Signs of Labor?

[Rhino156]

just found out our mare was pregnant the other day and due pretty much anytime now. we noticed speckles on her teats etc and they have dissapeared and since her udders filled a bit more ( even though it isnt that big as it is) her flanks dont seem as sunk in anymore though? its like they seem firmer but do move about still. she seemed quite warmer than usual last night and this morning seemed to be pacing a bit and i noticed her stamping her hind legs and sometimes in a forward motion to her stomach and nipping at her belly, rubbing her bum on the wall. as soon as she was let out she rolled around and grunted. i got scared because i thaught she seemed colicy but she has eatenn all her hay and passed fine ( drank water, everything fine) could this be her coming closer to the event???

 

[HBM1]

my mare, the day before foaling, had some wax, not an overly big bag but it had been getting bigger over the previous two days. She was warmer to touch and hungry! There were a couple of crystal specs on the top of her teats.

the next day she started to pace while I was sat in the stable with her, then started to run milk, pawed at the straw making huge holes in it and nipped at her belly. (She rubbed her bottom a lot in the two days before foaling). In front of my eyes her bag started to fill up and on her pacings past me she would occasionally squirt me with milk! Baby arrived 6 hours after her first pacing.

 

[Alexart]

Some horses don't show any signs at all - hence why you need to watch them like a hawk 24/7!!! Some of mine have done text book foalings with a good bit of behaviour change before they foal - others nothing at all not even waxing up or slackening off much - just out grazing away, then pop!! Every mare is different!!

 

[Rhino156]

That's how our mare is. She seems warm on her belly too. And she is really hungry as soon as we give her her feed she grabs a massive mouthful and pushes the bowl around you'd think we was starving her. She's cooled off now and seems quite sleepy again. It's so confusing

 

[the watcher]

It is likely that when your mare is very close to foaling (as in that evening) she might be less excited about her feed. Having said the plenty of mares scoff their dinner, are polishing off their haynets at midnight and then pop out a foal at 3am.

I would guess that your mare is quite close to foaling, do you have somebody around to help with foaling who has done this before?

 

[Rhino156]

Yeah there's loads of people who breed foals at ours yards so we arnt to worried. And hopefully if it goes smoothly she won't need assistance we are guessing she is pretty close she's around about 350 Days we think because her old owner isn't sure when she covered her.

 

[TrasaM]

I've not been a forum member for long but there seems to a lot of surprise BOGOFs arriving! Exciting though. Do you have any idea what to expect or who's the daddy?

 

[Rhino156]

Well it was a nice coloured stallion and that's all I know we didn't notice until a week ago that she looked different and even though she hadn't been in heat we thought nothing of it. We are really exited as it's our first foal but we have experienced people about if needs be

 

[domane]

Anything happen overnight?

 

[Rhino156]

Nope still nothing she has just gone really quiet again lol everyone is saying it will happen when I least expect it lol

 

[domane]

Oh definitely! We checked our mare at 10.30pm and all looked normal. I even uttered those fateful words "No, she doesn't look ready, she won't have it tonight". 5.30 the next morning there was a bone dry, gorgeous little colt veritably skipping around her stable as if he'd been there weeks!!!