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Author
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Topic: Sensitive Udder
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bit-o-bliss-horses
Junior Member
Member # 2472
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posted May 11, 2004 01:26 PM
I have a maiden mare that is expected to foal any day now. I am worried about her though because she won't let me touch her udder. She kicks at me and tries to bite me when I put my hand down to it. My other mares never give me any problems but this mare is. I'm worried about her not letting the foal suckle. Does anyone have any advice on how I can get her desensitized before the foal comes or what I can do if she won't let the foal suckle after it arrives?
Posts: 2 | Registered: May 2004
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Blistering Winds
Member
Member # 843
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posted May 11, 2004 02:08 PM
Mares dont usually like that area touched by people anyways.
just leave well enough alone. You may ruin her for the foal if she is VERY adimant already. But as a just in case, start looking around for replacement milk and colostrum as a precaution.
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Horses should not be treated as people. They should be respected for who they are and what they are capable of doing!
Born Free Now Expensive
Posts: 4337 | From: Texas | Registered: Oct 2003
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horse_crazy
Member
Member # 334
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posted May 11, 2004 04:34 PM
Leave your mare alone, she doesnt want people to touch her udder,a s long as she has had foals before, she knows the difference between their baby and their human friend. We have a palomino mare, GREAT momma, but isnt fond of have people touching her udder. On the ther hand some of the other mares, really could care less. All depends on the mare.
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Mares:
Honey-buckskin(in-foal to a smutty buckskin stallion)
BG-palomino/dunalino(foaled a beautiful filly)
Dibby-dun(in-foal to a palomino stallion)
Star Bucks-buttermilk buckskin(not bred, we may just use her as a riding horse)
Fillies:
Lizzy-grulla(will be used as a broodmare in the future, due to an injury as a weanling...we are unsure if she will be riding sound, although she might be, as her injury has healed so well...you can't even tell)
Sheba-black(hopefully will be shown in Halter classes starting this year)
Blue-blue roan(we aren't too sure what we are going to do with this filly yet....but she is a cutie)
Geldings:
Poco-sorrel/overo*Paint*(Awesome riding horse!)
Brandy-*FOR SALE*(Nice 2 yr old, going into training soon, price will go up, feel free to ask me about him..if you are interested)
Foals:
Tinker Bell- Red dun filly. Nice short neck, long legs, beautiful eyes..absolutely beautiful. Very people friendly.
Other 2 foals are expecting between May and June.
Posts: 853 | From: Wisconsin | Registered: Jun 2003
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bit-o-bliss-horses
Junior Member
Member # 2472
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posted May 12, 2004 08:19 AM
Just to reiterate that this is a MAIDEN mare and has never had a foal before. I have been told that the udder should be cleaned to remove bacteria and all books I have read say that you should handle the udder to get them used to the baby. Anyway, does anyone out there have any REAL advice for me.
Posts: 2 | Registered: May 2004
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horse_crazy
Member
Member # 334
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posted May 13, 2004 02:46 PM
Okay, first off, I comletely must have been reading too fast and missed that you said MAIDEN MARE. And second off, what we suggested was real advise, we just missed that you said MAIDEN MARE.
So here is some advise for your post, no need to be rude, we made a mistake. Okay, in my opinion, you are really late to start playing around with her udder, she is due anyday. The udder is going to getting sore if and when you start touching it, ect. Just like when the foal first starts to nurse, the mare may kick, wine, or bite at the foal for a short while, because the udder is soft, and sore. This is where the factor of rejection of the foal from a maiden mare, comes in. They dont know that the hurt will go away, after the foal starts suckling for a while. So in that, they will reject or get a little mad at the foal. Maybe someone else has some advise for you, all I can say is either leave her alone and take the hits that come along, or have soem one hold her and slowly work your way towards her udder. Anyone esle with some advise?
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Mares:
Honey-buckskin(in-foal to a smutty buckskin stallion)
BG-palomino/dunalino(foaled a beautiful filly)
Dibby-dun(in-foal to a palomino stallion)
Star Bucks-buttermilk buckskin(not bred, we may just use her as a riding horse)
Fillies:
Lizzy-grulla(will be used as a broodmare in the future, due to an injury as a weanling...we are unsure if she will be riding sound, although she might be, as her injury has healed so well...you can't even tell)
Sheba-black(hopefully will be shown in Halter classes starting this year)
Blue-blue roan(we aren't too sure what we are going to do with this filly yet....but she is a cutie)
Geldings:
Poco-sorrel/overo*Paint*(Awesome riding horse!)
Brandy-*FOR SALE*(Nice 2 yr old, going into training soon, price will go up, feel free to ask me about him..if you are interested)
Foals:
Tinker Bell- Red dun filly. Nice short neck, long legs, beautiful eyes..absolutely beautiful. Very people friendly.
Other 2 foals are expecting between May and June.
Posts: 853 | From: Wisconsin | Registered: Jun 2003
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Blistering Winds
Member
Member # 843
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posted May 13, 2004 03:29 PM
Again, this IS real advice.
You don't have to clean the udder. Yes, it is more ideal, but because you are doing this so late into the pregnancy, there really isn't much time and you taking a chance at irritating the mare even more.
Many mares hate humans handling them down there, but usually allows the foal to eventually suckle. Momma's instinct usually wins out.
But again, there is always a chance. Even the most docile mare who allows anything to be done to them can turn on their foals. Just like a maiden mare who hates to be touched can accept their foal with no objections.
You can try to work on petting her down her flank, inside her flanks. But if she gets too irritated with it and is lashing, just leave be. I'd make sure I knew where to get more milk and possible colostrum at this stage instead of ticking off the mare. You may ruin things if you start trying to introduce things this late in the game.
I'm sorry if you don't like our advice. Maybe someone with more experience with stuff like this can help. But that is the advice I have given to others and was taught to me by several vets. LEave well enough alone. Human intervention is what causes 90% of the mare/foal issues.
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Horses should not be treated as people. They should be respected for who they are and what they are capable of doing!
Born Free Now Expensive
Posts: 4337 | From: Texas | Registered: Oct 2003
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spyro1
Member
Member # 647
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posted May 13, 2004 03:59 PM
A friend of mine has an appy mare that was the same exact way. Pin her ears, actually try and bite her if she went near her udders. Only when she was in foal though. Once she foaled out, she had no problmes whatsoever with the filly nursing. One option you may entertain if your mare wont' let the baby nurse right away is twitching her. Once the initial *shock* of nursing is over, the mare will understand that it not only makes her feel better, but a lot of maternal instincts kick in while the foal nurses as well. Good luck. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
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http://members17.clubphoto.com/beth819817/2122088/guest.phtml
Only those who risk going too far, will ever know how far they can go.
Posts: 2755 | From: Sunny South Florida | Registered: Aug 2003
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Sandra-A1
Member
Member # 588
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posted May 13, 2004 05:48 PM
We alway including cleaning a mare's udder as part of the bathing process. Here in the summer it gets so hot and humid and the mare gets hot sweaty and cruddy in that area. Keeping it clean helps prevent itching.
I agree it is too late to start handling your mare in that area now. It should have been started a LONG time ago.
It is always part of the imprinting process for any filly we have born.
Now I would leave her alone and simply make it a point to be there (or have a qualified person if you can't be)when she foals.
You should also discuss this possible problem with your Vet as well.
Odds are the mare will be fine. If she has been exposed to other mares who have foaled she should have a pretty idea about what is going on and what she should do.
Just give her some time and let nature take it's course. Jumping in too soon can create more problems than it solves. Still, say after the foal has been up and trying to nurse for several minutes and the mare is still not cooperating I would get several people to help and get her standing against the side of the stall and restrain her and have someone help the foal get under the mare to nurse....a twitch or simply holding the front leg up should be enough to hold her still.
Once the mare sees that letting her foal nurse makes her pain go away and she is again comfortable she will be fine.
Still I would consult with my Vet, but the odds are good that everything will be fine. ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
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"It is our choices Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."
-Dumbledore
Posts: 1863 | From: Alabama | Registered: Aug 2003
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PawNHoofPrints
Member
Member # 518
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posted May 13, 2004 06:53 PM
If the mare refuses to let the foal nurse, you will need to have your vet come out and sedate the mare until she is tired enough that she won't object. Your foal needs to receive the mare's colostrum within the first 12 hours in order to have antibody protection. If this does not occur, the baby will need to receive a plasma transfusion in order to have adequate immunity.
I'm concerned that your mare will not let you touch the udder. When you have, do you notice if there is any edema or if it is hot? Can you squeeze any milk out? If so, does it look and smell normal? You may consider having the vet take a look at her to make sure all is normal and that she is not developing mastitis.
Posts: 434 | From: Missouri | Registered: Aug 2003
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spyro1
Member
Member # 647
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posted May 14, 2004 05:30 AM
I would exhaust all other options before sedating the mare, the meds will reach the foal via her milk. Last thing an already wobbly foal will need is sedatives.
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http://members17.clubphoto.com/beth819817/2122088/guest.phtml
Only those who risk going too far, will ever know how far they can go.
Posts: 2755 | From: Sunny South Florida | Registered: Aug 2003
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