How long can stage 1 labor last?

When I was talking to the previous owners I found out that the stud was completely black with a white diamond on his head. I'm not familiar with what colors make what lol any ideas or possibilities.

Not sure if the color predictor tool is somewhere on this site. I remember trying all the possibilities of what colorations to expect. It is fun. But really you never know what is in a box of Crackerjacks until it is in your hand. Unless you have absolutely determined the genetics of the mare and stallion the chart can only be helpful to a minimal degree. If you know the genetic code of both it can narrow it down to a predictable range. We can hope for colors and whether we want a filly or colt, but in the end we all want the same thing: the mare to have a smooth foaling of a healthy little one. Hope you get to experience that joy soon. It feels so good to finally get to go to sleep without the worries once baby and mom are doing great together.

Thanks so much.. i did the nail test according to that its a colt and I used a color calculater and is said 35% chance for buckskin and 35% for bay 17% black and then it list a few more wasn't sure what they all looked like. I'm back to enjoying the wait I'm so excited to me the little foal.

I'm super excited her belly has dropped even more I'll most some pictures when I head back inside in a few

What y'all think tonight?

She's looking much better. Elongation is greater, everything looking a bit "looser", she's looking more slab-sided, and baby looks to be moving forward. Since she's started udder development, we should see the teats separate a bit more, and being to point straight down. It looks like she's doing very well. All is going good, and it won't be "long" before you can play with that little one!

She is being really grumpy won't let me touch her anywhere besides her head without her little warning stomping and nipping at me then she turns around and licks my hand... Could this mean she is close? She has never stomped or nipped before. I guess I got pretty grumpy when I was in the last miserable month of pregnancy

could be, but then mine have been like that when in heat, as well. She does look like she's progressing though. As Diane said, elongating and "shopping" (for milk). It's always interesting to see the changes in a "new" mare here on the MareStare forum!

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As to color - I've never done well with the color percentages. I like actually "looking" at what color the foal will be.

The stallion looks like this - E?, aa (no bay gene), nn (no creme gene) and don't know what he's got to make a white diamond.

The mare looks like this - E?, A?, nCr.

Do you know what color her other foal was? Do you know what color foals the stallion has sired? That tells a lot, even w/o color testing...

Just based on what the letters above are (stallion's letter first) -

EE, aA, nn - bay

E?, aA, nCr - buckskin

Then there are a lot of "IFs"... IF either parent has produced a chestnut foal, then you know that that parent carries an "e" in the black/red department. Two "e"s on a resulting foal will be chestnut. If your mare has an "a" for the other bay gene, she can produce non-bay foals - including a smokey black (no bay but does have her creme gene). If the other bay gene is "A" - she will always produce bays or chestnuts/palominos/cremellos carrying bay. The percentage calculator actually does it's percentages with those "unaccounted for" genes "in play".

Color is a lot of fun. I've played with it a lot. I don't know anything about the appaloosa markings in minis (our Shetlands don't have the "appy" genes) and more is being discovered daily about both other colors (most recent test available is DUN) and about the paint/pinto markings (several new discoveries there in the last several years).

IF your mare's coloring isn't produced by the cream gene, but is instead Dun, then the whole color scheme is different and I would need to go study how that works since I don't really know yet (Other than she's not a buckskin and neither would the foal be)...

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It's nice to follow another mare to her safe foaling! Thanks for sharing.

I love this forum it has taught me so much. I picked up everything that Diane said before i read her post, so just wanted to thank everyone once again for the education. I'm sure it will all go out the window as soon as im on watch and i will be freaking out

I can't wait to meet this little one to see the colour it comes out.

That's a lot of As and Es and confusing lol I'll just post a picture when he or she comes lol I'm so excited its my first granfurbaby lol

If dad is solid black, and mom a buckskin (no dun) then you can expect: 35.16% Bay; 11.72% Black, 3.13% Chestnut/Sorrel.
If momma throws her Cream gene, then it’s 35.16% Buckskin, 11.72 Smoky Black or 3.13% Palomino

Daddy obviously has some pinto gene going on with the “white star” on his face (I don’t know much about pinto genes, but someone here will know)

But, if momma is a “Dunskin” – which is a buckskin dun (but one of her parents would HAVE to be a dun in order to be a dun herself),

then you have this if momma doesn't throw the cream gene: 17.58% bay, 17.58% bay dun, 5.86% Grullo, 5.86% Black, 1.56% Red Dun, 1.56% Chestnut/Sorrel

And if momma throws her cream gene into the mix: 17.58% Dunskin, 17.58% Buckskin, 5.86% Smoky Grullo, 5.86% Smoky Black, 1.56% Palmonio and 1.56% Dunalino

Lots of options. Can't wait to see this little one!

I'm so excited there is a lot of possibilities.. With little sleep ive been getting ive been dreaming about what the foal will look like. So far its been a colt ever time and he's black and white then hes brown and white i took a nap earlier and dreamt he was purple lol I don't think it matter s I'm gonna love it no matter what

Absolutely!!! All we ever want is to get a healthy little one safely to the ground!

Just wanted to add that a few years ago I ran a test poll on the accuracy of the nail test. It was right 50% of the time, more or less. Go figure. That means it is wrong half the time.

If it was originally a 50% colt or philly then I did the nail test it said a colt so its a 75% chance of a colt lol can't go wrong With 50/50

I don't know if I should stay with her or give her space. When I go out there to check she whines and licks me then lays down gets up lays down. But when I stay inside and watch her she stands at the door at just stares out... I may be over thinking this again

The staring is normal as they near closer. Spending a few minutes to check her and to hear a soothing voice is fine but then leaving her be is the route I always took. As long as I could watch on camera. It is common for them to just stand in a corner and stare. Then suddenly look like a dog circling the ground to take a poop but in the mare's case instead lay down and push because it is happening. It can happen in the blink of an eye literally, so just be watchful.

What do y'all think?

Her milk is very sticky

She looks like another day or two maybe. Im in no way an expert though

I agree ^^ It shouldnt be long now

Her nipples need to fill slightly and point down.

plenty of coffee and toothpicks to keep your eyes open.

Wishing you the safest of deliveries and thanks for keeping us all updated

best Wishes , Ryan