Foaling Information Questions & Answers. 340 Day Gestation Table
(scroll down for the Table)
Gestation:
The average gestation period for the horse is 340 days. Mares foaling
days will vary between 320 –380 days. Foals born prior to 320 days of
gestation are considered premature. Foals born prior to 300 days of
gestation are considered an abortion.
Find Your Mare's Due Date
Based upon a 340-day gestation (average)
| Date of Breeding | Date Foal is Due | Date of Breeding | Date Foal is Due | Date of Breeding | Date Foal is Due | Date of Breeding | Date Foal is Due | Date Foal is Due | Date of Breeding | Date Foal is Due | Date of Breeding | Date Foal is Due | Date of Breeding | Date Foal is Due |
| Feb 01 | Jan 08 | Mar 01 | Feb 07 | Apr 01 | Mar 09 | May 01 | Apr 08 | May 09 | Jul 01 | Jun 08 | Aug 01 | Jul 08 | Sep 01 | Aug 09 |
| Feb 02 | Jan 09 | Mar 02 | Feb 08 | Apr 02 | Mar 10 | May 02 | Apr 09 | May 10 | Jul 02 | Jun 09 | Aug 02 | Jul 09 | Sep 02 | Aug 10 |
| Feb 03 | Jan 10 | Mar 03 | Feb 09 | Apr 03 | Mar 11 | May 03 | Apr 10 | May 11 | Jul 03 | Jun 10 | Aug 03 | Jul 10 | Sep 03 | Aug 11 |
| Feb 04 | Jan 11 | Mar 04 | Feb 10 | Apr 04 | Mar 12 | May 04 | Apr 11 | May 12 | Jul 04 | Jun 11 | Aug 04 | Jul 11 | Sep 04 | Aug 12 |
| Feb 05 | Jan 12 | Mar 05 | Feb 11 | Apr 05 | Mar 13 | May 05 | Apr 12 | May 13 | Jul 05 | Jun 12 | Aug 05 | Jul 12 | Sep 05 | Aug 13 |
| Feb 06 | Jan 13 | Mar 06 | Feb 12 | Apr 06 | Mar 14 | May 06 | Apr 13 | May 14 | Jul 06 | Jun 13 | Aug 06 | Jul 13 | Sep 06 | Aug 14 |
| Feb 07 | Jan 14 | Mar 07 | Feb 13 | Apr 07 | Mar 15 | May 07 | Apr 14 | May 15 | Jul 07 | Jun 14 | Aug 07 | Jul 14 | Sep 07 | Aug 15 |
| Feb 08 | Jan 15 | Mar 08 | Feb 14 | Apr 08 | Mar 16 | May 08 | Apr 15 | May 16 | Jul 08 | Jun 15 | Aug 08 | Jul 15 | Sep 08 | Aug 16 |
| Feb 09 | Jan 16 | Mar 09 | Feb 15 | Apr 09 | Mar 17 | May 09 | Apr 16 | May 17 | Jul 09 | Jun 16 | Aug 09 | Jul 16 | Sep 09 | Aug 17 |
| Feb 10 | Jan 17 | Mar 10 | Feb 16 | Apr 10 | Mar 18 | May 10 | Apr 17 | May 18 | Jul 10 | Jun 17 | Aug 10 | Jul 17 | Sep 10 | Aug 18 |
| Feb 11 | Jan 18 | Mar 11 | Feb 17 | Apr 12 | Mar 19 | May 11 | Apr 18 | May 19 | Jul 11 | Jun 18 | Aug 11 | Jul 18 | Sep 11 | Aug 19 |
| Feb 12 | Jan 19 | Mar 12 | Feb 18 | Apr 13 | Mar 20 | May 12 | Apr 19 | May 20 | Jul 12 | Jun 19 | Aug 12 | Jul 19 | Sep 12 | Aug 20 |
| Feb 13 | Jan 20 | Mar 13 | Feb 19 | Apr 14 | Mar 21 | May 13 | Apr 20 | May 21 | Jul 13 | Jun 20 | Aug 13 | Jul 20 | Sep 13 | Aug 21 |
| Feb 14 | Jan 21 | Mar 14 | Feb 20 | Apr 15 | Mar 22 | May 14 | Apr 21 | May 22 | Jul 14 | Jun 21 | Aug 14 | Jul 21 | Sep 14 | Aug 22 |
| Feb 15 | Jan 22 | Mar 15 | Feb 21 | Apr 16 | Mar 23 | May 15 | Apr 22 | May 23 | Jul 15 | Jun 22 | Aug 15 | Jul 22 | Sep 15 | Aug 23 |
| Feb 16 | Jan 23 | Mar 16 | Feb 22 | Apr 17 | Mar 24 | May 16 | Apr 23 | May 24 | Jul 16 | Jun 23 | Aug 16 | Jul 23 | Sep 16 | Aug 24 |
| Feb 17 | Jan 24 | Mar 17 | Feb 23 | Apr 18 | Mar 25 | May 17 | Apr 24 | May 25 | Jul 17 | Jun 24 | Aug 17 | Jul 24 | Sep 17 | Aug 25 |
| Feb 18 | Jan 25 | Mar 18 | Feb 24 | Apr 19 | Mar 26 | May 18 | Apr 25 | May 26 | Jul 18 | Jun 25 | Aug 18 | Jul 25 | Sep 18 | Aug 26 |
| Feb 19 | Jan 26 | Mar 19 | Feb 25 | Apr 20 | Mar 27 | May 19 | Apr 26 | May 27 | Jul 19 | Jun 26 | Aug 19 | Jul 26 | Sep 19 | Aug 27 |
| Feb 20 | Jan 27 | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Apr 21 | Mar 28 | May 20 | Apr 27 | May 28 | Jul 20 | Jun 27 | Aug 20 | Jul 27 | Sep 20 | Aug 28 |
| Feb 21 | Jan 28 | Mar 21 | Feb 27 | Apr 22 | Mar 30 | May 21 | Apr 28 | May 29 | Jul 21 | Jun 28 | Aug 21 | Jul 28 | Sep 21 | Aug 29 |
| Feb 22 | Jan 29 | Mar 22 | Feb 28 | Apr 23 | Mar 31 | May 22 | Apr 29 | May 30 | Jul 22 | Jun 29 | Aug 22 | Jul 29 | Sep 22 | Aug 30 |
| Feb 23 | Jan 30 | Mar 23 | Feb 01 | Apr 24 | Apr 01 | May 23 | Apr 30 | May 31 | Jul 23 | Jun 30 | Aug 23 | Jul 30 | Sep 23 | Aug 31 |
| Feb 24 | Jan 31 | Mar 24 | Mar 01 | Apr 25 | Apr 02 | May 24 | May 01 | Jun 01 | Jul 24 | Jul 01 | Aug 24 | Aug 01 | Sep 24 | Sep 01 |
| Feb 25 | Feb 01 | Mar 25 | Mar 02 | Apr 26 | Apr 03 | May 25 | May 02 | Jun 02 | Jul 25 | Jul 02 | Aug 25 | Aug 02 | Sep 25 | Sep 02 |
| Feb 26 | Feb 02 | Mar 26 | Mar 03 | Apr 27 | Apr 04 | May 26 | May 03 | Jun 03 | Jul 26 | Jul 03 | Aug 26 | Aug 03 | Sep 26 | Sep 03 |
| Feb 27 | Feb 03 | Mar 27 | Mar 04 | Apr 28 | Apr 05 | May 27 | May 04 | Jun 04 | Jul 27 | Jul 04 | Aug 27 | Aug 04 | Sep 27 | Sep 04 |
| Feb 28 | Feb 04 | Mar 28 | Mar 05 | Apr 29 | Apr 06 | May 28 | May 05 | Jun 05 | Jul 28 | Jul 05 | Aug 28 | Aug 05 | Sep 28 | Sep 05 |
| Feb 29 | Feb 05 | Mar 29 | Mar 06 | Apr 30 | Apr 07 | May 29 | May 06 | Jun 06 | Jul 29 | Jul 06 | Aug 29 | Aug 06 | Sep 29 | Sep 06 |
| Mar 30 | Mar 07 |
| May 30 | May 07 | Jun 07 | Jul 30 | Jul 07 | Aug 30 | Aug 07 | Sep 30 | Sep 07 |
| Mar 31 | Mar 08 | May 31 | May 08 |
Preparing the mare:
It is imperative that the foal receive
necessary antibodies from good quality colostrums. There are colostrums
products on the market for foals. Since foals are not born with any
circulating antibodies in their bloodstream they can not fight off
infection. Foals absorb the antibodies from the colostrums during the first
12 hours of life. Foals are born with an intact immune system.
We believe it is a good
practice to have your mares exposed to the environment which the foal will be
born in for at least 60 days prior to foaling. Good nutrition is
essential to a healthy foal. It is important to ask your vet what min/vit your
area is deficient in.
How Can I Tell When My Mare Is
Close To Foaling?
The
following is a typical mare. 2 to 8 weeks prior to foaling the mare’s
udder will start to enlarge. The teats will usually begin to extend 4 to
6 days prior to foaling. This is caused from the udder letting the
colostrums down into the teats.
What is waxing and when
will it begin?
Waxing is
when the teats become covered with colostrums which are seeping from the
teats. This typically occurs 2 – 4 days prior to foaling. We find
the average occurrence is 12 – 24 hours prior to foaling. Some mares will
have lots of wax and some will have a barely noticeable amount of wax and some
mares will not have any. We have seen mares wax for 20 days.
Click on photo to enlarge it.
My mare has milk running
out of her bag, and she hasn’t foaled yet?
If you can, collect the colostrum you should,
and have that available to feed the foal when it arrives. You need to
refrigerate or freeze the colostrum.
Will my mare’s muscles
relax prior to foaling?
A mares
croup muscles will become soft and her vulva will relax and lengthen.
My mare is pacing the
fence what does that mean?
Some mares
especially those with other horses will become very restless and will walk the
fence line and/or stall.
Why is my mare urinating
so frequently?
It is very normal for
a mare to urinate more frequently and to clear her bowels.
Is it okay for my mare to
foal with other horses?
Most mares will try to go off by themselves
to foal. We try to have our mares by themselves prior to foaling.
What time do most mares
foal?
Most mares foal when there are the least
activities going on. Most statistics will say usually between 11:00 P.M.
and 5:00 A.M. But, we ha
