If so, at what stage in their gestation?
2007-03-04 21:08:28 · 4 answers · asked by cowgalcase2882 2 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
Found the answer:
There are three stages of labor, according to Dr. Geiger. The first stage is the nesting stage. This stage may last from days to weeks long. During this stage, the mare may circle and pace in her stall, pushing the bedding toward the stall walls, literally trying to build a nest.
2007-03-04 22:42:21 · update #1
Horses do not nest like birds or rabbits etc do.
In the wild, horses don't live in one place, they are continually on the move. When a wild mare has to foal, she has to choose the safest place possible at her current location. Usually she will choose somewhere which is private (away from other horses), but fairly open, so that she can see any approaching dangers (wild cats for example).
In a paddock, a mare will choose a safe, private, open, soft (soil or grass) area to give birth, or maybe several places, and she will move between the areas if she feels threatened by humans etc. But she won't "nest" those areas, she will just test the ground for softness by pawing at it (like any horse does before they lie down), give birth, then normally move her foal away from the area. The area will be covered in blood, so it will attract predators (even domestic cats and dogs), which is why most mares will move their foals away from that area as soon as they can stand.
2007-03-04 21:41:44 · answer #1 · answered by ThePONYKID 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Some do and some don't. I've seen a couple mares circle their stalls and push bedding around with their nose hours before they begin to foal. But most mares I have had the chance to help foal just lay down and start pushing. All of them however, do get up several times to reposition.
2007-03-05 08:21:13 · answer #2 · answered by Horsetrainer89 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some mares will do this and some will not. I can always tell when our oldest broodmare is getting close to foaling. She is usually the sweetest thing and she gets grouchy and wants all of the other horses away from her. So we put her in a back pen with a huge covered shed by herself and she fusses around with it to her liking. She will scatter hay around, move her feed pan around and such. My other one is totally opposite. She has her foal and never misses a beat. And it does not matter to her where she has it. Anywhere is fine with her. So it just varies from horse to horse.
2007-03-05 10:19:50 · answer #3 · answered by Paint Pony 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If u think t's a bird it nests.but what 2 do u r a baby.
2007-03-05 05:21:45 · answer #4 · answered by sriram pt 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋