When do you think she will foal? UPDATE ADDED PIC POST 47

[MoonPie730]

My mare is 332 days along. She producing clearish yellow liquid that is a little bit sticky. Her bags are hard and very tender. She is starting to get white specks on her bags. She is a little soft in the croup area in the size of a fist. I am posting some pictures. This is not her first foal, but I do not know the information for the first foal.

http://i515.photobucket.com/albums/t354/china730/c4.jpg
http://i515.photobucket.com/albums/t354/china730/c3.jpg
http://i515.photobucket.com/albums/t354/china730/c2.jpg
http://i515.photobucket.com/albums/t354/china730/c1.jpg

[showjumpers66]

She is getting close. Watch for milk especially droplets.

[MoonPie730]

She is getting close. Watch for milk especially droplets.

Yeah when she started leaking milk during her first pregnancy, she foaled that night. That is the only thing I do know. Do you think she is a few days out or a week or two?

[Mardi]

Why ? Do you have plans ? :)

I, who knows nothing (that's why I send my mare to Tish Quirk's), say the baby will come within a week.

I'll bet a dollar.

Your mare's beautiful, by the way !

[showjumpers66]

At this stage of the game, they can go days or hours. I check them every hour when they get to this point.

[MoonPie730]

Why ? Do you have plans ? :)

I, who knows nothing (that's why I send my mare to Tish Quirk's), say the baby will come within a week.

I'll bet a dollar.

Your mare's beautiful, by the way !

Thank you! This foal is going to be special, I can't wait! I am going to be out of town this coming friday and saturday. I have somebody who will be out watching her, but I really wanted to be there for the foaling!

At this stage of the game, they can go days or hours. I check them every hour when they get to this point.

Yeah I am setting up a camera tomorrow, unfortunately I wasn't able to get it today. I am going to go out there and check her in a couple of hours again, she is the type of mare who I think could get nervous and not foal if I am not careful about being discreet when I check her.

[sniplover]

Moonpie, have you ever used the pool/spa strips before? They're super easy and we had great luck with them last year. They'll give you a little 'firmer' information. Here's a thread on it http://www.chronicleforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=140453

[MoonPie730]

Moonpie, have you ever used the pool/spa strips before? They're super easy and we had great luck with them last year. They'll give you a little 'firmer' information. Here's a thread on it http://www.chronicleforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=140453

awesome, I will definitely try that! that is a great thread. When I am getting liquid out of her, should I go past one squirt? She isn't super comfortable, so I have been making it quick and not getting a lot out. Is it possible the liquid will change in color or consistency if I keep going?

[sniplover]

While I've seen it recommended to get a medium sized sample out, our mare last year was rather uncomfortable with the whole procedure, so I grabbed my pipettes so I could use small (one squirt) volumes very accurately. That seemed to work OK for us. :D

It may change consistency/color but we're looking for chemistry here... I think the pH will be pretty similar regardless of consistency

[MoonPie730]

Okay, the only kit I could find had ppm of 1-1000. My mare is in between 100-250. Closer to the 250 side for calcium. The color has changed from clearish yellow to a cloudy yellow color. How long/quickly can it be for a mare's calcium level and ph to change once she gets to this point? This is my first foaling and I am very anxious! I got a camera set up in the stall today.

[Andrew]

LOL so YOU ARE the reason Tish doesn't get ANY SLEEP???? LOL
Loves her to death....



Why ? Do you have plans ? :)

I, who knows nothing (that's why I send my mare to Tish Quirk's), say the baby will come within a week.

I'll bet a dollar.

Your mare's beautiful, by the way !

[sniplover]

Moonpie, this is from the thread I sent you;


"Step #5 Interpreting results:
Calcium: Less than 100 ppm, you can go 2 days before rechecking unless you notice other, significant changes. Above 100ppm, but less than 200 ppm, check daily, in the evening. Once you hit 200 ppm, you've GOT MILK. 90% of mares will foal within 24-48 hours. Over 500 ppm, camp out in the stall, here we goooooo....

pH: pH will be well over 7 up until you've got Colostrum (over 8.4, the "high" test on the spa strips) When you get colostrum, pH will drop to below 7. The information I found is when it gets below 7, you're within a few hours. This second measure is INVALUABLE test could be helpful for a mare who has a high calcium count for a couple of days. The pH will not drop until just before foaling. She WILL GO within 6-24 hours.

**adding** the pH is a DRAMATIC change. All the strips I've used have been 'fuschia'' color at the high end, and yellow at the low. When the milk has changed, it stays VERY yellow. BUTTER yellow. Below 6.8, off the charts low. I know it's exciting when it is peachy, and that means things *are* changing... but you still could have a day or two to go--for me it means testing at least every 8-10 hrs. once I see it start to drop. "

[MoonPie730]

Okay I think we are getting close. There was a little wax on both teats. She is over the 250 mark on the calcium and her PH is between 6.8 and 7.2.

[sniplover]

I bet you have a foal in the next 36 hours :)

[sniplover]

I hope no updates mean you've been busy attending a successful foaling!

[MoonPie730]

I hope no updates mean you've been busy attending a successful foaling!

Okay so I feel like a total idiot. I realized that the directions said dip and I have been shaking up the tube so it would get the whole strip. Her PH is much darker when I dip it versus shake the tube. It's weird that shaking it could make such a difference, but it does. I would say her PH is closer to 7.8. So I am guessing I am about a week off? And her calcium looks like it is between 100-250. It gets dramatically lighter when you shake it which is deceiving.

[MoonPie730]

I stayed out with her all last night. She was pretty restless, rubbing her butt on anything she could find. She kept her tail up but she is still eating like crazy. How quickly could the PH drop and the calcium rise?

[MoonPie730]

Okay I am really confused. The PH is right around 6.8. Her calcium though turned lavender. It's def not blue, but it's a super light purple, so I am having a hard time figuring out what it is on the scale? Anyone else have a similar experience?

[sniplover]

Sorry I missed your last few posts!

The pH can drop really fast! 6.8 is a really good sign - nice and low, so it shouldn't be horribly long now. How long has it been at 6.8? Sorry I can't help with the lavendar/blue color.. each strip set is a little different :/

[MoonPie730]

Sorry I missed your last few posts!

The pH can drop really fast! 6.8 is a really good sign - nice and low, so it shouldn't be horribly long now. How long has it been at 6.8? Sorry I can't help with the lavendar/blue color.. each strip set is a little different :/

No problem! Yeah the pH is dropping quickly. I left town for two nights and it was 8.4 fri morning. When I returned today, it changed from red to a much lighter orange, putting her at about 6.8. I am not sure how long it has been how 6.8 since I was gone.

The calcium definitely doesn't have blue in it anymore. Yeah it's def weird and I totally understand that it prob varies test strip to test strip. However it should go from blue to purple and instead it's lavender. Weird. My vet ordered me a milk testing kit which I get tomorrow. Hopefully since it's specific to horses, it will show me more gradual changes in her calcium. Is it possible for her to foal without the calcium going up?

Also, I was told she waxed over during her first pregnancy and was dripping milk. Can I expect that again or will she be different since she was a maiden last time?

[sniplover]

Your vet probably ordered the Chemetrics kit and it's just a more expensive version of the same thing you have ;) I brought in some of my nicer lab supplies to pH test and didn't see a particular improvement over the strips by and large. It was nice to see the smaller changes, but the general indication was the same.

With the pH at 6.8 I'd probably test every 6-8hrs to see how much it's dropping - she really could foal anytime with a pH that low.

I can't tell you if she'll wax up and drip milk for certain, but those are fairly common pre-foaling behaviors. With horses, anything is possible. I'd suggest you read the whole thread I posted higher up in this thread and see all of the mares that are exceptions to the rule! :lol:

[MoonPie730]

Yeah he did I think. Yeah I think I'll like seeing the smaller changes. I figured the strips I have now are pretty accurate.

I tested her again about 30 mins ago. Her calcium isn't light lavender anymore, it's right at 250. Her pH is the same though. Maybe a little over 6.8 or right at it. She's off her feed and she's picking at her straw and eating some of that. She was acting pretty restless when I left and holding her tail up. Maybe tonight or within the next couple of days? Her 340 day mark is today. I am going to get supplies then I am going to sleep in my car. I have a little hand held reciever with a screen to the wireless camera in her stall.

[Mardi]

Hey MoonPie...thinking of you and wishing that all goes well.

I'm on the Pacific coast, and it's still March 22- Sunday here, for another 30 mnutes. If she foals in 30 minutes, I win a dollar.

from somebody.... :)

[Mardi]

LOL so YOU ARE the reason Tish doesn't get ANY SLEEP???? LOL Loves her to death....


Noooooo that's not me, not yet ! That was somebody else's horse :)

[sniplover]

I need an AM update. Sounds like you might have a foal on the ground this morning!

[MoonPie730]

I need an AM update. Sounds like you might have a foal on the ground this morning!

My vet came out today to give me the milk testing kit and he checked on china. We tested her. The kit is a dummy version of the spa testing strips. When all the boxes turn red, she is within 12-24 hours of foaling, with most mares foaling within in 12 hours. I like it better in some ways because the boxes turn from hunter green to red, so it's obvious if there's a change. This morning she had 4 red boxes and the last box was green with red edges.

We tested her half an hour ago, she now has all the boxes red. The fifth box possibly has a hint of green, but is so minute I would call it red.

The thing I like about the spa strips is that I can see what is changing...i.e. if where her pH level is and how it compares to changes with the calcium.

I just have a really hard time telling if there are changes with the spa test strips because the difference between boxes is simply a lighter color, not a color change like the mare milk testing strips. Her pH still appears to be 6.8 and her calcium was still around 250ppm, so it was cool to see the changes in the mare testing kit.

I am camping out tonight. I hope she goes tonight, I am exhausted.


Hey MoonPie...thinking of you and wishing that all goes well.

I'm on the Pacific coast, and it's still March 22- Sunday here, for another 30 mnutes. If she foals in 30 minutes, I win a dollar.

from somebody.... :)

Thank you! No baby on the ground yet, but it looks like it will be tonight or tomorrow.

[MoonPie730]

Still no foal on the ground. According to test strips, it should be tonight since it wasn't last night. She is strangely calm though. I watched her all last night. She occasionally pawed and would bite at her sides, but that was the extent of it.

[kmp2707]

or, like my mare last year, she could stay at 6.8 for 2 weeks!

[MoonPie730]

or, like my mare last year, she could stay at 6.8 for 2 weeks!

god I hope not!! Her pH and calcium level isn't changing. But I got a change yesterday on the kit my vet gave me for testing it and according to that she should foal within 24 hours of last night, so I am thinking tonight? My vet said he has had a lot of clients who have had good luck with this test kit and it's a dumby version of the spa test strips. It won't tell you what is changing, but instead how close you are.

[MoonPie730]

Her pH has dropped to 6.4. It's closer to the 6.2 mark than the 6.8. Calcium is still 250 but it's white and much thicker. Her bag has become very glossy. i am thinking tonight could be the night...

[sniplover]

Yay! I'm loving the updates - can't wait for one with pictures ;)

[kmp2707]

Sounds like you are really close! Sending good vibes for a safe foaling.

[MoonPie730]

I tested her again tonight. pH is still 6.4 but her calcium is rising dramatically, maybe around 400ppm? Not quite 500 on my strips, but much higher than 250. Her milk was super sticky.

Yay! I'm loving the updates - can't wait for one with pictures ;)

Me too! I am so excited. I hope for my sake, she foals tonight. I am running on caffeine at this point. I washed her and wrapped her tail and fed her around 7pm so she will be left alone early.

Sounds like you are really close! Sending good vibes for a safe foaling.

Thank you! I really hope it's tonight

[sniplover]

Where's our AM update? Sounds like things really got rolling last night! We on the east coast need happy baby news! :)

[MoonPie730]

Where's our AM update? Sounds like things really got rolling last night! We on the east coast need happy baby news! :)

Okay I was too confident. Still no foal. She was pretty restless, kicking and biting at her stomach. Walking and pawing. Still no foal. I came out this morning and she had huge balls of wax on her teats as pictured below.

http://i515.photobucket.com/albums/t354/china730/chinawax.jpg

[Dressage-ryder]

How exciting!!!! I remember seeing that wax with my girls and thats when my heart would start to race!!! I still have 4-6 weeks before we start to see anything like that!!!

Should be very soon :)

[ljshorses]

Okay I was too confident. Still no foal. She was pretty restless, kicking and biting at her stomach. Walking and pawing. Still no foal. I came out this morning and she had huge balls of wax on her teats as pictured below.

http://i515.photobucket.com/albums/t354/china730/chinawax.jpg

Watch her!!! That happened to me Sunday night (high calcium, wax). I was up all night then put her out in morning, kept checking her. Last checked her at 2:30pm and she acted very usual, not watm etc... when I went down to feed at 4:00pm baby on ground still wet and not up yet. If she could of waited just another half hour she would of been back in the stall and not foaling in muck. We named him Shiitake (because he was born in poop and mud and he's by Sempatico so needed an S name).

[aspenlucas]

Watch her!!! That happened to me Sunday night (high calcium, wax). I was up all night then put her out in morning, kept checking her. Last checked her at 2:30pm and she acted very usual, not watm etc... when I went down to feed at 4:00pm baby on ground still wet and not up yet. If she could of waited just another half hour she would of been back in the stall and not foaling in muck. We named him Shiitake (because he was born in poop and mud and he's by Sempatico so needed an S name).

ROFLMA...I had one of those last year! I didn't know WHAT color he was!

[LaurieB]

Good luck! I hope everything goes perfectly for both of you. :)

[MoonPie730]

Thanks everybody!!! Yeah I am watching her. The wax fell off on its own and a tiny bit of wax has appeared, but not much. I tested her milk again, her pH dropped to 6.2, the lowest my strips measure. Her calcium is about the same. She was biting at her sides and munching on hay when I left her. I will be up all night again. LJ, I put her out to pasture for the day this morning. I read you post on my phone before I could get back to the barn. I was so relieved to pull in and see no baby!! She is huge now...I keep waiting for it to just fall through her stomach!

[sniplover]

Perhaps you will have pictures for us today? ;)

[MoonPie730]

Perhaps you will have pictures for us today? ;)

Yep!! :D She had a beautiful bay filly with four white socks and a star at 1:30am last night. I will be sure to post some pictures as soon as I upload them. Thank you so much for all your help and support, I really appreciate it!

[sniplover]

Yep!! :D She had a beautiful bay filly with four white socks and a star at 1:30am last night. I will be sure to post some pictures as soon as I upload them. Thank you so much for all your help and support, I really appreciate it!

YAY!!!! Can't wait to see all of the bling :D

[spacely]

Congrats! Who is she by? I can't wait for pics!

[MoonPie730]

YAY!!!! Can't wait to see all of the bling :D
Im about to crash, im getting sick, but I promise to post them later tonight or tomorrow. She is HUGE. she is tall and tons of bone.

Congrats! Who is she by? I can't wait for pics!

Thanks! She is by Rex Grannus who stands at Wild Turkey Farms.

[Mardi]

Wonderful news ! Congratulations !!

[MoonPie730]

Here is a couple of pics. There will be more to come soon!!!

http://i515.photobucket.com/albums/t354/china730/Filly.jpg
http://i515.photobucket.com/albums/t354/china730/f1.jpg

[amdfarm]

She's precious, Congrats! Love all that bling. Very cute.

[sniplover]

Adorable! I love the little boomerang/jumping dolphin shaped star :) What's the mare's breeding? That was a good cross :)

[alliekat]

She is too Cute. Is that Ermine spots like her mom?

[tidy rabbit]

Congratulations MoonPie! What a beautiful filly!

[Home Again Farm]

So sweet!!!! Big congrats!

[FLIPPED HER HALO]

She's adorable! Congrats!

[anonymoustip]

if she is appaloosa you could call her app-ostrophe, cause that's what her star reminded me of! thanks for the photos, i love the babies!

[MoonPie730]

Adorable! I love the little boomerang/jumping dolphin shaped star :) What's the mare's breeding? That was a good cross :)

I know! Her star is precious. My mare is by Liocalyon, a holsteiner who also stands at wild turkey farm (www.wildturkeyfarm.com) and a thoroughbred mare. Yeah I am really pleased with the cross, I can't wait to see how she turns out.

I made a new thread with pics! http://www.chronicleforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?p=3984265#post3984265