Menu

Stay in Touch
Sign up for ENews
Subscribe Now

Unlimited access >

Menu

Please hold our newbie hands!

Sport Horse Breeding
#141

[QUOTE=buschkn;5412612]
I also own “Blessed are the Broodmares”, bought it a few years ago. It makes me want to vomit in terror! I stop trying to read it as I figure it will do me more harm than good. :slight_smile:

Does anyone have any decent foaling books? Considering doing it at home this year. Have two people who are experienced and can help, but obviously it would mostly be on me. Also, vets not so accessible, which is why I’ve always sent them to Lexington. Would like to be able to do it at home.

Sonesta, coloredcowhorse, et al- when the milk changes colors/tastes, what sort of time frame are we talking about? I have an older injured mare who I will DEFINITELY take somewhere to foal out, but I always panic and take them waaaay too early and it always costs me a fortune. I’d like to get it closer to when she foals.

Good luck everyone! May the foals be with you![/QUOTE]

It has been my experience that each mare is so individual that it is really hard to predict a time frame. I know that doesn’t help! I’ve had mares with white/sticky/sweet milk dripping for a week and others will have clear yellow fluid in the morning, white milk in the evening and a foal a few hours later. I’ve even had some mares who didn’t have “milk” until right after foaling.
I usually just look and taste the milk, but last year I used the spa strips and I wasn’t at all impressed. I had mares with below 6.2 pH for several days before foaling, and I had a mare who didn’t drop at all before foaling. I probably won’t use them again.

P.S. I like the Complete Book of Foaling by Karen Hayes, but I re-read Blessed are the Broodmares every winter to remind me of the horrible things that can happen. I think it keeps me sharp :slight_smile:

As far as when mares should go to a foaling facility; we always advise at least 30 days prior to their “due date” b/c that is how long it takes to form antibodies to the local environment. Of course, we have plenty of mare owners that would rather not invest that kind of money so they wait until they see what they consider “significant udder changes” before dropping their mares off.

#142

buschkn, this book was recommended to me on my “foaling video” thread :slight_smile:

#143

Well, IMHO I don’t think you ought to be trailering them during the last few days of their pregnancy. I would be worried about causing them to foal too early from the stress.

But to answer your question, it differs from mare to mare. I’ve seen mares go from clear yellowish to white almost overnight. That’s the reason I begin checking their milk daily as soon as it can be expressed. When it goes slick and becomes yellow opaque, I check it twice a day.

#144

Well I do usually end up with them there about a month ahead of time but not really on purpose. sigh. Guess I’ll just suck it up and take her early. She is an old mama and I would really love to have a healthy foaling happen. No way I’m doing it at home with this one!

#145

Well Ruby and I have had some less than fabulous news the last few days. She is 305 days.
On Sunday I noticed milk had dried on the inside of her legs, she had been bagged up from 290 days but it hadn’t changed or grown, and I thought it was just fairly normal. But the milk was alarm bells and I called my vet who came out Saturday morning.
She thought it was all normal aside from the milk.

She didn’t think it was worth testing for placentitis but Ruby is now on antibiotics, bute and regumate for the next ten days, so we are treating for placentitis. I noticed after just one day of the regumate the bag was diminishing.

I’m terrified though! My first foal, and all I want is it to be healthy. Now I have to contend with an increased likelihood of red bag and not to mention all the drugs Ruby is on and dealing with the lovely regumate …

It has always been a resentful belief of mine that stupid people who don’t do anything or care about their mares seem to end up with remarkably healthy foals. This mare has been my only obsession and preoccupation and I’m nearly convinced that she’ll end up having an abortion.

If that isn’t first time mum syndrome I have no idea what is …

ETA: Omg, I am an idiot … chalk it up to lack of sleep and morning pre coffee-itis. Went to feed her and actually you know, read directions on meds as I prepared breakfast. Well the bute is just for 5 days, so three more days at 6mls. The antis and regumate are to continue through pregnancy. The antis being bronco pollum (sp?) No idea where I got 10 days from other than my fuzzy silly brain. I do apologise!

#146

[QUOTE=madamlb;5413308]
Well Ruby and I have had some less than fabulous news the last few days. She is 305 days.
On Sunday I noticed milk had dried on the inside of her legs, she had been bagged up from 290 days but it hadn’t changed or grown, and I thought it was just fairly normal. But the milk was alarm bells and I called my vet who came out Saturday morning.
She thought it was all normal aside from the milk.

She didn’t think it was worth testing for placentitis but Ruby is now on antibiotics, bute and regumate for the next ten days, so we are treating for placentitis. I noticed after just one day of the regumate the bag was diminishing.

I’m terrified though! My first foal, and all I want is it to be healthy. Now I have to contend with an increased likelihood of red bag and not to mention all the drugs Ruby is on and dealing with the lovely regumate …

It has always been a resentful belief of mine that stupid people who don’t do anything or care about their mares seem to end up with remarkably healthy foals. This mare has been my only obsession and preoccupation and I’m nearly convinced that she’ll end up having an abortion.

If that isn’t first time mum syndrome I have no idea what is …[/QUOTE]

I would encourage you to speak to your vet about having your mare on Bute. Mares should not be on Bute during the last 30 days of pregnancy, as it isn’t safe. The anti-inflammatory of choice for placentitis is Banamine. Also, the treatment should continue until the mare aborts or foals, not only just for 10 days.

#147

[QUOTE=buschkn;5412612]
when the milk changes colors/tastes, what sort of time frame are we talking about? I have an older injured mare who I will DEFINITELY take somewhere to foal out, but I always panic and take them waaaay too early and it always costs me a fortune. I’d like to get it closer to when she foals. [/QUOTE]

It varies from mare to mare but in general when it goes to thicker, whiter, no to almost none of the clear fluid and begins to taste sweet she’s close…probably not more than 2-3 days max and maybe less than 1.

Moving a mare to a new location for foaling ideally SHOULD be done so she’s there around a month…she will develop antibodies to the particular bacteria etc at that location and pass them to the foal in the colostrum to protect him from that particular environment…takes about 3-4 weeks to do this so she needs to be there that long to get exposed and then develop the antibodies. Costs more in board of course but having the right antibodies for that environment is good insurance for a healthier foal.

#148

This newbie is getting close!

My girl Hope is at day 304 today. Her caslicks was opened yesterday and she got her EWT, Flu, WNV boosters and final Pneumabort injection.

At the vet yesterday - http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=31514479&l=5f553c1dae&id=1359927263

She is as big as a house and miserable! During our nightly grooming routine, I can feel the little one bouncing around in there. No udder changes.

Foaling stall is ready. Foaling kit is packed and ready. Milk test strips are at hand. Camera is on its way. My anxiety is at an all time high!!!

My other mare is due in mid April. Then I think I will go to the beach…or the nut house! :wink:

#149

jen, which camera did you decide to go with?

Mine was de-Caslicked Monday, along with shots :smiley:

#150

[QUOTE=JB;5414791]
jen, which camera did you decide to go with?

Mine was de-Caslicked Monday, along with shots :D[/QUOTE]

YAY JB!!! :cool: Is your girl bagging up at all? Any other changes?

I went with this one based on Mare Stare comments/reviews. My computer savvy friend called and spoke with the company and was really impressed. She is going to come set everything up for me. I call her my equine midwife/IT person! :winkgrin:
http://www.foalingcamera.com/wireless_barn_camera_overview.html

#151

Her boobies are still flat as pancakes :lol: Her shape has changed, drawing down, and the muscle groove down the back of her butt/thighs has become more delineated.

#152

It is not easy at all to go through! I’ve had young horses around for over a year now but never have actually had one born here. I think that I am more stressed over my mare’s pregnancy than she is. She came to me in foal so I was paranoid from the get go! It is just ridiculous. I constantly am calling my mentor who has been breeding for 30+ years to ask questions. Sure there is also the vet to talk to but I feel that she is good help as well considering how experienced she is with mares in foal. We’ll all have to be around to keep each other calm throughout this painstakingly slow experience. Here’s to wishing that everyone’s girls will foal out easily and without complications. :slight_smile:

#153

Weird thing happened today. Went out to the barn and lead my horses out to their pasture–10 year old gelding, and the soon-to-be-17 year old mare (267 days pregnant). I always take them in and out at the same time, leading one on each side of me, and they more or less behave themselves. Well today, while I was opening the gate, the gelding attempted to mount my poor mare! I pulled the lead hard and stopped him, but I couldn’t believe it! He never does that. The only time he has ever gotten frisky with her is last year after her first ultrasound to check on where she was in her cycle and make sure everything was functioning. She was in raging heat (not that she showed it), and apparently having an arm and ultrasound wand shoved up her butt got her pretty excited. When the vet was done and I put her back out, she was rather, ah, amorous, and the gelding was enthusiastic.

What the heck kind of gelding tries to get it on with an enormously pregnant mare??? If he tries this again, they’re going to have to be separated, which I am NOT looking forward to–they flip out when they’re apart. I was hoping to hold off on separating them until she’s closer to foaling, and hopefully distracted by how fat and uncomfortable she is to care about her missing boyfriend.

#154

275 days. Oh dear. Oh my. Oh no. Does anyone have a paper bag for me to breathe into?

#155

Amastrike - I would let you borrow mine but I NEED it!!!

My girl Hope is at 316 days today. Got my barn cam installed yesterday. :cool:

The weather here is heavenly right now and I have been turning the preggo beast back out after supper so she is out all night. Absolutely no udder changes. When should I start locking her up at night? She is not stressed in the stall so wouldn’t need an adjustment period.

Like Amastrike, I have a separating issue too -
Hope is also still going out with her boyfriend (TB gelding) and a mini gelding. I have 2 other mares that go out together…1 preggo due in April and the other open. My goal was to put the 2 preggos together but Hope still stresses when she is not with her man. Will she chill out on this when the baby comes or before? The geldings could care less about her but she LOVES her Opie.

Also - where the heck can I find straw? Any alternatives? The local feed stores keep trying to sell me pine straw when I ask!!!

Oh Lord, better get out the paper bag again…:eek:

#156

Jen - Home Depot/Lowes carry straw, and may have it by now.

My cams are up too, but I’m having issues :mad:

#157

I think I’ve read on this board, that some people bed down in hay as an alternative to straw. I guess it depends on the price difference, but here it would be a lot more affordable to use hay.

Does anyone know of any negatives to this?

We’re at 289ish today and trying not to get too excited.

#158

Well i’m also at 275 with my 2 girls, and getting more nervous by the day. The younger one (maiden) has been bagged up for almost 2 weeks now. Should I worry? There are no other signs, just the udder which is swollen (not huge, but very noticeable). Vet is due out for the shots in about 2 weeks, should I get him out there earlier or is it normal?

pass the paper bag…

#159

Hang me a paper bag too! My mare is at 333 days and is big as a house! She is bagged up but not waxing or dripping. She also doesn’t seem too uncomfortable as she was tearing around the field yesterday. She is out with her buddies all day and in the paddock that attaches to her stall and she can go in or out if she wants. She hates to be locked in. She seems happy to hang out in her stall and even lay down and nap in there when the door is open but just paces when you lock her in. Right now I’m just trying to keep her happy and unstressed.

#160

Only a negative if you have a fatty :slight_smile:

Well, that goes for the straw too if she decides that’s yummy.

We’re at 289ish today and trying not to get too excited.

Oh c’mon, get excited! :slight_smile:

[quote=cripplecreekfrm;5441437]Hang me a paper bag too!
[/quote]

I’m next!

Day 326 here :eek::eek::eek: thunk

No real changes in the last month. She developed a more A-frame butt about 2 months ago - still there, no worse. No softening around the tail, teats maybe a smidge thicker if you put thumb and forefinger on either side of one of them. Even that’s a stretch. Vulva is maybe a titch relaxed at the bottom, but honestly, she’s had a Caslick’s in since I got her 6+ years ago, just got it out 2 weeks ago, so this un-stitched vulva is a new sight for me on her. She’s obviously pregnant, but you can’t really tell from the rear - no sticky-outy!

Get your Digital Subscription here - only $29.99 / year

Subscribe here
See gift options

Sign up to our monthly newsletter!

By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.

Copyright © 2023 The Chronicle of the Horse