# Is there a way to tell is mare has had a foal before



## twilight01 (28 May 2013)

As title really is there any way to tell if a mare has previously foaled, someone mentioned you can tell from their teats but not sure what I'd be looking for?  I;m thining of putting my mare in foal (to keep for me) but no idea whether she has foaled before or not.

thanks


----------



## Spring Feather (28 May 2013)

The teats are the best, but not the only way of telling whether a mare has had a foal before.  Teats, post suckling, will never ever go back to the teeny little blimps they were beforehand.


----------



## ShowjumpingPrincess (28 May 2013)

a mare that has had a foal will have a much bigger udder and it will look a bit baggy (where it was once stretched to accommodate milk) the mare will also be A LOT more 'excited' around stallions!! 

 but theres no need for you to not breed from her if shes maiden!


----------



## ShowjumpingPrincess (28 May 2013)

and, as spring feather said, the teats will be very long. its easier to recognise if you have a maiden mare to compare your mare with.


----------



## twilight01 (28 May 2013)

thanks, I'll go looking at the other mares on the yard to compare 

They do hang a little and there is a dint between them (if that makes sense) but can't say I've ever gone around comparing mare's bits!!

Has anyone got any pictures as examples?


----------



## Spring Feather (28 May 2013)

Why don't you post a piccie of your mares teats and we'll say what we see


----------



## twilight01 (28 May 2013)

thanks will try and get a pic tomorrow and post for comment - although seems a very strange thing to photograph


----------



## Spring Feather (28 May 2013)

twilight01 said:



			thanks will try and get a pic tomorrow and post for comment - although seems a very strange thing to photograph 

Click to expand...

Oh it's not strange in the slightest in this part of the forum.  We look at pictures of teats and foofoos every day in here


----------



## cundlegreen (28 May 2013)

I bought my mare at 7 from the breeder. She had very long teats, but he said that she had never had a foal. Now she's had one, they look just the same.


----------



## Megibo (29 May 2013)

I've always been convinced my mare I bought last year has had a foal, baggy udder and suspicious teats and, ahem,  'loose' bits! Also her tummy shape and the fact she had 'dead' abdominals when my physio first saw her. 

I found out a few months ago she was a brood before being sold at a sales and being backed at 5 so she's had at least 1!


----------



## twilight01 (29 May 2013)

how do you put pics on? can't seem to do it


----------



## twilight01 (30 May 2013)

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/picture.php?albumid=5806&pictureid=23033

not the best but all I could get - thanks


----------

