when she is ready the teats will be very full, possible even leaking. mares not breeding will be very small, empty and tucked up high between her legs. 99% of the time horses have zero problems and you go out to feed in the morning and there is a baby running around. some mares do not like company and want total privacy to give birth. labor has 3 stages similar to humans. early labor- uncomfortable, sometimes walking rolling. other times very little activity and the mare seems 100% normal. active labor- hard contractions, water breaks, lieing down to push. after birth- mare licks and nurses foal, afterbirth is expelled, more annoying then painfull like the actual birth.
one thing that is very often found that if a mares water hasent broken yet and she is not into hard active labor she cant actualy stall labor for several days until she has the privacy and comfort level she wants. my gelding annoys the crap out of pregnant and nursing mares. he is always the babysitter and pasture mate for young horses and is very interested in them. the mammas hate that and we have to keep the gelding away for a while.
