Hairy topic...

[Chanda]

Spring shed and pregnant mares???

How accurate of a gauge of pregnancy is shedding?   Seems often pregnant mares are the first to shed.  So, curious if it's a good sign of pregnancy, especially if no one else is shedding?   

Sophia is shedding, I touched her today, and pulled back a hairy arm.

[dcwolcott]

Sounds like spring might be in the air for you!  Don't know about shedding and pregnancy....I never noticed a correlation, or even thought about it.  But I'll be interested in other's comments on this. 

[Holly]

I've noticed my heavily bred mares always shed earlier than others. Precious is due april/ May andis already shedding before others. Sassy isn't due til July and isn't shedding at all.

[Chanda]

I've noticed my heavily bred mares always shed earlier than others. Precious is due april/ May andis already shedding before others. Sassy isn't due til July and isn't shedding at all.

Well, I hope Sophia isn't due til closer to April/May, but she had one early breed date of April 24, which gives her a 300 day of Feb 16th; it's just too cold for that crap.

[Holly]

Precious is pushing 250 days, so they are pretty close in dates.

[Ryan]

My cousin messaged me with the same question last year. "Do all Preg mares start shedding earlier" ?

Her mare Ruby, was indeed pregnant at the time ( which we knew) , however as she was shedding even before spring arrived.

I asked my vet and she said not all preg mares shed earlier , but quite a few do. She doesn't believe its entirely a "pregnancy" thing ( and only because its not medically proven to be that)

However, from the pregnant mares she deals with , she has noticed "most" start to drop coats earlier.

[Chanda]

Thanks.

Another reason I asked... Baybe is shedding too, about the same as Sophia.  Now she spends pretty much everyday turned out with Che`, and I didn't turn in a service report, as they have had the same living arrangements the last 6 years (the first 6 months she was pregnant, but we lost the foal) without any pregnancy.   
Sophia and Baybe are the only two with noticeable shedding.  Will check the boys more closely, but none of the other mares that I know weren't exposed have any loose hair.

[Ryan]

Sounds like we might have double the exciting news coming from HC Minis this year 

[Chanda]

Sounds like we might have double the exciting news coming from HC Minis this year 

Cross your fingers, but don't hold your breath.

[dcwolcott]

My fingers are crossed!!   

[Chanda]

Well, that theory may have been blown out of the water, Misty is shedding like crazy, and unless Topper did some fancy through the fence work, she's not been exposed.

[Silver City Heritage Farm]

Chanda, I waited to comment on this for two reasons:  first, I have no mares here, just Spanky the gelding. Second, I needed to wait until he started to shed.  He just started dropping coat YESTERDAY.  That is at least 6 weeks later than he has been.  Hopefully, I'll keep on top of grooming so that he's not still got long hair into late June.