Tobiano Paint Mare Question

[rjv_piper]

you should contact your vet, and he can tell you everything. If you have any questions, just pm me, I had four horses foal this year, and I've had colts in years past. Have fun!!! I know that the vet can check for pregnancy very soon.

 

[babyboy1_mom]

My sister and brother-in-law definitely know that she was in heat. All the signs were there and the stud was brought in and they did mate.

I have been passing on all the great info. that you all have been giving me and she said thanks to all of you.

Dorothy

 

[Haviris]

Like someone else said you don't "have" to pg check them, if she quits coming in heat she's probably bred. However and Ultra Sound would tell your sis if she may be carrying twins. Most often a vet will recommend pinching one of the twins, to give her one healthy foal.

 

[babyboy1_mom]

Thanks rjv_piper & Haviris

I was at my sister's house this evening. Her mare was bred on June 3rd and they know that she was definitely in heat. Now today, she is not in heat anymore.

After being bred, does a horse normally go out of heat that quickly? As I said earlier, I know absolutely nothing about horse...lol

 

[GwenFarms]

Quote:
Horses generally have a 23 day cycle, meaning there is 23 days between heats. She will remain in heat until she finishes out this heat cycle, which usually lasts about a week. So assuming that the mare was in heat for a few days, long enough for everyone to notice her heat had began, it would be time for her heat to be over. You won't know if she is bred for atleast 23 days, give or take a few, until it is time for her next heat. If she doesn't heat then it's a safe bet that she is bred. You will need to wait atleast a month before having a preg check.

Just thinking about the vet and extra feed bill makes my wallet cringe...LOL It's fun to raise your own, but with prices now there is no way I'd breed a horse. You can buy well trained adult horses with good bloodlines much, much cheaper than you will ever raise one. Not to mention the cost of a trainer after it is ready and the cost of upkeep on a broodmare. It is a huge financial undertaking. Ultimately it is everyones decision and many people are happy to take the loss for the joy of raising their own. I don't think I'm doing it again anytime soon

 

[babyboy1_mom]

Thanks GwenFarms

That would mean, approx. June 26th to July 1st she will come back into heat, if she is not pregnant.

I agree with you about the cost of raising horses. The prices of everything is going up so much that it is crazy, but it isn't my money, so I am not going to complain...lol I wouldn't do it either. I think that horses are beautiful animals, but I am terrified of them...lol

Dorothy

 

[Serendipity]

A horse will stop showing signs of heat after their cycle is up. They are only receptive during certain times of their cycle. They will come back into their heat cycle approximately 21 days after the end of their last cycle. They will continue with this pattern until fall. Mares will still cycle in the fall and winter - but their cycles are less noticeable and they often will not stand for the stallion.

A few pointers on breeding:

It is very important to spend the money to get a sonogram done by a vet at around 17 days - you can get a good idea of the status of the pregnancy and it is very important to make sure that the mare is not carrying twins. There is a small window at which point a vet can 'pinch off' one of the embryos. THIS IS IMPORTANT - twinning is very dangerous in horses. Most mares will die during delivery of the foal - as well as the foals. If the mare and the twins survive - the twin foals are usually small and not as healthy as a single foal that has survived the pregnancy. Most people think that twins in horses is a very cool thing. ... it is not and is a very dangerous.

Our neighbor opted to save money and forego the ultrasound for her paint mare. Eleven months later she came home to two beautiful paint babies and her paint mare ..... laying dead in the field. This happens all too often. Sonogram.

I breed foundation quarter horses and breeding is an expensive venture. The cost of vet exams, stud fees, vaccinations, deworming, and special feed for the mare - not to mention the time and money put into the foal - is very costly for a foal that usually only garnishes a $500 - $750 price tag in today's economy. And there is always a chance that the mare may not survive the pregnancy or the delivery. I have lost foals that were a week old and one that was two months old. It is a hard thing to get accustomed to - and an even harder pill to swallow considering the cost that is incurred.

An ULTRASOUND should be done around 17 days.
(Some vets will do this around 14 days - but they will usually come back and soak you for another fee to do it again to check and make sure that twinning has not occurred.)
If the mare has twins - you will be paying for at least two more sonograms to "pinch off" one of the embryos and you will need to check to make sure the other embryo has survived the process and that it is developing correctly.

Deworm, Deworm, Deworm. Use a dewormer that is safe for pregnancy and deworm every six to eight weeks. It is important to rotate your dewormers. Do not use the same type of dewormer twice in a row. Deworm about two weeks before the expected delivery of the foal - this helps the newborn foal as well. Foals will eat their poop - this is common - and if you deworm the mare properly and then again before they deliver - you will not be feeding your new foal worms.

The gestational period for a mare is usually around 11 months. If the mare has foaled before - chances are that she will be right around 11 months and not later or earlier. Check to see when her last foals were born - my mares all deliver about the same time of day each year. (This is not a documented fact - strictly an observance on my part.)

VACCINATE - make sure that the mare has received proper vaccinations for your area and vaccinate 1 month prior to delivery of the foal to pass on the antibodies to the foal.
Use Pneumobort at 5, 7, & 9 months. Check with your vet about the schedule for these. Some vets recommend a 4th dose. This prevents your mare from aborting the fetus early.

Keep the mare off of FESCUE. This is very important. Fescue will cause early abortions in mares.

Make sure you are feeding the mare a quality & well balanced feed ration. Do not increase to a higher protein/higher fat food until later in the pregnancy. Adding this type of food early in the pregnancy will cause the mare to put on too much weight and will be a detriment to her when delivering the foal.

READ UP ON BIRTHING A FOAL! Make sure to have a delivery kit ready about 1 month prior to the birth. There are several items that are imperative that you have on hand.

It is important to have a relationship with a reputable vet before the mare delivers. Your vet will be more willing to make that midnight or early morning call! Some vets will not come out on an emergency basis if you are a new client.

After the mare delivers - give her a warm mash, oat bran is good mixed with rice bran and corn oil - this helps her system to recuperate and also helps her to pass stool. A mare may become "backed up" during the delivery and this is very dangerous in horses and can lead to colic and/or fatal twisting of the intestines.

READ READ READ!
BOOKS on Foaling... and then read them again.

Remember that mares have been having foals since the beginning of time. I put cameras on our mares and stayed in the barn and inevitably the minute I catch a few ZZZZs or go to the bathroom or check the house - or get something to drink - the mare delivers. They wait for that "moment" that you are not watching. They are very good at this. I have had over 30 foals or more in the last three to four years and I have been able to catch only a few actually deliver their foals - and that was because I had to help deliver them!

Again - read, read, read. That is your best offense in helping deliver a healthy foal.

Best of Luck.

 

[Serendipity]

Gwenfarms - you are very, very wise. You are also very correct in your advice. It is much cheaper to buy a "finished horse" than to raise and train one. The cost alone is staggering not to mention the time that one puts into raising a foal. If you birth out a foal and sell it - even during the first week - you are still losing money.

And ... I think you are correct - it is more like 23 days but generally a 21 - 23 day turn around for their heat cycles is standard.

 

[babyboy1_mom]

Thanks Serendipity for all of the information. I am going to print it all out and give it to my sister. That way she has it in her hands to read, read and read again...lol

Dorothy

 

[Serendipity]

BBM: You are quite welcome. Sorry the post was so long - it is late here on the east coast and I just started typing away. Breeding horses is a topic that is near and dear to my heart. It is costly, heartbreaking, but a passion of mine that I have been fortunate enough to enjoy. However, I would caution anyone that goes into "breeding" - even if it is only one horse - to make sure to read and learn before they end up making a costly mistake.
It is important to learn "preventative" medicine with horses and especially mares when considering breeding. You can avoid a lot of heart ache by being learning about how to care for a mare during pregnancy so that she has the best chance of delivering a healthy foal.

I have read on this thread that it is not imperative to do a sonogram ... Just remember this is the best money that your family member will invest. It will seem like a waste if the vet comes and tells you that everything is fine... but in the event that something is wrong - you can catch it early. And there is nothing so tragic as to come home to three dead animals that you need dispose of or bury. I still remember seeing those three animals laying in the field - all because our neighbor was pinching pennies and didn't have a sonogram done. I have lost mares to foaling problems. It happens. Now, I always ask myself the question before breeding a particular mare: Can she be replaced?
This sounds cold.... but it has helped me to put things in perspective. We all love baby animals... chicks, puppies, kittens, foals, etc.... but can the mare be replaced? That always hits home for me.

Hope this helps and that I have not waxed too philosophical.
I will see if I can dig up the titles of the books that have helped me through the years.