Would you move a 315 days pregnant mare?

[Spike]

A friend is in an urgent situation and need to move her 315 days pregnant mare (who shows no sign of imminent foaling).... Trailer drive would be around 1/2 hour.

Would you do it, and if so, what would be your best advice for this move? I've moved a 10 months pregnant mare for a 2.5 hours drive once, and I was pretty anxious about it, so imagine this time!

thanks!

[Maryanne Nicpon]

A half-hour ride for a mare at 315 days with no problems, should not be an issue. When people send their mares out to foal, they want them there around 30 days before the expected foaling date (which is right where this mare is). I moved four of mine at around 320 days this year, to the foaling farm which was around 45 minute away. No problem. The mare should have had all of her pre-foaling vaccines before the move.

[EquusMagnificus]

I moved my mare around that time for a 2 hour trip and she did fine!! I was a nervous wreck but she just hopped on the trailer and walked off of it as if there wasn't anything special about this ride.

She foaled a perfectly healthy BIG colt three weeks later, at her usual approx. 340 days mark.

[ise@ssl]

The issue isn't the trip it's the fact that you are moving her to a completely new environment as far as pathogens. It takes at least a month to build up antibodies to the surroundings. This not only affects her - it affects the foal as well.

[Home Again Farm]

I regularly send my pregnant mares out to foal at 300-315 days. Those that tend to foal earlier go at 300 days. Those that tend to foal at 340+ days go closer to 315. As ise@ssl said, it is imporatnt to move them in time to build antibodies specific to the new place.

[EquusMagnificus]

I agree with ise@ssl and HAF, but I can certainly understand this year how it is not always possible and yet, not always a guarantee for a disaster! :)

[Dune]

I agree with what has been said already, and it's what I've recommended in the past. There is a local "midwife", though, that requests your mare come in just a few *days* before foaling. She is very full, very expensive, and really wants them in/out quickly. She's never had any problems with that scenario, so go figure.

[Spike]

ok, update: She is coming to my place sunday... So she will be a little more than 315 days. It wont be a 1/2 hr drive, as finally, she will come directly to my barn instead of moving closer from her previous place just to foal out and then be shipped to me. So she will do a 2.5 hours drive. Grinnn....

I have a pretty good barn management, I'll take lots of attention to her foaling stall to be squicky clean for her etc. As I am also concerned about that point you pointed out about pathogens.

Thanks for your advices, and I'll keep you in touch about how it went. (now I'll be nervous until she arrives... yikes... 5 days!!!)

[Spike]

She's at home. Transport went very well. She wasnt sure at first if she wanted or not to go in the trailer, but when inside, everything went well. She is settling down in her new stall. She is tired, but very calm. I'm happy and relieved everything went well, but it helped alot that she seems to be a very quiet and calm mare. Not a single sign of stress or worryness (does that word exist in english?)

Now we hope for an healthy foal, 2 weeks to go!

[Dune]

She's at home. Transport went very well. She wasnt sure at first if she wanted or not to go in the trailer, but when inside, everything went well. She is settling down in her new stall. She is tired, but very calm. I'm happy and relieved everything went well, but it helped alot that she seems to be a very quiet and calm mare. Not a single sign of stress or worryness (does that word exist in english?)

Now we hope for an healthy foal, 2 weeks to go!


Well done. "Worryness" = Anxiety. :winkgrin: Just FYI, we had one that we moved recently, thinking we had the full 30 days to go....she just foaled a week early. Sometimes, ya can't win. :no::lol: All is well, though. :cool:

[Kyzteke]

Now we hope for an healthy foal, 2 weeks to go!

It may be another month (or more)....remember 340 days is a rough average....

[Spike]

yep I know that ;) I did a rough estimate... In fact, her 342 day is june 30th... I've checked with her owner today to be sure. So let's make it a big 3 weeks!

http://www.autumnsstables.com/images/Weingrafin/lundimatin8juin_02sml.jpg (gee I look so young on this picture! :eek: taken this morning)

[Tiki]

I routinely ship my pregnant mares between 2 and 4 weeks prior to foaling 1 3/4's hour to the repro center for foaling. They want them there at least 2 weeks prior to foaling to build up antibodies to their 'critters'. I've never had a problem doing that. Mares are tough. Mares rule!!