Zenyatta

Queen of Racing

Ask The Experts

Ask The Experts #22

Photo by Alys Emson/Lane's End
Zenyatta in her paddock earlier this week. Photo by Alys Emson/Lane’s End

Q:

I am wondering how often the mares are able to deliver the foals without any assistance from the staff. All of the foaling videos that I’ve seen show considerable help being provided. I know that horses foal in the wild without any help – are special precautions in order for TBs?

Sandy Wyper

South Euclid, OH

A:A month from foaling mares are brought to the foaling barn, and until they foal they are watched 24/7. They are turned out in the daytime so they can move around freely and exercise, which is very important for heavily pregnant mares. Someone from the barn will patrol the fields frequently to make sure no one has decided to go off and foal outside on their own. Late afternoon the mares will be brought in and fed and have their bags (udders) checked for any changes. Wax on the teats or dripping milk gives us a good indication that the mare is getting close to giving birth.

The foaling barn. Photo by Alys Emson
The foaling barn. Photo by Alys Emson
Inside the foaling barn. Photo by Alys Emson
Inside the foaling barn. Photo by Alys Emson
We have a night watchman stay in the barn at night and keep an eye on everybody. Once a mare starts to show signs of foaling he will alert whom ever is on call that evening for assistance. We typically have at least three people present at each foaling in case of an emergency.

I know some of you are worried about the pain Zenyatta will go through during the foaling process but you needn’t worry! The birthing process is far quicker than that of humans. Once they break water, as long as the presentation is correct, it is all over in a matter of minutes. Horses have to be able to give birth and recover quickly in the wild, as they need to be able to protect their newborns from potential predators.

Once the mare has broken water we check the presentation is correct with the nose and forelimbs coming first. The mare will typically lie down to foal, although very occasionally we will get an “airmail” when a mare foals standing. This can happen with maidens that haven’t quite got the process figured out yet! Provided the mare is comfortable with our presence we will help guide the foal out gently. Normally a mare will rest for a few minutes post foaling and then get up, which is usually when the cord breaks.

The foals are usually up within an hour and nursing and getting that much needed colostrum that helps boost their immune systems. They are designed to keep up with their mothers almost immediately, so provided they are strong enough we like to get them out into a paddock or a round pen on day one for a few hours and let them begin their new lives.

Our Expert

Alys Emson

Client Management, Lane’s End

Alys has been at Lane’s End for fourteen years. She has worked in every division of the farm and is now in charge of client management, keeping owners up to speed about the lives of their horses.

Reader Interactions

166 Comments

  1. / Reply

    Hi Everyone, I’m back. Didn’t exactly know where to post so decided to go with the newest entry

    I have just fallen in love with Stonewall Farm Florida. If I had to pick a favorite of the farms I have visited Stonewall would have to be with the #l. Just would have to put it with the #l. It is fantastic and Leroi is Spectacular.

    I only went to the first day of the sale, but it was very nice (2nd day saved for the trip to Stonewall) And, Leroi and the other spectacular surprize that I found there.

    First, I wanted to tell a little funny at the sale. Hip # 150 came out and thought what a beautiful Colt By Henny Hughes. Just Gorgeous. You know my love for Secretarial well he had so many of the same markings. Three Stocking legs, And, I believe they were the same, I know one on front was not stocking as Secretariat’s was. Well I thought wonderhow much he will bring well the bidding kept going over the entire pavillion.. Well they finally pounded the gavel sold aat 300,000.00. Well they pointed on my side. Well just didn’t want to look around (as not to be noisy) but it got the best of me. Whenever the lady started over my way with the clipboard with the Buyer to sign the ticket, Just who was back there signing the ticket…….None other than Bob Baffert. Just a few rows back. I thought Oh My Gosh Bob you’ve got a good One. Just too cute. Gorgeous Colt. Look out later in the year. ….

    Back to Stonewall and Leroi, I went there to especailly to see Leroi and a couple of my Buddy AP Indy’s sons
    But, I found the most beautiful surprize there and she just has my heart. I met Leroi’s beautiful little one year old daughter. She is un named and just the prettiest thing I think I have ever seen. Sorry, but I am just still on Cloud Nine. She’s friendly, sweet and seems to like people. She is by Leroi and her dam is Big Gem. I would have dearly loved to have brought her home with me. She’s as pretty as Ebbioussant and Zenyatta. Would have to be in the #1 prettiest horses. Oh my, Leroi is really giving us some beautiful horses, but this little one is just something really special. I asked if they would sell her and the girl told me that they didn’t know if they would sell her or keep her. I so hope they keep her. You just want to cry when you see this special little girl. Just beautiful. 12 Z, I think I found you a girlfriend.

    I did enjoy my time with Leroi,, He seemed to know exactly who he was. Just a beautiful Stallon. I asked if I could give him a treat and I noticed the hesitance from his groom And then he told me he liked to bite. I had brought 2 pears and some peppermints. He seemed very hesitant, He told me that Indy’s Sons were very good with you giving them treat and I could give them the peppermints. I told him I understood about Leroi (He actedl like he hated it but Leroi “loved” to bite as he told me. I understood. He gave him a couple of peppermints and he told me he would put the pear in his feed bucket. I should have asked him if he was as bad an Dynaformer. Lo. I think, though, Dynaformer had that catagory wrapped up.

    A P Warrior and Telling were both just grand. Just like their Pappa Indy. I fed them both peppermints and General Quarters. Which the groom told me General Quarters was his favorite. He seemed to be just a sweetheart.. So many fantastic horses there. Big Drama is great too.

    OH, Oh, almost forgot, one of the girls that was taking me around was Mucho Macho Man’s along with her husband were his breeders. She talked to me about him and it was very enteresting. I though small world.

    Well sorry for taking up so much space, But, I did want to share. The staff at Stonewall, I have to give them a special spot. Just fantastic. Love the Farm. Thank You.
    To Leroi’s specail little angel that I found there, I will be keeping up with you. So hope they don’t sell her. Its so hard when they have not been named yet, you don’t know what to call them.
    Will close now, sorry again for taking up so much room I know you can tell I haven’t came down from Cloud Nine. Go Go Go Animal Kingdon “Win” in Dubai, Best of Luck.

    • / Reply

      Peggy (N)

      Glad you had a great time and shared your experience with us all here.
      If only we could stow away when we find places with love.

      • / Reply

        Dear Max:

        Thank you for the video of this wonderful win by beautiful “chestnut biter” Leroi. Too cute. Hugs, JB

        • JudyB. Peggy loves those fine ole chestnuts like Orfevre and Leroi.
          I noticed that Leroi was trained in the USA by our favorite, Bobby Frankel.

        • Dear Max:

          I just checked. Leroi ran 10 races for Bobby F. winning 9 and running 2nd in his last race The BC Mile at Belmont in 2005. Artie Schiller won that race.

          What a great combo they were. Hugs, JB

        • Dear Max:

          I found a really nice article in the Paulick Report on Verrazano’s pedigree that you may find interesting. It’s on Page 2 of Ask The Experts #22. Hugs, JB

      • / Reply

        Max, Wow, Thank you so much for the video I had not seen that race. He sure ran away from them didn’t he.

    • / Reply

      Dear Peggy:

      Welcome back. Love your post. Thank you for taking us through your visit at Stonewall. Imagine Leroi’s girl is really special from your description.

      I guess Leroi is just being a stallion; feisty like our beautiful Big D was. AP Indy’s boys, General Quarters and Big Drama. Wow, you must have been in heaven.

      Great that you got to see Bob Baffett and meet the couple who bred MMM. That’s wonderful.

      Will keep checking the Pedigree site to see if they record a name for the Leroi/Big Gem filly.

      Am looking forward to the photos you took at Stonewall. Rooting for Animal Kingdom in Dubai too.

      Love and Hugs, JB

      • / Reply

        JudyB. I’ll bet that his handler told Leroi that the pear in his bucket was from an admirer. He probably loved that treat from a lady.

        • Max, Judy, I told him promise you’ll give him the pear. He said he would. That’s when he said he would put it in his feed bucket. I tried one of the Bartlett pears I bought for him and they were delicious. Just the very sweetest. Sure hope he gave it to him.
          Wise thing probably, him putting it in bucket. Sounds like he knows him pretty good. Ha

      • / Reply

        Judy, I was just in heaven. Just a wonderful visit. She wrote her name info down for me she put Yearling filly Ch, Big Gem Dam, By Leroi, Don’t know what the Ch means. I think I might email down there and see if they’ll keep me posted on a name too.

        • Dear Peggy, I think that Ch means chestnut. Thank you so much for sharing the details of your trip. It was exciting for us readers too!

        • Trina, hey Thank you, dah i was just tring to make it complicated wasn’t I. She is a beautiful little Chestnut. Not quite as much white on the face as her dad. Just a little white on her forehead. Trina lots of California folks at the sale.

        • Dear Peggy:

          I checked on the Pedigree site and the Big Gem mare I found was born in 2007 in Argentina. She’s by US stallion Southern Halo out of an Argentine mare, Alhajita. No progeny for Big Gem was listed. I think this must be the filly’s Dam. Big Gem’s a chestnut too.

          Also checked under Leroi’s progeny, but no listing for a foal out of Big Gem. I guess they just didn’t go to the site and record her birth. You said she’s a three year old, so she was born in 2010? Will keep checking. Hugs, JB

        • Dear Peggy:

          Trina is right. Ch means chestnut.

          I’m sure Leroi enjoyed the pear very much. He’s a feisty one. Hugs, JB

        • Dear Peggy:

          I’m sorry. I just reread your post. The filly is a year old. So she was born last year and that’s probably why they haven’t recorded her pedigree yet. Hugs, JB

        • Dear Judy, Yes she was born last year. Don’t know her birth month so she may not even be a full year yet.

  2. / Reply

    Thank you so much for the info. Cannot wait to meet the new foal. But… when is 12Z going to get a name? Is it unusual to be a yearling and still not have a name?

    • / Reply

      I think …that some folks name them early…but it seems the Mosses wait until they know the horse well…they do need a name before they race…help me out folks but I think Zenny was 2 before she got her name

      • / Reply

        Dear Carol:

        Yes, you’re right. It seems that David Ingordo called his mother, Dottie and told her they should think of a name for the Street Cry filly because the Mayberry’s told him Z was fast and special when Z was in training with them. Here’s the article; if you scroll down, it’s in the Recognizing Greatness paragraph. Hugs, JB

        http://eventingnation.com/home/finding-zenyatta.html

    • / Reply

      I’ve got a BloodHorse video on evaluating yearling conformation that includes an interview with David Ingordo about Zenyatta. In it he says specifically that the Mosses prefer to wait until the horse is 2. They name the horse just before it goes from the training farm to its trainer. They like to know the horses’ personalities. There is no requirement that the horse be named by a certain age, just that it be named before it is raced or bred. There is a late-naming charge, but it’s trivial–$75, I think. (I’m too lazy to look it up.) It accrues after February of the horse’s 2-year-old year.

      • / Reply

        I wonder if the fact that the Mosses have known Prince since the moment of his birth will result in naming him sooner than a horse that they might not even have seen before purchase? Just think, when Zenny was this age, she wasn’t even for sale yet. Does anyone know if the Mosses have any other “home breds” or have all their horses been purchased?

        • The Mosses’ 2005 Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo is a homebred, out of Set Them Free, named for a son of Sting. They also have other homebreds.

  5. / Reply

    I’ve been checking every day to see if Zenyatta has foaled. Thank you for this info.
    I will be going to the Kentucky Derby this year. Does anyone out there have any favorites?

    • / Reply

      Dear Evy:

      It’s kind of early yet, but I’m impressed with the Verrezano/Johnny V. combo. He’s slated to run next in the Florida Derby on March 30th. Also like Revolutionary and Flashback .Hugs, JB

    • / Reply

      Original due date was said to be March 15th (I think) but several weekends ago Dottie told a friend of mine at Santa Anita that it was “the end of March”.

      We’ve all been having fun “predicting” when WE think it will be (mine is the 31st, Easter Sunday)

  9. / Reply

    Thank you lanes end for the great information. It nice to know there is so much help around to make sure things go well for all of these girls and their foals.

  12. / Reply

    Dear Peggy N South Georgia, well come back, glad you had such a good time at the sales and the farm. Did you go say hello to Baffet?.

    Good night Queen Z, Prince and little princess,

    Good night to all.

    • / Reply

      Dear Maureen,

      No I didn’t go and speak to him this year. After he signed the ticket he talked to a few people then rushed out. I figured he was going to see the new horse he had just bought. What a beauty. I did see him a lot more back in the sales ring in the back and out close to the barns. i think those trainers have a really good time at the sales, maybe because of the competitiveness. I did get to speak to him last year, i got to tell him good luck in Dubai

      I did get to speak to David Ingordo. I asked him how Zenyatta was doing and he told me she was doing good. I made it brief because he was talking to John Sadler at the time. .

  13. / Reply

    Zenny, good morning to you, big girl! It won’t be long now…hope you are enjoying these next few days before 13Z arrives.

  14. / Reply

    Time is getting short. Have any of the Central Kentucky fans staked out the Lexington airport to watch for Jerry and Ann?

    I know she will get the very best of care but will be glad when Z13 is safely here and nursing.

  15. / Reply

    Good luck and safe trips to all the following in the weekend stakes races. Afraid to write the names of the horses since the Elf of Injury reads over my shoulder.

    Mike in the Rebel
    Cory in the Azeri
    Rosie in the Santa Margarita

  16. / Reply

    Good morning to all Z nation fans, hope the night was restful and not too much pacing.
    Good morning Queen Z, hope you too had a good nights rest and not worrying about our little darling princess, she will come out in due time looking as pretty as her mama with her papa’s color. Mean while, continue eating the extra carrot for her beautiful coat and resting up. Have a wonderfully Blessed day. You look as royal and beautiful as always. Love you much.

    Here is wishing every one the best day yet, good health, peace, and God’s favor always. Scottie, still offering up Prayers for your’e healing and it will come. It is well.

    LOL to Prince and little Princess as we await your royal arrival.

    Thanks to everyone at Lanes End for taking very good care of all the horses and our own dear, Queen Zenyatta, it means a lot to us knowing she is well taken care of. Thanks for the new picture, its always such a pleasant surprise and a treat.

  17. / Reply

    Thank you so much for the wonderful photo of our beautiful Queen in all her heavy with foal beauty. She is still the most gorgeous mare on the planet in my eyes! Sandy, that was a wonderful question and Alys, what an informative, detailed answer! It is so reassuring that the mares are watched so carefully when they are turned out during the day. Thank you to Lane’s End, the Mosses and all of Zenny’s connections who keep us informed of her progress. Pacing the floor in Texas, I remain your devoted fan!!

  18. / Reply

    Wow, our Queen looks HUGE! So much bigger than the last photo I saw!

    Loved this article on the foaling process. Praying for a completely uneventful delivery and a healthy, happy foal (a gray filly!!!!).

    Thank you to all at Lanes End for taking such good care of our beautiful Zenyatta!

  20. / Reply

    Counting down. Zenny looks peaceful, very aware she is about to foal. prince or princess, gray or bay, just hoping for healthy.

  21. / Reply

    Looks like right horn……I say filly!! I am right about half the time. We could always tell when mares are within 24 to 48 hrs by the color and stickiness of the discharge from their bags. The other sign was how soft they were around the tail section. The muscles get extremely relaxed. Can’t wait!!!!

  22. / Reply

    I think a lot of folks missed this yesterday. There are some videos of Donna Vowles, the assistant broodmare manager at Lane’s End, explaining some of the foaling process. We were so grateful to see them last year, and our super researcher, Judy Berube, found the link. Even if you did see them before, it’s a good review :-) Thanks again Judy!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVxf8tAeIYE

  25. / Reply

    This is a Repost from Thurs. evening on the Blog
    Thought is was important enought to share again here.

    JOY SCOTT UPDATE Zoe Cadman‏ tweet
    Just spoke to Jockey Joy Scott- who suffered a compound fracture of
    her Knee and Femur on Tues- one surgery already
    awaiting another!

  29. / Reply

    Dear Keta, Judy,Max,everyone, I got an email back from Stonewall. Had a few quesions to ask. They gave Leroi the Pears and they said he liked them very much. I’m so glad, because I got them just for him. I knew if he didn’t like them he was really well a too finicky horse because I tasted one and it was delicious. He liked them, Woo Hoo.
    Keta Thank You so much too for the picture of Leroi above.

  30. / Reply

    Sandy, great question! Horses never cease to amaze me. The fact that a foal can walk just an hour after it’s born blows my mind. I can’t wait to see Z13!

    Shirlee in Indy, I never thought to stake out the airport to watch for the Mosses! Great idea.

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