maiden mare

Question
i bought a 3 year old mare in august 2009 from a breeder i knew, he only had her 6 weeks before i bought her. after all the snow i noticed she was still gaining lots of weight so my vet ran blood tests and it showed she was in foal. as i dont no when she was caught i have no due date. she  has had a relaxed vulva for about 8 weeks , she hasnt got a very big bag bot often looks like she has drops of milk on her udders. what other signs should i look for.(shes a maiden mare)

Answer
Her udders will start showing a waxy looking substance. A little milk also. This is a sign the time is close. Generally, 3 -5 days. Also, keep an eye out for swelling of the milk sack. Sometimes my mares will stop eating before they deliver. If you notice other swelling around her stomach leading up to her chest, this is called edema. It happens in almost all of my horses. They are in need of more exercise and a little less protein, even while pregnant. Did your vet give you an estimated time for delivery, or did he ultrasound? Mares take about 340 days from conception to deliver. So a lot depends on when you bought her. Keep in mind also, most mares deliver in the wee hours of the morning. It is important to watch her closely as she nears because you want the baby to drink the mother's milk within 2 hours of birth for best health. Mom may also be a little shy since she is so young, so you may have to help her and coax her to let the baby nurse. Best of luck and let me know how it goes.

Brian