What follows is a photo journal of Soleil's first few days.

Day one/hour one: Robert is working in the barn, with the horses in the pasture 100 feet away. It is a week until Katie's official due day . The time is 3:00 pm with the afternoon sun as good as it gets. The outside temp is just above freezing. I come up after some chores and notice a new baby, with Katie (mama) still down! Luckily, everything is ready! Baby Percheron horses from the larger lines can require a lot more care than "normal" horses. Soleil measures almost eleven hands on day one (43 and a half inches). Although we knew the birth would be soon, as she had bagged a few days ealier, and it looked like the baby had turned that evening before, there was not any waxing, vaginal changes or any unusual behavioral signs and of course, we all know babies are born at night (ha, ha, ha). Baby is probably 15 minutes old when we discover her. We decide to stabilize the baby in the pasture, before we move her to a stall. A bale of hay is layered around her and towels are put under her to try to keep the pasture mud from contacting/contaminating her umbilical stump. The stump is dipped in iodine. She is dried and blankets are wrapped around her. Spencer monitors the baby, and begins imprinting while Robert holds mama, who has just gotten up and is eating. I rush around and find the sheep nipples, enlarge a hole and attached one to a 16 ounce soda bottle. This baby may not stand up by herself for a couple of days, as is not unusual with these larger horses. Therefore, it is better to milk Mama and bottlefeed the baby first colostrum. This gets her more perky! She may not be able to get up but she can move! Robert gives baby an enema to help move the meconium. Mama's after birth is tied up to the level of her hocks (it will take a full two hours to come out and she shouldn't step on it).

The sun is getting low, it has been two or more hours, time to move this baby! Mama goes in the stall first. We create a sling with a blanket under Soleil's belly and it takes all three of us to kind of get her on her feet. We carry her (she tries to walks but it is pretty useless), with frequent rests, to the stall 200 feet away. Anxious mama is very glad to see her! Baby is worn out and off to sleep she goes again! Estimated baby weight is 125 to 150 pounds.

Since Soleil can't get up, we must help her whenever she is awake and might want to nurse. We also continue bottlefeeding colostrum. We spend most of the night cuddled up with a foal, a blanket and a dog to keep us warm (Spencer opts for his bed in the house). Katie seems very glad of the company.

Day two: Bright, alert and active and then asleep! I think there is a pattern here. She is still not getting up by herself but has had two explorations in a small pasture and is walking and even a little trotting! Baby now really "gets" where the milk comes from and loves her mama! Mama is glad because it really got her upset to have Soleil try to nurse off of her nose ;-) Her baby poops are soft and she requires that her bottom be cleaned occassionally.

Well, another night of helping her to her feet every three hours for nursing. Maybe today, she will find a way to get up by herself!

Day three: 48 Hours (below), she is now trotting, and even a little canter. This girl has springs on her feet!

Below are pics taken on April 2, 2005 (Soleil is almost six weeks old). This is Katie Sue's first time being ridden and she responded as if she had been under the saddle for years. She was sensitive to all pressure (seat, legs, feet, voice and reins). she already is voice trained to all basic commands, so that made it easy. I even had her backing, fanning, trotting and turning at a trot. Katie loves to be worked and driven, so I guess it isn't any surprise that she took to being under saddle like a duck takes to water! Soleils seems just as smart as her mama and loves people. God, I love working with these girls!