YOUR
MARE IS IN FOAL AND RAPIDLY GAINING IN SIZE!.... SIGNS TO LOOK FOR TO
ALERT YOU TO THE IMPENDING BIRTH.
Written by SHNZ
Your broodmare has spent the last part of 10 months slowly gaining in size and now, with only weeks to go, you are excitedly looking forward to your new foal arrival. But, if this is the first foal you have bred, do you know what signs to look for that indicate the birth is coming closer and then very immenint?
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The
average gestation for horses is usually around 335 to 345 days,
however anywhere from 320 to 380 days is also considered to be "normal".
If your mare does happen to go overdue from the average, it is not
necessarily cause for concern. Factors such as your mares condition
including her general health during pregnancy and emotional well-being
(times of prolonged stress can sometimes delay or even bring forward
foaling), food availability, and of course simply nature taking
its course are a few points that can keep eager breeders on the
edge of their seats waiting for their new foals!
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 A heavily pregnant Thoroughbred mare during her last week before foaling and showing quite a large belly! |
During the last 3 to 4 months of gestation, the foal is rapidly gaining in size, so it is important that your mare is provided with adequate food and nutritional supplements during this time to ensure the foal develops well, while also keeping your mare in good condition to enable her to capably carry, give birth to, and then care for her new foal on arrival. Having your mare too fat can be detrimental to her overall fitness for the last few heavily encumbered weeks and actual foaling proceedure, while a mare that has been hard done and is too light in condition will need alot of supplementing to sufficiently provide for her foal while also maintaining her own nutritional needs and may not gain in condition until the foal has been weaned.
A heavily pregnant
Thoroughbred mare in good condition during her last week prior to foaling.
If your mare has been turned out in winter grazing and is going to be brought into closer paddocks for foaling, it is a good idea to do so at least 3 weeks prior to her expected due date. Your mare is heavily in foal and you do not want her becoming stressed at this point. Some owners opt to bring a paddock mate with her if she has one to keep her relaxed and let her settle into the new surroundings well in advance before she prepares to give birth.
There are several signs you can look for on your mare to indicate birth is approaching, some are quite obvious, other more subtle. These changes can also vary greatly from one mare to another, however most mares seem to follow a reasonably regular pattern within their own foaling signs, so it can be a good idea to keep notes to refer to the following season!
Generally one of the first signs to look for is a gradual filling of the udder or "bag" which can begin from around 2 to 6 weeks prior to foaling. The udder will slowly increase in size (or "bag up") until it is looking quite full and tight. It pays to check the udder at the same time every day to get the best indication of any size increase (eg exercise will generally lessen the size while standing around may cause it to increase). Sudden increases in foods such as lush grass, grain or lucerne hay can also affect the udder size and provide slightly false indications. However a sudden increase can also often mean foaling is very close. Be aware that cover straps rubbing against the udder can also sometimes stimulate milk production!
 This mare is only just really starting to "bag up", with this photo taken about 4 weeks prior to foaling. She has naturally long teats that are easy for a foal to latch onto. |
 This mare has quite a full bag, this photo was taken 5 days before foaling. She has naturally smaller teats which may fill out more than this just prior to foaling. |
The teats on the udder can range from very small to long and always distended, just as the udder itself can also vary in size from mare to mare. About 5 days prior to foaling, when the udder is probably looking very full, you will most likely notice the actual teats become a bit bigger and more distended as they swell with milk.
The appearance of small beads of waxy looking substance on the ends of the teats, known as "waxing", usually indicates that birth is very near. This wax is actually the first drops of colostrum appearing and can appear from 1 to 4 days before the foal is born, other times it may only be noticed several hours prior to the birth, while some mares may not appear to produce it at all. Careful and regular observation is essential if you wish to be present during the birth as each mare will be different and waxing can be quite difficult to spot!
If your mare begins to actually drip or even run milk then you can be sure that foaling is immenint and will probably occur within the next 24 hours. If your mare appears to be losing alot of milk, you may need to try to collect some of it or possibly source some colostrum from elsewhere for your foal which will provide him/her with the essential antibodies and nutrients for survival and long term health. Many large stud farms keep supplies of frozen mares colostrum on hand which you may be able to purchase. A good product available in New Zealand is called "Colo-Zen" (available from your vet), this is a colostrum product that at some studs is given to new foals as standard proceedure to ensure they definately receive the vital colostrum requirements within their first few hours of life.
As well as checking the udder, there are also several more subtle signs to look for in your mares' body. These include a general softening and flattening of the muscles around the hindquarters and croup. You will notice these muscles relax and begin to look indented and slack - running your hand down the mares hindquarters will feel quite soft to touch. The vulva itself will also become more relaxed and loose in preparation for the coming birth. Remember to check your mare in case she has been caslicked (the top of the vulva slightly stitched up to lessen any chance of infection during gestation, especially if she is a poor shape - "sucked in" - behind). The caslick ideally needs to be re-opened by your vet a week or two prior to foaling, however if necessary can also be done by someone experienced during the actual foaling. Either way is preferrable to the caslick remaining stiched up and then jaggedly ripping during the birth which can be hard to repair.
 Two heavily pregnant TB broodmares in their last week before foaling. Notice how much tighter (smaller) the stomach is on the young dark bay mare on the right who is pregnant with her first foal, compared to the chestnut mare on the left who has already had several foals. |
 Compare this photo of the young first time pregnant mare to the first photo in this article of the older chestnut who has had several foals! Unfortunately gravity takes its toll on the best of us! |
In the later stages of gestation, the mare will take on a slightly different shape as her muscles become more relaxed and the foal becomes larger. Her flank which has previously been quite full will lessen slightly and she will appear to have quite a pointed look to the bottom of her stomach. This shape change is something that may take some practise to notice when looking at your mare, and can be harder to see in young maiden mares who have tighter stomach muscles and therefore generally hold the foal a little higher than mares who have already had several foals.
During the last 3 weeks or so prior to foaling you may start to notice flurries of movement in the mares flank area as the foal begins to make some reflex movements in preparation for entering the birth canal. This movement can cause quite alot of discomfort for the mare and she may show signs that can easily be confused with early labour, such as kicking at her stomach, swishing her tail etc. These bouts of movement can last for up to 15 minutes and are essential for the foal as practise for the quite amazing and specific turn the foal must make to position himself properly for delivery.
A Thoroughbred mare
prior to foaling. Note the pointed shape to the bottom of her stomach
and the flat, relaxed hindquarters around the top of her tail indicating
foaling is near. This mare foaled 2 days after this photo was taken.
During the last few weeks any change in behaviour or shape should be noted and if at any stage your mare appears uncomfortable for a prolonged time or you become concerned, please be sure to consult your vet immediately. Remember the vet will be much happier to have responded to an unnecessary call-out than to arrive at a problem that has gone on too long and could have been remedied.
As the mare becomes heavier in foal and closer to her due date, you will possibly notice her spend less time grazing and more time standing around resting. She will probably also be passing looser manure and urinating more frequently as the foal's increasing size takes up more room and presses on her stomach and bladder.
When your mare starts to exhibit other signs (often similar to signs of colic), such as constantly pacing around the paddock, kicking or looking around at her stomach, rolling, swishing the tail, getting up and down, sweating etc - you will have very good indication that the birth is very near! All of these would indicate the need to stay around, watch and wait!
Prepare your foaling kit well in advance, have your vet's after-hours phone number on hand, read up on foaling and what to expect and you will feel much more relaxed about the foaling proceedure when it actually starts to take place.
We at SHNZ wish everyone a successful and smooth foaling season.
Want to know more? Check out these related articles...
• Foaling
Kit Ideas
• Breeding
your First Foal? Some points to consider
Note: This article has been provided for informative purposes only and all points have been obtained and written to be as accurate as possible, however we hold no responsability for any errors in this article or for the way any of this information is used. Please consult your vet or other animal health professional for further advice.