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 Board Detective
Posts: 3885
    
Location: Millen Ga | Never dealt with a pregnant mare before... a friend has a mare that she thinks is pregnant. She was told by someone ( who has filled her head with every horror story you can imagine) that if her mare is pregnant, she needs to keep a CONSTANT watch on her ( like 24/7) and the minute she goes into labor the mare has 2 hours to have its foal or she need sto call a vet, that the mare should ABSOLUTELY!!!!! let me stress this! not let her mare labor over 2 hours. That didn't sound right to me... she has never owned a horse before much less a pregnant one... what kinds of advice should i give her? besides calling a vet which she is already doing... |
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 Expert
Posts: 1343
Location: Oklahoma | I don't have an exact time limit for you, but I know it's not long and two hours may even be kinda long. I think what this person is getting at is the problems mares can get into like breech births, shoulder dystocia, etc. that may be going on with the only sign you see being a long labor. You really need to talk to a knowledgeable person about foaling mares i.e., a vet. |
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Veteran
Posts: 158
Location: Missouri | A mare can have labor off and on for days. I've had mares get ready to go then call everything off. Once the water breaks there is no going back so my rule of thumb is once the water breaks if you don't have presentation of the feet and labor progressing normally within 20-30 minutes I call a vet(I have usually reached in to see were I am at this point before calling but I do not recommend this if she's a newbie call the vet). Tell her to just use common sense and she'll be alright. If you see a mare straining,sweating but no water breaking or things don't just look right call someone, better safe than sorry. Also let her know problems during labor only happen 2% of the time so odds are with her everything will be just fine. GOOD LUCK |
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 "Spaz-tacular"!!
Posts: 20309
Location: Bennett, CO | In my experience..I call the vet if the foal is not present 30 minutes after the water breaks...Be advised when the water breaks you will know it...I had good luck with the predict a foal kit...when my mare got to 3 squares showing, I began checking every 2 hrs, and when she got to 5 sqaures, I checked hourly...well worth the $40. for the extra sleep I got not getting up every night!
Edited by gotothewhip 2004-03-29 11:02 AM
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  Living on the edge of common sense
Posts: 24138
Location: Carpenter, WY | I would do a google search and print out some foaling articles for you friend to read. Find some pictures too and give them to her. Get her as educated as possible  so she knows what to expect and what is 'not right'. |
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 Triple Extra-Ordinaire
Posts: 4244
Location: Okla | For what it's worth- Years ago, we invested in a nursery monitor that we keep in the foaling stall. It is turned on about 2 weeks before the expected delivery date. That gives me time to get accustomed to the normal barn sounds and I don't wake up every few minutes to a false alarm.  Since doing this, I have been awakened by the sound of the water breaking  (call it my "motherly instinct") We have yet to miss a delivery, plus we don't have to get up every hour to check on a mare. |
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 On The Brink
Posts: 7945
Location: Teetering on the edge of certain regressions | Once the mare's water breaks and she is actually in labor it doesn't take long. 2 hours may be too long. With a normal deliver it happens quick. |
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Board Detective
Posts: 3885
Location: Millen Ga | thanks for all the replies! I'm thinking she misunderstood what she was told and that the person meant was that if the mare doesn't deliver within X amount of time after her water breaks, not after shes in labor. Anyway I am looking for " what to expect when your horse is expecting" material for her  thanks again! |
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 Veteran
Posts: 107
Location: Omaha, NE | As far as literature goes have her get the book Blessed Are The Broodmares. It's an excellent 'real life' guide written by a very experienced vet. How far along is this mare? I have one about to pop any time. It's sure fun and exciting, but there is a lot to learn. |
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