Mare How to really know when?

[TPs flat rock acres]

They are going to foal. I have been watching my girl for days on the cam. From sleeping the last week alot to lastnight not sleeping at all and now she is breathing heavier and I noticed her shifting her weight more. She looks as big as a house. I have been reading blessed are the brood mares and it states that they can be in stage 1 and go unnoticed. Is there really any sure signs that she is in stage one. I can't get milk to do a test. I do believe she is a maiden mare...by that she might have been one that aborted last year at 4 months ago but don't know. She is getting pointed in the butt area. I don't want to miss the first stage where I might be almost late for the 2nd stage. Any thoughts or advise? If anyone wants to see her behavior shes on Flat Rock Minis/Orients Pride

 

[sedeh]

There are a lot of people that would like to know the magic answer to your question!!! I've had a few mares that when they got to a certain point I knew they'd be foaling usually within 24 hours. Mostly it's the ones who oblige me by bagging up and actually waxing! I'm in the same boat you are watching a maiden mare. She has no milk in her teats but has a nice bag, really loose in the back and vulva has elongated. But when she'll actually lay down and foal is anybodies guess!! Maiden mares don't alway bag up! I've even been surprised by non-maiden's that previously had shown all the signs and this particular pregnancy didn't fully bag up before she foaled. I don't even use test strips anymore. If they have milk I see how sticky it is. When it glues your fingers together they're ready!

When I did do the test strips I usally knew they were going to foal that night anyway...because they're the nice mares that give you all the "normal" signs. So, in answer to your question. I don't think there is a 100% sure test to see when they're going to foal...and with maiden mares prepare for many sleepless nights because they're very unpredictable!

 

[suen]

the day before, and the day of, my mare was restless, very cranky, tail up, some rolling, pawing, stomping her foot, and cow patties two hours before she foaled.

 

[TPs flat rock acres]

I know I have read that there are so many different things and most go un noticable but wondered in maiden mares if there was something in common with them just before they go into labor. What people have noticed that their mares have done. Or if someone had some clue as to thinking their mare was going to go into labor and she actually did.

 

[Relic]

Can't help you but keep a close watch you are probably getting close..l've become a cow patty watching person myself only good things have happened after they drop those things..

 

[TPs flat rock acres]

It seems like she has alot of signs she has had cow pattys then they are fine the next day so can't go by that last night I noticed she didn't sleep much as she has been in the past week. Today and tonight I noticed her shifting with her feet alot. I am lookin for any clues she might be close. I know she might still be early shes 315 days but have seen some mares that have gone around this time and sooner. She still looks really wide so don't think shes dropped for foal in position who knows. Its driving me crazy. My last two I just let mother nature do things as I really didn' t do all of the reading but here and there looking for signs but didn't watch them like I am these mares. Wish I could collect some milk from her.

 

[Bess Kelly]

when you see the bag appear, it's time

Everything said already......yep. And then, there are the "other" horses

The maidens are normally the hardest to detect, if that's any comfort. I've noticed that my girls liked to settle into their stalls in a fairly specific way. One corner to feed, one to eliminate, one to stand and the fourth edge was saved to foal. At least it seened so, as they would habitually stand in the same spot to rest/sleep and when they moved from that spot to begin standing/seeping in the previously saved area, they foaled!

The sticky milk is great -- some maidens just don't get that way soon enough, or at least let you have it. Getting white milk rather than clear (again, some maidens don't). I had one who didn't paw, get up & down, etc. Heck, I saw her standing calmly for ANOTHER night

, sat down to a plate of spaghetti and took a bite while watching. She looked at her stomach on the right, then the left, took 2 or 3 steps to center of stall, LAID DOWN & PUSHED!

So much for dinner.

OK -- whatever she does, whenever she does it, probably will be the same next time.

Wishing you & the mare a great outcome (soon)!

 

[Knottymare]

You poor thing! I can tell the wait is making you crazy! You are braver than me. I don't think I could take it. I'm a nervous wreck just reading all the stories of everyone else's experience

Fingers (and toes) crossed for a safe and happy delivery very soon!

 

[tagalong]

Sadly, very few mares have read Blessed Are the Broodmares (or any other book) and if they have, they do not always care to go "by the book". They figure that you have read it - so they do not need to!

*looks meaningfully down at her signature*

 

[Julie/Azariah]

Ahhhh that is THE question. It seems each mare has her own signs.

Like Bess I watch my horses and know them well. They seem to have a pattern every night. Eating... then where they potty... and where they settle to sleep, how they stand, when they lay down, where they lay down. Usually the night they go off pattern it is time. Sometimes they will sleep more the night or two before, Then I watch more closely since that indicates change and they are approaching the time.

I also go by the milk and udders. I do the sticky test. express milk on my hand and take a clean finger and touch... see how many touches it is til it feels sticky. I look at the color and consistency. When it starts to stand up in a bubble on my hand and has the consistency of honey... then I am watching close, if it is creamy white or golden... I don't take my eyes off of her.

Also, I notice that most of the time the nipples point toward each other (especially for a maiden, not so much for an older mare). When the nipples point straight down and the nipples begin to broaden (fill) it is usually that night.

But... I have also had a mare that slept all night like normal and at 5am laid down... stood up...turned in a circle, lay down again... and pushed a baby out (she was a maiden)

I find , after years of delivering large horse foals, that the mini mares show far less as far as pawing, biting at sides and kicking at stomach than the biggies...

My advice... just know your mare and keep your eyes on her. I love my breeder alert system... sure helps me get a little more sleep.

 

[Riverrose28]

I agree with the others, but since there aren't any flies this time of year you can watch for her to start squirreling her tail, up and down, or a lot of switching. Also some mares will do a lot of yawning. Good luck

 

[Becky]

As others have said, there are many signs. Some mares may do all, others may do virtually none. Aside from udder development, any change in habit, can be a sign. So we watch and wait.....

My vet has said, the foal pics the day, but the mare chooses the hour. This is so true!

 

[tagalong]

One mare here was eating her hay with enthusiasm, paused, took 2 steps backward, laid down (still chewing), pushed the foal out within 2 minutes, got up and cleaned her baby off all while continuing to munch her hay. So much for the They Do Not Eat When Going Into Labour rule... and the First Stage Labour Signs To Watch For. *snort*

I was sweeping the barn aisle at the time - and was right outside her stall when she decided to get 'er done. If I had gone to the bathroom or something I would have missed everything!

Another mare had 3 foals in a row on day 312 between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. She had me fooled into complacency. Her last foal went 337 days - which broke the record for mini mares here - and it arrived at 9 in the morning.

Another mare was my last holdout for that spring. She was ready to go and had been waxed for two weeks. Friends wanted me to go to a baseball game - but as no foal had arrived, I urged them to go on without me. I had my own ticket but it seemed as if it would go to waste - I was not going to to leave that mare. It was a lovely spring day - warm and sunny. I turned the mare out in the arena for some exercise and decided to rebraid her tail and wrap it.

She stood there loose and enjoyed some hay while I worked on her tail. Just as I was finishing up the new braid, she looked back at me and crouched a bit - and the water broke all over my feet. I hauled her to the foaling stall by her mane - and by the time we marched that 40 feet or so, there were two feet and a nose showing. She plopped down in the straw and very casually delivered a black filly. WIthin 15 minutes that baby was up and bouncing, had pooped, peed, nursed and was all systems go.

Soooo... I ended up going to the game and let them have a peaceful afternoon to bond while I was gone.

If only ALL mares were that easy!

 

[txminipinto]

Let me summarize our first mare to foal this year following a 25 night watch.

355 days

These actions occured over the past 25 days:

1) Up and down tail action

2) circling

3) Bag development

4) Colostrum came in - took forever to get a full bag. Tested to 6.4 pH the morning of foaling

5) Bag became even larger

6) Started to lay flat out, instead of sternal

7) belly kicks/foot stomping

8) Vulva became dark/bright red and stayed red

9) Yesterday evening, came home and she had let down her milk (around 4pm)

10) Foaled at 8pm

She never waxed. I've only had 2 wax so far in all of our foals. The biggest indicator to me that she was within hours of foaling was the low pH, bright red vulva, and the milk.

You just have to know your mares and take notes. I have a spreadsheet for each mare and make notes on it as they develope.

In all honesty, 30 minutes before this mare laid down last night I thought she had fooled me once again and I was going to have another sleepless night. She had gone from acting up all day long to eating her dinner quietly. Then walked away from her hay and laid down. Got back up and laid down again. Did it again and then I knew we were in business. The key is observation. Also, watch your barometric pressure. Thought it was an old wives tale, but I watched that pressure for the last 2 weeks. When it was falling, the mare was much more active and irritated. When it was rising, the mare was standing quietly. She foaled as it bottomed out last night and started to rise.

 

[a mini dream come true]

With the expenience of only one, i can't help, but wanted you to know I'm praying for a safe and happy foaling for you and all those to come.

 

[HGFarm]

Yep, that's the $64,000 question. There are many things that can indicate a foal is soon arriving, but I have been totally fooled by some mares also!

I rarely get cow pies with mine. Some wax, but not many and not often. I have noticed however, that most times, the night before they have it, many of mine dont lay flat at all. The beeper quits going off- the silence before the storm.

Since they are so tricky though, and sometimes give no notice at all, this is why I like my double system of the camera and the breeder alert. This usually works but I had one mare foal standing up one time, and avoided setting off the buzzer all together.

 

[vickie gee]

Well, at least she is on marestare. I watched her last night and with all that nipping of the sides I thought maybe, just maybe. She laid out flat on her side (like mine did for a solid week) and went to dreamland. I really meant to look this morning as I get up at 3:45 tend to the horses, shower, get ready for work, and peel out the driveway at 5:25. I inadvertently set my clock an hour too late, hubby had got the coffee pot ready without water (duh) so I peeled out without getting to check marestare. My one and only is done for the season (foaled 7 March) so I like to keep watch for others since I am up before the chickens. When I got home I checked and her stall was empty. Guess you had let her out cause now I see she's back. I will try to peep in again in the wee hours tonight. If she pushes I will give you a shout but I should tell you last night after she lay down I could not see her rear. It was cut off from view.

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

There is no point looking for stage 1. You will only notice it if you REALLY know your mare. Mares can actually STOP stage one as well, so she can go in and out for days. Just wait for stage 2

You'll notice the change to stage 2 if you know your mare well, and have plenty of notice to get to the barn to watch.

Definately try getting some milk-fluid. Foalwatching.com's test is amazingly accurate, and most mares will give you SOME fluid even if it doesn't look like milk.

 

[TPs flat rock acres]

I have mother nature testing strips and if I coudl only get milk. I have another mare I am watching as well that started to bag a little more then she was and inside her vulva was redder then usual. Getting another camera. Ok will try to get her to be in line with the camera more. shes a stinker moves all over the place

they are driving me nuts. Am nervous for that time as I pray I remember everything I have read and do it right. Worry about the foal not being in the right position and not knowing what to do being freaked out. Time will tell.

thanks everyone.

Oh if anyone sees anything call me at home or cell phone. Try home first

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

Biggest thing is just to relax

Mares have been foaling for centuries. Let her start the process, and then you just watch to make sure nothing goes wrong.