AboutSandy Sargent Expertise Breeding issues of both the mare and stallion (live cover), stallion handling, pregnancy of the mare, signs of impending foaling, foaling complications (dystocia), post-partum care of the mare and foal.
Experience Breeding, raising, training and showing of Appaloosas and American Miniature horses for 16 years. Barn/breeding manager of a large Appaloosa race farm for 6 years.
Organizations Member in good standing with:
ApHC (Appaloosa Horse Club)
AMHA (American Miniature Horse Association)
AMHR ( American Miniature Horse Registry)
FHANA ( Friesian Horse Associaton of North America)
Education/Credentials Veterinary assistant for 4 years. I have attended numerous educational seminars on equine reproduction. Currently employed as a Humane Law Enforcement officer.
Expert: Sandy Sargent Date: 6/17/2008 Subject: overdue mare
Question I have a 20 year old NFQH mare who was live cover pasture breeding for 2 weeks. She is 359 days from the day we picked her up. 6 weeks after picking her up we had her palpated by a vet who said she was pregnant at about 6-7 weeks. Her bag is starting to hang down, but not filling up. If you touch her teats she does have a white tinged watery liquid, but nothing else. Is there anything I should do or when should I worry.
Thanks, Colleen
Answer Hi Colleen,
Some mares' udders will not fill until just prior to delivery, during delivery, or sometimes directly after the foal is born.
A white tinge to the fluid coming from her teats should indicate that she is quite close to foaling. I have seen some mares have whitish fluid for a week prior to foaling, but generally, it is within days.
If she has been eating fescue grass during her pregnancy, that can have an affect on her producing milk, can prolong the pregnancy and can make the sack that the baby is in very thick. If you know that she has been eating fescue, it is very important that you be there for the delivery, as you may have to tear the sack open for the foal when it is born.
Here is one thing you can do... you can test the fluid coming from her udder with total hardness test strips. They are used to test water for hardness. The kind I use are SofChek and they can be obtained from anywhere that installs water softeners. You want to mix the fluid from the udder with 6 parts of distilled water. (It MUST be distilled water) So, if you got 1 tsp. of fluid, mix it with 6 tsp. of distilled water. Dip the test strip in, shake the strip off of excess fluid and instantly compare it to the colors on the bottle. If the color on the strip compares to the very last color on the bottle, which would be 425ppm, then most mares will foal within 24 hours of that time. I use them all the time and they help you to know when it is time to start watching your mare.
If you're overly concerned about your mare, then by all means, have the vet come out and palp her. I had a mare who was at 362 days and had the vet come check her. He told me that he could feel the foal, that it was in the birth canal and she should foal within 2 or 3 days. She did indeed foal on day 365. I do know how worrisome and frustrating it is when they go that long. If your mare is acting as though she is in pain, is not eating normally, or just generally acts "off", then I'd call the vet.
Hang in there, just remember, that baby has to come out some time :)
