mare past due

Question
I have a pregnant mare i purchased last Aug who (according to her breeding date) is about a month past due.   Her breeding date was on 6/6 so her due date should have been around 5/15.   She has been slightly bagged up for 3 weeks now and last week it looked like the baby shifted down and back but so far no baby.   According to her last owner she has had 3 other foals and has never been late.   At what point do I become concerned over her and the baby's safety?    I have a vet coming on Monday to look at her but I'm not sure what the options are for mares who are overdue.

Answer
Hi Katherine,
               I have known of some mares to go as long as 380 days so I would not worry as long as she is eating and drinking and does not show any signs of pain. The weather is also causing mares to go longer this year.  What you might want to do is stand her on a hill for about 30 minutes. This will help the foal get into the correct position. The options are few for a mare who is overdue since a C section can harm the mare. If you induce before the foal is ready to be born you risk the foal dying and if the cervix is not soft enough you again risk the mare's life. As long as your mare is acting normally and is showing no sign of discomfort then you will be fine.

Let me know if you have a filly or a colt. Happy foaling.

Lisa