#Solvei's firstborn

[stallnorheim]

OFFSPRING - SIGYN FRÁ UPKEEP PART 1

SOFFÍA'S POV

This morning Upkeep's first Icelandic Horse baby has been born. She was bought by @rosakajo, even before she was born, Rosa was even the one choosing who to be the sire of BOE Solvei's baby. We were just happy that she gave birth to a baby girl in a lovely colour. We did not know that Raudur (frá Upkeep) carried Silver, but now we don't have to get him tested I guess xD

Anyways, she was born very early this morning, though not so early that I wasn't in the barn. I have been watching her closely over the last few days, even had a video camera put up in her foaling stall, so I wouldn't miss the birth of Solvei's first baby.

The only one watching the mare more closely than me was Nikolette Anderson, Solvei's owner, who allowed us to breed her mare with our stallion by Rosa's request.

So when I was walking around in the barn, I heard noise from Solvei's stall in the other end of this big barn. I checked the video camera that I had connected to both mine and Nikolette's phones, and saw that Solvei had laid down, and was panting heavily.

While running towards the stall (and this barn was the biggest of all of our barns of course) I speed dialed Niko, and yelled to her:

"SHE IS FOALING!"

"SHE IS?!" was Niko's reply, as a lot of noise from the background, probably Niko putting on her boots and stuff, was heard.

"YEAH! Come on, you don't wanna miss this!" I told her, as I reached the stall, then I hung up.

I opened the stall door as slowly and quietly as I could. Solvei was laying on her side panting, but nothing seemed out of the normal. She was clearly pushing, and wasn't that out of breath, so I wasn't worried.

"Hey Sol," I murmured to the mare, as I slowly moved closer as to not spook her.

She lifted her head and looked at me, then let it fall to the ground again, clearly pushing hard! Then Niko showed up. She too was panting, almost more than Solvei, and clearly struggled with not exclaiming anything too loudly to spook the foaling mare.

"Am I too late?" she panted in a whisper to me, and looked towards the mare as she entered the stall too.

"No, no, I think it will be soon though." She nodded to me, and sat down on the stall's shavings. I sat down beside her, letting her stroke the mare's head, as she told her how good she was.

"You are so good, Sol. You got this!" she told the mare, and scratched her forehead.

The mare just panted and pushed real' big this time. A wet, loud noise was heard, and she pushed more. A muzzle peaked out of the bottom of the mare.

"That's it, my girl. A few more pushes!"

"You can do this, Sol!" I cheered her on, but let Niko be the one touching her, even if I really wanted to. This was big for Niko. This was Solvei's very first baby while she had been Niko's.

A few more pushes, and I moved to the back of the mare, touching the fine layer of film over the foal.

"One more push, and she will be out!" I told Niko, still in a whisper though slightly louder.

"Push, girl, push! One more time!" Niko encouraged the mare, and with another wet sound and a plop, the little baby came out.

I let Solvei open the film, and with bathered breaths (both Niko and I), we listened and then heard the baby take it's first breath. It was amazing, and then we could finally breathe again, as the baby whined, as the mother was cleaning her thoroughly.

It was a little girl.

Soon after the baby girl got onto her legs to stand, mama Sol still cleaning her coat from any residue. Seeing the baby stand was possibly one of the most wonderful experiences in my life. Probably of Niko's life too. It will definitely be hard to see her go, but she has been promised to Rosa, and we can't keep every horse we have bred after all ^^'

A few days later the baby had been named, and had gotten her first halter. Niko had bought it herself with her own money, I couldn't have hindered her, even if I wanted to.

Already here on day three she escaped the stall while I was mucking out the stall (which it really needed by the way). Solvei looked worried after her, as she couldn't follow her the wheel barrel was in the way. And because the baby hadn't been lead by her halter yet, or even by a rope in the halter, I decided that letting Solvei out too would be better.

As soon as I did so the mama lead her baby back to the stall, by grabbing the halter with her teeth. It was fun to watch.

Oh, and she has been named Sigyn. Sigyn frá Upkeep.