Pregnant Maiden Mare Who Lays Down Alot

[Little Wolf Ranch]

I have a maiden mare who is due pretty soon. . .2/8 is her 290 day mark and 3/21 is her 330 day mark. . . .

Since I have been watching all the pregnant mares on camera - I've noticed that she really lays down a lot more than the others. She will even lay flat out as if she were about to foal, just without the contractions. She will lay like this for a good little bit and then she raises up while still laying down and curled up and snoozes that way too.

Could she just be more tired from her pregnancy or should I be concerned? She's perfectly fine, healthy and a little piglet at meal times and bucks and plays as usual during turnout time.

Thanks!

 

[Carolyn R]

As long as there is no sign of discomfort like biting or kicking at her sides, I wouldn't be too concerned. I've noticed the closer they get to foaling the less they lay flat out.

I try to breed mine for summer babies, come spring I walk up to the top of the turnout and if I wouldn't know better, I would think it was a horse morgue. My heart sank into my stomach the first time I saw all of them do it. Of course they looked at me like "you disturbed our slumber for what reason?!"

Good Luck with your upcoming foals.

 

[kaykay]

I have a lot of mares like that. Most of mine feel so secure they lay flat out all the time in the stall. This is why an equipage wouldnt do me much good LOL. I would just be constantly getting up and turning it back off. I have found especially small minis lay down a lot. Its a lot of weight to carry around.

 

[ohmt]

I always get so nervous when my horses lay out flat too. It's normal though as long as there are no other signs of discomfort.

In the summer I always have a bunch of horses who lay out flat and they scare me every time. No matter how often it happens, I always have to go out and check to make sure everyone's breathing!

My grandmother always tells me that if they are comfortable enough to lay out flat, we're doing a good job. Since horses are flight animals, they will only lay flat out if they feel 100% safe

 

[Windhaven]

I don't think there is anything to be concerned about.

But I will tell you I had a QH (big horse) that did this and it turned out she was starting to founder due to the pregnancy. So I would keep checking her feet for warmth.

 

[Riverrose28]

I have a couple of mares that will do that all of the time several times a day. It so funny their bellies are so big that the hind leg on top will be up in the air. Ha Ha.

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

Thanks guys all that is very comforting. Guess she is just comfortable and loves her sleep.

Windhaven: I will be sure to keep an eye on her feet. Doesn't appear to be a hoof problem though but I will be sure to keep an eye on it!

 

[uwharrie]

One of our mares that foaled in 2010 did that. We used breeder alert that sends an alarm every time the mare lays flat out. Our phones rang a LOT! The good thing was with the camera you could just check and see she was just resting.

 

[chandab]

My AQHA mare laid down alot the last month of her maiden pregnancy, she went almost a year to the day from last breeding, and it was only in that last month that she got big. [Foal was born on Easter Sunday, which that year was March 31.] I was boarding at the time, and a fellow boarder without permission would get her up anytime she saw her lying down.

Mare was fine, had no health issues and cared for her foal beautifully.

 

[sedeh]

My maiden mare loves to lay flat out in her stall. She's due the end of Feb/beginning of March. I'm not concerned...she was my show horse once and loves her stall with the nice shavings!! I have lots of mares that lay flat out...usually it's after the foal has changed positions and they get that slab sided look...usually a week or so before foaling. It's why I don't bother getting the breeder alert! It would always be going off!

 

[supaspot]

how does she sleep when not in foal ? I have a couple that sleep flat out all the time so when theyre in foal they continue to do so , if she seems otherwise fine I wouldnt worry

 

[REO]

It seems almosy ALL of my mares lay out flat for HOURS to nap! They drive me nuts! I have one family line that sleeps flat up to 4 hours at a time without moving.

If I were heavy in foal, I would want to take a load off too!

Mine nap like that PG and not PG. They just enjoy their daily and nightly naps.

 

[Eagle]

As mentioned by Windhaven I would check her feet as she does seem to fidget a lot and finds it difficult to stand on all 4 feet at once. She spends 90% of the night laying down.

They are all very cute!

 

[happy appy]

I have a couple of mares that will do that all of the time several times a day. It so funny their bellies are so big that the hind leg on top will be up in the air. Ha Ha.

That's what my maiden was like. It was so funny to see. I use to get so many calls about her foaling because she laid down so much. I was on marestare too.

 

[Getitia]

For some mares it is very common for them to lay stretched completely flat out for long periods of time. We bring all of our mares up to foal and they are put under cameras and it is interesting to observe them. Maidens or non-maidens I've not noticed any difference-it depends on the mare. However what we have noticed over the years is that as some of those mares who like to lay flat out for long periods of time become closer to their foaling date, they will often lay stretched out less frequently or not at all. Although no sign is a 100% indicator, this change in behavior often indicates the mare will soon foal. My "theory" is that when the foal actually moves into the birth canal, the pressure points are different in some mares and thus laying stretched completely out is very uncomfortable for the mare. Just our observations............

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

Well guys went out this morning and checked her 100% from head to hoof and she's perfectly fine. Good body temp, and she has no heat in her hooves.

She is a very active, playful mare and I believe that she just gets bored and figures there's nothing better to do than lay down and sleep!

She IS however, getting a pretty nice bag on her and her 290 day mark isn't until 2/8 - her 330 mark is 3/21 so she still has a little bit of a ways to go.