A foal is born...

Yesterday evening Kate and I went for a walk.   As we walked through the mission property we learned that a mare was giving birth.    I quickly retrieved Emmett and Annalise to witness this wonderful event.     We learned that the foal's legs were stuck and the mare required some hands on help from Clementina.    The clinic nurse, Amanda, told us that the foal needs to latch on to the mare for milk within an hour to survive.   This was the mare's first foal so this experience was a first for both horses and us.    The delivery occurred on a grassy hill which left the foal in a precarious position to maneuver herself to latch on.    Nature requires her to stand and find her way to the nipple on her own.   After watching the foal struggle in the high grass on slanted ground for 35 minutes, it finally latched on.  This morning the foal appeared vigorous and strong as you can see in the picture below.

Clementina watching the foal shortly after she had to reach in to the womb to help deliver the foal.  

This was a graphic introduction to the wonders of the afterbirth for Emmett and Annalise.   

Everyone had a front row seat.  

This morning the foal appeared vigorous and strong and the mare appeared to have recovered. 

Family members of the horse's owner inspected the foal this morning. 

A picture taken after dark shortly after the foal learned to stand and had not yet found the nipple to feed.