For those of you who were around during the days of Isthar News, you probably remember how both Anette and I spent months waiting in vain for a foal in Arwen’s belly that wasn’t there… So for this year’s foaling issues, I’ve was really reserved at first, but once Arwen’s belly started to grow for real, I decided that I too would join those inclined to believe there was a foal.

But then, a ride last week with Tom’s somewhat all too eager stallion together with Arwen’s superb physical strength and endurance made me wonder if she was truly in foal at all, or had just gained weight during her recovery period after her January injury.

After all, here’s what she looked like in August 2007, having grown fat on the green grass. To the untrained eye - a belly is a belly, is it not?

In October 2007 however, the belly excess was already gone and I could not really see how my picky eater of a horse would be gaining weight in the middle of the warm season, when even Sahara is starting to look slim… I wrote a letter to my expert friend Theresa Jones (the author of the Complete Foaling Manual) who sent me the following reply:

I hope I’m not giving you false hope, but she sure looks pregnant to me! It was very iffy last time, but doesn’t seem to be this time. I would let her exercise however she wants. I have seen older mares (in their late teens) only days away from delivery gallop in the pasture like they are 2 year old. If she feels like galloping, let her gallop. […] Looks like a HOORAY!
Theresa Jones

You can be how thrilled I was to have some expert feedback and equally thrilled to allow myself to have my hopes up again!

So Arwen is now once again officially back “in foal” in my books… Only four months left to potential delivery however, lol! Let’s hope that January injury of hers doesn’t cause her too much trouble…