Pregnant mares, foal gender, and the "nail test"

ribbons

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Having tried this I find sometimes predicts foal sex accurately, sometimes doesn't. However I have found that it does, always so far, confirm a pregnancy from as early as 5 days. My vet threatened to get me certified at first. He is now worrying about losing business with me not bothering with pregnancy scans anymore. He who laughs last and all that.
 

mynutmeg

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Have just done this on my mare this evening and it says a colt - I did it both in the field and then, incase it was the wind, in her stable and both times it was definately and vigrously back and forward, got my sister to do it without her knowing the results and she got a colt as well and her conception date is for a colt by the lunar thing - argh, I want a filly! Well I'll go with healthy mom and foal as I almost lost both when she was 20 days gone and am amazed she kept the foal as the mare was very ill.
Shall let you know if 9 months whether it was correct or not :D
 

diluteherd

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How much movement are you supposed to see - do you see a proper sort of circling / backwards-forwards motion thats hard to miss?
 
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Fwd P2P

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I've done it on my mares today and it's a very definite circle or swing. Give it a minute once you put the nail 2-3" above their pelvis and it'll be obvious. I have 5 months to wait and see if it's right now though!
 

suffolkmare

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Have just found this and thought I'd bump it for Tessybear, if she reads this! Also will get friend to have a go on her BOGOF! Will keep the teens happy!
 

Equi

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Anyone tried their mares yet? I'm getting a faint circle since the last cover (had a line for a foal I believe was reabsorbed as she only had two seasons this summer - one at start and one at end.)
 

micki

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Don't suppose anyone will see this post as it is an old thread now but out of interest i tried the nail test on my girl just to see what happens with a mare that isn't in foal. I got some serious vibration going up the string and it moved away from her back and then started to go in a small arc, so anyone know what that means. I tried it as i tried it on a mare that i know is in foal and didn't get a very big movement from it but it did say that a colt was due with her.
 

Mega

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Hi micki
Can't answer your question but I trued it out mates today. One old mare (not in foal) and it wobbled then went still. The other in foal, due in a month and it swung in a circle quiet definite and fast so maybe a filly? We'll wait and see. I'll be happy as long as mare and foal are healthy 😊
 

Alec Swan

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equi, not sure, but with the last 5 foals which we've had, it's been wrong, every time! :)

It's a bit of harmless fun, for all that. A blood test at circa 100 days is far more reliable, so I'm advised! Those TB mares from the lower ranks, and which were found to be carrying fillies, were often aborted at this stage, with a free return to the stallion being offered. Sad, isn't it?

Alec.
 

Equi

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Very! Harmless fun indeed. I've found it to be untrue also (my mare wasn't pregnant and it told me she was having a filly sooooo)

But I will do it this year with my younger mare who's covered.
 

Luv appyz

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went out and tested this on several different animals yesterday. My pregnant doe (bunny, not deer) isn't pregnant, my buck (bunny) is going to have a litter of all boys. My might be pregnant doe is pregnant, my might be pregnant horse both is and isn't pregnant, and my non-pregnant horse isn't pregnant. I also tried it on myself and got different results every single time. I say it's voodoo. Or coincidence.
 

Luv appyz

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Well I went out and tried it on our rabbits (we raise them) and it didn't work. Our buck is expecting a litter of bucks, and our pregnant doe isn't pregnant at all! I think it's a bunch of voodoo, personally.

I also tried it on my might be pregnant mare two times with a different result each time. Once she was barren and another time she had a colt. Getting the vet out next week to check her, guess we'll see then.
 

Equi

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Getting massive circles so filly. Only two months so May change haha

So i only remembered about this. I DID have a filly lol

This year i have bred both my mares to buckskin stallion i used last year;

Goldie (cream dun) - Colt
Charm (bay) - Filly
Thriller (glack geldinf) - empty :p
 

Hsaam

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I read this and had to try it.

my mare has about a month left and is pretty big. I want a girl but have a feeling it’s a colt.
I did the nail test and at first it went in circles but settled for back and forth. We will just have to wait and see I guess.
 

Hsaam

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We got our suprised today at our 5am check! It was a baby girl she is healthy and brite and mama is happy and curios.
 

Katiesue

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Just out of curiosity, who has done the nail test!!!! I shall be doing the nail test tomorrow, and will wait and see...

http://www.horse-sense.org/archives/20070304134703.php
I've done it on two mares. One I think will foal tonight and the test said a colt. So fingers crossed its right. I did it on my own mare and it said she'll have a filly, but I won't know that until. Late July /August
 

Nmlands

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Hi I have been fascinated reading these posts!! I bought a mare from a dealing yard in January and previously she was a broodmare at a large stud and has had many foals over the last 10 years ? over the last few days she has been showing signs of pregnancy but wasn't sure if it was phantom due to being repeatedly bred So I decided as a bit of fun to do the nail test and it swung in very definite circles. Now I'm very confused but have glimmer of hope!! Has anyone ever had a false reading where they actually havnt been in foal at all ? I know its not medically proven but im a sucker for believing these things lol
 
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