19/03/2021
The 10th March was a very big day on our farm as beautiful Feather also birthed her foal at 11.20pm. We are so happy to welcome her son, TWHW Feather Ak'éí Oak to the world. A gorgeous c**t, bright, strong and a laid back little fellow.
Sensitive Feather was showing signs for days and we wondered if she was holding back to allow the dominant mare Scout to foal first. All day after Scout foaled, Feather looked uncomfortable and her milk started dripping around midday.
She waited until the cover of darkness and her labour progressed. I could hear her restless movement and once she lay down her waters broke and her little c**t was quickly born. Her yearling filly Moon was with her for the birth. As Feather cleaned her foal, Moons breath warmed him as she gently sniffed him. Scout, Comet and Dawn were close by welcoming him. As with Comet this really stood out at his birth and so Ak'éí, the Navajo word for family is one of his names.
Once little Oak was on his feet and moving with his mum I fell into bed exhausted! Early the next morning Leila and I were up to check on him and as we watched him feeding strongly from Feather a big moth flew past. We entertained so many names...Bogong for the moth and nearby mountain, Duet for both foals on the same date and then his beautiful forever person Thao saw the Oak in his star. And Oak just seemed to fit him, from the name of this farm The Oaks, to the giant oaks that sheltered his family from the heat and smoke last summer, and the oaks that are in his heritage. Welcome little one.