# hmmm is she getting close?



## farmgirl6 (May 20, 2011)

Mystery suprise pregnant mare came in this evening, tucked into her feed, then just stood shifting legs, no interest in hay, checked under her tail and her whoosit is slack, not hanging open but completely slack, she is bagged but not leaking anything...do I start checking tonight I wonder? figures coldest night here in a long time and hubby in a bad mood....


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

How cold is it supposed to get? You probably should start checking her through the night because it sounds like she's getting close.


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## jennigrey (Jan 27, 2005)

farmgirl6 said:


> coldest night here in a long time and hubby in a bad mood....


Sounds like a good night for a foaling. By mare standards, I mean. Does the forecast show a good blustery storm coming up sometime soon? If so, I'd put my money on a day with a storm over just a cold night and a crabby hubby.


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## farmgirl6 (May 20, 2011)

okay, she put one over on me, this morning she had cleaned up her hay, was back to normal. and her vulva was all tightened up again! she is driving me to drink..I did get a trickle of clear liquid from her bag tho..sigh


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## Cheribelle (Jul 23, 2007)

Not sure I would "milk" her.... I don't know but with the goats and cow I wait. Seems like bacteria could get in once you break that seal?


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## ShyAnne (Jun 18, 2008)

Can you post a pic of her from the side as well as one of her udder?

We regularly test mares milk to determine how close they are to foaling.


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## farmgirl6 (May 20, 2011)

her majesty


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## Rogo (Jan 1, 2006)

=== Not sure I would "milk" her.... I don't know but with the goats and cow I wait. Seems like bacteria could get in once you break that seal? ===


Also, I prefer to have the females keep every drop of colustrum (sp?) for their babies.


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## ShyAnne (Jun 18, 2008)

Testing mares milk once in the am, and once in the pm isnt going to waste any colostrum. All thats needed is one cc of mares milk. From testing for many years I can tell you that colostrum itself doesnt come in until the mare is VERY close to foaling, and once we get the reading its colostrum, theres no need to continue testing, as you typically have a foal in 0-24 hrs. 
Ive seen mares drip for days, and in our experiences, it doesnt test as colostrum. Which is why some mares can drip / stream for days and still provide enough colostrum for their foals.
Farmgirl, your mare isnt quite there in those photos, her udder should get much fuller/ tighter before she foals. And you should notice her belly gets a bit further back , her flanks will fill in some, her vulva will relax and appear longer. It will also get scarlet inside as she gets very close.


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## Rogo (Jan 1, 2006)

Actually, ShyAnne, I'd never test the milk anyway. I've always been told to leave the mares alone and let them do their thing. And I have. There's been a lot of foals born here and I've never seen it happen. I sleep in my bed, not with the mare.

The foaling stalls were each 1/2 acre with a loafing shed. (3 sides and a roof). All of the mares delivered outside, none inside. I'd get up in the a.m., go outside, and be greeted by the new addition. I stayed outside of their area until I saw the newborn nurse and then I'd go in.

Petted mom and the baby, told them they did a great job. That's when I put a halter on the baby and then removed it. Did that a few times. None of the foals objected.

Those sure were great times hand breeding my Mammoth jack and broodmare band. The Mammoth also bred outside mares. A lot of great saddle mules were produced. It really was the good ol' days!


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## ShyAnne (Jun 18, 2008)

It really all depends on what type of management you want to do. Having started out breeding miniature mares, we felt it essential to be there when the mares foaled. Personally, I wouldnt (and havent) missed any mare foaling on my farm. Between the foaling stall, barn cam and milk testing. Because of it, Ive was able to correct dystocias that would have resulted in foal/ mare death. Had I not be able, certainly i would have had timely opportunity to get the mare medical attention, rather than finding my mare the next morning after many hours of unproductive labor. 
Personally, I feel If I allow my mares to breed and get in foal, and spend a year in anticipation, why would I want to miss the big event anyway?!...


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

ShyAnne said:


> It really all depends on what type of management you want to do. Having started out breeding miniature mares, we felt it essential to be there when the mares foaled. Personally, I wouldnt (and havent) missed any mare foaling on my farm. Between the foaling stall, barn cam and milk testing. Because of it, Ive was able to correct dystocias that would have resulted in foal/ mare death. Had I not be able, certainly i would have had timely opportunity to get the mare medical attention, rather than finding my mare the next morning after many hours of unproductive labor.
> Personally, I feel If I allow my mares to breed and get in foal, and spend a year in anticipation, why would I want to miss the big event anyway?!...


I'd never leave a mare alone to foal either, Shyanne I've lost a foal and would have lost the mare if she were alone. Big foal/maiden mare (Vet estimated a 175 lbs-Warmblood not draft) and his shoulders stuck. If I had let it go for her "to do her thing" she would have been dead too. 99% of foalings follow the book but the other 1% need some help, if a breeder doesn't mind losing a foal and/or mare by all means let them foal alone.

I've always found if you stand behind the mare (I'd do this every morning right before turnout) and the day she suddenly goes slab sided (foal has transitioned for delivery) that she will foal within the next 24 hours. I've only missed one mare delivering, I was 16 (so was the mare) it was my first foaling and her fifth.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

I handled my mares much like Rogo and never had any problems with disease, illness or foaling problems. If it can be done, fresh water, plenty of exercise and over more acres is a great benefit but no many people are actually able to keep their mares out on large pastures and a more confined area brings on a whole different set of issues.


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## farmgirl6 (May 20, 2011)

I think there is much to be said for both methods; au natural and supervised..for someone like me who worries endlessly, it is very appealing to have some idea of "when"..I am going to try the "stand behind" method, that makes alot of sense, might take a shot each day to compare in case I don't notice the change at a glance...so love the idea of the camera, which I had power at the outbuildings, can install solar but not sure that would work. wouldn't say I milked her per se, just gave one udder a gentle squeeze as she had not waxed or showed any sign of being in milk, and her udder seems to go up and down, was afraid of edema (do horses even get that...the mare I had has a kid bagged up days ahead and sprayed milk when she walked so much I had to wash her legs!


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

farmgirl6, you totally misunderstand how people like Rogo and I handle foaling. You seem to feel that we kick them out in the middle of a big pasture and go count babies in the spring. 

Just because we use utilize a different system doesn't mean we ignore them or just assume they're fine. A responsible breeder, no matter what system they use, do check their stock regularly and pay very close attention to their health and condition.


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## ShyAnne (Jun 18, 2008)

farmgirl6 said:


> I think there is much to be said for both methods; au natural and supervised..for someone like me who worries endlessly, it is very appealing to have some idea of "when"..I am going to try the "stand behind" method, that makes alot of sense, might take a shot each day to compare in case I don't notice the change at a glance...so love the idea of the camera, which I had power at the outbuildings, can install solar but not sure that would work. wouldn't say I milked her per se, just gave one udder a gentle squeeze as she had not waxed or showed any sign of being in milk, and her udder seems to go up and down, was afraid of edema (do horses even get that...the mare I had has a kid bagged up days ahead and sprayed milk when she walked so much I had to wash her legs!


One thing we also watch for is the udder to stay up. Once it stays full morning and evening youe getting there, sometimes though they will get full for a few days then go back down!~Ugh. Even if you dont test calcium levels in the mares milk, the ph will tell you a lot. 
Remember, each mare is different. Some mares finish filling so close to labor you might not catch the drop in ph. For instance, I had a mini mare test low cal high ph morning and evening, even though her udder went huge and tight 
that am. I had a feeling she would foal. I went out at 10 to test, she didnt even have a drop to give. At midnight I went out again, she sure was looking and acting close, and she tested READY!, over 500 on calcium and her ph was 6.2. She foaled at 130.

I certainly dont mean to sound as if my method is the only right way to foal out a mare. Its a system I use, so I can do everything possible to attend the birth. (I want to attend.) I do however let my mare foal in their stall alone, and I attend only to help IF NEEDED. Hands off till the foal is out, as long as the mare/ foal isnt in trouble. I do help remove the sac, dry the foal, dip the naval, and make sure baby has found the milk bar. I am not an imprinter per say, I just spend a lot of time at the barn every day. Lots of hands on with the foals, like with all my ponies.


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## Sededl (Jan 14, 2011)

Beautiful mare BTW. She is in excellent condition. Her coat looks very nice!!


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## farmgirl6 (May 20, 2011)

wr said:


> farmgirl6, you totally misunderstand how people like Rogo and I handle foaling. You seem to feel that we kick them out in the middle of a big pasture and go count babies in the spring.
> 
> Just because we use utilize a different system doesn't mean we ignore them or just assume they're fine. A responsible breeder, no matter what system they use, do check their stock regularly and pay very close attention to their health and condition.


I do not at all misunderstand your methods; nor did I ever imply you ignore or assume they are fine or kick them out to be on their own, why did you get that from what I said? you read an awful lot into my statement that both methods have merit! I simply was stating the the more "au natural" method, meaning loafing sheds and turnout with regular checking in has its definate appeal and positives as does a more confining methods used by SA and IP to a foaling stall or paddock with a camera/or other observation methods and milk testing, and noted that a worrier like me who is likely to get up unecessarily night after night to check or will lay in bed worrying about it would love the entire camera idea. and as I am going to either check or worry endlessly, I want to try the stand behind and sort of gauge when that insanity should begin please note have no idea even when she was bred, little less what she was bred to! she is 16 years old, and I've no clue as to if this is a first or a 20th foal, so can't help but worry


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## farmgirl6 (May 20, 2011)

Sededl said:


> Beautiful mare BTW. She is in excellent condition. Her coat looks very nice!!


thank you, she is a doll!


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