. She is getting to be quite a smokey buckskin colour. It is hard to believe that the foals are 2.5 months old already.
Shadow is also changing his coat, although nowhere nearly as dramatically as his half sister. He is a very handsome little colt with great presence and loads of attitude.
Is this a white spot appearing on his bottom? He definitely has white ticking around his eyes, the white scelera in his eyes and colour on his "bits"! With his leaopard spotted dam he could well spot out.
19th June 2008.
The foals are now 2 months old. I measured them and Shadow is now 21.75" tall and Magic now stands at 22". I have checked out the American miniature horse height chart and it predicts that Shadow and Magic will both make less than 30" at maturity. It will be interesting to see whether this holds up once they are another month older. Magic's parents both stand at around 30", with Shadow's dam coming in just under 31", so they are definitely destined to be tiny.
Magic is shedding her foal coat and is using the fences to speed it on its way!
Shadow dozing in a sunbeam. He is beginning to show different colour round his eyes and muzzle. There is even white hair showing round his eyes. Could there be spots under that dark coat? I wonder, we will have to wait and see. He has the most gorgeous face!
Magic surveying the scene having just woken up. Despite looking somewhat moth eaten as she is changing her coat she is still incredibly pretty.
They spend all of their time together and frequently their mothers are nowhere to be seen. They are an incredibly independent pair. Baiting Shamal is one of their favourite games.
Magic watching the cows through the fence.
Shadow & Magic having a very silly 5 minutes. Magic's coat is a very different colour underneath her foal coat.
4th June 2008.
The foals are now 6 weeks old. They tease Shamal horribly, biting his ankles, hanging off his tail and standing up on his back. He is so good natured about his role as "uncle".
Magic sunbathing in the yard. She is so pretty, she looks more like a soft toy!
Magic spends most of her days with Tiptop and Shadow while Santa Fe spends hers mooching around the field grazing totally unaware of her maternal duties. Tiptop seems quite happy to look after them both and so every one is happy! Magic pops down to the milky bar when the need arises and Fe is quite happy to accomodate her.
Magic is beginning to change her coat and is looking a little moth eaten. She is finding the whole process very ticklesome.
Shadow is a very handsome boy with a tiny "teacup" muzzle. His spot breeding shows up in his spotty "willy" and the whites of his eyes. I can only wonder whether he will eventually spot out as his 4 year old half sister has done.
Up the field with the gang. Tiptop on duty as usual. Santa Fe in the background grazing.
Who's a pretty boy then? Shadow has the most tiny "arab" shaped ears, wide forehead and tiny muzzle. His coat changes colour in the sunshine.
18th May 2008.
The foals are now 4 weeks old. Magic is getting the hang of these photo shoots and now offers both sides. Both equally pretty if I say so myself.
Shadow watching over his half sister while she sleeps.
Wonders will never cease! Santa Fe is on baby sitting duty & Tiptop is having a break. Shadow is rather rudely scratching his bum on Santa Fe's neck. She doesn't seem to mind and he is obviously enjoying himself.
11th May 2008.
Shadow & Magic are now 3 weeks old. They continue to thrive. They are full of mischief and spend their days exploring, grazing, suckling and sleeping. The 2 mares spend the day taking turns to baby sit them as their foals go everywhere together. Santa Fe caused chaos by going home for tea leaving her foal fast asleep in the field. Poor little Magic had a major hissy fit and Fe had to be dragged back up the fields to collect her hysterical child!
The herd are all back together again and the little ones have fitted in really well. After a bit of a kick up the mothers accepted that they are all one big family group and are amazingly chilled out when the foals wander off.
Shadow with his mother - Tiptop
Trying to sleep sister - no chance!
What a handsome boy.
Magic dozing in a sunbeam.
Keeping an eye on the world.
Magic has such a pretty face and demeanour.
Eating the green stuff just like my Mum!
1st May 2008. The foals are now 10 days old and have names.
Tiptop's foal appears to be going to be black. He is gorgeous and very cheeky. His home name is Shadow.
This green stuff tastes interesting.
Watching the world go by with his Mum and half sister.
You can't go to sleep, that's really boring!
Santa Fe's filly is incredibly pretty and her name is Magic. She is a bit of a hooligan and likes exploring everything, especially holes!
Shadow likes to bite her ankles and is a typically annoying boy!
Biting his sister's ankles.
Now what on earth is that?
Good heavens he's big!
What a silly Mummy!
Magic is one very pretty lady. 
Knackered now. Sweet dreams everyone.
April 2008.
Sadly Boo aborted her foal unexpectedly in the night in early April. Such a shame as it would have been a palomino filly, but it was not meant to be. Luckily Boo came to no harm, and as it was so early she did not seem to grieve for it either. We keep our fingers crossed for the others.
Shamal has serious competition now. Both of our mares produced their foals less than 2 hours apart in the night of April 21st. Both mares had easy births and their babies are enchanting. Santa Fe's filly foal is brave and funny and races around the field with any one who wants to play much to her mother's consternation.
8 hours old and with my Mum!
First time out in the fields aged 2 days.
Sniffing the fresh air.
Now this is fun!
Tiptop produced a very pretty dark coloured colt foal less than 2 hours after Fe. He sticks to his Mum like glue, but is growing in confidence every day.
First day out in the fields aged 2 days.
Tired now!
