Things I have learned on MareStare

[seawaif]

A friend sent me the link for Suerte, and by pushing some other buttons, I stumbled onto MareStare. I am hooked. Shamelessly. I haven't been intimately acquainted with many pregnant mares (unless you count myself and my daughter), and watching this foaling process is absolutely fascinating.

I've learned some things, too, watching these mares:

When a 345-day mare lies down with her legs folded up under her, she looks like she is lying on a beach ball. When she stretches out on her side with all four legs going north-south, she looks like she IS a beach ball. And the mini's are All beach balls on legs, bless their hearts.

A mare is not necessarily in labor when she nods her head up and down, sidles around in her stall, paws the straw, and bounces on her hind legs. She may have just caught sight of her grain bucket coming down the aisle. Since the cams don't show us the rest of the barn, it's not always apparent what is happening.

Likewise, when a mare pins her ears, sticks her nose in the air, swishes her tail furiously, and gives a couple of two-hind-footed kicks against her stall wall, she may only be having words with the mare next door. Or rehearsing her speech to the stallion who got her into this predicament.

Every barn is unique and wonderful. Why, there are quite a few mares who hang out in double-wides and some who look like double-wides, and there's even a mare with a sunken living room. I should be so lucky.

There are quite a few paints and pintos here, too. I have learned the rudimentary differences in all those color patterns and just realized that the day before my appointment for a hair cut and color, I am a tobiano. And yes, I do cover up that gray.

The moon will be full in three days and then, like last month, dozens of foals will break out of prison. And I won't have to stay up until 2 in the morning to see the miracle of jail break. I will, however, miss a key scene or two in Lost and it will take me several weeks to find out what the heck is going on. Just in time for another full moon.

The Refresh button is awesome. I just wish I had discovered it sooner than last night.

[devotee]

You need to team up with Merry (Brookhaven) and work up a Mare Stare stand-up act.

[horsewoman1965]

you can always catch Lost on ABC.COM and watch it later on your computer

[lilpondarosamini]

Seawaif, you sure worded this so correctly. As I have my own beachballs. I to am addicted to all the beautiful mares (the kittens , goats , puppies and rest arent to bad either). This has truly become my favorite place to come and check in. Even if the mares like to tease us and sike us out. This is definately a blessed place for the mares. And lucky for us all and the growers that it's here with out this they would go broke and my would have a rest. "s for Marestare this is a idea.

[chrystalpaths]

Wonderfully written!

[Golden Girl]

It is always a pleasure when someone like you takes the time to express yourself like you did ;D Thanks for shearing your view of this wonderful web site Mare Stare. Even though some of our family members think that we are crazy, obsessed, or just down right waisting our time. We are different from others, we love our horses, ponies, minis and all the others so much so that we care for other people's equines too! And hey, we are at home, staying out of trouble, doing a great service helping mare owners get some well deserved rest

I LOVE the Mare Stare web site, all the mares, and all my fellow Mare Starers

[wisteriafarms]

That was really great Seawaif

Thanks for the smiles and chuckles

[brookhaven]

Seawaif!!!

Now for my "Lessons Learned...."

Due Date: throw them out the window.

Past Foaling Histories: Toss em too. I don't care if this is the 14th foal the mare has had and all 13 before arrived at 8:32 a.m. on the first Tuesday of the month...this foal WILL come at 8:35 am on the first Wednesday.

Milk tests: Mare's tested 5 squares for a week...so are you getting any more sleep?

Signs of Imminent foaling: Useless. All mares act different ... please refer to Past Foaling Histories:

Typing "PUSH" fifty times will not help the mare...she can't read, nor can she hear, nor does she care...she's busy...


SURE FIRE WAY TO TELL IF A MARE IS FOALING.....When her water breaks and a foal emerges....

These are Things I've learned from Marestare. I've also learned that there are a whole lot of dedicated wonderful folks here that are a fabulous support system for the tired and weary mare owners and we THANK YOU!...and appreciate your humor and your advice!!!

[Marybeth]

Thank you for sharing your humor all!!! lmbo Something happened to me yesterday again where I knew I saw something white and was going to type sac!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But I gathered myself up and waited because one other time It was a horses number two spot moving in and out for a poo. lmboooooooo! So I was leary of typing anything untill I saw it again and This Mare was foaling. It was the sac and not the number two spot.

[Linda]

Seawaif, welcome to mare stare and I love your post. All the posts on this thread are great.
It is a wonderful place to spend our time, and yes my husband thinks I'm crazy too. It's so full of information and has helped me soooo much. awesome people here in this family of mare starer'ers. My house doesn't get cleaned as good as it should during this time of year, but I might miss something if I leave my PC. lol

[luvhorses]

This thread gave me some great chuckles.

OK here goes my list of things I learned so far about Mare Stare and staring at the mares of Mare Stare :

1. That some mares can be listed **CLOSE** for a long time...

2. That if there is a spot in the stall the CAM can't show... the mare will probably find that spot and have the foal right there.


3. That Mare Stare has many insomiacs around the place; both human and people kind. And that there are many folks on it who do multi-tasking their mare staring alongside with their real day jobs.

4. That some mares are really great at acting like they are giving birth or acting like they will soon give birth... and could give the soap stars on TV a run for their money.

5. That betting on which mare will foal next or which mare will foal soon will make a starer look foolish in short order 99% of the time. It would be unwise to ever bet real money on the Mares.... unless you don't mind losing a wad of moolah.

6. That the Mare Starer version of Pick 6 is a fast way to get a starer dizzy.

7. That there is such a thing as staring too long...

8. That looking at the hindquarters of pregnant mares can quickly become interesting.

9. That the hard-working moderators on the MS boards are very swift and smart. They can also be very patient and helpful, even when starers trip up or get thrown off.

10. That there are some very friendly, clever, smart and funny folks on board at mare starer that like to party online (and probably offline) when things get slow.

11. That seeing a stall with a big number painted in it can be very helpful for a tired starer.

12. That if you are thinking it is time to press the yellow button even though nothing is coming out of the mare but the mare is showing all the other usual signs of labor; just ask and chances are somebody else is thinking the same thing too.

13. That when trying to decide on what action to take (like to press or not press that yellow button)... it is better to err on the side of the safety of the mare.

*If the mare is faking it you get to look foolish or be embarassed just like almost everyone has at one time another around here; but if you make the right call you get to be a hero and a "big help".

14. If you stare at a particular mare more than the others... chances are that your fav. mare of the hour will wait until you are offline to have her foal.

15. That when listing all things I have learned at Mare Stare, that the list will always be a work in progress ... there is so much to learn around here and so much to see and do.

16.
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etc.

[Heather T]

OH MY GOLLY!!! Seawaif..I love this thread!!!!

If your families think you are nuts, imagine how my family feels. I live, eat, sleep and breathe Mare Stare to the point that I don't do much else this time of year. Not complaining!!!!

I don't sleep much at night because I'm checking cams, watching mares, and getting the paperwork done that I didn't do during the day. So my family knows I am genuinely nuts, thank goodness they are finally starting to understand that Mare Stare is here to stay.

What I have learned....

...that the moms will give birth when they are good and ready and not before. No amount of poking them with the cursor or telling them "lay down and push already!" is going to coax that baby out.

...that after watching a mare for weeks with no problems, the minute the mare goes into labor, the cam will quit ... or vice versa.

...that testing 5 squares and waxing means that the milk bar is prepared, but the bun in the oven, may not be done.

...that sometimes bad things happen that we don't understand, but it makes the good things have more meaning.

....that the world has a genuine need for a place like this. Not just for the cams that allow us a view into the private lives of so many cam owners and moms to be, but for the community that has been built. It's a place to pray, to vent, to encourage, to laugh, to cry and to learn.

God bless all the cam owners and the viewers...you are all critical parts of this family. We can't do it without you!!!

And a special thanks to the moderators and to Rich...without you I'd go crazy. Your patience, persistence, knowledge and humor keep me and Mare Stare going.

[brookhaven]

amen

[Blacklabs]

One more

...if you think a mare is foaling and you see a small sac it might not be a sac, she might just be a winker, don't worry you weren't the first to hit low alert on that one.

[bndranch]

labsblackdogs said:

One more

...if you think a mare is foaling and you see a small sac it might not be a sac, she might just be a winker, don't worry you weren't the first to hit low alert on that one.

Either that or its her foaling alert sewn into her you know what!!!!!