Foaling Help-UPDATED 11/8

[BriarwoodAcres]

I purchased a mare who was pasture bred with a stallion. The stallion was removed she thinks at the end of Oct 2011. She still hasnt had a foal. We know for a fact she is pregnant. Her belly was bouncing around like crazy when we brought her home. She started making a small bag when we brought her home about 8 weeks ago. We tested her with the hth pool strips and it last read 7.8 a couple days ago. Her milk is sticky when it starts to dry in your hand and is the pretty "gold" honey color.

10/30











11/1

Today, Her PH was about a 7.8 high 7.5



(This is NOT wax)



11/8

 

[targetsmom]

If she has a bag and her milk is sticky and gold color, I would not let her out of your sight!!! Sounds like she is very close. You might want to post on the Mare Stare Watchers/Chat subforum on here. If you have time.....

 

[BriarwoodAcres]

her bag is pretty empty but she has some. i wish i had a camera and shes also 15 min from me as i board. ill take some photos tonight when i go feed. so everyone can see the difference.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I appreciate your problems but you are going to have to make arrangements to be with this mare- you could go down and find a happy healthy foal or you could go down and....believe me, you just do not want to know what else you could find!!!

 

[BriarwoodAcres]

Jane I've spent many nights with her, believe me shes not alone lol. Also, the people who live there check on her hourly. if not every half hour. They're just as excited as we are! My grandparents were breedings for 30+ years so I've got some knowledge under my belt but everyone knows as well as I do a mare can write her own book. We had a mare foal early and the foals head was turned under. It was an aweful outcome lets just say. the foal could have survived if he had been closer. Shes wasnt but 290 days i believ we were actually having the conversation to bring her in as I looked out in the field and saw her.

 

[AnnaC]

It sounds as though she is VERY close - dont worry too much about her bag, she may well be one who 'fills up' as she foals. Is she a maiden or has she had foals before.

And yes, do please come and join us over on the Maternity Unit Forum (if you haven't already!)

 

[BriarwoodAcres]

Shes had foals before Here are some photos from tonight. My bf said her belly is slowing dropping as he doesnt see her 4 and 5 times a day every day as I do. he sees her once in a while.

 

[minifreishorsefarm]

Her bag looks tiny, but my maiden mare bagged up in 3 days last year so ya never know by that. By the color of your mare's milk and the test trip result. It can be anytime in the next few days. It can change overnight to white milk or it might take a few days. Plus she does look low. I'd say anytime now! Good luck and happy healthy foaling.

Marsha

 

[BriarwoodAcres]

Her test strip looks about 7.8-8.0 to me when I tested her. not not orange or light orange at all.

 

[minifreishorsefarm]

I'd check it every day (just use small amount) and check to see if her bag is as big at night (or bigger) than it was in the morning. I've personally never had a mare foal with no bag or very small bag, but they have for others so you have to be alert. But I do know the Ph has to go way down from where her's is before they will foal.

Marsha

 

[BriarwoodAcres]

i was testing her daily a couple weeks ago then left it be as she didnt change at all. 2 days ago i swear she tested at 7.8. Maybe i mixed wrong?

 

[BriarwoodAcres]

i feel like i've hit a dead in wall the past few weeks with her. shes not changing. Does her vulva photos and belly photos look different to anyone else?

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

Honestly if you want to get a better idea about what's going on with her have your vet come out and check her over. Hope things go smoothly for you

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

Also.....has she had any access to fescue? If she has it may be the reason why her milk isn't coming in....

 

[BriarwoodAcres]

i am not sure what she was on before we got her, I am pretty sure it wasnt fescue. The vet said he doesnt have the tools small enough to palpate her. all he can do is a blood test. He jokingly texts me every now and then asking if I have a foal yet... lol I tell him shes going to wind up in his barn.

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

If she were mine if call around to find a vet that had a pig scanner for palpation and have them do it.

You need to know what's going on, trust me, I lost a filly this year due to "assuming" everything would be alright by what my vet and colleagues said.

Better safe than sorry

 

[BriarwoodAcres]

Ive talked to 2 different vets and have decided if she doesnt have a turn around or have the baby by halloween were doing an ultra sound!

 

[BriarwoodAcres]

So I checked on Shiloh this afternoon. Shes starting to progress!!! Her bag is getting bigger, not much but we have improvement and she seems to be dialating!!! Hopefully we will have a baby soon.. if its a filly, we'll have to name her Sandy! haha

 

[Miniv]

Glad you're watching her closely.... It's not uncommon for a mare to "plateau" on her milk tests and the BOOM, there's a change and a baby!

This year we had a very experienced mare who didn't show us a bag until shortly before foaling and even then it wasn't very big. But it was enough for her foal, thank heaven.

We were unnerved enough, even after all of our years, that we milked the mare and fed the foal several times before realizing that mom and baby had it all under control.

 

[hoofhearted]

We fretted..sat for hours..watched all night. The day I almost gave up, and lingered at the coffee pot, I went back to the barn to find a horse with too many legs! Maybe she knows you are watching closely..