Advise please on older broodmare

[Taz]

Holly, the strips got here today, yay!!!! Now I just need little miss to have some milk to test. She was doing well for a few days, gone again tonight. Hahahahahahahah!!!! She's having fun with me

 

[Holly Chisholm]

Please let us know when you get something out of her! Fun!!!

 

[MerMaeve]

No foal yet?

 

[Taz]

Hahaha!! That's so funny! She's playing hide and seek with her udder, her sides were flatter then the foal had a fit last night and she's a wide load again. Still hanging low and her back end is staying about half way to jello butt. This has been going on for about 7 weeks now, my vet laughed at me when I asked him about it and said 'yup, they do that'. I have no idea if she's going to foal tonight or 6 weeks from now. I will post pictures asap when she does

 

[Taz]

This is going to sound REALLY whiny and well, it is, sorry. Still no foal..... Yes, there definitely is one.
7 weeks ago today she started developing an udder. 6 weeks ago her back end started to get soft, it has gone back and forth but softest so far this morning. 5 weeks ago her stomach muscles relaxed and she's been hanging low ever since. 5 days ago she was looking not as wide. 2 nights ago the foal was really active and she threw herself onto the ground flat on her side and lay there jerking every so often before getting up and putting her forehead into the wall and rubbing as hard as she could for a couple minutes then took a big breath and went to find something to eat. Talk about banging your head against a wall, I know the feeling! She was back to being a wide load the next morning. This is a picture of her udder from this morning, it's been the same for 3 days. It gets a bit bigger than this some days and some days is a deflated helium balloon, no consistency on when during the day it goes up or down. I'm starting to think she is going to be pregnant forever and this is never going to end. Oh ya, and the data reception was bad for some reason last night so her foaling alarm kept losing connection so it was going off every 20-30 minutes from 11 till I gave in and got up at 5:30, worked itself out and stopped at that point.

I know this is all normal but I surrender already, just have the munchkin!!!!!

I am laughing as I write this but PLEASE get serious and foal already.

 

[MerMaeve]

Ugh! I feel for both you and her! Keep us posted.

 

[Pitter Patter]

Oh I am sorry Taz. Hopefully sooner than later! After looking at pics and getting some advice on this site, it would seem my girl isn't close to delivery at all. Maybe next month, maybe not! If it's next month, the previous owner was wrong on conception time. She swears it was June. Can't recall what part of the month either. Frustrating. Our shed has been more baby proofed though, so that's good. The good news is...you are closer than I am to seeing a baby. Hang in there!

 

[Taz]

Pitter Patter, it sounds like the woman you got your girls from was herd breeding? It's very easy not to know when they caught unless they hand breed or just put the mares out for one heat. If you're feeling foal movement, you've had kids I'm sure you know what you're feeling, she has to be pregnant. My other little one is an experienced brood mare that I got as a rescue and didn't look in foal until her stomach muscles relaxed 3 weeks before foaling and she only had about 1/3 of an udder and barely soft back end. Keep an eye on her, she'll get there.

 

[Pitter Patter]

Taz, do you have a baby yet? I may have to wait quite a while. I think she may have done herd breeding but not sure. I am sure my pinto is pregnant as her baby is very active. My other little mare may or may not be. Can't tell yet. She is "twitchy" or moving almost constantly (she is the leader), but if she is she has a long time to go (I think!). The pinto teases my little stallion a lot too! Trying not to obsess! I think they are getting tired of my staring at and feeling their bellies, and taking pictures.I sometimes get an annoyed sideways "look." Anyway, gives me more time to bond with my four minis. I don't think I have ever been more in love with any animal than my four mini's! (and trust me--I have and have add a lot of pets!) My favorite thing to do on a nice day is just sit with them in their paddock with a brush and they take turns coming up to get scratched or brushed. Can't wait to learn how to drive! I already have a small cart and harness. Just need more time! I love my job, but it sure gets in the way when you want to be outside! Good luck, Taz. I hope your baby is here VERY soon!

 

[Taz]

No baby yet, I'm thinking she likes a loooong warm-up.
These little ones are different then the big horses. I love my big guys but I think if I had found the minis first I wouldn't have gotten into the big ones. I don't drive even though one of mine does, no cart, no time, but it looks like a lot of fun!
I would be very suspicious if it's only your pinto flirting. Do you know what colour dad is? I've found the extra time with Tilly has been really good before baby. She's a little spicy and a not very trusting worrier so it's great to be able to work on that before I have to convince her I'm not going to hurt or take away a little one. I'm trying to relax and tell myself it will happen when it happens .

MerMaeve, after listening to us go through this are you going to get a mare in foal when you get your mini's?

 

[Pitter Patter]

Taz, I'm with you..If I had gotten mini's first I probably wouldn't have my little "zoo." I do love all of them though, but the minis are awesome! I am sure she is pregnant because that belly is rolling and bumping. I can see it and feel it! I just can't tell how far along she is. Hopefully she'll let me know as she gets closer. smaller than she is (by the way, her name is Snickers). He is only 30" and Snickers is 36" and looks more like a shetland pony. He looks like he is a buckskin. I wonder what her baby will look like? I have some pictures of Snickers when she wasn't pregnant and there is a big difference. I had to laugh when I read your comment to MerMaeve. Looking around, it seems a whole lot of mares are sold pregnant! I got all three of my mares at the same time about two months ago. Then the owner said she "might" be pregnant when she delivered her here.

 

[Taz]

Haha, nothing like finding out after the fact. I'm not good with colour genetics but does that mean she's going to throw pinto/? and he's dilute bay/?. Have you tried the colour calculator?

I have no idea on a due date for Tilly. I was told after I got her home it was thought she caught on her foal heat (foaled May 12). I didn't think she was in foal looking at her 8 weeks ago when I got her but she's gotten bigger and had more signs almost from day one.

Yes, I'm starting to think it's easier to find a pregnant mini than not, LOL!!

 

[Maryann at MiniV]

I LOVE color genetics! I think I need to check out the "colour calculator" that Taz mentioned.

Buckskin is indeed bay covered by a dilute gene. Whatever you get, it WILL carry some form of dilute coloring. Your mare, Snickers, is pinto? If she is Homozygous for pinto, she will ALWAYS throw a pinto foal. If she's not homozygous , you have a 50 percent chance for pinto. The rest is up to what is dominant or recessive between the two of them..... Fun, eh??

We always just want a healthy foal (with good conformation, of course)....Color is only the frosting, but it's still fun.

 

[MerMaeve]

MerMaeve, after listening to us go through this are you going to get a mare in foal when you get your mini's?

Well, actually one that we know we want IS pregnant, so we are waiting for her to have her baby then wean, THEN, we'll get to bring her home.

 

[Taz]

Well, actually one that we know we want IS pregnant, so we are waiting for her to have her baby then wean, THEN, we'll get to bring her home.

Good for you. I'm not that patient, I'd bring her home in foal and have two. Haha, then be back on foal watch!

 

[Taz]

She has a bit more udder tonight and isn't as wide again. Her belly is hard with no jiggle in it, is that normal or should I worry??

 

[Taz]

Might be getting closer!! Still a smaller no jiggle belly(foal in/getting in position?) Her udder was bigger last night and again this morning, biggest it's been so far. Her vulva is open a bit and she's really quiet this morning. She's normally pretty spicy and quick, she stood with the lead over her neck not moving while I went over her and then slowly went out to the paddock. Fingers crossed!!!!!!

 

[MerMaeve]

Might be getting closer!! Still a smaller no jiggle belly(foal in/getting in position?) Her udder was bigger last night and again this morning, biggest it's been so far. Her vulva is open a bit and she's really quiet this morning. She's normally pretty spicy and quick, she stood with the lead over her neck not moving while I went over her and then slowly went out to the paddock. Fingers crossed!!!!!!

Any update????

 

[MerMaeve]

Good for you. I'm not that patient, I'd bring her home in foal and have two. Haha, then be back on foal watch!

It's really tempting, it really is. If it was a filly, I would consider it. But color would depend too. The mamma is a Silver Dapple Bay and they breed her to a Perlino I believe.

 

[Taz]

Nothing much to report, she hung out eating all day. Still really quiet, walked behind me coming in, I normally have to slow her down. Her vulva is a bit more relaxed. I'll report in again tomorrow .