It's getting closer!!!!!

[wynter]

Fingers crossed baby won't be too now

 

[mynutmeg]

She's doing well - bag's not really going down during the day but certainly isn't full yet. I think another couple of weeks and we should have a foally

 

[Spring Feather]

Well I have a kind of odd thing going this year. The mare who is due first is different this year from previous years. Her foal has dropped and is in position however her other signs are still on track for a foaling in about a weeks time. So not too sure what is going on. I've foaled her out a number of times so I'm just putting it down to the foal getting ready early. I won't milk test her till she's showing more signs herself and tbh if it wasn't for the foal dropping into position I would still be going by her foaling early next week. BUT I am watching closely for any quick changes the mare may make. All is ready for them apart from the new cameras being installed, but I still have the old cameras in place so could flip to using them if the new ones aren't all-go by tomorrow. I'm out with the mares most of the day and this mare has always foaled in the daytime so I'm just taking it as it comes. The other mares aren't due till the following week and they are progressing as they usually do.

 

[Victoria25]

Im new to all this baby positioning – is it true they seems to ‘shrink’ about four weeks prior to birth and then drop about 4 days before giving birth? My mares stomach seems to have shrunk over the last two weeks?? x

 

[texas]

Mine was due last Sunday and has been getting bigger over the last 4 weeks. Bag is big but could be a bit bigger, bum is slack but could be a bit slacker. I don't think she's dropped yet either. Very quiet foal (hopefully a filly!). She didn't do any signs last time and was two weeks late, so I am totally panicking. Installing wireless video baby monitor tonight so that I can watch her without disturbing. Haven't bedded down yet either as I hate straw. She is a bit shy about having her bits and bag inspected so no milk tests for me, and spent the entire time from foaling to weaning trying to murder me if I went near her foal last time. Hopefully in the last couple of years since she trusts me more?? Eeeeek aaarrgghh! Lol.

 

[amy_b]

If there's one thing my mares belly HASN'T done in the last couple of weeks, it's shrink!! She has balooooned!! I mean, blossomed. She is glowing and all that, that was what I was telling her tonight anyway when she was positively feeling fat and bothered!! She is on day 329, it's been such a long wait!!!! I so nearly googled X-ray glasses because I can't wait any longer...!!! I'm getting ginger vibes...although I'm nearly as tired as her from 329 days of combining the filly dance with the more technical palomino salsa...

 

[mynutmeg]

Roo's huge - she almost looks enormously obese except you can actually feel her ribs

 

[Deli]

My maiden mare is at 309 days. I was able to express some milk today but the bag is pretty much non-existant. Im hoping this is normal.

 

[Victoria25]

@Nutmeg - my girl looks a little ribby these last two weeks ... she's fine at the best of times - stomach big underneath feel like ive not fed her enough the greedy monster!

@Deli My maiden is 337 days and still no bag seens loads with huge bags and heard a lot of people saying theirs didnt even bag up first time so hoping she's one of those - foal is very lively though

 

[texas]

Day 347. She went 'slab sided' day before yesterday, but her bag is nearly at bursting point overnight but still a little smaller after turnout. Knackered after staying up last night to watch her sleep

 

[mynutmeg]

I'm quite liking being able to feel ribs - Im struggling a bit to decide between she's putting fat on ad baby so it's quite reassuring. She's one of those that puts weight on really easily

 

[Magicmadge]

My standard shetland is approx 300 days now. I weigh taped her yesterday and was pleased to see that at 222 she is 30kg less than last summer (not pregnant, oh dear). I can just about feel ribs, but she is hugggge. Her bag is larger in the morning softer in the evening. Fluid is clear and easily expressed, although i wont be expressing to test with the milk strips for some time yet. She does have full areas in front of udder though. I will post some pics of her over the weekend. Foal is still active, but she is irritated at times, pawing, licking, chewing and head shaking. More but smaller poos.
.

 

[mynutmeg]

Well her bag has been continuing to develop and her calcium levels have started to climb - she's now about 250ppm instead of 180ppm but ph is still about 8 so we're on the way but not in the next few days.
She's changed in personality and become very calm and quiet and very snuggly, even more so than normal as well as being much looser in poopy habits. Her butt and vulva are also really floppy. Her vulva is normal pretty tight and when I was cleaning her cause of the loose poop she was just flopping open

At least foaling kit is now together and camera has arrived and have finished work for next 3 weeks so am pretty much organised but I wont be surprised if she picks next Friday cause it's a friends party and first night out in ages but if her testing indicates foally's on the way then obviously can't go so she's going to continue her awkward ways and pick then

 

[Lgd]

Well her bag has been continuing to develop and her calcium levels have started to climb - she's now about 250ppm instead of 180ppm but ph is still about 8 so we're on the way but not in the next few days.

Don't bet on it, I used the foal watch kits for my first homebred - my old lady whacked up her calcium levels and foaled less than 24hours from hitting 250ppm. She was around that at 6am in the morning and by 5pm she was well over 300ppm and vet on alert. Foaled at 3.30am.

My very sneaky maiden last year did not have enough to even test, minimal wax for a couple of hours, odd drips of milk and foaled that night.

 

[carolineg]

Sooo exciting!!! my maiden mare is 335 days, bag pretty full, muscles and vulva relaxed and loose. Foal quieter tonight and has moved I think...mum definately seems to have changed shape. But no waxing up. Cameras not up and running until tomorrow, going out to check her in a bit. I'm getting nervous now

 

[mynutmeg]

She's not changed shape yet but whatever is coming out her bag has gone paler and she's getting crystals of it on the end of her teats but doesn't look like the pics of wax and isn't very much.
She's 328 days today

 

[mynutmeg]

One other thing I've noticed over the last few days is that her vulva seems swollen out a bit, just kinda 'fuller' almost like lips that have had filler injected

 

[carolineg]

...Still no waxing up...but camera installed and am now watching my mare munching her haynet modern technology is awesome!

 

[mynutmeg]

...Still no waxing up...but camera installed and am now watching my mare munching her haynet modern technology is awesome!

I have a camera organised but need to be on site for it to work as is radio wireless rather than internet as no internet at the yard so won't be able to watch until we're stopping up overnight - not doing that till milk shows she's a bit closer

 

[Queenbee]

Seriously??!! I MEAN SERIOUSLY??!! This thread has been running for nearly two weeks and not one of them has had the good grace to drop a foal yet?!!

Tell them to get a move on

*please*

 

[mynutmeg]

Seriously??!! I MEAN SERIOUSLY??!! This thread has been running for nearly two weeks and not one of them has had the good grace to drop a foal yet?!!

Tell them to get a move on

*please*

I know! It's getting ridiculous now

I think Roo will some point in the next week or so but not the next couple of days - milk tests haven't changed since last night although she's filling out nicely in her udders

 

[Scarlett]

My girl is 345 days today and is looking close. We had lying flat out in the stable groaning last night and she's been uncomfortable all day. No wax but her body shape has changed today quite dramatically. She's currently eating but swings between that and looking miserably at her belly. Our web cam has handily crashed so checking her every 30 min tonight, just incase!

 

[Spring Feather]

Seriously??!! I MEAN SERIOUSLY??!! This thread has been running for nearly two weeks and not one of them has had the good grace to drop a foal yet?!!

Tell them to get a move on

*please*

One of mine foaled this morning at 330 days. The next mare has readings of 5.8ph and 800 calcium so she will foal tonight most likely at 328 days.

 

[Queenbee]

One of mine foaled this morning at 330 days. The next mare has readings of 5.8ph and 800 calcium so she will foal tonight most likely at 328 days.

Don't believe you... Not without cuteness factor photographic evidence

Good luck for tonight

 

[Choccie]

Had a false alarm last night, lots of digging, rolling & groaning...... just wind! Just as well as she needs to bag up a bit more.

 

[carolineg]

I know!!! I had a good chat with my mare today and told her to get a wriggle on . Bag is bigger but nothing else happening...I think she's just decided it may be easier to hang on to her foal FOREVER!!!!

 

[mynutmeg]

calcium is slowly increasing - she's about 300 or so now

 

[Spring Feather]

Don't believe you... Not without cuteness factor photographic evidence

Good luck for tonight

Lol and thank you We had another filly and she is cute as heck! Once they're all out (I'm about to test the next mare this morning) I'll get some nice piccies of them all and post

 

[mynutmeg]

pics are most definately required!

 

[Spring Feather]

2 of my mares tested to foal within 24 hours this morning. One is already in 1st stage labour so she won't be too much longer; she's usually a pretty quick foaler.

What are your readings today Mynutmeg? Sounds like your mare is slowly starting to make moves.