Mare foaling signs?

User2611

My mare may be foaling soon, but i'm not sure when. This is my first mare foaling, I'm wondering how close she is to foaling. Her belly has gotten smaller after it was huge 2-3weeks ago. Is that the foal changing position for foaling? Her vulva is swollen and her udder is filled, though not huge. She has been holding out her tail a bit since friday morning. Her muscles on her hindquarters have dropped also. She still has her apetite as i was giving her feed all day yesterday. So around how long will it be until she foals, could anyone tell me?

Ave Sodalis

It really depends. A mare can hold a foal until she decides she wants to give birth. Basically, the foal decides the day, the mare decides the hour. Mares usually foal during the night (usually, not always) so expect it then. They can also go up to 20 days past their due date. When is she due?
If her quarters have dropped (fair play for telling, it can be tricky to spot) then it won't be too long. When she's ready to foal, she may become restless... lying down then standing up and so on. Is she a maiden mare?

User2611

sup_dude wrote: »

It really depends. A mare can hold a foal until she decides she wants to give birth. Basically, the foal decides the day, the mare decides the hour. Mares usually foal during the night (usually, not always) so expect it then. They can also go up to 20 days past their due date. When is she due?
If her quarters have dropped (fair play for telling, it can be tricky to spot) then it won't be too long. When she's ready to foal, she may become restless... lying down then standing up and so on. Is she a maiden mare?

yes, she's a maiden mare. Shes lying down at the moment. She was up and down a bit today but shes not overdoing it. She seems completely relaxed! Would she foal this weekend? I dont know when shes due because she was running with a stallion for a few weeks.

Ave Sodalis

She may, she may not. You're gonna have to be on the lookout the whole time, I'm afraid. Each mare is different. I know a maiden mare who gave birth very quickly and cleanly in the middle of the field in the middle of the day on time and I know of a mare who'd foaled before who was under stress the whole time and foaled a week after she was due. There really is no way of telling for sure until her waters break

User2611

sup_dude wrote: »

There really is no way of telling for sure until her waters break

How will i know if she getting ready to foal? Restlessness?

Ave Sodalis

Restlessness, getting up and down, lying, looking/snapping at the stomach... there may even be some milk letdown which you'll have to look out for in case she looses some valuable colostrum. The foaling itself happens very quickly as the mare uses very powerful contractions so, if possible, be nearby once her waters break a it's a very short time for something to go wrong but other than that, leave her to herself and more importantly, leave her and her foal together.

convert

User, every mare is different and, as suggested by sup_dude, symptoms will vary from mare to mare. You'd be best to give your vet a call and chat with them about what to expect. It also means that they'll be aware you're waiting for your mare to foal and will know that you may be giving them a call if the mare has any complications.

User2611

I'm calling a vet out during the week to make sure everything is ok, but her stomach was huge 2-3 weeks ago, but now it looks like she is not in foal at all, her belly has gone down so much. Is this normal?

monflat

User2611 wrote: »

I'm calling a vet out during the week to make sure everything is ok, but her stomach was huge 2-3 weeks ago, but now it looks like she is not in foal at all, her belly has gone down so much. Is this normal?

Was she scanned and confirmed in foal ??

User2611

She had a premature foal in case anyone wanted to know.

Ave Sodalis

I take it then, that the foal didn't survive? If that's the case, have you found the foal and placenta? Did the vet tell you what happened?
If the foal's alive, how is it?

User2611

sup_dude wrote: »

I take it then, that the foal didn't survive? If that's the case, have you found the foal and placenta? Did the vet tell you what happened?
If the foal's alive, how is it?

Foal didn't survive, sadly. We found the foal and placenta, everything is fine with the mare. She is happily grazing in the field with the other ponies Vet didn't give a reason, just said it is common in maiden mares Gave her an injection to make sure she wouldnt get an infection.

HarrietD

User2611 wrote: »

Foal didn't survive, sadly. We found the foal and placenta, everything is fine with the mare. She is happily grazing in the field with the other ponies Vet didn't give a reason, just said it is common in maiden mares Gave her an injection to make sure she wouldnt get an infection.

That is really sad - sorry for your loss. Glad the mare is okay. Have you advertised her as a possible foster mare?? Perhaps someone local to you has an orphan foal and maybe some good can come from this sad situation.

User2611

HarrietD wrote: »

That is really sad - sorry for your loss. Glad the mare is okay. Have you advertised her as a possible foster mare?? Perhaps someone local to you has an orphan foal and maybe some good can come from this sad situation.

Never thought if that, thanks. I'll ask around.

convert

If you're going to offer her as a foster mare, you'll need to make sure that the antibiotics/injections that were administered by your vet do not make your mare unsuitable for fostering as some antibiotics are not recommended for nursing mares.