Conference noted::equitation

    In almost all cases, a "foal watch" is unnecessary. If the mare
    is healthy, has a history of one or more successful foalings, and
    the birth area is as clean as possible, chances are the only thing
    a foal watch will accomplish is to upset the mare.
    
    However, there is always a slight possibility of problems. Most
    of the breeders I know check once an hour, if they decide to check
    at all. People that own very expensive horses, or mares prone to
    trouble, sometimes hire someone to share the watching.
    
    I mount a watch for first-time mares, but do not otherwise.
    

    
    
    Nancy... there no doubt will be many schools of thought on the 'foal
    watch' scenario... we all have our little quirks.  I agree that
    if a mare has a history of successful foalings and the environment
    is clean and safe then there is only so much us impatient owners
    can do.  However, I have a personal thing about being AS responsible
    as i can be when it comes to my mares, and the investment that has
    been made both financially and in time (time is money)...  so here's

    what I do..

    
    As her time draws near - and we base our anticipated foaling date
    on the LAST date the mare was covered - not the 1st (as you indicated
    in your note).  My calculations would indicate that your mare would
    be due on or around the 13th of March...  (11 months/11 days)
    Because I'm a 'working mother' I invested in a one way intercomm
    so that I can listen to the activities in the barn while I'm at
    home, in the house (keeping it my the bed at night).  I always start
    listening a month or so earlier than the mare is due toget  use
    to 'normal' noises (sighing/sleeping/snoring/peeing etc...)  The
    mares outward physical signs will indicate she's drawing near -
    her udder will begin to fill, her muscles around the top of her
    tail will soften (alot) her vulva will get droopy, and as they get
    nearer and nearer all these signs increase.  There are many well
    done books that could be helpful to you - Blesses are the Broodmares
    and Blessed are the Foals are both well done and current.  In the
    meantime you can let your local vet know that you're expecting a
    baby soon just so they know...  if you have a neighbor who can just
    check in on your mare during the day while you're gone that always
    brings some mental relief...  and you settle in to play the waiting
    game.  I have to tell you that HONESTLY - the last 4  foals born
    in our barn I got to see BECAUSE - I heard the water break! Honest!
    And they were all normal and uneventful and wonderful... There is
    nothing like it.  And these foals were born at all different times
    of the day and night and inbetween.
    
    Sorry I rattled on here.. but I hope that this helps relieve some
    of what you're going through.  
    
    

    I agree with the last two replies.  However, you may not be able
    to help much anyway.  I had a Thoroughbred mare who had foaled once
    before I got her, had her bred and got a beautiful colt.  I checked
    her as frequently as I could.  A couple of hours before she foaled,
    she got very unsettled and was pacing her stall a lot, so I figured
    the time was close.  I was there for that foal.  A couple of years
    later, I bred the mare again and was looking for the same reactions.
    This time she was very slightly colicly on Saturday.  I went out
    Sat night and checked her at 2am when I got home with nothing. 
    I got up a 6am to feed and she was quiet but did not want to eat.
    I went back to bed until 10am.  At that time, I had a filly on the
    ground and wet so she was probably born about 9:30.  The filly was
    fine, but the mare had ruptured her stomach or intestine in foaling.
    She lived about another 10 hours until we realized that we could
    not save her.  We had to borrow a baby bottle from a neighbor to
    feed the foal the colostrum which we milked off the mare.  We ended
    up bottle feeding the filly every 3 hours for a month at which time
    we dropped the 3am feeding.
    
    I do not know if I could have done anything even if I had been there.
    I have read since that colic shortly before foaling indicates trouble
    which might only be taken care of by a C-section.  If you should
    see colic, I would advise calling a vet or getting the mare to a
    horse hospital where a C-section could be done.
    
    This is the part of breeding that no one talks about.  It was only
    by accident that my husband, who taught at a college then, had just
    gotten the spring semester teaching and I was not travelling (in
    my Digital high travel job) the month we were bottle feeding every
    three hours.  On top of all this, when the filly was a year and
    a half, we found out she had wobbles.  I had her put down when she
    was two.
    
    After all this, I have decided that someone else can take the
    heartbreak of breeding, I will buy horses from now on.
    
    I guess that I got off the subject of foal watch, but I feel people
    should know about what you have to be ready for when things go wrong.
    
    Regards,
    Diana
    

    I usually go into foal watch mode for our foaling mares as Holly
    does, even if I know that the mare has a history of easy foaling.
    I do it mostly just in case but have rarely had to intervene.  In
    addition to the signs that Holly mentioned, I look for `waxing'
    on the mares nipples since I find that to be the best indicator
    for the current group of mares that we have.  Each is a little
    different with all of the mentioned signs including waxing, but
    since you have not seen this mare's progression before, you'll have
    to assume that she will be close to average.  You will notice a
    yellowish waxey substance on her nipples usually a week to one day
    before foaling.  What I look for is the wax to start squeezing out
    of the nipple.  Usually, the mare will foal within 24 hours of that
    event.  I check every two hours and look for early signs of labor
    or late signs.  If you are there to see her water break, you should
    expect to see some signs of a foal emerging in a half hour or so.
    In any case I would start to worry if the mare is showing labor
    for more than an hour.  Unless you know what you are doing I would
    limit help to calling the vet, who should already have been informed
    that the mare will foal soon.  Take note of anything unusual that
    you can see and include estimations of time (since water broke etc).
    If it appears that the mare has had a successful delivery, you can
    watch best from outside the stall, keeping the source of light dim,
    and keeping quiet by not moving around.  Don't help the foal get
    up, even if you think it is having a problem.  This is a natural
    and important step in the foals birth process.  It provides
    circulation, important respiration steps, and bonding between the
    mare and her foal.  It may take some time but the foal will eventually
    nurse.  Just sit back and relax and enjoy the miracle of birth for
    what it is.
    
    
    Good Luck,
    
    Bob
    

    
    
    WAXING - I had to giggle at myself when I read Bob's reply...  
    the reason being that my mares have taken it upon themselves to
    wax about 30 minutes before delivery!  (Well one did @ 8 hrs ahead)
    Anyway - Bob's right - waxing is a real good indicator that time
    is very close - and it's appearence can be a day to a week in advance.
    
    Oh my blessed mares.....  smiles - h

    BOy, not only did I giggle but I had to really chuckle cuz none
    of my mares has ever waxed up before foaling... Come to think of
    it, my mares must be really shy because none of them has ever foaled
    with observers! As due date approaches and signs start appearing,
    we would start 2 hour barn checks and then eventually 1 hour or
    1/2 hour barn checks and yet every one of them has foaled either
    within that short time (sometimes during meals) or, better yet,
    kept us awake for 3 nights in a row and then foaled at 11:00 in
    the morning while having a morning nap in the bright sunny pasture!
    
    They sure can be evasive (but I love the "babies"!)
    
    Good luck,
    
    Linda
    

    It is very difficult to say when you should stay home.  Some mares
    will not foal while you are around; others there is not problem
    with.
    
    You need to watch for signs...can't remember them all right now.
     Will get the book out on the weekend.  Will also get the name of
    the book for you.
    
    Good luck!!  Try to take it easy.
    

    
    Thanks to everyone....I think I have the picture now. If anyone
    else has suggestions or an experience on the subject, please add
    it to this note! Everything helps...and can make a difference...
    I loved the suggestion about the monitors. Any bets on when she's
    due?
    			Thanks, Nancy

    After seeing more than I can remember, my bet is on the moment when
    it is least expected or most incovenient.
    
    Bob