A Mare Question...

[JF Ranch]

Early this morning, I was checking our mares to see if there were any new colts born over night. One was missing, so I started looking for her.

When I first saw her, she was at least a quarter mile away on a low hill. She was on her back with all four feet in the air, then stood up and back down again, appearing to be rolling on her back. As this continued, I first thought of colic but I knew she was due to foal any day and I became worried that something dreadfully was wrong.

As I drove up on the mare, I found a live foal about 30 feet away from her and she had been rolling on her afterbirth. She had foaled only a short time, because the new filly was still very wet and hadn't gotten up yet. I helped it up on it's feet as it seemed too weak to stand. Perhaps I was hurrying things a bit but it had it's back slightly down hill and I felt obligated to help.

I have never seen this behavior before and am wondering if anyone else has seen mares do this after foaling. If so, how common is it?

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Our mares foal out in the hills so we hardly ever see them until the foal is running by thier side. My daughter did see one with the foal wet and the after birth hanging from the mare but they were off and going when she drove up.

 

[Northern Rancher]

I've only seen a couple born but never seen a mare do that yet.

 

[Hooks]

Could be yall were seeing the "secondary contractions". I've seen mares roll during this stage, just as in a colic, but they all quit this after the remainder of the afterbirth was expelled.
As long as she clears the majority of the afterbirth, yall should be alright.

 

[katrina]

I've seen all my mares foal one time or another.... Like hooks said..... Prolly some contractions... Sometimes they can get colic after foaling.. Check the after birth to make sure both horns are there and that the after birth is all there in one piece... Sometimes thay can retain a small piece witch can lead to alot of problems..... Nine chances out of ten she will be alright and just an idiosinkracy(sp).