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Post by diamondgirl on Apr 17, 2014 3:02:06 GMT
Some of you guys might remember. Last year I posted on the other forum, about how I was taking care of a friends animals while he was out of town. He was boarding an 8 month old stud colt, who was in with his mares. I saw the cold mount his arab cross mare and asked if it was possible for a little boy that age to breed the mare on the other forum. I was sure I knew what the answer was going to be, so I had already separated them. I told the owner what I had seen, and what I had been told, but he put them all back together anyway. He said he did not see any behavior that I was describing, and it was too hard to keep them all separated. I was over visiting him a month later. The mare was in heat again, and he and I both saw the stud colt try to mount her. He admitted he might have been wrong. He is going to be gone for a week again. It is his Mothers birthday, and she will be 98 years old this year. I will be, once again minding his place. Just to see what I was getting myself into I went over there last Saturday to check the little mare. She was starting to bag up. On Saturday she was swollen only behind her teats, but her bag was soft, or squishy. Sorry I don't know another way to describe it. He leaves tomorrow at 3:00 am, so I went over today to check everything out and to get his feeding instructions. Today her bag is more swollen, in front and back of her teats, and it is very firm. I also noticed a depression right above her tail head, and her tail feels looser. I also noticed her vulva is slightly more relaxed, but not as much as I have seen in pictures on the other forum. She was probably bred 11 months ago, and his would be her first foal. The only experience I have with foaling is what I have read on the other forum, when people are watching their mare, and taking pictures. I have noticed that with others, the more pictures they take of the expectant mare, the longer it seems to take for them to foal, so I will be taking my camera out tomorrow.  I will only be caring for his animals for a week. Can anyone guess how long we have here before baby arrives? In 4 days she has gone from bag only swollen behind the teats and soft, to bag swollen front and back, and firm, a dish on her rump just above her tail, and she has less resistance to my lifting her tail and her vulva is starting to get longer or relax. She is a maiden mare, so I do understand the impending birth signs are not always really clear. I know nothing about foaling, and I am not going to have time to read every book, I can find on the subject, before tomorrow. Ant help you can give e would be appreciated. Thank you |
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Lipizzan
Junior Member
Europe, Croatia
Posts: 2,572 
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Post by Lipizzan on Apr 17, 2014 8:21:01 GMT
When the mare is liking milk from udder she is close. When the foal is born it is important that she or he stand on his feet in hour time, everything beyond that it is not normal. Also it is important that the foal poop and suckle soon after he or she got up on his feet. If the mare doesn't lick him when he comes out, rubb the foal with hay so that circulation kicks in. That is little bit of what I can explain on English, wish you can understand my language :-)
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Post by diamondgirl on Apr 17, 2014 17:01:58 GMT
I went out and checked her this morning. Nothing has changed over night. I did a little reading on the signs of impending labor, and I don't think she is near to her time yet. Her bag is filling out but her nipples still look the same. Her muscles at the top of her tail head are relaxing, but the muscles to both sides of her tail are still round. Her vulva is showing some relaxation, but not enough, according to the pictures I have seen. I will continue to run over and check on her several times a day, until my friend gets home. I only have to do this for a week. I think she will wait for his return, but I just feel I need to be more careful to watch out for her because she should be right at her due date, according to her owner.
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Lipizzan
Junior Member
Europe, Croatia
Posts: 2,572
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Post by Lipizzan on Apr 17, 2014 17:27:16 GMT
Mares have way of retaining foaling if they are too much wached and disturbed. That is instinct that they have from wild ancestors when mares needed to wait until danger is over to foal in peace and safety.
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Post by 1fatmule on Apr 17, 2014 19:33:24 GMT
is she still in with other horses, because other mares could try to steal, or kill the foal especially if she is a young, or shy mare, and beg him to separate that stallion. explain the trail of the unwanted auction/slaughter horses. maybe that will get his attention.
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Post by horselady on Apr 17, 2014 19:42:33 GMT
As many foals i have had i only witness perhaps a dozen or so. the mares are sneaky they will wait until dark and perhaps in early morning just before dawn so that baby is up, dry and nursing and ready to roll with mom if the herd moves.
yes they still act like they are in the wild
have vets phone number in your phone and any neighbors that know horses that could help. and it would be a good idea to call the vet and let them know you are watching the horses in case you need them, they will not question who you are and are you going to pay the bill.(perhaps have the owner call and leave your name and number)
get towel ready and betadine for the umbilical cord , just in case you do have the foal
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mingiz
Junior Member
Los Lunas, NM
Posts: 3,320
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Post by mingiz on Apr 18, 2014 3:27:47 GMT
She will have the foal when she is ready..All you can do is make sure the foal is ok once you find it. Nature will take it's course. Don't stress over it. Get his vets number if you need it.. Good luck!!
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Post by diamondgirl on Apr 25, 2014 22:16:34 GMT
My friend made it back, and she didn't have her foal on my watch. Now he can worry about her.  I will keep watching though, and get pictures as soon as the baby comes. Thankyoufor your help. I really appreciated it. |
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Post by horselady on Apr 26, 2014 0:07:21 GMT
What a relief for you, but you being a good person i am sure will check up on her often just in case the owner does not . kite
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Post by diamondgirl on Apr 28, 2014 20:58:51 GMT
I have only been over there a couple of times since he has been back. I wanted to give her a few days so I could see more of a change. I can't really see her changing much yet. I think my friend might be a month early on his guesstimated breeding date. She still might have about a month to go. I guess time will tell.
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Post by jclark on May 8, 2014 14:07:22 GMT
When did he confirm her pregnant? Has she ever been looked at by the vet? And to think if he just would have listened to you this poor mare wouldn't be pregnant.
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Post by diamondgirl on May 19, 2014 0:57:13 GMT
A little filly was born early this morning. I got over to see her about 2:00 this afternoon, and was told the baby hadn't nursed yet. The mare had also not passed the placenta. I was told his vet had said sometimes mares take 24 hours to pass the placenta. I offered to have my Vet came out and I would pay for the farm call, but was told, no, and that he was going to go with his vets advise. I helped hold the mare so the filly could nurse, twice, before I had to come home and take care of my darlings. Please don't yell at me. This is so upsetting, but the mare is not my horse. I begged to let me get my vet out there. I said I would pay for it.  |
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Post by horselady on May 19, 2014 11:31:00 GMT
What a beautiful mare and foal. at least you got the foal to nurse two times and made sure it got the first milk. hopefully the mare passed after the foal nursed. and that idiot of an owner calls his vet out. You did the best you can and some people are just plain stupid and unfortunately you can not fix that. if the mare still has not passed that today the risk of infection is so great. as you know. just check on her and if it has not passed than perhaps a call to police or humane society to report abuse and neglect.  ?? |
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on May 19, 2014 12:16:55 GMT
HOw are the mare and foal today? It doesn't look like the mare is rejecting the baby. Perhaps the baby just didn't know what to do? Hopefully now that you helped her, she will continue to nurse without intervention. Praying that the mare is ok. Is it possible she passed the placenta some where that the owner just didn't find it (like out in a field)?
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on May 19, 2014 12:30:48 GMT
What a beautiful mare and foal. I'm so glad you were able to help the foal nurse twice. Hopefully now she will continue to nurse on her own. I sure hope the mare passed the placenta! It would be an awful shame if this man looses his mare and filly over something that a good vet (your vet) could have helped with! 
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Post by diamondgirl on May 19, 2014 16:47:21 GMT
Thank you my friends, for your support.
I am not sure why he was not helping the mom with nursing before I got there. He has told me stories about how he raised horses in New York. I was just really disappointed in him about all this whole thing. He just called and said the mare passed her placenta at about 9:00pm when was holding her for the foal to nurse. He said that once she had passed the placenta she became much more motherly to her baby. Thank goodness. I hope everything will turn out fine now, but I still feel like I need to hold my breath. The cord and the water bag was still hanging from the mare and dragging on the ground all day yesterday. With the placenta still attached inside her. I don't think we should just take a deep breath and call it ok, when she could still have a terrible infection brewing inside her. It was pretty warm yesterday, and the cord was really starting to smell. I just don't know what to think, or to say. If he would have just kept the mare and that stupid stallion separated, like I had them while he was gone, none of this would have happened. Horselady you are right. Some people are really to stupid. I am beginning to hate stupid.
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on May 19, 2014 23:59:48 GMT
Wow, he left her with the bag and the cord hanging out of her dragging on the ground all day and didn't let you get a vet out???  I guess it's true what they say... you can't fix stupid! I sure hope mare and foal will both be ok. Fingers crossed! |
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Post by 1fatmule on May 20, 2014 14:20:50 GMT
well, if there IS any retained placenta left in that mare, she will likely founder, or die by the end of the day, leaving possibly a septic baby, or a dead baby! what a fool, he is helping fill the trucks that travel to canada, and mexico DAILY full of unwanted neglected horses! this guy doesnt deserve ANY animals!!
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Post by horselady on May 20, 2014 20:18:49 GMT
He was from NEW YORK and is that ignorant and not caring. I suppose stupid and not caring or think you know everything can come from anywhere' the next time a bag hangs down for hours at least put huge knots in it to help with the weight pulling it out. and also to keep it off the ground. so almost 20 hours with it hanging. no wonder the mom did not want to pay attention to the foal, it should have come out sooner and within 12 hours. i asked my vet about it. i wait 3 hours and call the vets in a panic. but that is me. you did what you could and perhaps just take a peek at the mom and make sure she is not having fever.  |
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Post by diamondgirl on May 22, 2014 21:59:54 GMT
Mom and baby are still doing ok. I took some more pictures of her, but my computer is acting up and won't let me onto photo bucket. Mama lets the baby nurse without any problem now and baby follows Mama just like she should. Wheew.
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I will keep watching though, and get pictures as soon as the baby comes. Thankyoufor your help. I really appreciated it.
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I guess it's true what they say... you can't fix stupid! I sure hope mare and foal will both be ok. Fingers crossed!