Rosetta on Day 2

I kept Rosetta with her mother for the first 24 hrs. in order for them to form a strong bond with no interference from the inquisitive others! I let them both out in the field with the rest of the herd for a supervised meet and greet. I managed to get a few good shots.

Juliet & Rosetta

Soñador & Amadora with Rosetta

It's funny to see that all the open females were more interested than the pregnant females. The expecting mothers pretty much couldn't care less about the new arrival.

Argento and Rosetta
Walking off into the Sunset

And here's the big guy doing what he does best..... Keeping everybody safe!

Santo & Soñador

Didn't See That One Comin'!

Birthing season is coming soon but I had this girl pegged for October 12th. Well, Argento decided that she had enough and her little cria was fully baked so, out she came. I was getting ready to do my chores down at the barn, checking each pregnant female to see if I can see the crias alive and kicking. Well just as I turned to go get my rake, I see a little newborn cria staring at me, up on all fours, walking into in the boys pen with Thor. I expected Aurora to give birth early because that's her M.O. but, this little one was dark rose gray and I said no way. I quickly figured out it was Argento's cria as the two of them hooked up. This little cria had just been born because some of the amniotic sac was still on the cria and slightly wet in the 93 degree heat. I just couldn't figure out why it was in the boys pen. I called my wife Tara, who was up at the house, and told her the good news. I wanted her to bring the camera and she asked me if it was a male or female. Because I was so shocked and excited I said, "I don't know, I haven't even checked yet!"

While she was on her way down I checked the little cria out and indeed it was a female and she weighed in at 16lbs. Argento delivered the placenta just as Tara arrived, and the little cria was nursing minutes later. Everything went perfectly, right by the book. With Argento being a maiden, you just don't know how mom is going to react. But, the way she was with little crias in the past, I knew she would be a good mother.

Anyway, Tara named her Rosetta, which means 'Beautiful Rose' in Italian. I would have named her Mary, Jane, Linda or Bob if it was a male. Not that there is anything wrong with those names, it's just that we try to keep with the Italian theme and she's much better at it than me!

So here's Rosetta who was born yesterday, September 23rd, on gestation day 332. Oh, I almost forgot. The Sire is Ottimo or "Otto" as we like to call him. He got Argento pregnant on the first try. What a stud!

"Rosetta"

Argento and Cria

Tara with Rosetta

"Yours truly and the little one"

"One last check around bedtime"

"Here's Daddy!"