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How soon to breed a mare after she delivers?
Technically, a mare can be bred again on her "foal heat". Her first "heat" cycle usually a few weeks after giving birth. For big breeding farms they do rebreed the mare at this time. For most backyard horse people this time comes and goes without notice. They are too busy playing with their new foal and its nice for the mare to recover from birthing. There is usually plenty of time to decide if you want to breed your mare again.
How long does it take to foal?
The average mare will be pregnant for 340 days, or about 11 to 12 months. But the average foaling time, or labor time, is usually no more than 30 minutes.
What if a horse is in heat all the time since she gave birth?
Since there is no mention of how long the mare has been in continuous heat this is a very difficult question to answer effectively. Generally, mares will enter into heat as early as 3 days post foaling. The length of this heat cycle is variable with many mares ovulating 6 to 10 days post foaling. The number of days post ovulation where the mare acts receptive could make her appear to be in heat for 12 or 14 days post foaling. That being said, mares that do not clean and involute well post foaling will often return to heat early, which may also give the impression that the mare has been in continuous heat.
How soon can a broodmare be covered after foaling?
About 10 days after foaling, a mare will have a "foal heat". Although this is not a perfect time (because of decreased fertility and increased risk of early embryonic death) - this is the first time after foaling that a mare can be covered.
Howrse how do you know when your foal is going to be born?
There is a message which lets you know your mare is foaling - make sure you have enough money for the vet, because if you cannot get the vet there in time, the foal will die.
Is there a way to test a mare to see just when she should be ready to foal?
You cant neccisarily test her to see if shes gonna foal, but if you go to Google or something and type in 'Mare Gestation Calenders' and tell the generator the day your mare was impregnated on that should give you a good idea of around the time she should foal. Mares are in gestation for 11 months, or about 340 days. Also watch for waxing and signs that she might be foaling.
What pain medicine do you give a mare during foaling?
Mares are not usually given pain medicine for foaling, as the labor and deliver happen so quickly that there is little time for the medicine to take affect in her body. Bute, Banamine and narcotic pain relief can be given in certain circumstances. Narcotic pain killers will also affect the foal however, and this isn't usually given unless you are trying only to save the mare.
Is a 16 yr mare to old to breed?
If the mare is healthy and fit there is no reason why she can't be bred. If it's her first time to be bred it may be more difficult for her to conceive (get pregnant). It is always a good idea to have a vet examine the mare before breeding to make sure there are no problems that could interfere with a pregnancy.
What are some factors to consider before foaling your mare?
Since there are several schools of thought on what proper foaling methods are ideal: anywhere from letting the mare foal out on the grass pasture to methods that require the foal to be muzzled and the mare to be removed washed and both returned to a freshly cleaned stall, a breeder must first consider what method they wish to employ. 1) Mares usually don't have any trouble foaling...so the grass pasture method is generally a great option, especially if you have one that is lush and not loaded with road apples. 2) While horses have been foaling successfully for years, breeders have a vested interest in insuring that their mare and the foal produced have the best chance of surviving. (My comment when other people make remarks about horses in the wild, comparing them to domestic horses, is that my domestic mare and her foal have value beyond that of food for a cougar so my plan is to insure that they adequately supervised in case of an emergency (at minimum). 3) Research and decide what level of involvement you wish to have in the foaling process and gather the materials and personnel you need for that method. 4) If you have never foaled out a mare before it is best to have someone with experience to help you for the first time. 5) Research and determine whether the plan is to imprint the foal. 6) If there is a significant issue with foaling...a dystocia or an injury to the mare how to proceed and whether the mare and foal will have to be transported. Insure a truck and trailer are available. 7) Research whether you want to give the mare wormer within 12 hours post foaling and whether you wish to give a tetanus shot to the foal. This is the method I try to employ: a. Mare is placed in a clean stall at the last possible point before foaling. (Once her milk color has changed from clear gold to white.) b. The stall is bedded with recycled paper (highly absorbent) and the paper is covered with a layer of grass hay (the mare can eat it and it is cleaner than straw and less likely to cling to the nostrils and mouth of a foal struggling to stand like shavings or sawdust. c. Breeder is present at foaling to insure that the foal is in the proper position in the birth canal and to assist if necessary. d. Breeder knows their limitations and has a veterinarian to call who will respond ASAP. e. Once foaling is complete breeder: Insures that the umbilical stump is dipped. Verifies that the foal has a normal appearance, behavioral and vital signs. Verify that the foal has a normal suckling response. Insure the mare is in good condition and check for injuries to her reproductive tract. f. Milk the mare and insure that the foal is given at least 8oz of colostrum while resting in a sternal position, insuring that the foal's head and neck are in the correct position to prevent aspiration of milk into it's lungs. Repeat over time until foal has ingested 20oz of colostrum. If foal stands and nurses rapidly additional bottle feedings can be eliminated. g. Give the foal oral clostridium and ecoli endotoxin within 6 hours of birth. h. Imprint train the foal. i. Have veterinarian out to insure the foal is normal and to pull blood for IgG check. Also to check the condition of the mare and examine the placenta (if you can't/didn't do it yourself.). j. Worm the mare within 12 hours of foaling.
After giving birth when does a mare's milk drop?
Some mares are already in milk before the foal is born. It is generally only maiden mares or early foaling mares that take more time for their milk to come in.
Ride your mare after foal?
It is generally recommended to wait at least 6-8 weeks post-foaling before riding a mare again to allow her body time to recover. It's important to consult with a veterinarian to ensure the mare is fully healed and fit for riding to prevent any potential health issues.
What is foal season?
Foaling season is actually opposite of when nature would have it, because we breed for foals to be born at the beginning of a year (for registering/racing purposes). Typical foaling season is early spring, between February - April. It can begin, however, as early as January and last till late May.
