Is there a way to tell is mare has had a foal before

[twilight01]

As title really is there any way to tell if a mare has previously foaled, someone mentioned you can tell from their teats but not sure what I'd be looking for? I;m thining of putting my mare in foal (to keep for me) but no idea whether she has foaled before or not.

thanks

 

[Spring Feather]

The teats are the best, but not the only way of telling whether a mare has had a foal before. Teats, post suckling, will never ever go back to the teeny little blimps they were beforehand.

 

[ShowjumpingPrincess]

a mare that has had a foal will have a much bigger udder and it will look a bit baggy (where it was once stretched to accommodate milk) the mare will also be A LOT more 'excited' around stallions!!

but theres no need for you to not breed from her if shes maiden!

 

[ShowjumpingPrincess]

and, as spring feather said, the teats will be very long. its easier to recognise if you have a maiden mare to compare your mare with.

 

[twilight01]

thanks, I'll go looking at the other mares on the yard to compare

They do hang a little and there is a dint between them (if that makes sense) but can't say I've ever gone around comparing mare's bits!!

Has anyone got any pictures as examples?

 

[Spring Feather]

Why don't you post a piccie of your mares teats and we'll say what we see

 

[twilight01]

thanks will try and get a pic tomorrow and post for comment - although seems a very strange thing to photograph

 

[Spring Feather]

thanks will try and get a pic tomorrow and post for comment - although seems a very strange thing to photograph

Oh it's not strange in the slightest in this part of the forum. We look at pictures of teats and foofoos every day in here

 

[cundlegreen]

I bought my mare at 7 from the breeder. She had very long teats, but he said that she had never had a foal. Now she's had one, they look just the same.

 

[Megibo]

I've always been convinced my mare I bought last year has had a foal, baggy udder and suspicious teats and, ahem, 'loose' bits! Also her tummy shape and the fact she had 'dead' abdominals when my physio first saw her.

I found out a few months ago she was a brood before being sold at a sales and being backed at 5 so she's had at least 1!

 

[twilight01]

how do you put pics on? can't seem to do it

 

[twilight01]

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/picture.php?albumid=5806&pictureid=23033

not the best but all I could get - thanks