Should i be worried

[sixshooterfarm]

Hi all! Ok I know I am probably just over reacting here, but I have a pregnant maiden mare, who I have NO idea when she was bred. Well her udder is starting to swell a little bit but I cannot squeeze any milk out yet. Well I had the vet come out and check her and she palpated the mare, said that she could feel the babies for head. Ok now since she felt the forehead, does that mean that the baby will stay like that and she wont be able to foal like that or will the baby move? The baby is kinif in the diver position, well the babies back is against the moms back so the baby is nt upside down, so what do you all think? and once a mares cervix starts to soften and start to open up how long before the baby will be born. i just want to be there when she foals since she is a maiden. Please any help would be appreciated

 

[sedeh]

Oh sixshooter......didn't I say before you were going to have some sleepless nights?? I wish I could help more. If I were closer I'd lone you my barn cam. She's a maiden and therefore more unpredictable. Usually they do bag up before they foal.....but sometimes they surprise you. My maiden mare this year bagged up but never did get milk in her teats until she had the foal(so much for milk test strips).....I was worried she wouldn't have enough milk but she was fine. She also didn't soften nearly as much as my other mares did. Hopefully someone else can give you more info... this was my first year with mini's so I don't have all that much experience. Good luck!

 

[kaykay]

foals dont turn until the last few seconds before they are born. Some mares give every sign they are going to foal and some give none at all. What did your vet saying after examining her??

 

[sixshooterfarm]

Well, he dident say much just that there is a nice healthy foal, the baby was verystill and thats when i had gottne nervous and called the vet, but then I remeber, dont foals sit real still before they are born, cause that baby was bouncing all over the place the day before? Her back end ir really soft you can almost lay her tail on the top of her butt. her vulva has elongated as much as I beleive it is going to for a maiden. lol I just remebered another things she did, ok this mare could walk around in yourpocket if you would let her, she is very sweet and always comes when called, well, yesterday afternoon when I went to feed, it took me a half an hour to catch her, she wanted nothing to do with me or her feed. Oh it iwas way out of the ordinary! And does any one know if a mares cervix is barley barley open, and is starting to softendosent that mean she is like real close? oh please help lol!

 

[Magic]

Oh my; I'm getting worried FOR you! Could you quickly get an inexpensive wireless camera so you can keep an eye on her? And maybe one of those "foal buzzers" that go on the mare's halter?

You just never know with maidens... I hope all goes well for you and your mare!

 

[Dream]

You are describing some very important signs. Can you help with the timeline at all. How long have you owned her? Did you get any info from the seller? Was she exposed to a stallion in January 2005?

When you look at her vulva are there any wrinkles down the sides? If you poke at it

(use your finger not a stick) can she wrinkle it up? Does she make any attempt to clamp her tail down when you lift it? Did she before?

The mare's cervix is closed tightly throughout pregnancy and starts to relax shortly before birth.

Although this is an unusual time for a foal to be born it is not impossible and the fact she is acting strangely and off her feed tonight is concerning. If that part is significant she should foal soon. Keep an eye on her. Keep us posted!