Faded Cotton (Erotic Romance) by Lara Sweety Page B

Each
was a money-earning producer. Over the years, Laurel had picked out
four big, sweet-natured geldings to keep for working cattle,
checking fences and the occasional trail ride or horse show. Ten
head, plus babies was enough.
    The overdue mare had been hard to settle this
time around. She was getting older, and treated for a uterine
infection before she was finally ultra-sounded in foal. Laurel was
afraid she might not carry to term or the foal might not be
healthy. The mare had only missed one year. Laurel wondered if this
would be her last. Her foals took a lot from her; they were all big
babies.
    The mare was a big bay reining horse that had
never seen a show pen because of a scar on her hock. She was slung
low and wide from years of being a broodmare. “Jilly” had raised
several quality colts and fillies. The mare had been noticeably
nervous at feeding time earlier in the evening.
    Derrick had just drifted off when he felt a
shake on the bed. He woke up with a start. “Get your clothes on.
I’m going to need help with Jilly. I can’t get Doc Ramsey’s
answering service, and the other vet is already out on emergency
calls.”
    Derrick bolted up and threw on jeans, a
t-shirt, and boots. He joined a nervous Laurel in the barn.
    “Please be very quiet and as slow moving as
possible. Jilly really likes us both, but instinct can be stronger
than their trust in a human.”
    They both moved close to the dimly lit
foaling stall. The big mare was covered in sweat. She nickered
nervously as she pushed up onto her big belly from lying straight,
legs out. Laurel had felt there was something wrong from the
beginning when the mare seemed extremely uncomfortable. She
normally had easy births.
    Laurel had kept her distance watching the
mare’s labor progress until she realized they had a big
problem.
    “Oh Jilly,” Laurel said, as she realized the
foals front feet were not both accompanying its nose.
    “In between contractions this baby has to go
back a few inches so I can grab that other foot.” Watching the mare
carefully as she rested between hard contractions, Laurel deftly
slipped an arm into the mare’s birth canal, shoved, fished, and
then produced another little hoof. Laurel made a quick adjustment
and then removed her arm just in time.
    “Ow, damn! Mare you could have held out a few
seconds longer.” She gave the mare a disapproving look and massaged
her arm. Derrick looked at her questioningly.
    “A mare can break your arm if you get hung up
in her just right trying to adjust a foal.” She stroked the mare
reassuringly.
    The hard contractions were telling on the
mare; the foal was big.
    “Derrick, get this baby’s legs and when I say
pull, pull gently, and in the same arc as the foal, give a low tug.
She’s gotta pass those shoulders.”
    Derrick looked at Laurel for a moment and
then reached into the torn amniotic sack and grasped the slippery,
wet legs of the foal.
    “Pull.” Laurel said firmly, but in a hushed
tone, watching the mares contracting body, now frothed in sweat,
her shoulders and flank, white.
    Derrick pulled during the contraction. The
mare groaned as she heaved.
    “Stop, she’s done for the moment.” Laurel was
watching the mare carefully.
    It took a couple more tries to get the foal’s
shoulders to pass and a few more to deliver its hips.
    “Holy shit!” Derrick was wide-eyed at how
much space the foal had taken at its hips to pass from the mare. He
pulled the foal away slightly and stepped aside. He inspected a
trickle of blood from his vantage point.
    “I think she has a tear. She’s bleeding.”
    “Wouldn’t surprise me. This foal is huge !” A minute later, the foal was completely free of the
mare and the mare rested uneasily.
    Laurel motioned for Derrick to follow her and
they exited the stall. “We have to give her a chance to take it
from here and not interfere.”
    The mare delivered the placenta in a push,
but a large piece hung on and it was dragging from her as