"Cricket" leg rubbing behaviour in pregnant mares

[MiniMoment]

Hello,

Does anyone have a pregnant mare who is displying "cricket leg" type behaviour? This is rubbing their back legs together, one leg over the other while standing.

If anyone has experienced this, could you please share what this means or why a pregnant mare does this?

Thank you so much in advance for your time.

 

[Tapestry Minis]

As far as I can remember all of my mares have started this when they are within 2 weeks of foaling.

Couldn't explain it though....sorry

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Curious to find out though....lets here it

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[Suzie]

My mares do this also. I am going to take a stab at the reason being the blood flow to horse's legs and feet is a complicated thing. They can actually "shut off" blood flow to certain areas in cold weather......so, I would think the added pressure the foal entering the foaling position in the pelvis might interrupt this flow of blood into the back legs even more. I don't notice front leg weirdness very much. Maybe they get the same thing human's do, that "leg gone to sleep- creepy, crawly sensation" from the decreased blood flow?

Whatever the reason, it seems to go away after foaling...

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[Lucky-C-Acres-Minis]

Might want to check her udder, a dirty udder itches and since they can't really get to it to scratch they find other ways.. My one mare did it when she was bagging up, udder was dirty in between so she started rubbing her legs to relieve the itching until I got her cleaned and then she stopped

 

[Cimarron]

My mare Gracie always used to that! We lost her a few years ago and now have 2 maiden mares that are due now and one in about a month and I have not seen either do it yet..... Sheila

 

[RobinRTrueJoy]

My in foal mares do it when they are big in foal, and I have some that do it when they have dirt in between udders. Also. I have some mares that if their udder gets dirty, they sit like a dog and rub their butts on the ground. I look, find it dirty, clean it well and it stops.

 

[MiniMoment]

Thank you so much for all the replies ... I will check her udder and see if she foals soon! (smile)

 

[Cathy_H]

Some of our mares do this with every pregnancy within about a week of foaling & their udders have been cleaned a couple of times up to that point.