Ok, first of all:
- I have verified with my own eyeballs that there are indeed two holes under the tail, so yes for real this time, it’s a filly for sure.
- Technically she’s Presto’s half sister since they have different sires (although both sires have Heraldik as a grandsire so they’re a little more than half-related if you’re really into math)
Sadie has been looking like she was going to pop for days. This is her fourth foal, and she’s been pretty textbook with her labor/foaling patterns with the previous three, so when things just seemed to drag on and on and on with this one, we started to get a little concerned. She was restless and pacing and clearly uncomfortable for all of Friday (to the point where it looked like she could lay down and pop it out and any second) and Saturday. Her milk test said “any minute now” on Thursday, and we were all a little bit on edge at how long she was taking when there was still no baby by Saturday morning. Usually once her milk is to that stage she foals within 24 hours. But time just kept dragging on, and she just kept looking more and more uncomfortable. Michelle prepared for the possibility of a red bag/dummy foal, with all sorts of supplies on hand including an oxygen tank, and someone was watching Sadie every second.
But finally, finaaaallly just before midnight on Saturday she laid down and started pushing. Michelle said Sadie seemed surprised at how hard she had to push… she kept looking back like “seriously, it’s not out yet???”. Her others have been pretty easy. This one, not so much. And why might that be?
Because she’s a baby elephant! Seriously this kid is freaking massive for a newborn.
Luckily there was no red bag, and aside from requiring more pushing than usual, everything was ok. Baby was in good shape, no special care required. She was in such good shape, in fact, that she was born at 11:45 and was on her feet completely unassisted at 11:57. Super fast, especially considering she’s a monster.
Sadie has definitely been feeling the after effects of such a big baby. So far nothing major, just some lingering pain, so she’s had some banamine. Her milk production was a little bit slow at first, so baby got some plasma yesterday too just as a precaution. Hopefully if all continues to go well they’ll be able to get turned out a little bit today.
Completely unbeknownst to each other Michelle and I had both independently been referring to her as Ellie (as in Ellie-phant). Upper level event rider Alex Green bought both her and Remi, and she seems to like Ellie too so I think it’ll stick as a barn name. Her registered name will be up to Alex, but it has to start with O this year for the sBs registry. She is very much open to name suggestions! It will end with the farm suffix WTW so something relatively short is best, lest it become a mouthful.
Fingers crossed that baby and mama continue to do well and that poor Sadie’s lady bits recover soon.
WTW does also have two mares confirmed in foal already – Peyton to LePrince des Bois (who completed Badminton and Luhmuhlen, had two top 10 finishes at Burghley, and a top 5 at Pau with Kai Ruder before going on to win the European Junior Championships with a young rider)
and Daisy back to Usandro for a full sibling to Oakley.
I should have a winner of the Baby Bets contest this week, as soon as I tally the results (which admittedly I have not started yet, because reasons)!
breedrideevent.com 
Wow! What a beautiful filly. She is just lovely.
The name Ophelia springs into my mind when I look at baby Ellie.
Sadie produces such lovely babies. Are you thinking breeding her again to produce another foal for yourself in a few years time?
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Aww what a cutie. And SO HUGE. Christ.
And I concur with ehovius for Ophelia. That was the first name that came to my mind as well. Though Odette is also a pretty O girls name.
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Like ehovious said Ophelia would be a lovely name for Ms Ellie. The options for O names are very unique and beautiful though so I have no doubt it will be great.
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This filly is so going to be Sadie’s twin! Moreso than any of her previous foals!!! I hope they both keep on thriving!!
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Michelle and I thought that too, this is the first one she’s had that really resembles her. The colts have taken so strongly after their sires that they really look nothing alike, but this filly looks a lot like Sadie did as a newborn.
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Omg I am a huge LotR nerd and it took a negative amount of seconds for my brain to acknowledge that with O as the “official” letter, Ellie could (um should!?) definitely be registered as Oliphaunt WTW… just saying! 😀
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Yes!! I second Oliphant WTW ❤️❤️
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I came down to suggest the same thing! Oliphaunt WTW for the win!
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I thought of that too when I saw it!! I agree with Oliphaunt WTW LOL Especially since we’ve already got another popular book character in Ollivander haha!
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I’ll just add here that the Afrikaans name for elephant is “Olifant” so….;)
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Any reason why this filly was sold versus kept? (I’m very interested in how breeding farm operations work and how those kinds of decisions are made in terms of when to keep vs sell!)
Super cool that she’ll be going to the same home as Remi, hope we’ll be able to see their development with Alex Green.
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Odesza is my suggestion and nickname Ellie is very cute.
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Poor Sadie! Hooe she feels better soon.
Ellie is perfect but wow, she’s a big girl!!
Names that come to mind:
Oana, Odilia, Odette, Odine, Okelani (hawaiian for “heaven-sent”), Olea, Okka, Olympia (too much?), Olina (hawaiian again,meaning “full of joy”)
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Love the name Ophelia. She sure is a beautiful filly and ouch….poor Sadie!
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I love baby O. She’s so cute. Poor Sadie is probably happy that is over with! I’m wildly excited about the next Peyton foal. What a cool combo that will be! Has the FEH and YEH classes written all over it.
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Poor, poor Sadie. My goodness. That’s an enormous baby. But she looks perfect! Love the name Ellie (it’s my niece’s name too)! Maybe “Official WTW” for a show name.
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I’m throwing a vote for Ophelia, too – just seems to suit her and “Ellie” makes perfect sense for her barn name! She is beautiful and I hope she and Sadie continue to do well (poor Sadie, ouch).
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Olyphant
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