Progressing mares?

[ClickMini]

I need you experienced folks to help me out here. I am going to keep this thread going until Flirt and Stepper foal, and will update every few days.

Flirt is either day 296 or day 323. Her dam foaled her at 302 days as a maiden mare, which Flirt is also a maiden. I think Flirt progressed quite a bit in the way her udder feels since last week. Actually pretty suddenly overnight, her nipples feel filled out and pointy, instead of tab-like. Her udder is very hard, and felt warm today. And she has now just started cow-pie poos. She ate like a mad-woman last night, then today is kind of picking at her hay. An awful lot of her hay is left from this morning, fed 4 hours ago. She ate the same amount in about an hour and a half last night.

I would like to show you some comparison photos.

Here is her udder from behind on 2/18:

and on 2/23:

and on 3/2:

udder below on 2/18:

and on 2/23:

and on 3/2:

vulva on 2/18:

vulva on 2/23 (she was NOT relaxed when I took this pic, she did not want me around her hind end):

and on 3/2:

Stepper is not impressed that Flirty wants to be her friend today (3/2). She is feeling VERY grumpish.

 

[afoulk]

Amy,

Looks like Flirt is progressing and I would just keep an eye on her. I have been checking in on the on the cam several times daily. Fun to watch. My maiden that just foaled last week only had a small bag but it was hard,tight and warm. I was never able to express any milk from her prior to her foaling, however post foaling she has never had any trouble producing milk. I know you will feel such a sigh of relief when they have safely foaled.

Arlene

 

[ClickMini]

Thank you so much for replying, Arlene! Yes, I will DEFINITELY breathe a sigh of relief when they have foaled! If I wouldn't have had such a tough time with Ally losing her baby on our first mini foal, I think I wouldn't be such a total BASKET CASE!!! Ally did not foal out here at my house, so this really is my first time foaling out myself. Of course, that means I am practically paralyzed with angst, LOL! Oh, maybe that is lack of sleep that is causing my limbs to not want to work. I know that once my little girls have had their foals I will be more comfortable in the future; I will know what to look for as they progress, I will have histories on them. In the meantime, I just post here and hope some experienced breeders will post with their impressions.

 

[ShaunaL]

I don't have experience to add but I just want to say GOOD LUCK!! I know how you feel... just wish those babies were safely here already!

 

[Kim~Crayonboxminiatures]

I would definitely keep a close eye on Flirt, sounds like she could be very close! I hope you have a foal alarm, it's just easier because the maidens can be soo tricky! If not, I'd not let her go more than an hour without checking on her. With the change in "habits" and udder she could be very close! Of course she could also go another week or more, that's just the mare stare game!

I'm not sure on the other mare, I haven't seen a discharge like that, hopefully someone else can help. If it doesn't smell foul, I would think it's not a lot to worry about, it could just be that some of the mucus plug was expelled and dried up there. Did you take her temp?

Good luck, the first year is always the hardest, and I was soo glad my first few years of foalings I didn't have maiden mares! I still don't like foaling out a maiden!

 

[Genie]

I can't be much help. They can really fool you.

I have a maiden who has an udder starting and she should not be foaling till end of March.

If I didn't know that I would think a couple of weeks, and she is huge.

If I was to guess on your horse, I would say a couple of weeks, but I can never figure them out.

We had big horses who were a whole different world!

In most of our foaling situations the mares get quite a large tight bag for a few days, prior to foaling, but they certainly are not the same....I am only saying "most"

 

[ClickMini]

Thanks, you guys! Kim, I use the info from your web site ALL of the time! I also recommend it to others. You really provide a great service on your site for people who are new to breeding minis.

I am definitely keeping a good eye on the mares. I have them under camera and on MareStare, and I have halter monitors on both. Thank goodness for technology!

 

[Floridachick]

I would say 3 or 4 days left.

Watch her close. Is she dripping anything? Our mare never waxed but her expressible milk got only a little stickier... goodluck

 

[ClickMini]

I updated the post on page 1 with new pics from today. One more question. Flirty has some very red area inside her vulva but it is down near the bottom only. Wondering if this might be caused by rubbing? She has been pretty pink, but I noticed a small area of this red/dark pink last night and today it is bigger. It is inside, on the bottom. Have you noticed that rubbing will cause this?

 

[Steph G]

Hi Amy,

I had a mare that had a decent sized bag and filled up within 24 hours. Mine waxed and within 1-2 hours foaled(two foals, did the same thing both times).

Also, their vulvas can get darker/red when they are really close. It will get elongated and puffy as well.