Pregnancy Care

MCS these photos are a wonderful starting point. if you can do this again at 290 then weekly thereafter (sooner if you notice something) we'll be able to watch her progress. It's amazing how much you'll notice by keeping a photo log, sometimes we'll see things we never realize is happening by simply looking everyday.

Debby - LB said:

MCS these photos are a wonderful starting point. if you can do this again at 290 then weekly thereafter (sooner if you notice something) we'll be able to watch her progress. It's amazing how much you'll notice by keeping a photo log, sometimes we'll see things we never realize is happening by simply looking.

Click to expand...

Great idea, thanks! I will start doing that.

Definitely taking pictures, roughly, every week does help. Pictures show small changes you may not notice by feel.

My only problem is my first mare. She does not like you feeling, much less putting my phone down there to get a picture. She didn't like me clipping either.

Thankfully majority of the remaining nine are used to being touched and clipped.

Here are some pictures from today. She rolled after she ate her grain, which I thought was odd because I haven't seen her roll practically since she got pregnant! Anyways, I took these pics and thought I might as well post them here, too!

The pic of her vulva is a comparison from a few days ago, the picture on the right is from today. Also sorry the pictures are kind of blurry. I was having trouble getting good ones today. The little specks all over are mud, I wiped it off afterwards. It's been raining a lot lately, so parts of the pasture are a mess!

Also to add, I have been taking her on 1-3 walks per day to try and reduce edema!

Now about 282 days. Definitely some change there from the last weeks photos, you can see how her teats are starting to seperate and point downwards. Hard to say about the pics on the right it does appear to have elongated but not swelled looking back there.

Your mare has more of a milk bar than my mare that is 323 days!

She is looking really good, some definite changes happening there

Definite changes happening....This is a good documentation!

I'm going to start posting pictures weekly starting at 290, which would be Saturday, I believe. I also plan to put her on marestare once I get everything set up and that should be sometime early March! I'll post the link here when I get it up .

Speaking of marestare, what time do you all recommend putting a camera on your mare? I was thinking 300 days but would love to hear your thoughts!

Yes I'd agree with 300 under certain circumstances but if you see any signs (and you already have) you can and should have her under camera with an alarm on her at that time. Unlike big horses your average gestation for a miniature mare is about 320 days. There are many, many full term surviving foals at 290. I have found that unless there is a problem, first foals take a little longer and will be closer to the normal gestation, anyone else?

That said, the only thing you can expect from them is the unexpected!

Here are 290 pics! I also included a picture of a little maternity photoshoot I did for her today just for fun.

I would keep a close eye on her. Her bag only needs to fill a little more and nipples point down. Also the side shot shows baby is low, she almost looks v'd. I don't think you have long to wait after 300 days for a baby.

Unlike me who has a mare at 332 days with barely a bag.

Magic Marker Miniatures said:

I would keep a close eye on her. Her bag only needs to fill a little more and nipples point down. Also the side shot shows baby is low, she almost looks v'd. I don't think you have long to wait after 300 days for a baby.

Unlike me who has a mare at 332 days with barely a bag.

Click to expand...

Wow thanks for responding! Certainly got me moving a little faster on the camera, haha! I got all the stuff for the camera set up in my barn tonight, now all I have to do is mount the camera in her stall and buy marestare. Hopefully getting that done tomorrow! Have one more thing to buy for my foaling kit, printed off a bunch of foaling walkthroughs for certain dystocias and even the textbook foaling. So excited

At this stage she could go quick or she could make you wait weeks! Mares decision.

I have a mare at 333 with little bag (don't know foaling history), two mares that will be 300 on 3/8 (one has foaled at 333 and last year at 331; other lost both her foals) with barely a start of a bag, one mare that will be 300 days on 3/11 (foaled as a first timer at 319) with no start of a bag, and last mare will be 300 on 3/16 (first baby) with bag half way filled up.

Last three mares after mares above won't be 300 days until April.

Agree with Magic Marker......She does look like the foal has dropped.... If you can, try to gently squeeze some liquid from her teets to see how sticky it is.

(Cute picture, btw.)

She's progressing nicely. I agree she does appear to have dropped. I LOVE that photo! looks like you had so much fun, and it's obvious that this baby is highly anticipated.

She's at the point now where she could foal at any time. Watch closely for text book changes but don't depend on them.

I second seeing if you can express some fluid.

I havent tried to express fluid yet, I might try tonight. What would I be looking for?

I have her on marestare now, its a public cam under MCS Miniatures. Here is a bag comparison pic! The top pics is yesterday, 293 days, and today at 294 days. I also added a front view udders picture from today. She is super itchy today, she keeps rubbing her butt on the walls and pressing it against the walls. Also biting her belly occasionally.

You only need a drop of fluid on your finger. Dab your finger and thumb together and gauge the stickiness. At first it will take a few dabs to make it feel sticky. And then when she's very close, it will only be one dab and feel very thick like honey or syrup. That means lots of colostrum has formed.