Say hello to Presto!!!

Published on by Amanda C

The formatting in this post is probably all jacked up because I’m trying to do it from my phone, but I figured y’all wouldn’t mind since it’s full of BABY PICTURES!

Hello world!
Michelle called me at 9:30 Wednesday night to let me know that Sadie’s pH had dropped, she hadn’t eaten her dinner, she was being very quiet in her stall, and her milk was super thick. Basically, all signs pointing to BABY SOON. I was almost asleep when she called, but I wanted to go ahead and hit the road since I knew I wouldn’t have been able to sleep at home anyway. Anticipation overload!

So I crawled out of bed, packed a bag, hopped in the car, stopped at the gas station to load up on obscene amounts of caffiene and sugar, and started off on the five hour drive across Texas. It’s a bad enough drive in daylight… do NOT recommend in the middle of the night. But many episodes of the Undisclosed podcast and a serious sugar high later, I rolled into Midland at 3am. Michelle and I spent the rest of the night watching the baby monitors and dozing but alas, no baby yet.

Yesterday morning she was pacing her stall and biting/kicking the walls even more aggressively, so we decided we’d put her outside for a few hours to let her relax. We tested the milk first and now the pH was 6.2, which basically means “imminent”. So we put her out but kept a really close eye on her throughout the day. She was much happier out there and spent the day alternating between pacing the fence line and grazing, pretty much like clockwork.

This mare is a champion, y’all

Around 2:45 we went out to check on her and she was STREAMING milk and had tons of wax, but was still happily munching hay. We walked back up to the barn to grab something to collect some of that precious colostrum and turned back around just in time to see her water break. Ok nevermind, grab the foaling kit! At 2:53 she laid down in the hay pile, and by 3:00 on the dot we had a baby! He started nickering before he was even all the way out (he’s so talkative), and almost immediately tried to stand. 

Not gonna lie, I teared up a bit when I saw his little white nose. This is a second generation homebred for me, which makes it that much more exciting and special.

My baby #1 and my baby #2!

Sadie immediately went back to eating hay, because apparently she’s an old pro at this foaling stuff by now. What a fantastic girl she was. By the time Baby managed to get to his feet she passed the placenta (which was so perfect the vet called it “beautiful” HA!). And once baby was up, he was off and wobbling around all over the place. Definitely one of the strongest, boldest newborns I’ve ever seen, marching right up to us to nicker his greetings and wanting to investigate everything.

Yep, he’ll fit right in around here

He also has plenty to say and whinnies A LOT.

Within an hour he was trotting around the pasture after mom (who, by the way, snubs her nose at her super fancy foaling stall apparently, and would rather pop a baby out in the middle of the afternoon in a pile of hay #maredoeswhatmarewants). He passed his vet check with flying colors, as did Sadie. He needs to stay stalled for a bit until his tendons get stronger and he straightens out, but that’s not unusual for these big leggy babies. I’m watching him in the stall on the baby monitor as we speak.

His birth and his general appearance sealed the deal on his name – “Like Magic WTW” with Presto as his barn name.  The very definition of presto is “suddenly, as if by magic”… yep, nailed that one! And he definitely looks a lot like his daddy Mighty Magic; he’s dark brown with one white sock, a star, and a snip. I’m totally smitten. His personality is fantastic, his type is perfect for an event horse, and he’s just plain adorable. SO beyond thrilled with this little dude! I can’t wait to see how he continues to unfold and fill out. 

Already trotting, which is so weird because babies don’t normally trot much
Awesome type!

I’ll have pics from the nice camera by Monday, but you’ll have to make due with cell phone ones for now. He’s dang adorable either way. 

100 thoughts on “Say hello to Presto!!!”

  4. so happy for you and all involved. Text book foaling and in the day to boot. And OMG think every photo i see i love him more (PS Michelle needs to post more of Liam too. We need full baby disclosures thanks!) He really is a personality. can’t imagine you with a boring horse so there you go now you have three distinctive personalities. 🙂 Enjoy gazing upon your new boy!

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  5. OMG! OMG! OMG! He is sooooo perfect! Love those little whinnies and tiny trots!
    Cannot wait to see him grow up. Thank you for sharing with us.
    Welcome, Presto! Sadie looks soooo much more comfortable. Hopefully, Lissa isn’t being all Crazy Auntie on him just to mess with Sadie.

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  8. Hah, YOU teared up… I started to cry as soon as I saw that precious little face! ☺ So happy for you, that all went smoothly and that you’ve got such a gorgeous boy on the ground. Those little whinnies, nickers and tiny trot are the CUTEST things ever! Enjoy and congratulations. 🐴

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  11. his wittle muzzle, so cute! I love how one min a mare will be like ya im just eating go away and the next ‘presto’ heres my baby. Love how happy and proud Sadie looks now that hes on the ground. Congrats.

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  14. OMG I CANNOT STOP COMMENTING/LIKING ALL THESE PICTURES

    I would be totally fine with presto updates every day until he’s weaned, hes adorable and i want to squish him. he’s such a bold little guy! and I think its nice sadie popped him out outside. In a giant pile of hay. that she was eating. hm.

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  24. GAHHHHH! He is gorgeous! And you’re a Grandma!!! 😉 Congratulations, he could not be more perfect. Those legs! Those markings! That little pink tongue! That photo of him touching noses with mom (I die)!!!! Also check out his perfect slope-y hind-end. His name is perfect too. You done good, Grams.

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  27. ER MAH GAWD the video of Sadie talking to him and him nickering as he is being born = all the feels!!! That is the most precious thing ever. Also, are his facial markings oddly reminiscent of Hope, his granddam, recently featured on this blog? Or I imagining things?

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  33. What a beautiful foal! Those face markings are the most precious ever.

    I have a first generation homebred and hope to have a second generation in the next couple of years. It just makes it all the more special.

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  43. I like the last picture of him with the beat up wall in the background. I bet Sadi is happy to not be pregnant anymore.

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  45. Omg I love him, he is so perfect! Please post pictures every second, I love to watch the babies grow. When I got Bella from new Holland auction I secretly hoped she was pregnant lol, no luck(not that I could afford a baby).
    I can’t wait to see him grow up!

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  47. Yay! Congratulations on baby Presto!

    Also, I’m curious.. (if it’s something that isn’t private) does Presto belong to you? I thought Sadie was on breeding lease to Michelle? Does that mean you guys share equal parts of the foal or am I completely missing something/misunderstanding, or are the all kinds of different terms that can be laid out for breeding leases?

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  48. Ahhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congratulations! He’s perfect in every way. Brown, star, snip, and not too many socks is 100% my favorite type. So you know… if he doesn’t work out as an event horse, you know who to call 😉
    So excited for you! Keep the pictures coming! Cell phone, fancy camera, child like drawings… all good!

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