by Amanda Ballard

Created on: March 10, 2009   Last Updated: June 25, 2009

When you decide to breed your mare there is so much that goes into it. Once you find the right stallion for your mare and she is confirmed to be in foal you have a long eleven months of waiting and worry before the foal arrives. Shortly after the mare is checked in foal it is always a good idea to have a vet do an ultrasound to check for twins. If the mare is confirmed to be carrying twins then you as an owner have some options. First off, it is never a good idea to let a mare carry twins to full term. It puts a larger amount of stress on the mare and can cause serious problems for both the mare and foals. Usually if you don't do anything about twins one fetus will usually be aborted. The vet can simply pinch one fetus off in the very early stages of pregnancy and there are no long term effects from this. It is also important to note that if a mare has twins once she will most likely carry twins again.

Pregnant mares, if already in good condition, don't need any changes made to their normal diet until around the nine month mark, maybe later depending on the mare. The mare should be current on her vaccinations. It is especially important to make sure her tetanus is up to date. She should also be on a regular deworming schedule of every 8-12 weeks and she should be dewormed with an approved dewormer about a month before the foal is expected. In the last 3 months the mare will need more as far as nutrition goes. She will need a diet with more protein and calcium because during this time she will start producing milk and the fetus is growing at a much faster pace. Avoid putting pregnant mares on fescue pasture unless it is endophyte free. Endophyte is a fungus that grows on fescue and has been shown to cause several problems to pregnant mares. Endophyte can cause a lack of milk production, a prolonged gestation period, a thickened placenta which can lead to the foal dying, it can also cause late term abortion and miscarriage. There are several brands of grain designed specifically to meet pregnant mare's nutritional needs.

Exercise is also important in ensuring the mare has a good pregnancy. Mares can be ridden as long as they are comfortable, there is no stopping point for riding while she's pregnant. It is recommended that the mare get regular exercise all throughout the pregnancy. Obese and too thin mares do not do as well as mares who have a body condition score of at least 7.

If the mare has received proper care and nutrition throughout the pregnancy your chances of the mare having an easy birth and a healthy foal are much greater.

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