Pregnancy in horses

Pregnancy of horses is an important moment for the farm owner. The herder must ensure that the whole process is successful and without complications. It is important for any breeder to know how long the pregnancy in horses lasts. A horse’s gestational age is usually 11 months, but of course, premature birth and fetal overtaking are possible.

All veterinarian’s instructions must be strictly observed to eliminate the possibility of complications, then the process will be easy. lasts on average a little less than 1 year, and this period is divided into 3 semesters of about 100-odd days.

Any period of a horse’s pregnancy is very important. In the first trimester (from 1 to 100 days), the horse is fertilized and a fetal egg is formed. The second trimester lasts from 101 to 200 days. At this stage, the embryo grows, grows in size, develops and receives all the necessary nutrients from the mother. The last trimester is the third. Pregnancy in horses in the third trimester is already from 201 to 300 days.The embryo in this period is already at the last stage of development, finally ripens and is ready for life outside the mother’s body. Of course, throughout pregnancy, careful monitoring, constant inspection and special care of the horse are needed. Any deviations require an urgent call by a veterinarian.

Determination of a horse’s pregnancy

It is very important for any farmer to determine whether a horse has a pregnancy even at home. The first pregnancy in a horse takes longer than usual and can last 12 months. Also, the duration of pregnancy in any horses may vary, depending on the condition of the animal and other features. This is quite normal and usual, therefore it is important to prepare for such an outcome.

How to determine a horse’s pregnancy? The exact answer can be obtained only in the second week after mating. Of course, the mere fact that there was a mating does not guarantee that you can immediately determine the pregnancy of a horse. From the first time, pregnancy may not occur. To confirm a positive outcome, it is necessary to call a veterinarian for a medical examination. Diagnosis is carried out using ultrasound. Mostly use the vaginal examination method. A vaginal speculum is used to take a smear of mucus from the contents of the vagina.

Then a cytological and cell examination is performed under a microscope. With such an examination, it is better to call a second person for help.He must raise his horse’s head to shift the center of gravity. Mares are put on extremities, but you can also simply wrap them in a dry, warm cloth such as a sheet. This is necessary to protect against a sudden blow. The labia is disinfected, then Polyansky’s mirror is inserted into the vulva. So inspect the mucous membrane of the vagina of horses. In the third week, the sheath of the vagina in the animal becomes dull, cyanotic.

Determination of pregnancy in the mare by folk methods

It must be at least 2 weeks after mating before you can notice some changes. Not everyone has the opportunity to bring the female to the ultrasound, in this case, the determination is carried out at home. However, then it will be difficult to find out even the exact date of conception. You can independently determine the mare’s pregnancy only by indirect signs, which you should not rely on completely.

At the sixth month, you can distinguish a pregnant mare by a noticeably rounded tummy.

Also the mare in position is observed uterine compaction. But in this case, the presence of a possible disease with the mare’s pregnancy should not be confused.

A change in behavior may also indicate that the horse is pregnant. An individual can ride on the floor, refuse to eat, or, conversely, eat everything.In stallion breeds, and in similar others, all these signs are indirect and do not give a 100% guarantee of a positive result, therefore, it is definitely recommended in such cases to resort to the help of a veterinarian to establish whether there is a pregnancy or not. This can help to avoid complications during childbirth and prepare for them more responsibly.

Preparing for the birth of a horse

Delivery of a horse is a crucial moment. It is important to carry out regular spring cleaning in the stall. Accordingly, for a period of 10-11 months, it is necessary to clean the place where the birth will take place. A new and warm litter should be laid on the floor, the light should be adjusted: it should not cut its eyes, but at the same time it should be enough for the convenience of the person who controls the process. Ensuring a calm environment is necessary for both the veterinarian and any person. But most of all, this is important for the horse itself, so that its offspring are healthy and the childbirth process goes smoothly.

It is recommended to tie the mare’s tail with a clean cloth that can be pre-treated with an antiseptic for complete sterility.

Before giving birth, it’s important to slightly adjust your diet. When the cub does not appear on time, it is better not to overfeed the female, you should give her light food, and also monitor the availability of clean drinking water. In this case, the female needs to be fed food rich in minerals and vitamins.

The first signs of an approaching birth in a mare

It is important to understand in time that the birth of the horse has begun and it is time to prepare for the birth of the foal. The best assistant in this matter is attentiveness. There are several signs that help to understand that the foal will be born soon. The animal behaves anxiously and excitedly before delivery, constantly in motion, refuses to eat.

In addition to behavioral, external signs are also indicative: mucus is secreted from the genital tract of the mare, milk flows from the udder, and sweating is active. The udder increases significantly in size, and the horse’s belly moves closer to the pelvic region.

Delivery at the horse

Taking delivery is an important and unforgettable process, be it an animal or a person . For any organism, this is a lot of stress; proper rest and a long restoration of physiological functions are necessary. The course of labor depends on the position of the fetus in the uterus. There are several options for the location of the embryo. The standard and most frequent is when the head and front hooves come out during childbirth first. This situation is most favorable and help to the mare is practically not needed. She herself will give birth without any difficulties.

The only thing is that veterinarians recommend supporting the foal during childbirth in mares, and especially the hooves, so that the animal does not accidentally injure the baby. In this case, the presence of a person is not necessary at all.If the case is serious and the embryo in the uterus is in a non-standard position, then the help of a veterinarian is needed, you need to seek medical help as soon as possible, the horse can’t cope on his own, and an ordinary person is not able to help and provide qualified help.

In addition to the wrong position of the foal, there may be pathologies in the development during childbirth in mares, genetic abnormalities and any concomitant diseases. Again help is possible with the participation of a veterinarian. It is worth taking care of this in advance and seriously approach this process. The best option in this situation, to prevent possible complications, is to consult a specialist at all stages of gestation. It is best if the same specialist will lead your mare throughout pregnancy and will be present at the birth. In this case, the veterinarian will know all the features of this animal.

Features of the mare’s birth

Basically, one calf is born at a time, although it may be 2 foals. Childbirth usually occurs either in a very early morning or at night. On average, the whole process takes about an hour, but variations are possible up and down. It is rare when, but there are births lasting more than a day. In this case, qualified specialist assistance is needed, the doctor should be called without hesitation.

Gives birth to a mare in a supine position – you need to push it on its side if it does not lie down on its own. At the stage of attempts, the behavior changes: the female is worried, excited, so she kicks her hooves – at this time you need to be extremely careful and attentive. When the foal passes through the birth canal, the mare feels pain even more. Approximately every 10 minutes, the progress becomes closer and the process begins to end. The initial stage is the longest, it takes about a day.

We accept the foal

After leaving the uterus, the foal is in the bluish mucous membrane – in the bladder. Most often this membrane breaks, but sometimes it is necessary to pierce it with a sterile instrument. It is important to pay attention to foal breathing: it should be clear and rhythmic. The mucus should not be in the airways. If this happened, be prepared for hygienic cleaning of mucus and other accumulations. The umbilical cord itself should fall off as soon as the mother gets to her feet, it is not recommended to cut it off at home. In rare cases this does not happen, then it is necessary to cut the umbilical cord under the supervision of a veterinarian using sterile tools, treated with an antiseptic solution, a napkin. After that you need to bandage the umbilical cord with a strong thread.

The baby should be wrapped in something clean and warm, for example, in a sheet, and put next to the horse’s udder. After 40 minutes, the newborn is already able to stand up. If this does not happen and he has been lying for more than half a day, then it is worthwhile to invite a veterinarian, since there may be any pathologies in both the foal and his mother.

After 3 hours, the foal is excreted in the foal, it looks dark brown. It accumulates during the time spent in the womb of a mare. When the foal gets up, he wants to eat, so he is in a state of searching for an udder. You can help him. It is extremely important that, after giving birth, the foal eats milk and receives all the necessary nutrients. If the foal has no appetite, he doesn’t eat anything, behaves unhealthy and irritated, it is necessary to call a veterinarian to determine the cause and provide medical assistance.

Caring for the mare after childbirth

Be sure to wash all the body parts of the mare soiled during childbirth: udder, hooves, tail. After you should lay a new litter. A maximum of 30 minutes is required for the mare to rest and recover. After her first acquaintance with the foal will occur, contact will be made, the mother will begin to remember the smell of her cub, will feed him, help him to stand up so that he can eat for the first time.

The postpartum period lasts about an hour or two. Its essence is to remove the afterbirth. This is necessary to exclude internal infection and the spread of infection, therefore, if more than 2 hours pass, help urgently needs to be called, otherwise the consequences can be disastrous.

After leaving the afterbirth, the horse needs to be fed and fed. Fresh hay and water are good.

Restore a mare after giving birth

Mother and foal must not be separated.Even if the mare is involved in physical work, her cub should be next to her. So she can always feed him, and at first, feeding can occur up to 50 times a day. The mother and child retain such closeness for the first six months, after which they can be weaned from each other.

It is very important to monitor the mare’s udder so that the milk does not deteriorate, the female must not be overheated or supercooled for high quality milk. Many people care about how long it takes for a mare to be ready to become pregnant and bear offspring again.

Usually, it takes about 2 weeks to fully recover and become interested in mating.

There are exceptions related to the mare’s state of health, then this moment can be delayed. To do this, you can keep her in a separate room from other individuals.

It is also very important not to immediately expose the female to re-breeding after childbirth, she needs to recover and rest. Physically, the mare’s body will be ready for the next mating much earlier, but morally, the animal must rest and raise the previous cub at least 3-6 months. Of course, in many factories this is put on the conveyor and the animal is sent to the next mating after 1 month, but this is wrong. You need to pay attention to your animals and treat them appropriately, then the mare will respond with gratitude.

What if everything went wrong according to plan

What should I do if the delivery was complicated? The most important thing is the need for the presence of a veterinarian. Usually, with the correct diagnosis in the modern world, it is easy to identify possible problems. If physiologically the whole process goes unfavorably, you need to understand that this should be determined in time and there are several signs of this. wrong way, limbs sticking out of the genital tract or only one leg, but the head is not observed;

• foal movements are limited and slow, there are no movements every 10 minutes;
• numerous tears of the perineum in the mare .
• The last doesn’t come out a couple of hours after the foal’s ode, internal infection of the mare is possible.
• fever, signs of inflammation and cramps.

Possible problems

Pregnancy and giving birth to horses is a rather laborious process and requires a lot of responsibility. Not everything goes according to plan, you need to understand that it is impossible to predict everything, but you can find the right way out of the situation. In all books, 2 scenarios are considered: standard and with deviations (there is already the possibility of serious complications, significant deviations, genetic mutations).

Pregnancy of a horse can result in spontaneous abortion.The reasons for this can be completely unforeseen, ranging from persistent random mutations and the inability to carry the embryo by the mare herself, ending with insufficient, poor-quality care and examination during the entire trimester of the horse’s pregnancy.

If a miscarriage still occurred, it is necessary to extract fetus and dispose of it, after which carry out general cleaning of the room, and then immediately call a qualified veterinarian to understand and figure out what caused this outcome. It is necessary to conduct a full examination of the horse in order to preserve her long life and take care of her future offspring. Childbirth can be premature, and unexpectedly begin where there are no necessary conditions for this. But the horse has a physiological maternal instinct to take care of his baby, not to leave him, and after that even bring him home.

Conclusion

The horse is a smart animal. Thanks to natural instincts, she is able to give birth without human help. The main thing is to follow all the recommendations and be very careful. All arising questions can be asked to the veterinarian. Also, his help will be useful and extremely necessary for complications. It is better to get specialist contacts in advance, to take into account all options for emergency situations.

A pregnant horse is extremely shy, therefore, when she wears a foal, and even more so during childbirth, you need to ensure complete peace.Mares give birth after 11 months from the moment of conception and this process lasts an average of only an hour.