• Solo • [Warrick] Living the Dream

[Lei'lira]

35th Ashan, 717



Lei'lira sat in silence as she went over her foal records.

Let's see...Kaiyu gave birth seven trials ago, and Smokey gave birth ten trials ago...

Lei'lira still felt guilty about that. Foaling was a tricky business. It was a good idea to separate mares that were due to foal soon from other horses, both for the benefit of the mare and the safety of the soon to be birthed foal. Separating them also made it easier for the mare to be closely monitored for any problems that might occur while she was giving birth. To be on the safe side, she had separated Kaiyu and Smokey from the rest of the herd before she'd traveled to Andaris, but she hadn't been there when her mares dropped their foals. Fortunately both mares were healthy, and there hadn't been any problems. But had one of them had a breech birth while no one was there to help, both mare and foal would have been lost.

Both mares dropped healthy fillies. I'll have to come up with names for them after I get to know the foals a bit more.

Lei'lira jotted down the birth of the two fillies, then paused.

"I'll have to check to see whether Kaiyu and Smokey have entered foal heat yet." she mused out loud.

"Foal heat?"

Lei'lira looked up to see Eri standing in the doorway. She hid a wince. She had not managed to find a way to free the girl yet, and Eri's enslavement was a constant source of pain for them both. But Eri understandably hated being reminded of it, and she hated the thought that she was being pitied even more. So Lei'lira shoved the issue of Eri's slavery aside for now; there was nothing she could do about it, and until she could free Eri, all she could do was make the girl as comfortable, and content as she could.

"Yes. Foal heat is the first time a mare enters heat after she has dropped her foal. It happens anywhere between six and twelve trials after she gives birth. A successful breeding during this time is the only way to guarantee that you get a foal out of a mare each arc. And that's important if you own a breeding farm."

"Which you hope to do some trial." Eri finished with a grin.

Lei'lira nodded.

"So what are you doing now?"

"I'm recording the birth of Kaiyu's and Smokey's foals into my foaling records. I also need to decide which mares to breed to each of my stallions."

Eri gave Lei'lira a confused look.

"How do you do that? Does it even really matter?"

Lei'lira nodded again.

"Diversity is important in your breeding stock. That goes for horses, sheep, dogs...any kind of animal. Inbreeding can cause defects in the offspring."

"So...you have to keep track of which mare has been bred to which stallion so that you don't breed the resulting foal back to its father when it's old enough to be bred?" Eri questioned curiously.

"Yes. Right now, I have two stallions; Darkwind, and Thunder. And I have three mares that I can breed to them. Five if Kaiyu and Smokey have entered foal heat. Since Kaiyu was bred to Darkwind last time, I plan to breed her to Thunder this time."

"Because diversity is important to prevent inbreeding."

"That's right. And since I already have one foal by Darkwind, then that means...?"

"You should breed three of your mares to Thunder, and two to Darkwind to balance things out and create more diversity?"

Lei'lira smiled at Eri as she nodded in agreement. It took her a little while to make her final decision, but she decided to breed Star and Lightning to Darkwind. Stormy would be bred to Thunder, as would Kaiyu and Smokey when they entered foal heat. With the decision made, she jotted everything down into her foaling records. Then it was time to breed her mares.

[Lei'lira]

Lei'lira headed out to the stallion stable, and brought Darkwind out. She began by giving him a good grooming. He was always in a good mood after being groomed, and that would in turn make it easier to work with him.

"So how does all of this work, anyway?"

Lei'lira was happy that Eri seemed to be taking an interest in the farm. She took a few trills to gather her thoughts.

"Well, a mare's cycle runs anywhere from eighteen to twenty three trials. She shows signs of being in heat for somewhere between three to seven trials of that time. Five trials is the average length. When a mare is in heat, she can be bred."

"How can you tell if a mare is in heat?"

"There are a number of ways. Physical signs include urinating frequently when in the presence of a stallion or gelding. A mare may become very sensitive to being groomed, especially around her flanks and belly. She may also experience mood swings, especially irritation. She may also be very distracted by her condition, and as such, likely to ignore commands from you if you are trying to ride or train her. And if she is kept with a herd, it is possible that you will have trouble with removing her from the rest of the herd."

"What kind of trouble?"

"She isn't likely to try and fight you if that's what you are thinking. But there is a good chance that she will call out to her herd constantly."

Eri nodded. Lei'lira could almost see her committing the information she was getting to memory.

"And how do you know if a mare is pregnant?"

"That's harder. The average gestation period for a mare is roughly three hundred and twenty to three hundred and sixty two trials. Most mares give birth within three hundred and thirty, and three hundred and forty five trials. But a pregnant mare usually begins showing one hundred and eighty trials into her pregnancy. A skilled vet may have ways of knowing if a breeding is successful before a mare starts to show, but if so, I don't know what they are. So short of waiting the one hundred and eighty trials to see if the breeding was successful, there is one sure way to guarantee that your mare is bred successfully."

"How?" Eri asked with obvious interest.

"By using an herb called Saikuru. A single dose made from one part of the plant will force a mare into heat even if she isn't in heat already. It will also guarantee that she takes when bred."

Eri's eyes widened.

"You said one part of the plant...what parts can be used?"

"The flowers, stems, leaves, and roots."

"And...what happens if more than one part is used when making a dose of this stuff?"

"Using more than one part of the plant to make a dose will make the drug more potent. This may cause multiple births, especially in animals who are prone to them, or people who have twins in their family. It will also cause animals that birth litters like cats and dogs to bear litters on the larger side of average for their species. And using the entire plant will ensure multiple births. Twins are extremely rare in horses. Only one mare in ten thousand will conceive twins. And fewer of those will see both foals surviving full term. Even fewer will result in a safe delivery where both foals and the mare survive the birthing. But this herb will cause a mare bear twin foals if used the right way. Women who are given a dose made from the whole plant will give birth to twins or triplets; there's even a small chance of quadruplets or quintuplets."

Eri's eyed widened even further.

"This herb can be used on people as well as animals?!"

Lei'lira nodded grimly. Her eyes darkened as she remembered that the herb had been used on her, resulting in her current condition.

"So...so why use it if it's so dangerous? Bearing twins sounds like its awfully dangerous for a mare..."

"It is. Saikuru is often used by farmers because it makes breeding their livestock easier. You just have to be careful when using it. The herb isn't poisonous, but misusing this plant can lead to dangerous pregnancies that may end in the loss of mother and offspring alike."

Eri nodded slowly.

"Are you using it?" she asked.

"Yes I am. This is the first arc I am using it to aid in breeding my mares, but I do have personal experience with the herb."

Eri didn't ask, and Lei'lira didn't offer any more information on the matter. Instead, she asked Eri to go get Star. The younger girl was quick to do so. When she returned, Darkwind began showing immediate interest in the mare. Knowing that that was a good sign, Lei'lira released the mare, and allowed nature to take its course. Once Darkwind had lost interest in Star, Lei'lira gave the mare a good grooming while she asked Eri to go get Lightning. By the time Eri returned with the mare, Lei'lira was finishing up with Star.

"What took you so long?"

"Lightning gave me a lot of trouble getting her out of her stall. She's in a really bad mood, and she didn't seem to want to leave the barn. Those are signs of her being in heat, aren't they?"

Lei'lira nodded. She asked Eri to bring Star back to her stall. Then she presented Lightning to Darkwind, allowing nature to take its course once more.

Off Topic

The 5 SN for 5 doses of fresh Saikuru made with one part of the plant has been deducted from my ledger

[Lei'lira]

There were three more mares to breed, so after she had finished grooming Lightning, she asked Eri to bring her back to her stall while she brought Darkwind back to his. With that done, she brought Thunder out and began giving him a good grooming.

"How long can a mare be ridden while she is pregnant?" Eri asked when she came back.

It was a good question. Normally it wouldn't matter since Lei'lira rarely wanted to leave her farm. But with the need to make the trip to Andaris periodically until she was able to free Eri, she needed horses that were able to get them there.

"A pregnant mare shouldn't be ridden past one hundred and eighty trials into her pregnancy. Sometimes that can be extended to two hundred and forty trials, but not beyond that. And she shouldn't be ridden again until her foal is at least ninety trials old. So it won't become an issue for a couple of seasons. If need be, we can probably borrow a couple of horses from our neighbors if it takes longer than that to free you."

When Lei'lira finished grooming Thunder, she asked Eri to bring Kaiyu to be bred next.

"How can you tell when a mare is about to give birth?" Eri asked when she returned with the mare.

Lei'lira waited long enough to make sure that Thunder was very interested in Kaiyu before releasing the mare. Knowing that Thunder would handle things from there, she turned back to Eri.

"After roughly three hundred and fifteen trials of pregnancy, a mare's udder may drip, and the muscles around her tail head may become more relaxed. The yellowish fluid that might have been starting to seep out a little earlier will turn into the first milk, or colostrum. Shortly before birth, the mare will appear restless. She may paw the ground and check her sides. The symptoms she shows are similar to those of a horse suffering from colic. Her belly may appear to drop, as the foal positions for birth. At this point, birth is imminent and the mare must be checked frequently for signs of foaling."

Once again, Lei'lira could almost see Eri digesting the knowledge she had been given. She gave her a few bits to think about what she had learned while she finished grooming Kaiyu. Then it was time to breed the next mare, so Lei'lira asked Eri to bring Kaiyu back and get Smokey.

"Is there anything else I should know about breeding horses?" Eri asked.

Lei'lira bit back a laugh as she nodded.

"Lots. It isn't something you can learn quickly. But one of the most important things to know is that mares are very devoted mothers. Once a foal is born, the best way to have a happy, contented mare and a calm, confidant foal is to leave mother and foal together uninterrupted. Unless one of them is injured in some way, interfering with a mare and foal in the early stages will only cause them both distress, and make them wary of you."

Thunder was finished with Smokey, so Lei'lira began grooming her. Eri jumped in to help, and between the two of them, the task was done quickly. Without needing to be asked, Eri brought Smokey back to her stall, and returned with Stormy. Like the others, Thunder showed definite interest in her as soon as she got close enough for him to pick up her scent. Lei'lira released the mare and watched while Thunder approached her. When she saw that Stormy was accepting his advances, she turned back to Eri once more.

"Another interesting fact is that a stallion can sire up to two hundred foals per arc. That isn't as important for us since we don't have anywhere near that many mares to breed. But for a farm that has a good enough reputation for people to seek them out with breeding requests, that becomes more important to keep track of."

Eri nodded. Then she grinned.

"Do you think you will ever have that many mares, or be known well enough for people to want to breed their mares to your stallions?"

Lei'lira did laugh this time.

"I certainly hope so!" she exclaimed softly enough not to disturb the horses.

When Thunder was finished with Stormy, Lei'lira and Eri gave her a good grooming before bringing her back to her stall.

[Maebella]

Grading Checklist

Thread List Up to Date?	Yes
Skill Point Ledger Up to Date?	Yes
Money Ledger Up to Date?	Yes**
Fame Ledger Up to Date?	Yes
Solo or Collab?	Solo
1500 words or more?	Yes
Number of Posts	3
No. of Skill Knowledges Due	6

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**Activity in Zi'da 717 but there's no wage request in so no way to deduct expenses; otherwise up to date

Rewards

Lei'lira

Skill Points: 10

Knowledges:

• Skill
  • Animal Husbandry: Horse; the average gestation period is 320-362 trials, but most mares give birth within 330-345 trials; on average, a pregnant mare begins showing 180 trials into her pregnancy
  • Animal Husbandry: Horse; a mare's cycle runs 18-23 trials with her showing signs of being in heat for 3-7 trials, 5 being average
  • Animal Husbandry: Horse; the signs that a mare is close to foaling
  • Animal Husbandry: Horse; foal heat is the term for a mare's first heat after giving birth; it occurs 6-12 trials after a mare gives birth, and successfully breeding her during this time is the only absolute chance of getting a foal from her each arc
  • Animal Husbandry: Horse; mares due to foal should be separated from other horses both for the benefit of the mare and the safety of the soon to be birthed foal. In addition, separation allows the mare to be closely monitored for any problems that may occur while giving birth
  • Mount: Horse; a pregnant mare shouldn't be ridden past 180-240 trials into its pregnancy, and shouldn't be ridden again until its foal is at least 90 trials old
• Non-Skill
  • Horses: mares are very devoted mothers; the best way to have a happy, contented mare and a calm, confidant foal is to leave mother and foal together uninterrupted
  • Horses: stallions can sire up to 200 foals per arc
  • Horses: only about one in 10,000 horses have twins, and even fewer survive birth
  • Lei'lira: hates the thought of Eri being a slave
  • Eri: hates being reminded that she is a slave
  • Eri: hates being pitied
  • Saikuru: is not poisonous, but misusing this plant can lead to dangerous pregnancies
  • Saikuru: a single dose made from one part of the plant (flowers, or leaves, or roots, etc.) used on a female, will guarantee that they will become pregnant, even if an animal is not in heat, or if a woman has given birth recently
  • Saikuru: using more than one part of the plant will make the drug more potent, and may cause multiple births, especially in animals who are prone to them, or people who have twins in their family; this will also cause animals that birth litters (like cats and dogs) to bear litters on the larger side of average for their species.
  • Saikuru: using the entire plant will ensure multiple births; horses will bear twin foals, women will give birth to twins or triplets with a small chance of quadruplets or quintuplets, and so on
  • Saikuru: works on both people, and animals

Loot: 5 foals! 3 fillies and 2 colts to be precise - courtesy of the fairest coin toss ever - although you can decide which mare gives birth to each!

Injuries/Overstepping: No

Fame: No

Magic EXP: No
Wow! The amount of information in this thread is kind of amazing! I learned things about horses, many things about horses in fact, and I'll let you in on a secret - I don't actually like horses! That being said, all of your horses had a little bit of personality that managed to creep in while nature was taking its course. Lei'lira's interaction with Eri was fun to read and I'm now intrigued by both of them. Eri seems well on her way to becoming Lei'lira's horse breeding partner if she sticks around and Lei'lira might just gain that excellent reputation after all and have everybody looking to breed with her stallions. Seems a pretty productive trial's work to me! Tricking me into learning things through fun reading, there's that too, haha!

As an important note, I let it slide this time (with permission obviously) but in regard to knowledge acquisition, it's best to have Lei'lira learn things from another NPC, say, before teaching them to an NPC. So just for future reference, acquiring a piece of knowledge in thread seemingly from the air and then immediately passing it on isn't advisable. Otherwise, you're all good! Well done and sorry for the wait!
Don't forget to edit your request as having been graded, here!