Six weeks premature.

[Deleted]

I was just wondering if any breeders could tell me if they think a pony six weeks premature would make a huge difference to their height or not? Im not sure what happens to the foal in the last six weeks of pregnancy.

[tuppence]

Nov 29, 2009 16:15:32 GMT @cheshirecat said:

I was just wondering if any breeders could tell me if they think a pony six weeks premature would make a huge difference to their height or not? Im not sure what happens to the foal in the last six weeks of pregnancy.

In my limited experience I would say no - it won't make any difference to the mature height.

We made a dysmature foal who was tiny. Now she is 3 and she only about 2" short of the height of her mother.

[sarah00000]

I had my son - 4 weeks prem. He was nil body fat, half dead and in special care for 2 weeks. He is now 10 yrs old and on the 99th centile, which means he would be taller than than 99 boys out of 100.

I dont know if this helps?

[Deleted]

I think you were lucky to get it alive, its usually lungs and internal organs that aren't formed I believe but no doubt someone will put me right if I'm wrong!

[sarahp]

I was thinking that (as in foal, not son!) - my best mare started having her foals progressively earlier, the last one three weeks early and the vet said he would be worried for the foal if she had them much earlier than that so she didn't have any more.

[poop]

we had a ,mare who always foaled 3 to 4 weeks early and we were always bang on with our dates. Always were hardy foals, as well done as all our others but i guess that was just her routine.
Id be concerned about a 6 weeks prem foals lungs not being fully formed and i believe they cannot regulate their temperature when that early either.

[sarahp]

Mine at three weeks early were totally healthy, but small and a bit all over the place - grew up perfectly normal though. I wouldn't have risked having any any earlier though so didn't cover the mare again.

[holiday]

We have a mare who foals early but to her date every year two within a few hours!!! She had her 6 foal this year and all have been fabulous she is 12.2hh and her smallest foal by a 12.2hh stallion was 13hh!!!! She has a 4 year old filly (this year) by a 14hh stallion who is standing 13.3hh and a two year old filly standing 14hh now so dont think it has been determential to them and they are always born absolutely tiny looking like a bit dropped off!!!!!

[Artistic]

Yes, I think you have done very well to keep him going at all! Whilst I think plenty of mares foal up to 3 weeks either side of their due dates, 6 weeks is pretty ambitious and I remember the Newmarket vets being very nervous about a mare of mine who looked as if she might foal that early. Well done!

[smokeycott]

i had a mare foal 8 weeks early ........... we found her standing over her foal, it hadnt survived and vet said it was miscarriage and not premature as was too early . shame it was a gorgeous filly too.

[drenrowstud]

some people say foals are prem when they are just abit early for small native ponies living in domestic conditions most people are basing there calculations on 340 days wich is the sugested gestation for a horse , for most well fed ponies living in part time the gestation range is closer to 320-325 days . if your foal is well and has had no ill effects from being born early there is no reason why he shouldnt make his expected height