I need suggestions about my pregnant mare?

You really are not going to know for sure when she is ready to foal .

mares do not exactly have a Due date either! My sisters horse is pregnant

She has leaked Colostrum Her bag has swelled & she has had discharge come from her vulva & then she goes back to normal.All mares are different & Some don't show any signs in till they actually start to give birth.So No one can really tell you when she WILL foal.

All i can tell you is that she is doing the same thing my sisters mare is doing & We still have no foal but it is still in there.Just watch her shes getting Very Close!

What you describe are all signs that a mare is getting ready to foal, however, all mares approach the end of their term differently. I worked for an Equine vet that specialized in reproductive services for four years. I've worked many foal watches and have seen many mares through their gestation. Some mares will drop, teats swell, and vulva and haunch loosen up weeks before they foal... and some won't. Those are signs that your mare will foal soon, but it's not a good indication of how soon. For me, the most reliable sign was a waxy discharge on the teats that usually appears within 24 hours of foaling, though even that might not happen as planned.

March 21st is less than a week away. If she were to foal now, it wouldn't be too early. A due date is only an approximation. The only suggestion anyone can make to you is to keep an eye on her. Make sure she is in a stall prepped for foaling, and that you have all necessary items handy (iodine, towels, bucket etc.) If someone is around, it's okay to let her outside, but at night and when there is no one around to check in on her, she should be in the stall. If she starts to show signs of labor, such as sweating, discomfort, pacing, looking at her sides, getting up and down etc. then she needs to be in her stall. Horses don't often need help foaling. It's actually best to let nature take its course without interference. If you don't already, you should have a camera set up in the stall so you can watch her without having to disturb her. Don't be afraid to contact your vet if you notice anything unusual, or if you have any questions. They should be able to help you.

Those signs all come with the end of pregnancy. I would say that she still has a few days yet, but of course, there is no way to tell. She could be foaling as I type this, or she might wait a few weeks yet. For now, just sit tight.

When she starts waxing, she is getting pretty close. When labor is coming soon, she will be restless, might go off her feed, and will probably be sort of crabby. Each mare is different, but those are pretty common signs. When you start seeing her wax, check her a few times per night.

For now, make sure that everything is ready for foaling. Put iodine, towels, the vet's number, and a foaling book (with signs of complications, etc) in the barn. If you think she is going to foal, you could spend the night in the barn. Just try to stay calm. Your mare will be frightened and confused enough without you freaking out too. Enjoy the experience!

They wax up around 1 week before. Dripping Milk can mean Hrs to go or a Day or Two. Just keep a eye on her. Maiden mares either show every sign in the book that they are going to foal, or they hide everything. If you are there when she foals, you want to make sure that the soles of the foals feet are facing down. If they are facing upwards you need to ring your vet asap.

We have had two maidens foal in the last month, they were both different.

edit.....Don't go squeezing at her teats just to find out what her colostrum looks like. only look from a distance.

First of all, Red, congratulations on your impending arrival. I would say from your description that the mare has a few days to go yet before anything happens- but you are right to keep a close watch on her. Since the mare is a maiden, keep in mind that she can go up to 3 weeks past her due date and still not be considered abnormal in any way. Also,if she is carrying a colt, she will foal later than she would if she is having a filly, because colts take longer to come to maturity. The single biggest clue that you need to pay attention to right now is the color of the colostrum the mare is producing. If it's still clear or only slightly cloudy, she has a ways to go yet before she foals. IF, however, the colstrum has turned WHITE or opaque and has become sticky to the touch ( like honey or corn syrup is) then the mare is within a day of giving birth. Usually, once that color change occurs, you will start to notice dried beads of colostrum on the mare's nipples, and she may even leak a few drops of it when she walks or moves. That is the phenomenon which horse people call "waxing" and it's a sign that delivery isn't far off.

Most of the signs you've mentioned are indications that the mare is getting close- but I really don't think she's ready yet. Pay attention to the colostrum and watch for the color change- that is the biggest and most reliable clue you'll ever get as to when the mare will deliver. It's not unusual for your mare to be really quiet right now, nor is it strange that she's eating less than usual. When she actually goes into labor, she will most likely refuse food altogther. Don't be alarmed by this- it's normal for mares to refuse to eat when in labor. Women who are in labor frequently refuse food too, simply because trying to digest anything only adds to the stress they are already under. Your mare will be hungry and ready to eat after the foal is born. At this point in her pregnancy, the mare should be inside in her foaling stall every night. Make sure the stall is kept really clean, and it needs to be bedded with STRAW, NOT shavings or sawdust. Shavings are dangerous because they cling to a foal's wet coat after birth, and can work their way into the foal's body through the navel stump, which is an open channel right after birth. Once in the body, they can then cause a kind of septicemia (or blood poisoning) called "navel" ill, which is frequently FATAL to foals. Straw doesn't pose any of these hazards, and it provides a much better cushion for a newborn than shavings do. Swatches of straw can also be used to help dry the newborn,something which is impossible with shavings.Make sure you have your foaling kit handy at all times. It should include things like old towels, a pair of scissors, a thermometer, a stethoscope, a bottle of STRONG ( as in 10%) iodine, a shot glass for treating the navel stump after the foal arrives, stall cleaning equipment, a bucket or container for the placenta after the mare passes it, a notepad with your vet's phone numbers on it, a ball of string, and a collapsible chair for you to sit on while you are doing foal watch. Most mares normally foal at night, or in the early hours of the morning. That's a carryover from the time when all horses were wild. There was less danger from predators at night, because most weren't as active, and newborns could learn to walk and run in safety. Domestic mares still do the same thing, and like their wild cousins, they too will tend to isolate themselves and display "nesting" behavior when they are close to foaling.You've already seen evidence of some of this.

Good luck to you- and what an exciting time you are facing. Let us know when the baby gets here.

Congrats - you're going to have a foal within the next 24 - 48 hours or so (at the longest)

Mares don't have a set due date, they can give birth anywhere from 300 - 400 days post conception so she will probably foal tonight - enjoy and hope it goes well for you.

Do not I repeat do not call the vet yet, Mares are quite capable of having their foals with no help but it sounds like she is about ready, just keep your eye on her if she lays down and does not foal with in 6 hours call the vet.

Call the vet! Those are signs of that she is gonna go into first stage labor soon! Good luck !