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  Rebel Without a Cause
Posts: 2758
   
Location: Adopt a homeless pet - www.petfinder.com! | So my mare is in foal about 205 days and due in April. This is my first time breeding so I don't know what to expect in her development. She always looks "well fed" but I'm thinking her belly is looking less hay and more baby. How far along do they start to look pregnant? Is it possible to feel or see the baby move/kick at some point? I keep feeling her belly and talking to it  just waiting for some movement, lol!
Once she foals, how important is it that she and the baby are with other mares and babies? She'll being foaling out at the repro vets place. Selfishly we want to bring her and baby home soon after, because I don't want to miss a minute of it, but I keep wondering if the foal would be better off developmentally (socially/mental) if it was with her and other momma's and babies. Besides the mare we have three geldings, ages 6, 12 and 27. If she comes home she and baby will have their own stall and turnout area.
Thoughts, experiences?
Edited by Calangelo 2015-12-02 9:38 PM
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 Living on the edge of common sense
Posts: 24138
Location: Carpenter, WY | I really think the socialization with other foals is important for them. We let them just be a horse and learn how to act in a herd and with others their own age. Mares will have their heads down munching hay and it's so much fun to watch the babies just tear around them at full speed chasing each other. Your mare will eventually start to get her baby belly and some mares show more than others. A few weeks before foaling you will definitely see it kicking as it moves back towards the birth canal. Very exciting and you'll be a nervous wreck LOL |
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 Expert
Posts: 1261
| My mare will be having her second foal this spring due at end of March/ beginning of April. The first time I couldn't tell at all and didn't think she was till very late in the pregnancy! She looked totally normal for most of the time! And then she went 356 days before she finally delivered a beautiful huge filly. This time she still doesn't seem to show at all yet. She is a big mare though almost 16H very TB looking and lanky she has a lot of room in her belly for a baby! She usually looks thin through the winter no matter what I have tried to keep weight on her but this year she looks fantastic, for her, but not pregnant looking at all. I don't know if it's the baby or if I have finally found the magic formula for keeping weight on her lol. My friend has two mares that were bred about the same time one looks like she's blowing up and the other looks huge in the belly but her top line looks awful. Both her mares are probably about 14.3H though. So I think it really depends.
It is probably ideal for the mare and foal to be around others but if it's not possible I don't think it's going to mentally ruin them or anything. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 871
Location: Bama | I have two girls due end of Feb. I've been seeing and feeling kicks for a couple weeks now. 
Also I had a single filly this season. She's buddied up to one of my other mares. While I don't feel it's ideal, she'll be fine. She's pretty chill most of the time, but occasionally she'll get out there and kick up her heels.
Edited by palominopaintlover 2015-12-03 5:02 AM
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 Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | My mare is also due in April and she is starting to show. She's a bigger mare, probably 15.2 and 1100 pounds. I've never seen her babies kick until the day before foaling when moving in birthing position.
I only have one broodmare so only one baby at a time. My babies are pastured with mom and my 18 year old barrel mare. I think they all turn out fine. My mares teach them manners, that's for sure!
Edited by Murphy 2015-12-03 7:25 AM
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Tried and True
Posts: 21185
Location: Where I am happiest | Whatever you do, dont put mom and baby out with those geldings.Big wreck possible and I have seen geldings savage babys. Your baby will be just fine just being him/her and mom. |
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Rebel Without a Cause
Posts: 2758
Location: Adopt a homeless pet - www.petfinder.com! | Thanks all! Reading your responses makes me so excited for the baby to get here! I definitely won't turn them out with the geldings, two of them can be pretty rough, only one of them is an option once the baby is weaned, but I'll monitor that very closely to make sure it's safe.
Edited by Calangelo 2015-12-03 8:16 AM
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Rebel Without a Cause
Posts: 2758
Location: Adopt a homeless pet - www.petfinder.com! | So one more question, for those of you that have had a mare foal offsite. What do you do about trailering them home? Does the foal normally follow momma right in the trailer? My mare is a good loader and hauler. I have a three horse slant that I'll take the dividers out of. Do you tie the mare or leave her loose? How long did you wait after foaling to bring them home?
Edited by Calangelo 2015-12-03 8:23 AM
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Tried and True
Posts: 21185
Location: Where I am happiest | Calangelo - 2015-12-03 8:17 AM So one more question, for those of you that have had a mare foal offsite. What do you do about trailering them home? Does the foal normally follow momma right in the trailer? My mare is a good loader and hauler. I have a three horse slant that I'll take the dividers out of. Do you tie the mare or leave her loose? How long did you wait after foaling to bring them home?
Take the dividers out and haul both lose. Take the halter off the mare once they are loaded with the door shut. Baby you will probably have to put your arm behind her but and push her in. |
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 Worst.Housekeeper.EVER.
Location: Missouri | I just have one mare and have both foaled her out at the vet's and at home. I MUCH prefer to have her home! It was an AMAZING experience for our whole family!!! Yes, something could have gone wrong, and actually it did, but how rewarding and not something I'll ever forget! She was fine without another baby. In fact, I asked on here and my vet, and everyone said that fillies don't really need to roughhouse like the colts and I found that to be true. My mare would would run around with her some, and at weaning, my old gelding & mare took very good care of her. She's coming two and turned out with my 5 y/o gelding now and they get along fine. Everyone gets along with her! lol!
My mare is due again in April and I am so sad to have to foal her out elsewhere again, as we are in the process of building/moving. I'm going to miss watching the camera waiting for that moment...
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1131
| Calangelo - 2015-12-03 9:17 AM
So one more question, for those of you that have had a mare foal offsite. What do you do about trailering them home? Does the foal normally follow momma right in the trailer? My mare is a good loader and hauler. I have a three horse slant that I'll take the dividers out of. Do you tie the mare or leave her loose? How long did you wait after foaling to bring them home?
Babies usually want nothing to do with the trailer, but if you quickly just shove them in as mom is loading, they hardly notice it. It's when the mare is a turd about loading that it becomes pretty hard to get the foal in, because they get onto high alert when mom starts getting pumped up. So if your mare is an easy loader, just tough love the foal in right behind her without letting them think too much about it. |
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Location: Montana | ThreeCorners - 2015-12-03 6:15 AM
Whatever you do, dont put mom and baby out with those geldings.Big wreck possible and I have seen geldings savage babys. Your baby will be just fine just being him/her and mom.
Geldings have been known to steal babies from mom. |
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Expert
Posts: 3147
| I have had foals with geldings and no problems whatsoever. I had one filly who preferred staying with the gelding. They were in a forty acre pasture and had plenty of room to do what they wanted, however. To load the foal try and have the trailer backed up to a small enclosure of some kind. The foal will be more prone to following momma in as it has nowhere else to go. |
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Rebel Without a Cause
Posts: 2758
Location: Adopt a homeless pet - www.petfinder.com! | Thanks all for the feedback. I appreciate it! |
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 World 4D Champ
Posts: 28264
Location: PA | I'm in the same boat you are! I have a pregnant mare...first baby for her, and first for me. How exciting!!!! 
My mare is due mid April, and she's had quite a baby belly on her for a few months! Just last night, i texted my girlfriend and told her she's TOO big! Haha....Poor girl is miserable already! I don't know what she'll be like come April! I'd post a picture I took last night, but I can't post pictures from my work computer.
I actually was able to feel the baby move a few weeks ago. I can't see it, but if I keep my hands on her belly long enough, I can feel it moving around. I have to admit, the first time I felt it, I almost jumped for joy! haha..
My other horses are geldings. I don't plan on putting any of them out with mare/foal until the foal weans. Then the foal will proably go out with my ornery pony...and then one of the geldings. I haven't been too worried about the foal being alone...
Congrats! Spring time next year is going to be so exciting for so many of us!
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 Thick and Wavy
Posts: 6102
Location: Nebraska | This is my mare's first baby and mine, too. Mine is due in May and so far just looks more out of shape than anything. Spring can't come soon enough!! |
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Mare in foal & foal questions