This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Diseases of Horses » Reproductive Diseases » Birthing Problems » Fescue Toxicity and Lactation Failure »
  Discussion on Mare not bagging up
Author Message
New Member:
corriene

Posted on Thursday, Jul 16, 2009 - 9:24 pm:

My mare is due any day and has no bag. she hasn't been on any fescue or anything. This is her first foal. My other mare has been on the same pasture with her and delivered a healthy colt sunday night. I can use her as a nurse mare if needed but would rather not.
Member:
lvmyhors

Posted on Thursday, Jul 16, 2009 - 11:17 pm:

Hi Corriene, From my experience it's not unusual for a maiden mare to have not bagged up until she actually foals so I wouldn't be too concerned yet, but Dr. O is the one who can answer you best on this! Good luck and keep us all posted!
Member:
corriene

Posted on Thursday, Jul 16, 2009 - 11:50 pm:

I have had maiden mares before, but they have all at least had some sort of bag even if it was very small. i am probably just being a worry wart but i just want to make sure that both mare and foal are ok and have the antibodies they need.
Member:
lvmyhors

Posted on Friday, Jul 17, 2009 - 12:11 am:

If you are really worried, I think I would go ahead and get some colostrum and milk replacer just in case and have the Vet take a look at her and see what they think...A friend had a mare just recently that bagged up and started leaking way before her due date only to lose all her bag up until the foal was actually born and then her milk came in good and strong! We just never know what to expect from these darn mares!
Member:
mrose

Posted on Friday, Jul 17, 2009 - 12:47 am:

Teri's advice is good; always better "safe than sorry." The girl scout motto should be adopted by all horse owners, "always be prepared!" LOL.

That being said, I've also had mares that didn't bag up until immediately before foaling, and one I had didn't bag until right after foaling. Some mares never do get much of a bag, but seem to have plenty of milk. Luckily, foals seem to do best on small, frequent amounts, and the mares seem to be able to keep up. In all our years of breeding we only had one mare that never bagged up and rejected her foal totally, to the point of trying to kill it. Luckily, we were able to save the foal and needless to say, never bred the mare again. (She was donated to a research program at Davis Vet School on caused of foal rejection.)

Chances are very strong your mare and foal will be fine.

btw, how sure are you of the breeding date and her due date? As you know, mares are also notorious for not reading foaling charts, and very often run long.
Member:
corriene

Posted on Friday, Jul 17, 2009 - 1:26 am:

oh wow. i am glad you were able to save your foal. when KC (mare without a bag) was born i thought i might have had to save her from her dam. she would kick anytime anyone got near her hind feet or tried to touch under her belly. she would also ry to pin you in the corner and kick you. but we got lucky with all the work i did with her until she went back to her old owners. I finally got both KC and her dam back for good last march... unfortunetly lice infested, about 200 pounds under weight and hooves in horrible condition, and the dam was back to trying to take people out. the old owners did everything by force and no patients. It took me about a month to get her back where i could handle her.
Member:
corriene

Posted on Friday, Jul 17, 2009 - 1:32 am:

Anyway with all my rambles. yes we are sure of KC"s breeding/due dates. i figured she would go longer since she is maiden but so far she has stayed on time. She is such a doll and i cant wait to see what she will have. Oh by the way she is a palomino roan overo with blue eyes. She was bred to our liver chestnut Morgan. I will try to post pictures of her.
Member:
tamarag

Posted on Friday, Jul 17, 2009 - 1:35 am:

I have a mare that never bags much until after she delivers. I think by picking up the stuff you can use for an emergency just gives you a little piece of mind.

There is nothing worse that middle of the night trying to come up with something you knew you should have gotten....

The mare I am talking about had a beautiful colt Monday night. Ziggy Star Dust. Tiny little guy, but full of life. Lost a mare and foal first time this year. So we needed some happiness at our place. I will post pictures tomorrow.
Member:
corriene

Posted on Friday, Jul 17, 2009 - 1:50 am:

I havent lost a mare yet (knock on wood) but i have lost twin fillies due to a very bad vet. There were 7 foals lost that year due to the same bad vet. I now have a great vet that is more interested in the welfare of the animals instead of their state senate seat.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Jul 17, 2009 - 8:24 am:

Corriene, is there a question you have about this?

I too have seen many mares that didn't bag up till the night of foaling so as long as you don't have any known reason for the mare not to bag up would take a wait and see attitude and be sure your vet is aware you may need some immunoglobulin boost at foaling.
DrO
Member:
mrose

Posted on Friday, Jul 17, 2009 - 10:39 am:

Congratulations, Teri! Yes, Pictures please!!

Corriene, sounds like you will have an unusual color foal; I'll be interested to see it's coloration when it is born!
Member:
lvmyhors

Posted on Friday, Jul 17, 2009 - 1:46 pm:

Thank you Sara! Not sure where to post this or how, LOL but here goes!
[IMG]https://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn248/poorboysbrat/ShilohNewBaby7-7-09017.jpg[/IMG]
Member:
mrose

Posted on Friday, Jul 17, 2009 - 3:33 pm:

Oh, I love it! What breed? Any white socks? n Sex?
Member:
rtrotter

Posted on Friday, Jul 17, 2009 - 3:56 pm:

Corriene,

Don't you know horses are put on this earth to worry their human parents.

We once had a maiden mare that did not bag up or show any signs of impending foaling. About ten days before her due date, a friend and I went out to feed the mares and this mare came right up to her feed tub and started eating just like normal. I happened to take a glance at her and saw that she looked like she was having contractions, but she was still eating like nothing was going on. The next thing we knew her water broke and she started delivering standing up and still eating.

At that point I lead her into the run in shed which was already bedded down with straw, she was more pissed about not being left alone to eat than anything else. She finally did lay down and about two pushes later we had a healthy filly. I really think had we not been there she would have finished eating and been foaling at the same time and I don't know if she would have laid down to have the baby.

Rachelle
Member:
corriene

Posted on Friday, Jul 17, 2009 - 4:33 pm:

Rachelle
lol I totally agree. I looked out the window this morning at about 3am and about had a heart attack. She was laying down flat (as flat as she can get with her belly, hehe) legs out. i quietly crept outside and she sits up as if to say haha i fooled you. not very nice on her part. lol
Member:
lvmyhors

Posted on Friday, Jul 17, 2009 - 8:24 pm:

Oh Corriene, I just went thru the waiting game, and I feel for you LOL! I swear those mares put us thru our paces on purpose! And Sara, thanks! She's part Quarter Horse,(mom) and we "think" daddy was a Shire, but I'm not to sure about that because she's not as big as a Shire foal would be, she was bred when we rescued her from going to slaughter so it's all a mystery! We're just thrilled that she's a healthy and beautiful little girl!
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC