Signs of pregnancy

[happy appy]

I'm just wondering if anyone can post some signs that you notice at different stages through the pregnancy. Like What do you notice at 6 months, 7 months, 8 months, 9 months etc! I have a couple that should be at the end of their 7th month.

 

Are they maidens or experienced mares? That can make quite a difference, as you know. Those maidens can carry so high up that sometimes they don't even look pregnant until they deliver !!

 

[Bonny]

In most of my mares, I dont see many changes in the 6th & 7th month, As Diane said maiden vs experienced can make a huge difference. Usually in the 6th & 7th month I start to really see a belly. The 8th & 9th I start to see more changes more lopsided ness, more tummy bulging. 9&10th months you start getting a real droop to the tummy before it goes back to whered da baba go...lol 10 & 11 There is usally a lot of butt rubbing, wall sitting and rolling, as well as udder changes.

Some mares follow the same ol routien and some like to mix it up, makes ever year a new adventure

I so enjoy reading the posts from everyone during foal watch, its so helpful to gather up everyones experiences so you can apply it to your own mares.

The support here is amazing and it so nice to have a great group of foal watchers... that get just as excited as you do!

 

[AnnaC]

Ah, not an easy question Tina! I find that every mare is different plus they can differ from pregnancy to pregnancy!!

Then of course you have the difference between maiden and non maidens, plus on a personal level, my girls are all too fat anyway, so telling whether they are in foal or not (4 of them for May foaling) is not easy. LOL!!

But under the normal circumstances, at around 7 months I would be looking at a mare and wondering if she could possibly be putting on a little weight around the tummy for some reason (food/grass/etc) or could she possibly be in foal. By 8 months I would be looking for that tummy to look slightly more foal 'filled' rather than extra fat. At 9 months their tummies take on a slightly 'tight/smooth' look even if they are fat - thats the best way I can explain it, the lower and underside of the tummy looks and feels skin tight, making you pretty sure that there is a foal in there and that you will be seeing a new baby in a couple of months time!

Hope this helps?

 

[happy appy]

That's great! Thanks everyone! All the mares in question are not maidens so that should make it a little easier. Time will tell for sure on these ones. Come March I should have a fairly good idea and if any are looking to be for sure in foal we will set up the marestare cams again. They should all be due in April.