Mare ready to foal?

[cassie]

thanks guys

Castle rock thank you glad you like my Suzie she is the sweetest little mare, looks a bit scraggly with her winter (mammoth) coat at the moment lol can't wait to see how she looks when I clip her in the summer...

as to clipping the udder I tried about a week ago and she didn't like me doing it, but that was me doing it by myself so I might see if my mum or dad or brothers will come out and hold her , its hard to even check her udder now as the last 3 days she doesn't like me going near it

Thanks Renee!! I can't wait to see this little foal!! so excited!! it should hopefully be a cool colour too!! fingers crossed!

I will try buy some milk strips online that might be the best idea, thanks

 

[cassie]

Hi everyone,

wanted to give you all an update on Suzie, my friend who breeds mini's came down on Sunday and said she is starting to look really close... she has fleshed out more behind and the foal is sitting right under her tummy instead of on her sides.

she still doesn't have much milk at all, but she might not get much until she actually foals. vulva was really red last night back to normal colour again today... it is POURING here today and instead of going into her stable out of the bucketing rain she is standing in the middle of the paddock silly girl, she is a little off her feed, going from grass, to hay, to feed and stopping every now and then to just stand there watching things. temp yesterday morning was the lowest its been at 36.7 degrees, when its always high end of 37. little changes can mean big changes for her...

will keep an eye on her but I think she is getting close.

everyone's prayers would be much appreciated that she delivers a healthy beautiful foal. and that delivery goes well

will keep you updated!!

 

[Eagle]

She is in my prayers for a safe and easy foaling

 

[cassie]

Thanks

I'll put a few more pics upwhen I get home that i took on Sunday. she has even changed a bit more since then

 

[cassie]

Hi Everyone,

some pics and another update on Suzie... she is really lengthened and fleshed out behind today, I have pics I took today... still not much more milk, tho the odema is still there, last night she hardly lay down at all, didn't set the foaling alarm off at all (thought it was broken, and of course I set my alarm to check on her at regular intervals... checked the alarm today though and it was working perfectly lol) Anyssa Park, I will find out tomorrow but I am wondering if your statement about your girls not lying down the night before foaling might be true for my Suzie... fingers crossed...

the times that I did watch her last night... she was lying on her tummy breathing really heavy... then she would start to lean as if it lie flat then sit up straight again, breath real heavy again... try and lie flat then roll... stand up swish her tail a few times, she even kicked her tummy, she do the same all over again. DOn't know if this was the foal moving into position maybe, but I knew that you expert breeders would have some idea on the signs.

thanks everyone

p.s the first two pics are from exactly a week ago, last two pics today at 3pm

 

[bannerminis]

Very exciting - I hope she foals soon and its a safe and textbook delivery

 

[Eagle]

looks like she is making progress. It sounds like she is getting too uncomfy to lay down for long, which means she is getting closer.

 

[AnnaC]

I think you are now at the time when you need to be sitting up all night with your eyes glued to the camera! LOL!! Dont rely on foal alert or alarm clocks - even trips to the loo are against the rules in this house unless someone else takes over the 'watching'

Sometimes one is lucky and the mares give signs they are about to foal, but sometimes it is a question of blink and you have missed it!

From what you are describing she sounds pretty close.

Sending prayers for a straightforward foaling and a wonderful healthy baby.

Anna

 

[cassie]

Thankyou everyone

I am going to try and work out a way to connect the monitor to my laptop in my room so I can see it from my bed hehe. ( I'm just getting lazy now lol) she didn't lie down at all last night either, still no milk has dropped down this morning. but she didn't want me feeling her tummy and definitly not her nipples. she waddles round its so cute lol. we had the cows in the paddock near her and I think that made her a bit uncomfy and scared but we have moved them now and the weather is clear so anytime Suzie girl!! (hopefully tonight as I get tomorrow off work and it would be the perfect opuurtunity to play with my new baby!! hehe

 

[cassie]

.

 

[cassie]

ok, wondering how reliable the rectal temp change thing is...? this morning I checked her temp it was 37.6 degrees celcius, 99.68 Fahrenheit this evening when I fed her and checked the temp it was 37.2 degrees celcius, 98.96 fahrenheit.

 

how many of you breeders have found this reliable that the temp will drop, night of/ before foaling??

 

If you could let me know it would be appreciated

Thanks all.

Would love Suzie to have her foal tonight hehe

 

[cassie]

if anyone has any help to offer it would be much appreciated... you have all been soo great!!

would like some more help now please

 

[AnnaC]

Keeping my fingers crossed for you and Suzie!

Anna

 

[Eagle]

Sorry Cassie, I can't help with that one, I just use milk strips and visual clues (swollen hooha, loose butt, box walking etc)

 

[cassie]

no worries eagle thats cool thanks for replying anyway

not sure how reliable it is, her temp I just checked it has jumped back up now anyway, would love for her to have it tonite but she seems pretty content... but she is in general a very placid, sweet pony n she doesn't stress much been a couple of tail swishes but nothing compared to Dreamer and Sugar!! lol

I want to meet my little foal. but I know it is well felt it moving again tonight

love feeling it move knowing its still ok in her tummy!! it will come when she is ready,

 

[Eagle]

You just never know with these girls. This year was the first year on cam for me as I was fed up of sleeping in the barn and then them foaling during the day

So this time I was watching and expecting a night time foaling but my mare ate her dinner at 18.30 and just munched her hay and then about 19.15 started box walking a bit and the dropped down at 20.00 and there was the sac immediately

she didn't go up down, roll or anything, just down and hard pushes.

Don't even go for a pee cos you could miss it. Lol

 

[cassie]

thanks for telling me!! I didn't realise that, they could go that fast and not show any signs!! I am so going to miss it! I have the camera set up in my study which is near my bedroom, and have the foaling alarm in my bedroom but because the last few nights she hasn't been lying down it hasn't been going off... I better keep a better eye out lol

thank you. I think my body clock is getting used to me getting up in the middle of the night lol I wake up 3 times at least for no reason hehe, beggered during the day but oh well. it will be all worth it if I get to see Suzie deliver her foal!!!

Thanks

 

[cassie]

Suzie had cow poo's for the first time last night!! YAY!!

 

[Eagle]

for cow patties. Best wishes

 

[AnnaC]

Is it possible Suzie might be thinking of foaling? Fingers crossed.

Anna