How to Check a Mare for Pregnancy

Check the mare's behavior around stallions., Watch your breeding mare for signs of heat., Have a veterinarian perform a transrectal palpation., Have a veterinarian use ultrasound to determine whether the mare is pregnant.

4 Steps 2 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Check the mare's behavior around stallions.

    A mare who is suspected to be pregnant can be brought into contact with a stallion fourteen days after contact with the stallion to observe whether her behavior indicates possible pregnancy.

    If the mare is pregnant, she will likely refuse the advances of the stallion and not show her rear to the stallion as she would during heat.Although it's good to be aware that a mare that is not in heat may also refuse the stallion's advances for other reasons.
  2. Step 2: Watch your breeding mare for signs of heat.

    Some mares raise their tails, open and close the lips of the vulva, and squat to squirt urine or mucus in addition to becoming generally difficult during their heat cycles.If the mare shows these behaviors 21 days after having been potentially impregnated, she is not pregnant., A veterinarian can perform a transrectal palpation 16 to 19 days after the mare has been with a stallion.

    The vet puts his or her hand in the mare's rectum to check the uterus for indications of pregnancy.

    These indications include the size and/or shape of the uterus and the nature of the swellings on her ovaries., An ultrasound requires the vet to insert a probe into the mare's rectum to take pictures that can confirm pregnancy.

    From 16 days, the pregnancy can be detected, and at 55 to 70 days they might be able to determine the sex.The ultrasound uses sound waves to create a picture of the uterus and can monitor the heartbeat of a fetus.

    Ultrasound is the preferred method of telling whether a mare is pregnant, as it is the most reliable.
  3. Step 3: Have a veterinarian perform a transrectal palpation.

  4. Step 4: Have a veterinarian use ultrasound to determine whether the mare is pregnant.

Detailed Guide

A mare who is suspected to be pregnant can be brought into contact with a stallion fourteen days after contact with the stallion to observe whether her behavior indicates possible pregnancy.

If the mare is pregnant, she will likely refuse the advances of the stallion and not show her rear to the stallion as she would during heat.Although it's good to be aware that a mare that is not in heat may also refuse the stallion's advances for other reasons.

Some mares raise their tails, open and close the lips of the vulva, and squat to squirt urine or mucus in addition to becoming generally difficult during their heat cycles.If the mare shows these behaviors 21 days after having been potentially impregnated, she is not pregnant., A veterinarian can perform a transrectal palpation 16 to 19 days after the mare has been with a stallion.

The vet puts his or her hand in the mare's rectum to check the uterus for indications of pregnancy.

These indications include the size and/or shape of the uterus and the nature of the swellings on her ovaries., An ultrasound requires the vet to insert a probe into the mare's rectum to take pictures that can confirm pregnancy.

From 16 days, the pregnancy can be detected, and at 55 to 70 days they might be able to determine the sex.The ultrasound uses sound waves to create a picture of the uterus and can monitor the heartbeat of a fetus.

Ultrasound is the preferred method of telling whether a mare is pregnant, as it is the most reliable.

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