The final weeks of equine pregnancy require specific welfare attention as mares approach foaling, with nutritional management, monitoring, and environment preparation affecting both mare and foal welfare.
Late gestation mare welfare involves multiple overlapping concerns: physical discomfort from the growing foal, nutritional demands that must be carefully met, and the welfare risks around foaling itself. Mares heavily pregnant in the final months carry significant weight, may have difficulty moving comfortably, and are vulnerable to colic from uterine pressure on the gastrointestinal tract. Foaling is welfare-critical for both generations: a dystocia (difficult birth) causes acute severe pain for the mare and can be rapidly fatal for the foal, requiring rapid human intervention. The 30-minute rule - if stage 2 labor exceeds 30 minutes without delivery, call a vet immediately - saves lives. Retained placenta is a similarly urgent emergency: retained membranes within the uterus cause toxic metritis and often laminitis within hours if untreated. Monitoring foaling mares, ideally with cameras or dedicated attendants, is a welfare investment with high value.