A friend of mine got a pony about 6 months ago, and SURPRISE! she’s preggers. Her belly has recently started shifting shape and her udders are changing too, so while I still think she is probably a couple of weeks from foaling, I would like to know when to expect a baby according to the moon or the “signs”. Can anyone help? Thanks in advance!!!
I’m still trying to search, but maybe it’s only the weaning and castrating that are predicted by the signs? Any help would still be appreciated!
No offense but that sounds like a very irresponsible approach to foal watch. While it is true that mares may be more likely to foal during certain phases of the moon it should not even factor into the foal watch decisions. Do a search for milk testing with pH. That too is not fool proof and still requires someone to actually wait for the mare to get down to business but it will get you close. Best of luck.
Laurie, I have done the milk testing previously with other horses. Please believe me, we are not being “irresponsible” although my first post may have made it seem that way. Because her owner did not know she was pregnant, we are concerned that she may have been receiving fescue hay which could result in her not producing milk correctly. I cannot get milk from her yet, but check her daily, both during the day and at night to see the status of her bagging up. We do have an emergency supply of equidone on hand as well in case this milk thing becomes a real issue.
Both myself and my friend live on the property and I can see the whole pasture and barn from my bedroom window. She has seen a vet this week, as well as for her regular vaccinations earlier in the year, and we are keeping a close eye on her.
I know some COTHers have a lot of knowledge when it comes to this, so I was just angling for any advantage because we have no way of knowing when she conceived. She is extremely well cared for and observed, however, I have only assisted in several deliveries and the closer we get, the more nervous I get.
I have been doing tons of research to refresh what little I know so that in the event that the vet is delayed once she goes into labor or if there are any other complications, I will feel at least prepared to know whether to panic or crack open a beer, or both 
. I’ve never been at the disadvantage of not having an estimated foaling date before which might be causing me a bit of panic and making me seek some sort of cosmic reassurance. LOL.
Anyway, I hope the additional info helps, the last thing that I want for the horse or my friend is any sort of unhappy ending to this little surprise.
I’d be interested in where this thread goes, because I have NEVER heard of “foaling by the signs.”
Personally, I don’t even put much wgt. in weaning by the signs, (although I know others do), because IME it’s never proven true. But both weaning and castrating are things WE do.
Foaling is up to the foal, and I doubt he can see the signs where he’s at :D.
Better you should dry lot the mare now – it only has to be done 30 days prior I believe and your vet should be able to narrow it down that much…
Oh, and how are you going to watch her at night? And do you have colostrum on hand if you are worried about the mare? And doesn’t fescue cause longer than normal foalings or am I wrong about that?
Lastly, if udder have just recently started changing, you probably have 3-6 weeks. Again, every mare is different, but if you’ve JUST started to see a change, it’s doubtful she’s going to foal next week. (note: NOT impossible, but the odds are against it).
We have been taking turns watching her at night, and basically our pasture is a dry lot (it’s only about 2.5 acres), it was the hay that had some fescue in it. She is now being fed a fescue free hay, but given the changes in her belly and bagging, I don’t think she’s got 30 days.
I was not here when the vet came on Monday, so my info is secondhand and possibly not 100% accurate, but he seemed to feel she could go anytime in the next couple of weeks. There have been definite shifts in the belly shape and her rump muscles are getting looser by the day.
I thought I had heard some old wives tales about foaling according to signs, but then corrected myself thinking maybe that was only weaning and castration. Again, just seeking info from those more knowledgeable than me so I can be of any possible assistance since the vet cannot be here 24/7. We have access to colostrum if necessary but hopefully she is just a late bagger.
We have a foaling kit at the ready and both my friend and I have delivered foals before, but each of us always had a more experienced person offering assistance, so now we are both kind of nervous if the vet is not readily available. I was a small animal vet tech previously, so I feel like we will be able to do a good job, but there are always tips and tricks to learn so I’m leaning on you guys who do this all the time and are so good at it.
Thanks for clarifying that foaling by the signs is not really something that’s done, it’s one less thing to think about.
Well to make you feel a bit better, most horses foal in-between 320 and 370+days. If you look at it like that you are not much worse off than anyone else waiting for a foal with a 2+month range. Not knowing the mare is probably the hardest part.
I had a foal on the full moon. Same foal jumped the fence and tried to kill himself when I tried to wean him, it happened to be on a weaning date. I think the “signs” was trumped by a storm and an overprotective mother. I wouldn’t bother to check the signs again. JMO.
Some folks feel a full moon “induces” foaling, but that’s absolutely unreliable.
Others feel a storm front “induces” foaling, and while there may be some real merit to that since there are pressure changes involved, it is also unreliable.
If you feel for sure she has less than 30 days, then since you KNOW she’s been exposed to fescue, it may not be a bad idea to start the Equidone, but do talk to your vet about it. Having removed the fescue is a good thing, and IIRC it can reverse its endophyte issues.
FWIW my mare didn’t have any milk to test, at all, until a few days before foaling. Her udders were up and down for a few weeks, then stayed up, but even when they got large and staying there, they were not letting down any milk for maybe another week. While you can’t use that as a bible, it does tell you that lack of milk now doesn’t mean she’s necessarily weeks away.
What DOES her udder look like? Is it going down with movement? Some mares get a full-ish udder WEEKS before foaling. What are the muscles beside her tail like? If still full and resistive, you are less close than if they are starting to drop and the tail is not as resistant to pulling it to the side or up.
Sorry but it did sound like you wanted to look in the almanac to figure out which night to get out the lawn chairs! Glad to hear that is not the case. I had a mare foal during a lunar eclipse and the foal came out with an eclipse on her forehead so maybe I shouldn’t be allowed to post on this topic anyway!
LMAO Laurie! Really? That’s awesome lolol
First foaling I ever saw was during a lunar eclipse (hence “full moon” except during the actual eclipse). They named him Dark Moon.
Weaning and castrating by the signs isn’t something that science has proven, but most long time breeders (and the vast majority of TB breeders in Kentucky, etc.) wean by them. There are plenty nay-sayers on here that will downplay it also. I was raised around the very best in the breeding business (unfortunately all long gone now) that swore by it, so I do also. I’m happy to provide the dates for the Chronicle BB.
That being said a fescue concern is a real one and not to be taken lightly.
How about an ultrasound to give you a better idea?
Maintaining a vigil regarding the potential fescue toxicity is smart. Having colostrum on hand is also smart.
Good luck!
The very last foal from my late stallion (conceived just weeks before his death) was born right after a shooting star passed over the barn.:sadsmile:
A colt – his only Akhal Teke son…
To the OP, I think you are doing everything you can…just keep trying to get some milk. If the mare is resistant, try warm, wet compresses pressed up against the bag for 5 minutes prior. This feels good to them and often helps “let down” whatever fluid is up there.
Good luck!!
This late in the pregnancy an ultra sound won’t tell you much.
I had a mare come up pregnant who had been exposed to 2 stallions in 2 months (long, long story).
My vet had read about a study done where they measured the inutero foals eye socket to determine where in gestation they were, so we tried it.
Per her calcs, it was Stallion #1. But, (alas, 'cause that was my choice), when the foal came out, it was obviously #2.
[QUOTE=Laurierace;5681030]
I had a mare foal during a lunar eclipse and the foal came out with an eclipse on her forehead so maybe I shouldn’t be allowed to post on this topic anyway![/QUOTE]
Wow! That is pretty cool. :yes:
We will just keep on doing what we’re doing, she has had some alfalfa added to her diet and she is already getting fuller udders, so I am cautiously optimistic that she will hopefully be able to nurse her baby whenever it decides to arrive. Her muscles on her rump next to her tail have started to soften.
I am guessing Monday, but it’s purely speculation
I gotta ask: why Monday? I’ve had mares go WEEKS with all those signs in place…
I vote weeks too but Monday could work too I guess based upon what you are saying. If it does end up being weeks here is the whole Eclipse thread for your entertainment. If it goes faster than weeks you can skip to post 362 for the video or post 372 for pics.
http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?t=131805&highlight=foal+cam+jess
It probably will be a couple of weeks…but now that we know there is a baby coming, I want it to get here already! Although the longer the better, since mama is now being cared for like a preggers lady should.
Can’t wait to check out the Eclipse thread! I know what I will be doing during those wee hours of the night now. Thanks, Laurie!
Here is my gorgeous girl this morning.
She is lovely!
No real progress yet…thinking my wishful thinking for Monday is definitely premature. Oh well, she’s enjoying all the attention.
