My pregnant mare is driving me crazy and has decided the foal may likely stay in there for another year. I just noticed this afternoon that she’s now got the little white crystals on the sides of her teats. Can’t seem to find information anywhere on the internet on how long until she will foal once they start developing. This isn’t wax, but those tiny white salt crystals that some mares develop on the sides of their teats.
(yawn) thanks for helping. I need some sleep! 
Dont you do the Chemetrics foal watch test? Thought you did. Any test this year or are you winging it? And BTW, don’t know what you are meaning about white crystals
Strange, I’d never heard of that before, but did notice the same thing on the side of my mare’s teats today!
Every mare I’ve ever foaled has always gottne those tiny white crustals on the sides of their teats. Went out to try and take a picture of them, and of course they have disappeared for this evening. I did manage to find one photo off the internet but it’s not a great photo of what they look like. Basically looks like someone stuck tiny little crystals of salt all over the teats.
My mare got them last year about 2 weeks before foaling. I remember reading about it in the Dr. Hayes foaling book. I will dig it out and look it up for you.
Nope, I’ve never done a chemetrics test with my mares. I’ve heard of false positives and false negatives and I guess the other reason is I don’t want to be poking and prodding the poor mare any more than I absolutely have to.
We have been blessed with this mare foaling every year exactly ten days early. Problem is, last year we basically pasture bred her with Picasso so that we could try and get her caught on her foal heat as she ended up foaling so late last year (due to re-absorbing and then getting pregnant on the next cycle the previous year). I watched what they were doing closely, but still not 100% accurate on a final breeding date. I’m thinking we may end up having a foal this evening as she started doing the foal window thing last night and the foal went from a super weird position out from one side to settling back down in the middle 
ok wrong book, it was in the Theresa Jones book.
It says “the grainy deposits disappear usually the day the mare foals or begins to drip milk, however it is not a guarentee of impending labor. Sometimes the mare will foal with the deposits still present. Other times the deposits come and go with no corresponding change in the mare.”
My mare had them last year until 2 or 3 days before foaling, when they went away her udder got bigger and her teats begin to fill. She had no milk until 4 hours before foaling, when she had wax and I was able to squeeze out a small drop.
Hope that helps:)
Hmmmm…guess I am just this dumb blond that foals without seeing!! LOL. I have so many mares that never wax, drip, pace, or do any of the normal things. Thats why I do the Chemetrics. Saves me wondering for days on end what is going on. Over the many many years I have used it, I have never had a false test. My mares do not mind that little quick test at all. I like to sleep at night. Just my way. 
OH, and BTW, happy and safe foaling !! I will wait for an update.
Hi Tracy,
Had one that developed the little crystals on 3/25 and foaled on 3/28. Hope she goes soon and be sure to post some pics of that baby Picasso. I bet it will be really nice. Good luck and I hope you can sleep soon. 
Barb
Well, thankfully my mare must have read my thread on the COTH and decided I needed some well deserved sleep and foal at 1:15 am! A beautiful colt with four matching white socks, blaze and pink nose. I’m pretty sure he is a buckskin (what I’ve always wanted - buckskin sabino), but is a bit hard to tell in limited light. His name will be Daventry’s Power Play (his siblings are Offside, Overtime, Breakaway and Center Ice) and his barn name will be Kody, after my Hanoverian gelding that we just put down a few days ago. :sadsmile:
Congrats
Congratulations. Would love to see photos of the new baby.
I have one mare that gets the crystals about two weeks before foaling. My other mares seem to get them closer to foaling, like within a couple days. So I think it varies.
Tracy: Congratulations!! That was quick…like quickly after you posted I mean.
I have a mare due around the first week of June. I will keep a watch out for crystals. My other three from this year never even waxed or dripped. Just went down and foaled.
Pictures please.
LOVE the names!!! A girl after my own Hockey Heart!!!
Here are photos of our little guy at 6 hours old. I’m not 100% sure on his color. 
I’m think it is buckskin, but will likely have to pull hairs for DNA I’m thinking. Sire is Alvesta Picasso and the dam is Pajon’s Royal Flirt by *Rosedale Royal Flare.
Very handsome boy Tracy, and so considerate. Maybe you can get some sleep now!
Barb
Congrats on the colt!
It is called “sugaring” means your getting close
I find our mares, if they are going to get those spots (maybe about half do), then they are typically within about 48-72 hrs.
Very cute colt Is one of the parents grey? To me he looks like he’s buckskin that’s going to grey out.
I have also noticed them over the years. I have a mare due June 7th that has them as of this morning. She has a medium sized bag as well (and has for a few days).
Hummmmm…
Now my mare that was due May 12-14th has nothing!!! Figures!
Yes, both parents are grey. The sire was born bay and the dam was born palomino. Now that he’s had a few days, he’s definitely buckskin going grey.
Below is a better picture showing the white crystals. I happened to snap this less than 24 hours before my mare foaled.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l98/mhaley1010/weblinks/Evesudder1.jpg
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