Mare coming overdue

Question
Hello:

My mare is at 341 days Today (5/10/08) and I know that that this is technically still in the normal range.  However my concern is he size of my mares Udder.  She starting bagging up about 5 weeks ago.  Monday (5/5) she her udder starting getting bigger.  It is approximately half full right now and has not gotte any bigger since Monday.  She is also not been eating very well since Monday.  She does still eat most of her grain, but just throws her hay around.  I am concerned about her nutrition.  On Thurs (5/8) she was acting like she was in Stage 1 of labor, circling in her stall, swishing her tail, stomping her feet, not eating, etc.  However after a few hours of that she became comfortable again.  I am just very confused.  What signs should I still be looking for?  Do you think her nutrition is causing problems?  I can see fetal movement every night.  Thanks for any advice you can offer.

Emily

Answer
Hi Emily,
            I doubt her nutrition is causing any problems. This year mares seem to be going longer. I personally have a mare who is at 387 days. Your mare sounds as though she is positioning the foal. Most mares usually deliver 7-10 days after they position the foal. Your mare could be having false labor which does mimic the first stages of actual labor. One of the first signs is the enlarged. Some mares will bag up a full month prior to delivery. It can also shrink during the day when she has been out exercising. If her udder stays full day and night, then start to keep a closer eye on her. As her udder gets larger, the teats will fill. At about 2 weeks prior to foaling, you will notice that the muscles around the pelvic area will start to soften, A hollow develops on either side of the tail as muscles of the hip and buttock area relax. Many mares will get beads of wax at the end of their teats 12-36 hours prior to foaling. The mare may become restless, she will swish her tail more then usual, she may look at her sides and kick at her abdomen.

Lisa