Gestation period

[Joanna Cooke]

I have got a pony mare (she is about 42 inches tall), who I am 99% sure is pregnant. She will be about 3 months along in the middle of August. To give you some background (just because), I got her in May. Her name is Pegasus (I call her Peg or Peggy) and she was a rescue, so NOTHING was known about her past, and she wasn’t in the best of shape. She is a bay tobiano paint with blue eyes, and I believe she is a welsh pony (section A? I’m not really sure about that part). She was EXTREMELY skittish when I first got her (a lead rope had to be left on her or you couldn’t catch her otherwise). However, with the help of a friend and Clinton Anderson, I was able to get her to calm down and mostly trust me after a week or two! And that was working with her for a one hour session, twice a day, every day. Anyway, after treating some rain rot spots she had had, getting her weight up a little, deworming her, etc,I bred her to my miniature palomino stud. Long story short, I have read that ponies will often have a shorter gestation period than horses, and would like to get some personal opinions from y’all about how long your taller minis or ponies are usually pregnant? Thank you!


Here are a couple of pics of Peg.

 

[Minimor]

I start watching them after 295 days. I have had them foal at 297, 305, 310 up to 330. I do not have many that went as long as 330, and I figure "due date" at 320.

 

[Pitter Patter]

I have got a pony mare (she is about 42 inches tall), who I am 99% sure is pregnant. She will be about 3 months along in the middle of August. To give you some background (just because), I got her in May. Her name is Pegasus (I call her Peg or Peggy) and she was a rescue, so NOTHING was known about her past, and she wasn’t in the best of shape. She is a bay tobiano paint with blue eyes, and I believe she is a welsh pony (section A? I’m not really sure about that part). She was EXTREMELY skittish when I first got her (a lead rope had to be left on her or you couldn’t catch her otherwise). However, with the help of a friend and Clinton Anderson, I was able to get her to calm down and mostly trust me after a week or two! And that was working with her for a one hour session, twice a day, every day. Anyway, after treating some rain rot spots she had had, getting her weight up a little, deworming her, etc,I bred her to my miniature palomino stud. Long story short, I have read that ponies will often have a shorter gestation period than horses, and would like to get some personal opinions from y’all about how long your taller minis or ponies are usually pregnant? Thank you!

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Here are a couple of pics of Peg.

She is absolutely beautiful!! I have a bit of a taller mini and she "should" be due anytime, but then I have thought that literally for almost 3 months!! (previous owner keeps giving me different breed times!) All I can say is my girl often doesn't even look pregnant. If it wasn't for the very busy little one, I wouldn't believe it myself! She's a lucky girl to have you!

 

[Maryann at MiniV]

Miniatures, ponies, and full sized horses all are supposed to carry their foals for approx. 11 months. But of course, one has to figure the "fudge factor" on either side of that 11 months. The absolute earliest foal we've had was born at 300 days. We've NEVER had a pregnancy last much more than 2 weeks over the 11 months, but have had people we know who have had mares carry for TWELVE months! (Can't imagine!) Your best bet with your sweet girl is to just watch her and pay EXTRA attention and treat her SPECIAL in her last tri-mester. It's those last few months when you will SEE stuff happening.

 

[chandab]

Full-size horses average 342 days gestation. Mini mares average around 320 days; but can go as early as 300 days with a viable foal (a few have even been successful with those as early as 290 days with a lot of supportive care), and can go over a year.
this year, I had one that didn't make it, the most she could have been was 298 days along, so I wasn't even watching that closely (her previous foal was right at 342 days, IIRC). My mares have foaled from 307 days to that 342 days that I'm sure on the breeding dates and gestation length.