Kate....

[Holly]

I am waiting for Kate to return to heat....We have had so much going on with selling my welsh stallion, getting in the rescue Cash, getting him moved to a rehab facility and getting Digby in that I am trtying to figure out Kates cycle....I want to keep her open this year, as she has had 5 foals in a row, only being open a few months between foalings , Last year she was supposed to stay open but she managed to get bred back on her own...
So could yall help me make sense of this PLEASE... I havent kept track of her heat lengths and am kicking myself now!  Here is what I do have written down...
Feb 13th Kate foaled
March 12 (28 days later ) Kate was in heat ( riot covered her so I was panicked)
March 31st Kate came back into heat, so I know she didnt take, and I kept her separated from riot.
April 13 Riot left got rescue shetland
April 23rd shetland left got Digby Mini stallion
May 3rd havent seen heat in Kate yet, so I am trying to figure out if she isnt showing because new stallion or if she may not be ready to come in again yet... I could kick myself for not putting when she went out....It seems like the last cycle was early and she should have only been out a week when riot left, so I would have expected her to come back in sometime between April 27 & now, but she doesnt seem to be....I am nervous because I really dont want her to be bred...

Maybe with all the confusion going on here I am not correct on the dates I wrote either....

[Chanda]

They typically come into heat about a week to 10 days post foaling, the foaling heat and not all are ready for rebreeding, so soon after.  Then, after that should cycle normally, with roughly 28 day cycles (at least I think it's 28 days).
Hopefully, someone who pays closer attention than I do will respond.    I only breed every couple years, so haven't really paid close attention to what is normal for my girls.

[Holly]

Thank you,  Kate used to come back into foal heat at 7 days post foaling stay in just a few days, then go out, *normally* she starts standing heat exactly 21 days from the day she went out of heat. She used to stand for about 8-10 days , but last year she started standing only for about 5-7 days, which seems more normal to me... Ihate useing the word normal for a mare ... But 18 days from start of heat to start of heat seems off... then sense no heat sense, which has been33 days, I am starting to get concerned that maybe she snuck in a breeding again, though HOW I dont know! I dont have seperate pastures for my mares and stallion, but can and have separated by stalling  one at a time, so unless we have a breeding through a stall door, or flying sperm, she shouldnt be bred. Which leaves me thinking, maybe she wont show to a new stallion? OR she came into heat early again and there was NO stallion here to show to, so she will come in again in a week or so...

Doesnt it make your brain feel scrambled!

[Chanda]

Yep, makes me feel like scrambled eggs, and this instance they aren't even mine to worry about.
Off to clean corral and get ready for upcoming babies.  [Been working on it awhile, since I don't clean much during the winter, but then do a big clean out in the spring.   Lots of hay and bedding in this pen, since it's where Caddy was, and I bedded deep to keep her warm and comfortable.]    Only about an 8'x16' corner left to clean out; it's like 24x36' maybe a bit bigger, can't really remember.

[Holly]

Happy cleaning! LOL

[dcwolcott]

Personally, remember these girls can be little hussies!  She may well have taken with Riot, at her 28 day heat cycle, and then came in again that couple of weeks later -- but maybe not really in "heat" more a hormone change??  That would be her 14 days when ultrasounds can be done, when it becomes obvious an embryo has attached in the uterus. 

Just wondering "out loud" !!

[Holly]

I really hope not, ugh... I just hope she sees the new stallion as a non manly man, and not showing because new stallion and foal, which in that case would be fine because I dont want her getting bred, but if she did take I am going to be upset, but will deal with it...

[Anna]

I was thinking the same as Diane - sorry Holly.  Would suggest that during May you just watch her closely (Digby too in case he starts to show any interest) and if she doesn't come in season, then you may be looking at a foal again next year.  We all know how sneaky the girls can be if they want!!

[Holly]

Thanks yall....I appreciate yall trying to decipher my mess of dates... Things have settled down here, and I will be starting to watch Grace more closely and will be able to see what is going on with Kate too...

[dcwolcott]