EXPLORING ICELAND - TOUR OPERATOR
  • Home
  • Our tours
    • Horseback riding tours
    • Hiking tours
    • Group tours
    • Self drive tours
  • About Us
    • Contact
    • Meet our Guides
    • Our policies
  • Blog
  • Deutsch

Exploring Iceland Blog

New life

5/27/2019

1 Comment

 
Picture
In late May 2012 I was expecting a second foal of my mare Sperra.  From the middle of May I went every morning to the maternity field to check on her before going to work. She usually just greeted me quickly and then continued to eat.  But on May 25th she behaved strangely during my usual morning visit. ​​She followed me around everywhere and it felt as if she was asking me to stay.    The milk was flooding out of her udder and I felt it was time for her foal to come into the world.
Usually Icelandic Horse mares prefer to give birth alone and in “privacy” during the night and somewhere out of sight so I was sure she would give birth the following night.  But something told me to stay put.  I called into work and told I would be late that particular day and decided to stick around with my mare whom I could see was in pain.  I did not have to wait long until she laid down and struggled and I could see the foal´s head but nothing more happened and we were both getting desperate.  I knew it should not take mares more than 30 minutes at most to give birth and the time was ticking.  
 ​I called my husband and asked him to help us and then called the vet. Even the vet was nervous during the call but said we had to pull the foal out as fast as we could. So my husband pulled the foal successfully out of the mare and a beautiful and huge black stallion was born on this rather cold May morning at the Álftanes Peninsula. His mother was exhausted and I was in tears. Thankfully they both were OK and I had just witnessed my first (and only) foal to be born. If I had not been there it is most likely both mare and her foal would not have survived.  Since then Sperra has giving birth to two other foals without having any birthing problems.  But ever since that morning me and Sperra have had a special bond.   
Krummi frá Álftanesi, the foal that was born in 2012, is now 7 years old and is still huge for an Icelandic (about 150 cm on the withers) and very beautiful with long mane just like his mother. His riding abilities are getting better every day and if you like, you can try him on one of our hotel based riding tours in Iceland.
​I decided to stop breeding in 2016 but I have to admit that I do miss having a foal running around in the field.   


Text and photos:  SteinunnG ​
1 Comment
Sistem Informasi link
11/22/2023 04:56:34 am

But on May 25th she behaved strangely during my usual morning visit.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Exploring Iceland blog has several authors.

    Categories

    All
    Fishing
    Icelandic Culture
    Iceland Travel
    Iceland Various
    Iceland - Various
    Literature
    Mountaineering
    Northern Lights
    Riding In Iceland

    RSS Feed

Our Tours

Horseback Riding tours
Hiking tours
Self-Drive tours
Group and Family tours


About us
Blog
Deutsch
​Exploring on your own

​
Picture
Picture
Picture

Exploring Iceland

Fálkastígur 2 
225 Garðabær 
​Tel:  +354-519-1555
ID: 531213-2030
VATno: 122187

[email protected]

Opening Hours
Monday  - Friday 
9 – 17

24 hours emergency
​phone number: +354-898-8903

Exploring  Iceland  is a fully licensed Tour Operator and Travel Agency, authorised by the Icelandic Tourist Board.
Exploring Iceland  has an extensive safety plan as required by
​Icelandic law for its tours
Testimonials

​
​Terms and Conditions
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
© COPYRIGHT 2015. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • Our tours
    • Horseback riding tours
    • Hiking tours
    • Group tours
    • Self drive tours
  • About Us
    • Contact
    • Meet our Guides
    • Our policies
  • Blog
  • Deutsch