How long do you think she has to go?

[Bri]

Vet confirmed my mare was in foal about 3 weeks ago (BOGOF!) and said she thought about a month or so until she foaled.
I've been reading posts on here and info online to as this is all new to me (if anyone can recommend some good websites about foaling would be very greatful?) and from what I've read I think she still might have quite a way to go. I know they can spring it on you and surprise you though - so trying to be prepared!

These photo's are from this evening, just wondering if people could say from them how long she has to go roughly? And if anyone has any photo's I could compare it too - say of a mare close to foaling - would be really interested in seeing them.

Thanks in advance

 

[LilMissy]

Have you got any idea about dates? When did you buy her etc?

Did the vet do a rectal or scan?

From the pictures I would say you have a while to go, The books would say that she needs to bag up, her vulva is tight and she hasnt 'dropped' ie her belly will get lower and more pointy. Also, her ligaments in her tail and backend will noticeably relax and her tail will go 'floppy' in that you will be able to swing it from side to side quite easily without her tensing against you.

HOWEVER, this weather is playing havoc with mares and they are at the end of the day very likely to do thier own thing! They can be MOST awkward!! So be warned! She will probably foal when you arent looking!

Good luck x

 

[Miss L Toe]

Also once they wax up [often tiny glistening drops on the end of teats] foaling could occur within two days. She looks in lovely condition.

 

[Bri]

We bought her late November. Vet confirmed from a rectal, guessing if she'd been scanned they would have been able to give a more accurate due date?

The only signs I've noticed so far are a very slight increase in the size of her bag/teats and a softening in her muscles behind. Either side of her tail feels like jelly- is this something that can happen weeks in advance?

Fully expecting her to catch me out! At what point do I need to start checking her in the middle of the night etc? Have been reading posts on here where people have been camping out for weeks waiting for foal to arrive, so feeling like I should perhaps be doing more?!

 

[Bri]

Thanks Miss L toe- really pleased with how well she's looking as she was really poor when we bought her. Did wonder whether she should be getting hard feed now, at the moment she's just on grass & hay?

 

[Miss L Toe]

Thanks Miss L toe- really pleased with how well she's looking as she was really poor when we bought her. Did wonder whether she should be getting hard feed now, at the moment she's just on grass & hay?

Yes I would start her on D&H Mare and Youngstock, phone up the helpline for advice, I got my 14.1 mare up to nearly 2kgs per day at peak after foaling, she had had no feed previously as it was immaculate conception, apparently.
One T.B. stud I worked on fed a big scoop of stud cubes for four to six weeks before foaling.

 

[Bennions Field]

she looks beautiful lovely condition and positively blooming ! i would show you some photos of my mare taken at weekly intervals towards the end of the pregnancy but she really didnt look that pregnant even the day before she foaled, she did slowly bag up but never had a huge bag to be honest and therefore i did milk test with the ph indicators (cost around £6 from the local pool/garden centre), the ph drops to around '6' when they are around 24 hrs within foaling.

one website i found invaluable was www.yellowhouseranch.com/foaling.htm it was full of pictures and info, really helpfull.

Could you get the vet out or is there a local stud you could ask to come and look at her, to be honest the stud might be the better option especially if the vets are not repro specialists.

best of luck, and hopefully you will sortly be the very proud owner of a little foalie

 

[magic104]

5th Mar she foaled 10th Mar

Hope that helps though all are different & this was her 4th pregnancy

2 Jun both maidens foaled 6 & 9th June

19 May foaled 6th June maiden mare

 

[GinnieRedwings]

Also once they wax up [often tiny glistening drops on the end of teats] foaling could occur within two days.

... except when they wax up for 3 weeks before foaling like one of mine does.


I also think you have a while to go. Though stay on the ball because things can change very quickly and some mares simply show no signs. Read up on milk testing. It is the most useful tool I've come across to help narrow down foaling date.

http://www.yellowhouseranch.com/foaling.htm


Also, please please please do not overfeed before birth. It's the best recipe for an enormous foal and birthing problems. Add a good vit & mins supplement and feed for condition ONLY. Ad-lib forage (grass, hay) + vits & mins supplement is all she needs, unless she struggle to keep weight on (and from that pic, she doesn't seem the type )

You can start her on a stud balancer when she foals (slowly increasing the amount over 2 weeks) - she will need the extra protein to produce milk. But even then, feed for condition and be very careful she doesn't overdo the foal. Growing too fast is very bad for young joints.

Good luck, it's a great experience. Make sure you are well prepared - plenty of threads on here about what to do - make sure the birth is attended and you know what to expect and what things going wrong look like...

And enjoy x

 

[Bri]

Thank you all for your help, trying to absorb as much information as I can so I can be as prepared as possible.

BennionsField, I've had the vet out already but as we're in a very rural part of Wales they're not really equine specialists so to speak! I know there's a lot of welsh pony studs around us so I might give one of them a call - feel uncomfortable asking someone I don't know for help though, don't like the idea of being a burden. Thanks for the website recommendation, will check it out now.

Magic104 - Thank you for the pictures, you're obviously well used to this foaling malarky! They all look much more how I would expect a very pregnant mare to look. To be honest if I couldn't see the foal moving then I'd probably just suspect my mare of being fat.

GinnieRedwings - Thanks for your input. Is there a particular vit+min supplement you'd recommend? And just give it to her with a handful of alfa a or something? I'm really happy with her condition at the moment, particularly as she was very poor in Nov. The vet didn't think she needed any feed, but as already mentioned they're more of a general farm vet than equine specialists.

For those who have mentioned the milk ph strips - I'm assuming she needs to be leaking milk to be able to use those?

It's the making sure the birth is attended part that I'm concerned about. Worried she's going to take me by surprise and not look like she's anywhere near foaling right up until she drops...don't want to start getting up to check in the night now though if she still has weeks and weeks to go!

 

[Toast]

I'd also say she has a little way to go yet, i'd suggest you put her on Dodson & Horrel Suregrow. Its a great vit & min supplement geared at mares and youngstock.
Good luck! Shes in lovely condition

 

[MoodleCob]

Congratulations!

I have no idea about how long she would have to go but my mare didn't wax up at all. I used some Ph testing strips bought from Pets at Home to test the milk (took from the same udder each time), I managed to be there when she foaled. I also use D&H mare and youngstock mix, my mare is a Hoover at the moment

Good luck!

 

[GinnieRedwings]

Is there a particular vit+min supplement you'd recommend? And just give it to her with a handful of alfa a or something? I'm really happy with her condition at the moment, particularly as she was very poor in Nov. The vet didn't think she needed any feed, but as already mentioned they're more of a general farm vet than equine specialists.

D&H Surelimb is great (Suregrow is actually a balancer, so hightened calory content and probably not recommended for a good doer - no matter what the salespeople - so called "nutritionists" - at the feed companies tell you ). Surelimb used to be pelletted, but now comes in powder form, I think, so mixed in a handful of Alfa A or similar is fine.

I think your vets are spot on, even if they aren't specialists. You wouldn't believe the number of dystocia and limb deformities due to massive overfeeding of infoal mares - and that's not my opinion, but that of my very specialist stud vet.

For those who have mentioned the milk ph strips - I'm assuming she needs to be leaking milk to be able to use those?

No. As soon as you can extract fluid from the udder you can start milk testing. If your mare is ticklish or doesn't like her udders touched, you can gradually get her used to it by moving closer and closer to the area, then leave your hand there until she stops trying to get away, then take it off and reward with a tasty treat. Works best if you don't normally treat, she'll soon stand stock still whilst you handle the udders, so she can get her treat .

If you have milked a cow or a goat before, you'll know what to do. If not... well wrap your hand around one of the teats, squeeze very gently, then move your hand upwards to stimulate the mammary gland then downwards. Only take a very small amount at a time (1ml).

A combination of pH & Calcium (hardness) testing works best.

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=361719&highlight=milk+testing

It's the making sure the birth is attended part that I'm concerned about. Worried she's going to take me by surprise and not look like she's anywhere near foaling right up until she drops...don't want to start getting up to check in the night now though if she still has weeks and weeks to go!

Well, the milk testing really helps narrow down (for me 2 weeks camping in the paddock to 2 nights! Result!)

But if you are worried and there are studs around, why not send her there on livery to foal down? They're experienced and equipped... take the stress out of it!

 

[Polotash]

I'd agree with your vet that she has 3-4 weeks before you need to start worrying. The number one sign for me is that either side of their tails go completely slack. Waxing up is not a good indicator at all, ignore those who say it is, of 9 mares i've had foal, only one has waxed up!

I would echo Ginnie's comments not to panic about additional feeding. It's summer, the grass is lush, and your mare is well covered, she'll do just fine without hard food. I'd give mum and baby a token handful of chaff every day when he/ she arrives just to get baby used to coming over for a check and rub all over.

I would also recommend you buy "Your mares first foal" by Jane Skepper, it isn't expensive and it guides you through everything that'll happen. It also has a really good timeline of when to worm/ jab etc the mare, as it's important she is treated at the right time. You should have her Tet jabbed now if she hasn't already had it..(4 weeks prior to arrival) then worm baby 4 weeks after arrival (check which wormer with your vet, they can't have Equimax/ Promox etc).

 

[angrovestud]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-r_tgocv9Dw
We made this video last year for some of our customers i do hope it helps the mare in the video foaled the following day they are all different but it gives you an idea good luck

 

[Bri]

Thanks GR, have just had a good read of the milk testing thread - looks like I'm off to the garden centre tomorrow! She is actually very good and not to bothered about having her udders handled. Not sure she has anything there to express at the moment though. Will check out surelimb too, see if the local feed place has it or whether I'll need to order it in.


Polotash - thanks for the book recommendation, off to amazon to see if I can order it now. The muscles either side of her tail have already gone a lot softer, is that normal a few weeks before?

angrovestud - thanks for the video link, have just wasted about half an hour watching foaling videos on youtube!