Can unborn foals get hiccups?

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The last two nights, as Hannah is eating her tea (or just finished it) the little foalie has started having what I assumed to be a paddy because of the way she stretches down to eat her tea. It feels as though it is repeatedly kicking the underside of her belly, and you can see her whole stomach moving around as it kicks out. I put my hand under there last night and could not believe how much I could feel it moving.

Hannah is not bothered at all by it, but then it occurred to me that it could be hiccups. I know I had these when I was in my Mum's tummy, so I wondered whether foals can get them?

It lasted around 10 minutes of constant regular movement.

Thanks,

Rebecca x x x
 
I don't know about foals, but certainly my babies had quite violent hiccups when I was carrying them. However, I have never seen a horse with hiccups; have you? Can they get them?? If they can, then that's probably what it was. If not, I really don't know!
 
No I have never seen a horse hiccup either come to think of it... It did feel as though it was something like that because it was such a regular movement. My friend suggested contractions starting (like humans have a few before the actual event) but again, I don't know whether horses are the same.
 
Very unusual for horses to get hiccups.
Its just the foal moving more as it starts to get itself into the right position for birth.
Quite often you get these busy sessions and then they suddenly dont move at all shortly before birth.
Remember the foal has to turn the other way up to be born as they lay on there backs while growing.
 
Hmmm... thanks Sallyf!

The movement was all at the bottom of her tummy, there was nothing at the sides at all, just a constant banging underneath. You could see it 'kicking' out (if that is what it was doing) and when you actually felt it, it was quite a violent movement.

Like I say, she was not bothered by it though.
 
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Quite often you get these busy sessions and then they suddenly dont move at all shortly before birth

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I suppose it must be like chicks?! They have sudden thrashing around in the egg, to try and get in the right position, and then suddenly stop becuase they are worn out. I expect Hannah's foal is doing something like this, just moving around to get into position. It will take a lot of efforst and energy hence the short bursts.

I never heard or seen a horse with hiccups, i would have thought it would be very unusual for an unborn foal to get them, but im no expert.
 
Thanks Claire... it was just something I suddenly thought of last night. It was very strange, but also quite emotional as although i have seen it moving I have never felt it moving like it was doing last night. I had my ear to her side and my arms wrapped around her under her tummy, and stood there for ages just feeling it.

I was just interested because I have only ever seen it moving on her side, I have never seen it moving in a downwards action...
 
No idea but omg how exciting!!!! Only a few days to go
shocked.gif
!!!
 
Oh it must be emotional!!! Whenever we've had a cat in kitten, i used to love it when the cat sat on my lap and you'd just feel all the kittens move...they would even do sumersaults! lol.
OMG it must be so exciting to feel the foal move around like that.
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They dont actually turn as such until labour starts , i think it is the foal just readying itself if you like .
They can move quite a lot though.
We have one due April 20th (3rd one due ) which has been very active of late just bouncing up and down.
Quite often if you watch the mare after a cold drink the foal will become lively as i expect it can feel the cold water going down.
The amount of movement seems to vary from mare to mare though.
We have one mare due April 4th and you never see her foals hardly move at all.
That might be due to size as always has huge ones.
Who really knows but fascinating anyway.
it may be down to where they carry them either high or low.
 
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. I know I had these when I was in my Mum's tummy

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How on earth do you know this? You can't seriously remember???!!!?????

Foals get hiccups, usually after guzzling at the milk bar - no idea if they can get them in utero, I rather hope not, as they'd surely be gulping in amniotic fluid?

As Sally says, some foals will move around quite a lot and you can really see them banging away in there, most mares don't seem to even notice it. Generally it is the contractions and the restlesness, inc. getting up and down, that turns the foal ready for stage 2 labour.
 
Trike used to get hiccups all the time (not sure if Rambo has experienced this with him yet) but i'm not sure about foaly's.

It must be so exciting actually feeling it move. I am all excited for you ha ha
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
. I know I had these when I was in my Mum's tummy

[/ QUOTE ]

How on earth do you know this? You can't seriously remember???!!!?????

[/ QUOTE ]

I imagine her mother told her.....
crazy.gif


Human foetus' do get the hiccups due to swallowing amniotic fluid (or so I've been led to believe) so maybe this could be what you've seen although I don't know if horses do actually hiccup...
 
Not a foal whiz but surely foaly could well just be kicking? Babys learn to move/reflexes in tummies.... kicking the sides so that there legs reflexes... I remember watching a prog on it.... You know the ones with that creepy hairy Dr.....
 
After having Inky for a few days ( he was about 3 months old ) he came in from the field making rerally strange breathing noises. After 5 minutes of running around like a headless chicken thinking my little baby was at deaths door i rang the vet and explained the symptons. I could only describe that he was breathing funny but they sounded like hiccups. Thinking my vet was gonna call someone to section me he replied "well sounds like hes got hiccups!" I felt a right fool ringing the vet for hiccups but i had never heard of them in the 23years of having horses! But yes an hour later they had gone. Foals do get hiccups ive seen the living proof!
 
Thanks everyone for your replies... I didn't think it was kicking because of where the movement was. The foal should be on its back but the movement was right at the bottom of her tummy and there was no movement at the sides.

There has not really been any movement throughout the whole pregnancy, the odd kicks out at the side, but never for a long period. But this was a constant pulsing (well, banging) at the bottom of her tummy.

Rebecca x
 
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