The arrival of Spirit - July 2006

It's a boy! Oh, what fun we have been having here at Enchanted Garden. In Archive 10 I explained how Tinkles and Panache came to live with us. At this time, we did not know that Panache was pregnant. A few months later I noticed that her stomach was looking different. When she started to show an udder, her pregnancy was confirmed. I spent weeks checking her udder for clues as to when we could expect the baby. Every night I felt her tummy for little baby kicks, and to my surprise I sometimes felt big kicks. I had a vet staying with us for three nights and I explained to Panache that this would be a good time to have her baby, with a vet and a doctor on call, things could hardly go wrong!
I have heard that when there is wax on the teats then you know the baby will be due within the next day or two. Once this would happen I planned to sleep in the stable, to witness the birth and to be there for Panache should she have any complications. Every day I told the children that the baby will be here soon, but nothing happened. The one night that I thought she was not going to give birth, that was the night that she did. With no wax on her teats, her vet gone and her doctor and midwife fast asleep, she did it all by herself, and she gave birth to the most beautiful and perfect little colt. We decided to call him Spirit. Since his birth he has had a constant stream of visitors. He has given so much pleasure to old and young. On his first outing to the paddock even the guinea fowl came to have a closer look at the new arrival. Dot and Tinkles were not too bothered with the new baby, but Tinkerbell went crazy, she so desperately wanted to be near Spirit. After a while she did settle down. We play with Spirit in the paddock and in the stable, he is so cute. Panache has given us a very special gift.