Foaling Season

[Checkmate Miniature Horses]

Hi Everone

I have been in miniature horses for many years. My first babies are due in April and I was wondering how everyone elses season is going. We seem to have good years and bad years with different kinds of weather. We've had a lot of rain this year and I was if any of you feel that weather has anything to do with how our foaling season goes. We attend every birth. Do you all do the same?

 

[Jill]

We aim to be at every birth. So far this year, we lost a filly (perlino buckeroo baby by our Res. National Grand Champion) who came a few months too early and we had a gorgeous sorrel rowdy x buckeroo lines filly two days ago. I have one more mare I think is in foal, but she's looking so sleek and trim... has had two other foals and caught right away. I think she may be keeping me in suspense for some time to come.

In the same line of thought, I wanted to include what we use to watch mares, which is not nearly as in depth as many members. Right now, we just have a camera system set up and halter buzzers. The cameras will carry sound. We have it hooked up to a spare tv in the bedroom. Plus, of course, we monitor the mare's physical changes but some of them really have snuck up on me and when I've thought we had weeks to go, we had really a day!!! Talk about exciting times!

 

[sedeh]

2 down....one to go!!

First delivery was textbook, second was a nail bitter! Presented with head/no legs....for my husband as I was at work but he got her out alive and well! One colt, one filly. Next one is a maiden mare, probably in a couple of weeks. Good luck with yours!

 

[MindyLee]

4 mares bred last spring...

only one took...

Due in mid April!

CANT WAIT!!!

 

[minimomNC]

Two bred, two live healthy colts. I am done for the year and love both my new boys.

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

I lost two that were born too early, one will never be bred again because I wont risk it and the other needs flushed really well. First live foal is on the ground as of monday and it is a healthy TINY black pinto colt. I have 4 more foals due at my house and a possible 11 due at my parents. The rest should be easy since most of them are proven mares. We also try to be there for the birth and we have a cam set up to watch.

 

[REO]

Welcome to the forum!

It's too cold here for early foals but I got carried away last year LOL.

So......so far we have one lovely filly!

I have 2 more mares due soon and then mares due all through Summer until maybe Sept!

It's going to be a loooong season!

When I have mares due, I'm always home with them. We have a camera and Equipage system.

 

[ThreeCFarm]

We do attend every birth, and use the Equipage system and a camera. Someone (either my mother or I) stays home when the mares get close, and in the case of a maiden, we start watching them early.

We bred 2 of our own mares and bought two bred. Both foals of our breeding were born on Monday, two live fillies. One wasn't breathing at birth, so if I had not been there, she would have died. But then her dam probably would have too, as the filly was a dystocia. One of the mares we bought lost hers early on last year, and the other is due (we think) in May or June.

 

[minih]

We bred 4 mares last year and already have 4 healthy beautiful foals on the ground running and bucking! We have 2 colts and 2 fillies. All 4 are our dream babies, the best foal crop we have ever had. No real problem deliveries, 3 were maiden mares so they just needed a little help with the contractions and that was all. We have an equipage and camera system set up and was at every birth. We also have an infrared heater since we are foaling earlier in the year. I would hate to have them this early without one. On three of the mares I was within 2 days accurate on when they would foal, the last one we watched for a full week before she let us see him. I was way off on that one.

We are expecting our first shetland foal this year from a mare we bought at the auction. I don't think she is near ready yet, with no real dates hard to say but I think about 3-4 weeks. ?? I'm just going to keep an eye on her. The little one is jumping around all over the place in there.

So we have one more to go and then we are finished. <<sigh>>

 

[Katiean]

I would like to get my season under way. We know that 2 mares are in foal. We just don't know when they are due. I had separated them in April last year. However, I believe that there were a couple of times that he got in with the mares after the show season. So we can have these babies any time. I have really been checking the mare that should go first because she can go from zero to baby on the ground in about 15 minutes.

 

[Miniv]

Hi Checkmate!

My guess is that most of us on here make every effort to be present for foalings......either in person or via a monitoring system. (We have cameras with a monitor set up in our bedroom.) ......plus we use milk test strips and check each mare's physical signs. This time of year the threads on LB are full of what to watch for and often include some interesting photos of mare's personal parts!

For us, our season is approximately 1/3rd complete......One filly and Three colts. All healthy, so not complaining.

Ma---

 

[minie812]

We are watching one mare at this time on marestare. She is a palomino pinto in foal to Fiesta.She is due anyday now. I sold three mares this past year in foal to him so two are in Neb and the other is in Ill. so I feel like a granny waiting for my grandbabies to be born then I think there will be one more. I do not know if she took or not so it may be a surprise but thats o.k. I need a rest

 

[Joanne]

Slow!

Only one foaled so far.

5 mares 324-337 days now.

I thought I would have more foaled by now.

They are keeping me and the Mare Stare members waiting!!!!!!

 

[HGFarm]

I am still waiting for mine to BEGIN!!!

I had everyone out with the stallion last year for foals born from March til early May. No one has foaled yet!! (Ok, I let them know yesterday that March is OVER)

So, when things start popping here, it's gonna be crazy for me........