How to Tell If Your Horse Is in Labor

The most exciting part of a mare being pregnant is her having the foal. The wait seems to last forever because a mare's gestation period is 11 months. Most horse owners have an idea as to the last breeding date of their mare. If you know the approximate breeding date, your mare should be brought up closer to the barn --- or even put into a stall on a nightly basis --- roughly one month before she is due. Mares have a tendency to foal at night when no one is around because they like the solitude. Mares have an early labor or a late labor, depending on their own tendencies, the weather or if they are carrying a filly or colt.

Things You'll Need

  • Isolated area
  • Veterinarian
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Instructions

    • 1

      Watch your mare's teats. Check if the teats are swollen and full of milk. Normally, the teats are tucked up close to the mare's body. If the mare's teats are swollen this is called "bagged up." Her teats will become swollen a week or two before she foals. If the bag starts to glisten and look waxy, she is getting closer to foaling. This is called "waxing." It is the effect of the colostrum seeping out.

    • 2

      Look at your mare's shape from the side. Her flanks will seem to have dropped. Her muscles will start to relax a couple days before she gives birth to ease the motion of her 70 pound foal through the birthing canal. Closer to birth, all of the mare's muscles around her tail will be completely relaxed and will lack tone. The best way to tell if the muscles around her tail are relaxed is by feeling them.

    • 3

      Check your mare's vulva. Her vulva will become relaxed, slightly opened and distended just hours before she is ready to foal.

    • 4

      Watch your mare's body language. She will stop eating, start to sweat, sway in her stall, stand in a corner, kick the walls in discomfort and breath heavily. Some mares do this several hours leading up to the time they break water.

    • 5

      Watch for anything sticking out of your mare's vulva. Some mares give few signs they are foaling, as they are all different. If you see anything start to come out of her vulva, it means she is in labor and within 30 minutes you should have a foal. If you are unfamiliar with this process call your veterinarian as soon as possible.