Expert opinions please…not sure if she’s in foal

[Taz]

There are at least two other people on this site that I’m following who are waiting for their foals to be born. @Taz and @elizabeth.conder but there may be more.

There are actually three others if you include PitterPatter and four if the other two are still in foal, they were confirmed by the vet but I can't remember the name for you to look it up. 2 rescue pintos, she has goats and had an adorable litter of puppies a little while ago....anyone please?
Normally I agree with ZuZuPetals completely, I don't know if it was the really mild winter last year or just the general crazyness that is the world right now but it's insane to have mares foaling in the winter.

 

[elizabeth.conder]

There are at least two other people on this site that I’m following who are waiting for their foals to be born. @Taz and @elizabeth.conder but there may be more.

I have had several mares that cycle through the year BUT I live in a much warmer location in Texas. It is possible, just rare. Just speaking for myself, Belle is proof of that. And there is absolutely zero doubt she’s in foal with the start of an udder and clear obvious foal movement. I definitely saw her and one other mare in season this December. Didn’t even realize till recently I have video of them flirting lol. After that cycle I never saw her in heat again which gave me that breed date. Now is it possible she came into heat later and got bred then? I suppose but taking into account her udder and when I felt foal movement, it is highly unlikely.

 

[Laura&HerMinis]

There are actually three others if you include PitterPatter and four if the other two are still in foal, they were confirmed by the vet but I can't remember the name for you to look it up. 2 rescue pintos, she has goats and had an adorable litter of puppies a little while ago....anyone please?
Normally I agree with ZuZuPetals completely, I don't know if it was the really mild winter last year or just the general crazyness that is the world right now but it's insane to have mares foaling in the winter.

I forgot about pitter patter whoops lol. You know that’s totally possible that it’s because of the mild winter! I never thought of that!

 

[ZuZuPetals]

There are at least two other people on this site that I’m following who are waiting for their foals to be born. @Taz and @elizabeth.conder but there may be more.

When are their foals d

There are actually three others if you include PitterPatter and four if the other two are still in foal, they were confirmed by the vet but I can't remember the name for you to look it up. 2 rescue pintos, she has goats and had an adorable litter of puppies a little while ago....anyone please?
Normally I agree with ZuZuPetals completely, I don't know if it was the really mild winter last year or just the general crazyness that is the world right now but it's insane to have mares foaling in the winter.

I would love to know if your horse is 100% in foal and due soon, so basically conceived in winter can you please share how many days they are I’m super interested because I live in Southern California where it’s 75 sometimes 80 degrees in October and my mares still get their winter coat as expected and go into deistrus late September like clockwork. I’ve never known anyone have their horse change it’s inner clock its just how things work. Not saying there’s not ever an exception to the rule but I feel it’s extremely rare. Would love to hear your stories though!

 

[ZuZuPetals]

I have had several mares that cycle through the year BUT I live in a much warmer location in Texas. It is possible, just rare. Just speaking for myself, Belle is proof of that. And there is absolutely zero doubt she’s in foal with the start of an udder and clear obvious foal movement. I definitely saw her and one other mare in season this December. Didn’t even realize till recently I have video of them flirting lol. After that cycle I never saw her in heat again which gave me that breed date. Now is it possible she came into heat later and got bred then? I suppose but taking into account her udder and when I felt foal movement, it is highly unlikely.

Horses can “flirt “ that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re in heat and ovulating

 

[elizabeth.conder]

Horses can “flirt “ that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re in heat and ovulating

Yes I get that, here is video proof of a near full term foal kicking. First felt the foal about 215 days from December 15. And when I say I felt movement it wasn’t even questionable movement. It was full on kicks that could be nothing else. Started an udder about 3 weeks ago. I used the word flirt, but it was a full blown standing heat. Now we’re both mares fertile? That I don’t know. But Belle evidently was. I was going to breed her back this year anyway so I was watching for her first heat. She never came in and never came in. Not a mare that you can miss it either. That’s when I started to get suspicious. Then she kept growing and growing. And she’s usually a very trim petite mare.
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[Taz]

When are their foals d

I would love to know if your horse is 100% in foal and due soon, so basically conceived in winter can you please share how many days they are I’m super interested because I live in Southern California where it’s 75 sometimes 80 degrees in October and my mares still get their winter coat as expected and go into deistrus late September like clockwork. I’ve never known anyone have their horse change it’s inner clock its just how things work. Not saying there’s not ever an exception to the rule but I feel it’s extremely rare. Would love to hear your stories though!

I have my mare guessed at between 303 and 315 days. I'm almost 100% she's in foal, she shows almost nothing historically, I've felt foal movement but it's a quiet little bugger who isn't helping at all, she had a positive external ultrasound at the end of June. Keep checking in and I'll have it posted when she foals.

 

[LostandFound]

Big horse people do it all the time. It has to do with the hours of daylight more than the temperature. So if you leave your barn lights on until late, that would explain it.

 

[ZuZuPetals]

Yes I get that, here is video proof of a near full term foal kicking. First felt the foal about 215 days from December 15. And when I say I felt movement it wasn’t even questionable movement. It was full on kicks that could be nothing else. Started an udder about 3 weeks ago. I used the word flirt, but it was a full blown standing heat. Now we’re both mares fertile? That I don’t know. But Belle evidently was. I was going to breed her back this year anyway so I was watching for her first heat. She never came in and never came in. Not a mare that you can miss it either. That’s when I started to get suspicious. Then she kept growing and growing. And she’s usually a very trim petite mare.
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Yes that certainly looks like a baby CONGRATS <3 I did say I believe there are exceptions to the rule but I still say they are rare and unusual. As for the lights on to keep them in season I’ve heard that as well and did try it one year without success. The rule of thumb usually is when you see that winter coat starting regardless of lights or temperature that’s their internal clock putting them into diestrus. Im not trying to be Debbie downer as I’m sure I can speak for most of us when I say we’ve been in this persons shoes waiting hoping a foal is on the way I get it completely, I’m just saying it’s not in the “norm” to see these girls in season that time of year. Also if he was running with your girl for a long time is it strange she didn’t get pregnant sooner? I had a stallion that ran with my girls for 2 years before i gelded him and realized this is not happening.

 

[LostandFound]

I haven't used lights myself but I have worked places that did. Done properly it will start them shedding out early also. Though I agree it is not normal for them to be breeding so late in the year, and I think some of the people waiting on foals are likely to be very disappointed. This year has been awful strange though and I've heard of a couple of surprise foals in the last week or 2.

 

[elizabeth.conder]

Yes that certainly looks like a baby CONGRATS <3 I did say I believe there are exceptions to the rule but I still say they are rare and unusual. As for the lights on to keep them in season I’ve heard that as well and did try it one year without success. The rule of thumb usually is when you see that winter coat starting regardless of lights or temperature that’s their internal clock putting them into diestrus. Im not trying to be Debbie downer as I’m sure I can speak for most of us when I say we’ve been in this persons shoes waiting hoping a foal is on the way I get it completely, I’m just saying it’s not in the “norm” to see these girls in season that time of year. Also if he was running with your girl for a long time is it strange she didn’t get pregnant sooner? I had a stallion that ran with my girls for 2 years before i gelded him and realized this is not happening.

I agree, it is not common at all. My stallion does run with my mares. He has not pasture bred a mare in the 5 years I’ve had him (don’t ask me why lol). So that was another shock . I keep track of their cycles so that IF that were to happen, I would know when. Still a shock that it happened in the middle of winter. I totally agree though, it’s hard to be waiting and hoping for a foal! Thankfully I’m not wondering with how active this baby is.

 

[Silver City Heritage Farmstead]

I'm sorry, I know this isn't what you want to hear. She doesn't look in foal to me.

Most of the laying down and not wanting you to touch her seems like normal behaviors to me. There's no udder change that I can see. She doesn't seem to have any lopsided belly evident.

If she were mine, I'd go ahead and start conditioning her. In-hand work and light work won't hurt hurt on the *very* slim chance she's in foal. In fact, being in shape will actually help her in the foaling process. It's hard work!

When I worked on a breeding farm (back in the last century!) all the broodmares were kept in light work during the last 4 months of pregnancy. They were lunged, worked in the round pen, ponied or driven. LOTS of over poles work, so they'd drop their heads and round their backs....lifting and strengthening those belly muscles.

In 3 foaling seasons, with 50+ foals delivered, we only ever lost one foal. Her first time mom got startled by a new farm pup barking at them. Foal was asleep and mom accidentally stepped on her, causing internal injuries from which even surgery couldn't save her.

Those mares had the easiest, quickest deliveries. Even client mares that didn't come to us until 30days before their due dates were hand walked twice a day. No mare was every worked hard enough to breathe very heavily, nor to a hard sweat. A bit damp was acceptable IF they were in winter coat. (We had many Jan/Feb foals in the younger mares. Mares over 15 years usually foaled Aug/Sept timeframe.)

So my point to all this is, keep her on your pregnant mare feed program. Be sure to put your hands on her daily to check her weight, as the winter fluffies can trick the eye. Keep her in light work through the winter, or until you are satisfied as to whether or not she's in foal.

Good luck, and don't let her boss you around. If you want to check the ****ies, she needs to let you do so without trying to take your head off.

 

[Laura&HerMinis]

I'm sorry, I know this isn't what you want to hear. She doesn't look in foal to me.

Most of the laying down and not wanting you to touch her seems like normal behaviors to me. There's no udder change that I can see. She doesn't seem to have any lopsided belly evident.

If she were mine, I'd go ahead and start conditioning her. In-hand work and light work won't hurt hurt on the *very* slim chance she's in foal. In fact, being in shape will actually help her in the foaling process. It's hard work!

When I worked on a breeding farm (back in the last century!) all the broodmares were kept in light work during the last 4 months of pregnancy. They were lunged, worked in the round pen, ponied or driven. LOTS of over poles work, so they'd drop their heads and round their backs....lifting and strengthening those belly muscles.

In 3 foaling seasons, with 50+ foals delivered, we only ever lost one foal. Her first time mom got startled by a new farm pup barking at them. Foal was asleep and mom accidentally stepped on her, causing internal injuries from which even surgery couldn't save her.

Those mares had the easiest, quickest deliveries. Even client mares that didn't come to us until 30days before their due dates were hand walked twice a day. No mare was every worked hard enough to breathe very heavily, nor to a hard sweat. A bit damp was acceptable IF they were in winter coat. (We had many Jan/Feb foals in the younger mares. Mares over 15 years usually foaled Aug/Sept timeframe.)

So my point to all this is, keep her on your pregnant mare feed program. Be sure to put your hands on her daily to check her weight, as the winter fluffies can trick the eye. Keep her in light work through the winter, or until you are satisfied as to whether or not she's in foal.

Good luck, and don't let her boss you around. If you want to check the ****ies, she needs to let you do so without trying to take your head off.

The thing is, that she wasn’t crabby about me touching her teats before. Then all of a sudden she was snaking her head at me. To be honest though, if she’s not in foal, I’m okay with that because I have a plan B to get a baby lol! Would certainly love if she was in foal though but I do have plan B to get a foal so either way, I’m planning for a foal in the next year or so!

 

[LostandFound]

Right, she wasn't crabby about you touching her teats. Then you tried milking her. At best that's uncomfortable, at worst painful, for all animals. Now she prefers you to not touch them. That has nothing to do with pregnancy, and doesn't rule it out, but I certainly wouldn't use it as a sign of pregnancy.

 

[chunkii]

Any news about your little mare?

 

[Laura&HerMinis]

Any news about your little mare?

Not really, my great uncle is coming out to check her soon though, he’s bred and raised minis for many years so I guess we’ll see what he says.

 

[Pitter Patter]

There are at least two other people on this site that I’m following who are waiting for their foals to be born. @Taz and @elizabeth.conder but there may be more.

I'm still waiting for a foal. At this time she looks to be getting much closer, but would've conceived sometime in December if she is. Even later if foal comes after the next couple of weeks. We think she may have had a miscarriage last fall/winter. (Fully formed fetus, just tiny). This is certainly NOT what I was expecting (I was thinking maybe spring baby!) Now winter is knocking on our door and it's already snowed a couple of times. Good luck to everyone with late babies!

 

[chunkii]

I'm still waiting for a foal. At this time she looks to be getting much closer, but would've conceived sometime in December if she is. Even later if foal comes after the next couple of weeks. We think she may have had a miscarriage last fall/winter. (Fully formed fetus, just tiny). This is certainly NOT what I was expecting (I was thinking maybe spring baby!) Now winter is knocking on our door and it's already snowed a couple of times. Good luck to everyone with late babies!

How's your mare Pitter Patter. I'm on the waiting list too.

Laura any news?

 

[Laura&HerMinis]

How's your mare Pitter Patter. I'm on the waiting list too.

Laura any news?

Nope nothing new. Though my great uncle who has raised minis for 15 years is gonna come out tomorrow and see what he thinks. I’m doubting anything right now though