:lol: :lol:
I see a bright future ahead of her.
Mare #2 is getting closer. “Bodacious Barb” will be 320 days on March 8th. She’s a maiden, so might be unpredictable. However so far things are progressing by the book. She has appropriate udder development for 315 days, has doubled in size since 300 days, and if I had to guess I’d say she’ll go closer to 330 than 350. She has been increasingly snarky, especially at feed time, lunging viciously at anyone nearby (horses over the fence, dogs, birds). Until now she has been a bit timid, sweet, calm & quiet, but the hormones and fat baby belly have turned her into a dragon. She’s still polite to people, but has absolutely no tolerance for other creatures.
Hopefully not too much longer!
Sad to report I lost my only 2020 foal last night.
My mare as been at the state university clinic for the last 2 weeks due to signs of premature labor and possible placentitis which she was aggressively treated for. Vets were very happy with how she was looking, though the fetal heart rate was a little slower than they would have expected.
Unfortunately last night she required an emergency C-section to remove a dead foal with hydrocephalus. I’m just devastated. She was at day 325. Breeding isn’t for the faint of heart.
Sorry to bring down the happiness of the general thread.
EventerAJ, your new filly is just darling!!
I am so sorry. Breeding can be so hard. Hugs to you and for your poor mare.
So sorry to hear about your mare and foal, Element Farm. I lost the last foal in 2018 from my aged Advanced event mare; breeding can be so brutal. It makes you appreciate the successes all the more.
Day 328. Barb is still getting bigger. Udder is over half full, belly dropping but no V yet. Soft around tailhead, but not up to croup. Some dried mucus plug was smeared on her hind legs. Milk looks like cloudy lemonade.
Perhaps another 5-7 days?
Oddly enough, she is very interested in my stallion when I tease the barren mares nearby. Hormones are weird.
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My recip is day 330 today, finally starting to get a hint of a bag. Hoping to ship her to foal out tomorrow or Friday at the latest.
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Day 332. Barb’s tailhead is becoming more prominent, udder is a little bigger but not close to full yet. Milk is still yellow and pale, like lemonade, but it is more viscous. Almost syrupy and sticky? But it isn’t thick or solid colored; not at all creamy. I’m used to most mares turning “milky” and watery before thickening, this pancake-syrup stage is a new one for me. But maidens do weird things!
Keep us posted and best of luck! I keep eagerly checking here for updates 
Odd that her pH has dropped that much but the calcium is still low. Maybe because she is a maiden? Best of luck to you! I am hoping for news that my mare who is also 334 is progressing shortly.
Yes I keep re-checking a new strip, thinking surely the calcium is higher; or maybe the pH isn’t as low as it seems? Nope. 4 strips later it still looks like pH 6.5 and hardness holding steady at 200ppm.
And still the same this morning, day 335. Globs of wax, udder very full and tight. Butt is soft and jiggly. No change in milk appearance, still cloudy lemonade, a bit sticky but not thick or creamy.
Her attitude is relaxed and quiet. No drama, no fussing, so at least I’m not glued to the monitor all night. It will happen when it happens!
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Day 350. Maiden mare, jiggly butt, udder fairly full, walks around her stall at night, and then resumes eating. Sheesh.
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Mine is 337 as well, looks like yours is winning the race thus far however.
Winning means you know where the finish line is! Still waiting. Didn’t know a mare could sit this long with such low pH (6 days!). Her hind socks are covered in dirty sticky milk drips. I’ve been thinking “tonight’s the night!” for so long that I’m questioning my sanity. The best thing I can say about her is that her nights are peaceful; no dramatic moaning, pawing, pacing, or belly nipping. She swishes her tail and stands quietly, so I’m able to cat-nap between half-hour or hourly camera checks.
If she weren’t a maiden with family history of BIG horses (dam 17.1, half bro 17.2, she’s 16.1, and stallion’s foals can be large) I wouldn’t be so hyper-vigilant. It’s been a healthy pregnancy so far, but I have a feeling she may need some help.
I was going to bet on it being tonight but I think she’ll make you wait one more!
Gosh I hope not! Milk has turned a bit lighter today: think lemonade mixed with skim milk. Sticky but not creamy. Test strip results are the same, maybe just a tiny bit darker on the hardness, more than 250ppm but less than 450ppm. Same full udder, waxed with occasional drips.
Added more science to the mix, and decided to test her milk with the colostrum refractometer. Surprisingly, the thin, pale yellow, runny milk registers a 25 (“very good”) on the Brix scale. So looks like she has colostrum! She was already in her stall at 8pm tonight (attached paddock out back) which is a bit unusual. She was also yawning 4-5 times while I filled her water bucket. Maybe tonight looks promising??
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Maiden mare at day 350. Has had clear, yellow “milk” for two weeks. I think she heard me saying all year I didn’t want a March baby (I was worried about the weather and we have had a mostly mild March.) and has said, “Challenge accepted.” Today was my birthday, so I was hoping for today. Her belly looks like it could explode.
Darn! Soon, hopefully!
