Maiden mare foaling experiences

[SandyWI]

I have a maiden mare who is at day 336 today. For weeks her rear end muscles have been soft and relaxed. She's had a bag, but today it REALLY got hard and tight. I check her for milk every day, and today was the first time I ever got anything out of it... a clear liquid. (I'm not putting too much stock in the color or consistency of the milk. My last mare had nothing but clear liquid milking out and less than three hours later she foaled).

Tonight her bag definitely felt hot. Didn't really notice much difference in the vulva, but inside it the color is still pink.

I know you can't always go by the book with a maiden mare, (or with ANY mare, LOL), so what are your experiences? Did your mare give you enough warning signs, or not?

I've been sleeping in the tack room for the last four nights, with the foal alert clipped to my pillow case, so all I have to do is peek out the door if it goes off. I have a barn cam in the house, which I watch till around 11 PM and then head for the barn for the night.

There was such a big noticeable difference in her bag tonight as compared to last night, that I'm wondering if tonight will be the night?

 

[ThreeCFarm]

Is this Breeze? I can't wait to see the photos! I'm not experienced enough to answer your questions, but I'm excited for you!

 

[SandyWI]

Yes, Stephanie, it's Breeze. Gee, that foal could look like anything under the sun, couldn't it? I had Breeze lab tested, and she's homozygous for black, and I think Flash carries agouti, so I could end up with a plain bay, or I could end up with a maximum tobiano, or another grulla dun! I'm just hoping for blue eyes! Both my stallions have blue eyes, and Flash has blue eyes. I just love those blue eyes!

 

[Becky]

Sandy, it sure sounds like she is ready to foal if her bag is hard and 'tight'. I would watch her like a hawk! She may give you other signs such as pacing or yawning. Or none! But a hard, tight bag is the best indicator. The milk might change before she foals to thick and sticky or not. Just keep watching!!

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[anyssapark]

I have only foaled out a few maidens, but have found that when they decide to go, they move very quickly. Mine had little to no udder when i tuck them in at night, and the morning they foaled, their bags were rock hard and warm. The liquid was white milk, and they had a foal on the ground within a few hours. I havent had a problem with foaling out a maiden yet (fingers crossed i never do!) but i have found that they need to be watched like a hawk!!

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Goodluck!

 

[ThreeCFarm]

Good luck, Sandy! It oughta be a looker, whatever it is. You can't beat a Flash baby for Breeze's first!

 

[love_casper]

ooooooh! good luck with your little one, tell us how it goes.

My mare may have been a maiden, i'm not sure. anyways, she foaled without much warning, her udders were still pointing inwards, vulva the same as it had always been, croup hard as a rock. no liquid at all coming out. she didn't pace or yawn or act agitated, it was just another night for her.

so maidens can be tricky. and don't take your eye off her for long, because if you stare at her all night, assume she won't do it, and go in to go to the bathroom, you'll probably come out and find a baby.

tell what happens. with pix of that gorgeous baby. (my fingers are crossed for blue eyes for you!)

 

[Skittlebittie]

Hey, I know the feeling. I am leasing a maiden mare this year, so it was a double whammy for me. She also had very soft croup muscles for 4 weeks prior to her foaling. Her vulva never really loosened, as a matter of fact, she was so small, I had to peel the vulva over the foal's head during birth it was such a tight fit. She had a hard, tight bag for 3 weeks prior to foaling, but I was only ever able to get a few drops of liquid out 2 weeks before she foaled, and nothing after that. As a matter of fact, I had to give her oxytocin an hour after she foaled, as she still had no milk. The baby was born with no problems, did well (after the milk came in), and she is a great mom. But I was so stressed out about the birth, I was going on 3 hours of sleep for a month before the birth. This mare spent lots of time towards the end rubbing her rear against anything possible, and standing with her rear up against the wall. Oh, and dont forget the stomping of the rear legs over and over. Other than that, it was up to my foal alert. I was glad I had it. Saved the baby's life.

Last year, I had a maiden foal at day 318 with no signs. No bag, at all, nothing. No milk. No loose muscles, nothing at all. Checked her at 7pm the night before and saw nothing. No change. Took my daughter to school the next morning and was gone 20 min. Came back, and baby was out and dead. Never got out of the sack. I was just sick about it.

So, watch your mare like a hawk. Could be any time now. You may loose sleep, but it's a small trade for a healthy foal.

Good luck!

Lori

 

[capall beag]

I had 3 maidens foal this year!!

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All three girls gave excellent signs and had textbook deliveries.

All 3 were different though.

Fairy had milk for ages, huge bag, tons of signs but on the day she foaled she had wax drips and that was the sign that I knew she was going and sure enough!

Sissi had milk and a good size bag well in advance. But the day before she foaled she had extreme falling away around the tailhead, It looked a bit strange and very noticeable, she foaled that night. She had other signs but that was the most dranatic last minute change.

Angel had many signs but the best was her bag, clear liquid for weeks, changing to sticky and then in the last few hours very hard, hot and dripping. She dropped significantly and just looked ready.

All mine gave great signs, had good bags prior to delivery and had great deliveries and are wonderful Momma's!

Good Luck..........It can be very stressful, with Maidens!

 

[Anne]

Sandy,

I've foaled out a few maidens, and they can be confusing, but your mare sounds really close. Keep checking, if you're lucky you will get to feel the milk get sticky and that will tell you not to go anywhere.

Good luck with your girl.

Anne

not far from you in Wisconsin

 

[MeadowRidge Farm]

...also from WIsconsin. I have foaled out 3 of my own which were maidens this year and another 4 also maidens for someone else. All foaled with textbook deliveries, but each one showed signs in a differant way, and then I had a few who showed no signs at all. I have a maiden who just foaled this past Thursday morning, she was at 320 days. I had checked her about 9am nothing, firm butt, nothing really relaxed, but a firm bag, her only sign. At 11:30am she foaled a beautiful filly, without a problem in the world ...and like it was just a every day occurance for her. I even turned her out that morning, I did have the equipage moniter on her. Keep a close eye on her maidens can really be tricky, and just when you turn your head....you'll have a baby! Good Luck. Corinne