Caring for Your Pregnant Horse

There is nothing more exciting than expecting a new baby horse – except maybe when you’re expecting a baby of your own! Foals are adorable, playful creatures that require lots of love and care, but the mothers-to-be must not be forgotten.

Pregnant horses are very much like pregnant humans – the go through the horomone changes, the moodiness, and the worry that women do when expecting a child. Some experts say that horses don’t know when they are pregnant, but after years of raising horses for a living, I would have to disagree. They become more protective of their stalls and paddocks and they viciously fight off any other horses that might want to play, with respect to a distended belly and the life growing inside of them.

Whether your mare was impregnated naturally or via in-vitro, you must immediately begin making preparations for the baby. A mare’s pregnancy lasts for eleven long months, but they begin to show signs of carrying within the first two. They gain weight, they stop going into heat, and they lie down much more often. 

GESTATION

Stalls: Your pregnant horse’s stall should be larger than her usual one. I recommend 24X24 stalls, though 20X20 is usually sufficient. She won’t need the larger area until the foal is born, but you don’t want to transfer her just before the birth. The mare should be comfortable in her surroundings to make the birth less stressful.

Vital Signs: Keep a daily record of her vital signs, including her respiration, heart rate, and temperature. These records will help you monitor her progress, and stay on top of her health.

Diet: A pregnant mare needs more food starting in the fifth month of gestation. I recommend a cup of pellets high in fat and carbohydrates with a cup of sweet feed mixed in. If the majority of her pregnancy is during the winter months, a nightly bran mash can be beneficial as well.