The gestation period of the miniature mare is 330 days, plus
or minus fifteen days, just like the big horses. Some mares
will foal in ten months and some will carry a full twelve
months, and such abnormal gestation periods are characteristic
of that particular mare. The shortened or prolonged gestation
period will probably be repeated. As might be expected, the
"premature" foal is likely to be small and delicate, requiring
special attention, while the 12 month foal may be born
measuring 23 inches instead of the average 18. Within six
months, heredity will be the determining factor--the 10 month
foal and the 12 month foal may well be the same size.
Foals may be born any month of the year, but under natural
conditions most will be born from March through June. That is
because mares cycle normally in the northern hemisphere during
the spring and early summer as the day length (and light)
increases. The heat cycle is dependent on the number of hours
of light-natural or artificial. The reproductive process
usually begins in February-March, but the heat cycles are
irregular. The highest conception rates in horses is recorded
in April to July in the United States, and therefore, birth
will be from March to June the next year.
Once mares begin to cycle normally, there is a fertile time
when the mare will accept the male for breeding. This period
of estrus, "heat" or "season," occurs every 21 days on the
average. Most mares are "in heat" for about 5-7 days and most
mares will come in season five to seven days after foaling, in
what horse people call the "foal heat." Unless the mare
experienced difficulty in foaling, or for some other reason,
there is no reason why she should not be rebred at this time.
The most unique feature of a mare's cycle is that she ovulates
24-48 hours before the end of estrus. In order for conception
to occur, the male sperm must be present at the time of
ovulation. Therefore, the timing of breeding or insemination
is very difficult in the mare. Most importantly, you must
know your mare. She may cycle every 24 days or perhaps the
duration of her heat cycle may be only three days. You must
be observant and recognize when your mare is in heat. A mare
coming into standing heat will show signs of increased
activity and excitability. She will urinate frequently, carry
her tail raised and occasionally show a "vulva winking,"
opening and closing the outer lips of the vulva. Once the
mare will stand to be bred (standing heat), she will often
back up to the stallion, as opposed to when not in heat, she
may have kicked or bitten at him. The reproductive tract
becomes a brighter reddish color as the circulation is
increased, mucous excretion becomes more active, and the
cervix is open. It is essential to tease a mare daily with a
stallion or sometimes even a gelding to detect the onset of
estrus. This is one of the biggest problems for the mare
owner who plans to breed to a stallion located elsewhere.
Most neophyte breeders of Miniatures do one of two things.
They purchase a stallion, quite frequently an immature
stallion, but with a promising pedigree. Though, he will not
be serviceable for a year or two, he will probably be much
less expensive than a proven, mature stallion. The owner then
hedges his or her bet. If the yearling colt develops into a
breeding stallion, it was a tremendous bargain; if not, it
will make a nice gelding and little money is lost. Try again!
Other owners arrange to breed their mare to a stallion owned
by someone else, in which case they deliver the mare to the
owner of the stallion, planning to leave her for 30-45 days--
sufficient time for two heat cycles. Many breeders "pasture
breed"; that is, they put a stallion with certain mares,
leaving them together for the spring and early summer. The
conception rate is usually higher, but one seldom knows
exactly when to expect a foal. Some stallions will reject
some mares, and vice versa for reasons known only to
themselves. This happens more frequently when a mare is added
to an existing band which has already coalesced---exactly the
situation which occurs when a neophyte breeder "books" a mare
to a stallion at another location.
No matter how the mare is to be bred, or if she is to be bred,
a health maintenance program is necessity. The mare must be
wormed regularly, certainly bi-annually and perhaps as often
as quarterly where the probability of parasite contamination
is great, a condition which frequently exists when to many
horses are kept in a limited area, year-round. The beginner
needs to choose a veterinarian, get acquainted with him/her,
and rely on that veterinarian's advice. Keep a rapport,
because sometime when you least expect it--midnight Sunday--
you are going to need the vet if you stay in the horse
business very long.
If you are booking your mare to be bred to someone else's
stallion, the stallion owner will advise you as to what he
requires with respect to health examinations, vaccinations,
and cultures of the mare's reproductive tract. These are
technical medical procedures to be performed by your
veterinarian.
Pregnancy can be ascertained after fourteen days by a variety
of tests available to your veterinarian, the most certain of
which is ultrasound, but a confirmed pregnancy does not insure
a foal every year. The mare may abort, undetected, or may
reabsorb the fetus. Most breeders are guided by the heat
cycle: if the mare is serviced by a stallion and does not
recycle in about 24 days, they consider her to be in foal.
Most mares will begin to how signs of being "in foal" at about
eight months: while some maiden mares may keep their figure a
little longer. Udder development will be discernible about
four weeks prior to foaling. During the last week, the foal
will drop in the abdomen and this change in the mares
appearance will be noticeable. At about 48-72 hours before
foaling the mare will begin dripping milk - actually colostrum
- from her teats, and this fluid will dry and harden on the
teats -- known as "waxing over." Usually in the last 24 hours
before foaling the mare may show signs of distress. She may
stay apart from the other horses, bite at her flanks, paw, lay
down and get up frequently, whether in a stall or paddock.
She is best observed, but left alone. She should be put in a
stall of adequate size, at least 8x8, at night with just
enough light so that she can be observed, but the stall should
not be over bedded; a soft bedding can prevent the sac from
tearing away from the foal. Shavings and sawdust; can be
dangerous, both to the mare and the new foal. Generally,
mares prefer no human company during foaling, and how many
owners having stayed awake all night, gone to the house for a
cup of coffee, and returned fifteen minutes later to discover
a tiny baby struggling to its feet.
The actual birth process usually takes no more than twenty
minutes and sometimes as few as five. In a normal birth, a
balloon-like membrane will first appear. That will break and
release about a half-gallon of fluid. Within a few minutes,
one forefoot should appear, the front of the hoof uppermost,
then the other forefoot. This sequence means that one
shoulder at a time is passing through the cervix, which is
much easier on the mare. Then the head appears, tucked
between the forelegs. Once the head and shoulders are clear,
the rest is quickly passed. The birth track is circular and
down, and any assistance given the mare should be within that
track. Never try to pull a foal straight out or up, and don't
try to use a calf-puller or other traction device on a
mare. If the mare is having difficulty, call your
veterinarian! A delay, even of several hours may risk losing
the foal, and the mare as well. If all has gone well, the
foal will be on the ground, still attached by its umbilical
cord to the placenta. The head should be free of the sac and
the foal should be breathing. If so, leave them alone for the
foal is still receiving blood from the placenta, and the mare
is resting. If the nostrils are not clear of the sac, tear
the sac open so the head is free. In five to ten minutes, the
foal will begin trying to stand. Lave it alone. It will
struggle and fall several times. This is normal. It will be
on its feet in about fifteen minutes, probably before the mare
stands. During its struggle to stand, the umbilical cord will
break, and the foal will be free, but the mare will not have
expelled all of the placenta, and may not do so for another
half hour. Do not try to help. If the placenta is not
expelled within four hours, call your vet! The foal's
umbilical stump should be disinfected with an iodine solution
or other prescribed disinfectant.
Normally, the foal will nurse within two hours of birth, but
insure that it does. The colostrum it will get during the
next twenty-four hours contains the anti-bodies necessary for
the foal's immune system. For most mares, and foals alike.
nature will take care of everything, but if this is your
mare's first foal, she may be bewildered. Another mare may
attempt to steal the foal and she may not have milk, so the
mare and foal are best left in a well-bedded stall for at
least the first twenty-four hours.
AUTHORS NOTE:
This is a text book birth and let me assure you that not all
births proceed like the one written here! From experience,
there are all kinds of problems that can and do occur when a
mare is foaling. As time allows I will be adding articles
such as breech births, and other difficult situations that can
arise. I am going to include an article about red bag birth because
I have read that is is not uncommon and it is essential that a
person knows what to do in case this occurs!!! Time is of the essence!!!!
Thank you for stopping by Little Valley Miniatures and if you
have any questions, please email us and we will get right back
to you. If we don't have the answer, we certainly will go
find the answer for you!
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