Prego mares...

[MindyLee]

Well I have 3 mares bred for 2010: Two for April and one for August. BUT I dont have ultrasounds done nor tests at all and only go by looking at their bellys growin & fellin for movement.

WELL I feel 2 foals (April mares) now and its got me all excited!

Can you feel your foals yet? And when you do dose it get you all excited too?

 

[cretahillsgal]

I check my girls all the time. So far I haven't felt a one of them. BUT I did "see" one moving the other day. On my mare who is due the end of March.

 

[palsminihorses]

Yep! I just saw and felt one of my mare's foal 'kickin the tar' out of her this morning! But this mare is due in January. I'm so excited about this foal, as we have tried for three years to get a foal from this mare.

Pam C.

 

[HorseMom]

My mare is due in April. I haven't felt the foal yet, but I have certainly seen it kicking her. Poor girl. I'll see movement on one side and see poor Slippers jumping every time she gets kicked. I get all excited with a huge smile on my face when I see it. I'm already thinking of names.

 

[weerunner]

My mare is 210 days and I've felt kicking for a few weeks now. It never fails to make me smile. Nothing better in the world to cheer me up when I'm a little down.

 

[minimom1]

My mare is not due until mid July .... but just curious .. what is the earliest any of you

have felt or seen a foal moving. This will be my first and only foal.

 

[weerunner]

I find with my mares day 185 is almost certain to find a foal kicking if there is one in there.

 

[barnbum]

I'll miss feeling foals kick

... but, here's a hint: If you place your hand just in front of the udder and whisper "Where's the pretty baby?" right to the belly, you'll get a response.

 

[MindyLee]

barnbum, your more then welcome to come to my farm in Michigan and rub all my mares bellys if you want! Im sure they wont mind as they love it!

 

[mitch]

This has answered a question I was going to ask, my mares are four and five months along now and from what you've all said I should be able to feel a foal in there if there are any?

Annette x

 

[REO]

Annette don't worry if you don't feel or see kicking. I rarely do and I still get nice healthy foals!

 

[mitch]

Thank you that's put my mind at rest.

annette

 

[weerunner]

Mitch. As I stated above, I never feel anything certain until my mares are around day 180 (which is 6 months along). So no, I would say you should not have felt anything yet, but within a few month you will be able to. Keep checking every mealtime from now until you feel something. And let us know when you do. It's always fun to compare notes. Some people say they feel flutters at 5 months (but to me I dont count that as I can imagine things that I WANT to feel) and others say they NEVER felt anything. Each mare and foal is different.

 

[barnbum]

MindyLee--the other thing I wanted to try more is the ring test! I never tried it until my last year of foaling and I was 2 for 2. The ring made it very very clear who was having what. I want to try it some more!!

 

[Julie/Azariah]

Can someone explain the ring test please? I have heard of it, but never really heard how to do it.

I LOVE to sit and feel my babies...sure is good to know they are kicking in there.

Usually can feel it a little more than half way through...

I had a disappointing day.... did 3 ultrasounds... 3 negative ones...

Mare #1 had a dystocia 2 years ago, we did not breed last year because of how difficult the birth was...and now we cannot get her in foal. She will either be a babysitter....or go to be a wonderful pet.

Mare #2 is a friend's mare I was going to breed and keep the foal. I have hand bred her, and since I didn't have success I put the stallion with her for the past 2 months.... Negative Ultrasound... I guess she is going back home.

Mare #3 had been confirmed in foal by ultrasound for a May foal... but the stallion has had quite a bit of interest... so I did an ultrasound....must have slipped it. Now I am not sure if I should re-breed or wait til next year. I am thinking that I am not going to re-breed her this year....

Economy stinks...so maybe it wasn't meant to be.

I still have 4 mares in foal for March...can't wait!

 

[Rocket's mom]

I did what Karla said and put my hand near my mares udder and put my other hand on her side and started talking to the baby and I got the biggest response!!!

The baby went crazy! It was amazing! I don't know why I hadn't done that sooner. I'll be talking to he/she all the time now! Thanks for the idea Karla!

Janie

Proud owner of Boones Little Buckskin Rocket

great grandson of Boones Little Buckeroo

 

[MindyLee]

Can someone explain the ring test please? I have heard of it, but never really heard how to do it.
I LOVE to sit and feel my babies...sure is good to know they are kicking in there.

Usually can feel it a little more than half way through...

I had a disappointing day.... did 3 ultrasounds... 3 negative ones...

Mare #1 had a dystocia 2 years ago, we did not breed last year because of how difficult the birth was...and now we cannot get her in foal. She will either be a babysitter....or go to be a wonderful pet.

Mare #2 is a friend's mare I was going to breed and keep the foal. I have hand bred her, and since I didn't have success I put the stallion with her for the past 2 months.... Negative Ultrasound... I guess she is going back home.

Mare #3 had been confirmed in foal by ultrasound for a May foal... but the stallion has had quite a bit of interest... so I did an ultrasound....must have slipped it. Now I am not sure if I should re-breed or wait til next year. I am thinking that I am not going to re-breed her this year....

Economy stinks...so maybe it wasn't meant to be.

I still have 4 mares in foal for March...can't wait!

Not sure what a dystocia is??? Looked it up in dictionary, of corse not there BUT I can say this with some hope to you: my 29" dapple mare had a real hard birth in 2006 (wasnt there but could tell it was hard on her) and she was in LOTS of pain for weeks. Everytime I bred her it was very painful so I guessed she ripped her insides or something cause she was spotty blood. Well tried to breed her last year with no luck. Tried again this spring early summer still no luck. Then one day I stepped out back in September and she was in full blown heat and wanting my stud. (I dont breed in fall but...) I took her over and very gently bred her with no problems at all NO PAIN NOTHING! She's bred!!!!! After I gave up all hope of her ever producing again! BUT I do have to watch her with this foal to make sure all goes well so I have my fingers crossed for a healty birth of her foal and that she goes through the delivery ok. It was very weird that she told me that she was ready to be bred and that she wanted a foal. I did breed her to a different and way more refined stud who throws tiny refind foals, so I think/hope all will go well!

So to you when you think all hope maybe lost, you would be surprised what a mare can do. I truely believe she waited till she was ready to be a mommy again as I was about to retire her at the age of 12 to become a babysitter and full time sr show horse.