All seems quiet with both girls at the moment - I always have to rush back to the cams to check before I post, as I'm never sure if, by the time I have read through everyone elses post, someone could have foaled!!
Heidi, sorry but I have no idea why Peanut has suddenly started to feel itchy on her neck. If she laid down more I'd say perhaps something in the shavings. She used to nibble her front legs a while ago didn't she - perhaps it is just something she does in the late stages of pregnancy? Well you know what these mares are like!
But I doubt it is the lack of a bath, the only bods who get washed here are those going showing. The mares never see shampoo or water, except rainwater of course, but then our lot are kept 'au naturalle' (sp?) and need all the natural oils left in their oats (and the dirt, muck and dust!!)
Regarding loose piles of poo - most mares in late pregnancy will do some loose piles, but they do them at the normal time they would do normal poos. When you see your mare walking round the stable doing small loose piles one after the other with hardly a break - expect a foal any minute! LOL!! And yes, it is the normal way to clear the bowel before straining to get the foal out. Also dont panic after foaling as it will quite often be 12 hours or more before a mare gets enough food going through her system again to do another poo! It is nice to be able to offer a mare several wet/damp feeds after she foals, rather than put dry food through her empty system, plus soft leafy hay and best of all an hour or so out (maybe in hand) to graze on some really good grass. We have a special 'safe for baby' area of nice rich grass that we use for all our mares, in hand, around 5 hours after they have foaled and graze them for about 3/4 to an hour to help flush through their systems naturally. Depending upon the foal we may do this twice the next day, before allowing them both out loose in the mare and foal field the next day. It helps to keep control of the mare if the foal is a little weak in the leg department for a couple of days, foal gets to run around while Momma munches the grass. It's better for the foal than to risk Momma taking off at a gallop loose across a field, either because she feels like it or because she wants to keep her new baby away from anyone else in the field who might be wanting a looksee!
Heavens, why is it that I always write so much everytime I post. I really must stop it - bad habit of mine! LOL!!
Rushing off to check the girls - most probably both had babies after all this time.
Anna
