The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Pets & Working Animals => Horses, ponies, donkeys & mules => Topic started by: shetlandpaul on March 01, 2011, 07:23:54 pm
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being our first time can you give the sgns to watch for.
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milk dripping, udder full possibly
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sorry for first short message was on the phone didnt know how urgent it was,
when is she due?? every mare is different, her belly will change shape as the foal moves into position, possible dripping milk,
she will get agitated, when its well on its way, i have only bred two and both mares were totally different, first mare went off and didnt want anyone there, i checked her at 7.30am in the morning NO signs that foal was coming at all i got a phone call an hour and a half later to say the foal was in the field, my last mare wanted lots of love and reassurance lots of belly rubbing, and cuddles, i spent 5 nights sleeping with her going there at 10pm every night with my hot water bottle, she either stood over me or lay down next to me touching me( what an experience) on the 5th night i turned up at 10 pm with hot water bottle opened the stable door just as her waters broke, her baby was out by 10.45, it was incredible,
good luck :horse: :hshoe: :wave:
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i remember about 15 yrs ago i was camping out in the next stable for a few nights before the actual foal thinking i was about 12 ish then and it was cold nights i also learnt the word brankston hicks and what that meant as few nights on the row it happend all good fun
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she had a slight discharge with a very small amout of blood in it. i take it its the same as humans the cervical plug clearing. i would love to have her in a stable but she has never been in one and panics when we have tried. being so late on in pregnancy we did not want to push it. the daughter has been claiming that she was on the verge of dropping the foal for the last month. as the weather seems to be improving and even our waterlogged fields are drying. never had a pony in foal so its very nervous.
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Mares can hold onto their foals for around twenty five days after due date, till conditions suit them for foaling down. The weather, environmental stress, including human interference, can disturb some mares and make them very loath to get on with it.
Some mares wax up at their teats before foaling, some don't. There will be observable changes in the mare's mammaries but, again, there is much variation between individuals.
In short, there is no way of precisely predicting an imminent foaling, other than by tests to reveal hormone levels. Even then that is more likely to tell you when she isn't going to foal than when she is.
You may be surprised how many maiden mares just foal quietly, usually in the early morning without needing any human aid, although it is, understandably, a tense time for the owner.
Both of my foals were born outside, in April, and got to their feet and sucked without any trouble. The mare cleansed after each, no trouble, and, after a few hours of peace, was quite happy to allow us to handle her foals. I work on a stud, also, and we've had very few problems over the years.
There are many considerations when foaling mares, but the most important one, given that the foal is born and viable, is the cleansing or afterbirth. You only have about six hours before you have to react very quickly and definitely if your mare hasn't cleansed by herself by then. If you call the vet at that point, he still has time to get to you and deal with the situation and expect a positive outcome. Failure to assist her within ten hours is neglect.
Never attempt to pull a cleansing from a mare if she doesn't seem to be getting on with it. Rather, double it up upon itself and tie it up off the floor with a piece of string or baler twine. This allows the force of gravity to act on it and aid the process, whilst keeping it fairly clean and free of contamination from bedding/soil.
If the mare seems to cleanse herself, you must carefully lay the cleansing out on the ground and try to determine that it is all there, and that there is nothing retained by the mare. When laid fully out, you should easily identify the twin horns of the uterus, and the open ended uterus which housed the foetus. A cleansing looks a bit like an old-fashioned pair of ladies bloomers; a common description.
If at any point post-birth, your mare should show signs of dullness, raised temperature, or colic, you should suspect a retention of some of the cleansing, and urgently seek veterinary assistance. Failure to do so may result in serious consequences for your mare.
Once the foal is on its feet and sucking, you may wish to leave mare and foal together without disturbance so that they can bond. Some mares are very 'foal-proud' and may not want you anywhere near their foal, whilst some are quite at ease with visitors, but be careful as some newly-foaled mares can be dangerous.
Hopfully everything will go well for you all, and you will get a strong foal and a milky, loving dam, but if you do encounter problems, a good vet is your best friend.
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and remember to throw or hang the after birth on top of a hedge, its good luck.
it is a nerve wrecking time and truly amazing just like any baby being born a suppose,
i found this website very usefull it has alot of pictures, but as other messages say no two mares are the same esp a first timer,
http://www.roadsend.org/farm/Mares/Sophie/SophieWatch2006.htm (http://www.roadsend.org/farm/Mares/Sophie/SophieWatch2006.htm)
my mini shetland was a month early and the day she gave birth i was sat watching her she came over backed herself on to my leg as i was sat on a seat, so i could rub her when she walked away i had the tinyiest amount of milk on my jeans, that was the only milk that came until the foal came out, that night.
Check the field the foal will be born in, i know you probably have but its always worth double checking, for anything that might not be foal friendly,
also its worth mentioning water buckets, if you have a water trough in your field cover it over, foales have been known to drown if there mother gives birth near to or over the water supply,
Good luck and try to relax and enjoy the moment,
have you any idea when she is due?? :hshoe: :wave:
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Mares foaling outside often pick their spot in the field days before foaling, birth is quick if all is well any sign of foal not being in the right position, feet and nose first get your vet as time is something you do not get a lot off. I am sure your Shetland will do a grand job even for a first foaling :)
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Any news? Hope she has her foal today it is like summer!
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nope shes holding on. its been very nice the last few days almost tempted to thing spring is here but i know we will get hit again by winter but it would be very nice if it gave us a miss this year.
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Any news? :)
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nope shes chewing on her food. still hanging on.
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Bet she gives you a surprise ;D
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not yet she has not. the daughter is going in circles predicting the time. im sure she will drop the foal when shes ready.
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Hope all goes well, waiting with you :) :horse:
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Has that elephant popped yet?
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nope. shes still holding off. was racing with rachel around the field yesterday. so its soon but a few days off yet.
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I bet Rachel has named the foal , planned its upbringing and nothing else matters . She does love her horses.
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oh she does. she know we are planning to sell the foal once its a year or so old. but whats the betting she will find an excuse. and yes she has been trying names but after hour of pony talk you do just switch off. thou being fair she has learnt a lot and is very good with them.
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she had a slight discharge with a very small amout of blood in it. i take it its the same as humans the cervical plug clearing. i would love to have her in a stable but she has never been in one and panics when we have tried. being so late on in pregnancy we did not want to push it. the daughter has been claiming that she was on the verge of dropping the foal for the last month. as the weather seems to be improving and even our waterlogged fields are drying. never had a pony in foal so its very nervous.
Hi paul, she not dropped yet!!! bet she is huge!
She was stabled at ours and even tethered at one point, but shes the type who likes to be out so would be better of where shes happy and will more than likely drop in the middle of the night and all will go fine :)
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hi danielle. she is a very chilled out girl. im sure your right she will surprise us one morning. probably better than us flapping over her. she now comes up to us and insists on a cuddle. she likes going for a walk. apart from were some idiot in a car spooked her. she is going to be a very good horse in a year or so. we have had her in the byre but she hated it. smashed the fencing down so we have had to let her stay out. rachel took some convincing that pickering was not that warm in winter so that she is used to the cold. but in fact she has coped just as well as the shetlands.we will post the pictures when she has dropped the foal.
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HOWS SHE DOING??? IS THERE A FOAL YET?..WE HAD OUR 1ST SHETTY FILLY FOAL LAST YEAR,WE HAD 2 COLTS THE YEAR BEFORE! ALL OURS HAVE BEEN BORN OUTSIDE, WE DID HAVE A STILL BORN FILLY LAST YEAR WHICH WAS AWFULL BUT ITS ONE OF THOSE THINGS WE COULD NOT OF DONE ANYTHING ABOUT AS SHE WAS A NEW MARE AND WE DIDNT KNOW SHE WAS IN FOAL! ALL OURS HAVE BEEN FINE OUTSIDE SO DONT PANIC!!IM SURE HE OR SHE WILL BE THE APPLE OF YOUR EYE WHEN YOU GET DOWN THERE THAT MORNING!ALL OF MINE HAVE BEEN...GOOD LUCK AND POST SOME PICS FOR US ALL!! ;)
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thanks. willdo . molly is a 14hand cobcross shes our first and only big horse. we have 4 shetland mares but we are not planning to put them in foal until the market improves. odd we herd of a couple of stillborns last year i wonder if the bad weather had anything to do with it.
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I DONT KNOW , WE HAD GREAT WEATHER WHEN OURS HAPPENED......I THINK WE HAVE TO GO WITH 'JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS'..IM WATCHING HER LIKE A HAWK THIS YEAR,ANY PROBS AND SHE WILL BE RETIRED TO A PET AFTER THIS ONE.... :horse: :hshoe:
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Molly has foaled. Its only just happened its just about standing and mum has after birth dangling. its black and white and big. not got close enough to see what sex it is yet.
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Congratulations!
Please put pictures up once all has calmed down.
Well done Molly!
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Molly has had a lovely big filly and she hasn't go ta name yet didn't come up with a name untill it was born alive and new was gender it is.
Most unimpressed she decided to foal in the mud.
(http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/ab226/rbarlo32/DSCN2511.jpg)
(http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/ab226/rbarlo32/DSCN2514.jpg)
(http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/ab226/rbarlo32/DSCN2508.jpg)
(http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/ab226/rbarlo32/DSCN2509.jpg)
Very proud of molly and molly is very proud of baby.
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one very big girl. she is bigger than our shetlands. Im pleased it happened like this its a lot less stressful than having a teenager in a panic.
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The foal looks great! have Rachels feet touched the ground yet?
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nope. shes started trying to convince us to keep her. not going to happen.
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Bonny mare too. Congratulations :)
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shes fluffed up now and is following mum about.
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what a stunner!!! got a lovely strong looking head! molly looks shattered in the last pic bless her
Big congrats :love:
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we were surprised at the size. yes molly took a few hours to get back to her normal self. the pictures were taken very shortly after the birth. she still had the afterbirth to come out. having seen ruth post 6 births nobody looks good after giving birth.
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It turns out our little filly foal is a big strapping colt. Rachel who wants to be a vet needs a little more practice at anatomy. poor lad being called bella.
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It isn't easy to see what gender a foal is when the mum tries to kill you if you go up to the hfoal and then runs of with the baby.
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;D lovely colt, Congratulations !!!
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Nice strong colt :)
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he is a cracker, really pleased for you all, has he got a name yet? :bouquet: :wave:
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Yep. Molly's Prince Charming
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It turns out our little filly foal is a big strapping colt. Rachel who wants to be a vet needs a little more practice at anatomy. poor lad being called bella.
Congrats ;D
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well done to mum and the rest of you! what a lovely young man ;) :D..very handsome head on him.have you any fluffy pics yet?
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prince seems to want to be a show jumper. he jumped the fence into the chicken field. that bit of fence is now 4ft high if he clears that at a week old we may have trouble ahead.
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heres some pics of prince mow he is 5 months old sorry they aren't very good and some are him as a younger foal
http://s866.photobucket.com/albums/ab226/rbarlo32/Prince/ (http://s866.photobucket.com/albums/ab226/rbarlo32/Prince/)
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He is adorable and has lovely markings :thumbsup:
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Beautiful pictures, thanks for sharing them :)