CORAL FOREST
Foal photos

Here is the just born Coral meeting mom face to face for the first time. About 3:45 PM May 14, 2004. Topaz can't hold her licker ;-).


Trying to get up and managing to look beautiful at the same time (actually I don't think there's such a thing as a ugly baby creature, of any species).


Coral at one day old. Lots of unfolding to do. She weighed 91 pounds at birth and is very tall. I've had foals that could walk under their dam the first few days of life; not this gal!


One day old.


Three days old. Coral is not afraid to be lying down when humans are around. I tried to get Coral and Topaz to move for pictures using a lunge whip; Coral is simply NOT scared of it- cracking it right next to her, repeatedly, had no effect; running it all over her body and legs she seemed to enjoy; even snapping her lightly on the butt with it did not faze her. She is the calmest foal I have had since Pat. Very independent too- getting her turned out and in is a challenge as she is everywhere, exploring. No fear!


Because I can't keep this foal off me long enough to take a picture, it was hard getting this head shot. It doesn't do her justice. You can see her skin is turning dark. Many chestnut based foals (palomino is chestnut based) have pink skin at birth, which then darkens in the first few days or weeks. Cremellos would be an exception, as their pink skin will not darken but remains pink all their life.


This shot had a hint of deja vu in it. If you check Topaz's page you will see a somewhat similar front-on shot of her as a foal with her dam Opal. Coral is three days old here.


Here she is checking out a young persimmon tree. Another Day Three picture; if you believe in the Day 3/Month 3/Year 3 rule, then you can get a glimpse of what a lovely mare this filly will be someday. She is very balanced, with a nice long hip, laid back shoulder and a good length of neck topped by a pretty, expressive face.


I miss a lot of action shots with the digital. Here is one that came out ok.


Just barely caught this! She is 5 days old here. She not only rips around at full speed but does a lovely, very slow collected canter as well.


Ten days old and pretty as a picture. She has really filled out.


Almost two weeks old.


She just has the prettiest head. She LOOKS like a "girl horse".


This much width between the eyes is indicative of intelligence in a horse. Coral learns very quickly and at the tender age of two weeks accepts being clipped, hosed off, fly sprayed, groomed, having her feet handled and is well started on leading. Can you tell I kind of like her?


I have been trying to get a picture of her standing alertly. She strikes a pose and is just beautiful, but then moves before I can take the picture (drat the long lag time on the digital!). Here is one that came out ok, but I wish the house wasn't in the background! Jim had been out mowing and I thought the (riding) lawn mower might attract Coral's attention long enough for me to get a good shot with the digital. Nope. So Jim got out the weed whacker and started trimming the fencelines in the backyard. She took very little notice of that either; in fact in this picture he was about 20 feet *behind* her. I'm not even sure what she was looking at. I just got lucky on this one! 16 days old here.


I did not really expect to get any good pictures on this evening as it was getting dark, but I was pleasantly surprised. I thought the backlighting on Coral in this shot was interesting. Another picture taken at 16 days old.


She just gets prettier and prettier. Coral at one month old, June 16, 2004.


Coral meeting Poet for the first time. I bet you can tell who will be the boss in THIS twosome! July 2004.


I just liked this picture. July 2004.


Hanging out with Poet, July 2004.


I hope she never does anything like this when I ride her! August 2004.


Coral, two and a half months old, August 2004.


Here is Coral's "official" three month old picture, August 2004.


Coral demonstrating her "uphill" collected canter, August 2004.


Coral at four and a half months old, late September 2004.


Coral with Janine Welsh of Homestead Morgans, Baldonnel BC Canada. November 2004.


Carrie, our new dun filly, meets Coral. There was an instant rapport, like the two had known each other forever. If you look closely, it even looks like Coral is smiling in this picture! Both fillies are 7 months old. December 2004.