Maiden mare confusing me

My maiden had a small udder but no milk being able to be expressed prior to foaling. For me, it was the relaxation of the tail, the lengthening of the vulva and softness of the tail head that was most accurate. The night she foaled, I checked her at 11.30 pm and she was eating a biscuit of alfalfa hay very happily. The alarm went off at 2.30 am, I was outside 5 minutes later to find 2 hooves and a nose out, and the baby was out fully about 5 minutes later. Good luck, I hope she foals soon, I discovered that, much like a watched pot never boils, a watched mare never foals ?
 
We are getting close…. Mares bag can’t be much bigger now. pH is practically 6.2 but the milk colour is still a shade off being correct. It’s very sticky and sweet though.
 
As previously mentioned, it’s not so much “taking milk off”. It’s enough to just wet the pad of the pH test strip so I know exactly what’s what and can control the outcome to the best of my ability I.e. notify local vet, camp out in the stables etc. This is a verified useful process used probably by majority of studs in the world.
 
Interesting read, thank you.
When my mare produced BOGOf foal there was no way she would have let me 'milked her', so looked at her coup muscles, it was so obvious in her when they 'relaxed' and foal was born the next day.
Photo as soon as its born please..
 
I’m another who finds this fashion of milking mares bonkers, having milked cows for a living the risk of introducing bacteria to the teat canal and causing E. coli mastitis makes it a no go for me, never mind the loss of colostrum ?‍♀️ If they’re running milk I can see sticking a ph strip under, but no way would I be squeezing away especially if you’ve no experience milking you could also damage teat structure
 
TigerTail said:
I’m another who finds this fashion of milking mares bonkers, having milked cows for a living the risk of introducing bacteria to the teat canal and causing E. coli mastitis makes it a no go for me, never mind the loss of colostrum ?‍♀️ If they’re running milk I can see sticking a ph strip under, but no way would I be squeezing away especially if you’ve no experience milking you could also damage teat structure
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If the mare was running milk, there is absolutely not point in sticking a pH stick underneath it as foaling is already imminent and if the milk is milk then the pH is already 6.2.
Different strokes for different folks.
It’s a proven science.
 
Are you sure she still pregnant sometime they can miscarriage at 2 to 3 months the foal disappear. she doesn’t look like she producing a lot of milk.
 
I was very excited to be sharing my upcoming foaling adventure with this forum but this thread has completely put me off. The OP is clearly doing the very best by her mares at a hugely anxious time when all you care about is the safe arrival of the foal but people cannot help sticking their ill educated noses in and predicting disaster. ?

@ConnemaraFolk I really hope we get some baby pics today!!
 
TheMule said:
I was very excited to be sharing my upcoming foaling adventure with this forum but this thread has completely put me off. The OP is clearly doing the very best by her mares at a hugely anxious time when all you care about is the safe arrival of the foal but people cannot help sticking their ill educated noses in and predicting disaster. ?

@ConnemaraFolk I really hope we get some baby pics today!!
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Oh no! Please do share, despite having 3 mares a foal is not in my future so I like to live vicariously through others :D

OP, do ignore the armchair expert comments. Milk testing is standard and shouldn't even be labelled as "milking". Ironic for Smoky 2022 to comment given their comment on the "Knowall Novices" thread :D I wish you a healthy foal and not many sleepless nights on the way there :)
 
Northern said:
Oh no! Please do share, despite having 3 mares a foal is not in my future so I like to live vicariously through others :D

OP, do ignore the armchair expert comments. Milk testing is standard and shouldn't even be labelled as "milking". Ironic for Smoky 2022 to comment given their comment on the "Knowall Novices" thread :D I wish you a healthy foal and not many sleepless nights on the way there :)
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Echo this, I hopefully will be doing it all again but I'm a total novice so really get a lot from other people's stories. I got a lot of helpful advice from the generosity of folk on here and also the foaling hub on FB. It's one thing reading the books but getting to share the realities is really valuable.
 
I have not stopped thinking about this thread I'm so excited I can't wait for little foal pictures.

Please everyone who has a foal on the way don't let the the arse holes on here put you off, it's my favourite thing on here I have always wanted to breed a foal and I still sort of have time, although I will be quite an old lady by the time I can ride whatever I produce ? but I live in hope.
 
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