Cody went into labor around 3pm. I called Michael at work and he was so excited he cancelled all his afternoon clients and raced home. She had waxed up with candle wax and her legs were coated with sticky colostrum.

She was in the foaling yard/box but let me know in no uncertain terms she wanted to foal in the foal paddock... so opened the gate for her and she went up the alleyway into the foaling yard.

She pinned her ears at the grey thoroughbred broodie in the next paddock (her best buddy) and began to show signs of imminent foaling.

At 4.30 the bubble appeared! She kept eating grass, even as she went down to deliver the foal. I went up to her and watched the foal's position - it was perfect. One little foot, nose, other little foot. From that point I left her alone to deliver. She got up twice, repositioned herself, then on the third time, Little Cody's head popped from behind her. Within 15 minutes, we had a foal!

Cody looked at me as if to say "phew!"

Within 10 minutes, Cody and Little Cody were up, and the thunder started. An afternoon thundershower was on the way while Little Cody searched for the milk bar.

I tied her placental membranes up with blue twine, then left her and the foal to bond. Once she "cleaned up", I took the placenta, put it in a bucket and inspected it on the pavement. It was perfect. Nothing missing.

We checked on the pair hourly until 2 in the morning.