When is my mare going to foal?
I think May is a pretty good prediction on when she will foal. It is approximately 11 months after fertilization. (or ~ 330 days) Some ways that you can monitor how close she may be getting: – With someone else holding your mare (so she doesn’t reach around and bite you), gently reach under her to her teats and feel how firm/full they are. The firmer they get, the closer she is getting. You can also gently milk a teat into a container to get a small sample of the milk. If the milk is clear/yellow then she is not close to foaling. If the milk is getting more white, then it is turning into collostrum and you are very close to foal. Also feel the milk with your fingers. The stickier it is, the closer she is. Once the milk turns white, you are about 24-48 hours away from foaling. – Lift her tail… Check the resistance of the tail. If she is able to push against you pulling it up, then she is not relaxed enough to foal. If you can lift it and she isn’t resisting, you are getting much close
