5 Ways To Care For A Pregnant Mare

If you can’t keep her in a separate barn, choose the stable furthest away from the other horses. It’s usually safe to keep your pregnant mare near other pregnant mares who are familiar to her. It’s best if each mare is around the same point in their pregnancy. [2] X Research source

Stress can cause your mare to lose her pregnancy, so make sure she’s as comfortable and happy as possible.

Never use small pieces of bedding, such as wood chips. These pieces can get caught in your newborn foal’s nose. Use straw or hay from the beginning of the pregnancy so your mare will be comfortable with it by the time the foaling occurs. [4] X Research source

This keeps your horse healthy and happy.

While the stall dries, scrub down the water bucket. If you use a feed bucket, you’ll also want to scrub it down. This ensures your foal is born into a clean, healthy environment.

If you need to transport the horse for the foaling, do it at least a month before her expected foaling date. [8] X Research source

If your mare doesn’t eat enough, her body will naturally start to pull nutrients from her fat stores, muscles, and bones. This weakens her, making it harder for her to care for her foal after birth.

Ask your vet for specific feeding recommendations for your mare. She may require more or less food, depending on her starting weight. Normally, mares will gain between 9 and 12 percent of their body weight during pregnancy. Two-thirds of the weight gain will come in the final few months, as the foal grows a lot during that time. Horses at the top of the weight range when they conceive usually need to gain less than horses that were leaner. [11] X Research source

The mare’s nutritional needs will remain the same as before she got pregnant until her last trimester. At about the 8th month, she’ll need additional supplements to meet her nutritional needs. If your mare is grazing, make sure the field is free of fescue grass, which can lead to fescue toxicity in pregnant mares. [13] X Expert Source Jessica RudeEquine Expert Expert Interview. 18 September 2020.

You can buy a supplement at your local feed store or online. Ask your vet which supplements are right for your horse.

Look for a protein supplement at your local feed store or online. You can even find supplements that also contain salt, calcium, and phosphorus, as well as protein. This makes supplementing her diet even easier![16] X Research source

Make sure your pregnant mare has her own water source. She shouldn’t be sharing with other horses, as the water may be contaminated by their germs.

Don’t ride your horse during this time.

You can ride your mare until the 8th or 9th month of pregnancy. If your horse shows any discomfort or resists being ridden, don’t try to mount her. Additionally, call your equine vet to get her checked out to make sure she’s doing well.

Your horse will naturally start to slow down late in her pregnancy, so don’t worry about curtailing her activity. Let her tell you when she’s too uncomfortable for normal activity, which will happen in the 8th or 9th month of pregnancy when the foal is rapidly growing. You’ll notice that she’s slowed down and doesn’t want to be as active.

If you don’t have a paddock, your mare may get enough exercise just by grazing in a pasture. [21] X Research source Your mare will need less exercise during the final 3-4 months of pregnancy. However, she still needs to move around. Don’t ride your horse during the third trimester.

You should deworm the mare 2-3 days after the foaling to protect her milk, regardless of when her next deworming is scheduled. Most dewormers are safe for use on pregnant mares, but always read the label to make sure. If you have any questions or concerns, call your vet for assistance. If you normally deworm your mare more often than this, stick to her regular schedule. [23] X Research source

Your mare will receive an EHV-1 vaccine booster on day 210 of the pregnancy to boost their protection against the virus.

Your vet will help you decide the best time to administer the vaccines to your mare. Normally, they’ll do it in the last month of pregnancy. However, they may adjust the schedule if your mare needs more vaccinations.

For example, you might also vaccinate your mare against flu, HV-4, rabies, strangles, rotavirus, and Potomac horse fever. If your vet decides to give your mare multiple vaccines, they may split them up. For instance, they’ll likely give the first round 6 weeks before the expected foaling and the second round 3 weeks before the foaling.

It helps to wash the horse in sections. For example, you might wash the left side, followed by the right side. Then, you could wash the face and neck.

Use a light, gentle stream of water, as a hard stream of water will cause your horse discomfort. Your foal will be nursing on the udders, so it’s important that they’re clean. Use a mild soap, such as horse shampoo.

Never, ever put soapy water in your mare’s vagina, as this can cause an infection. Only clean the outside of her labia. Be careful when cleaning your mare’s genitals, as she may attempt to kick you.

Make sure your ties aren’t too tight and take down the tail shortly after the foaling. Otherwise, you might accidentally cut off circulation to the tail, which can permanently damage it.