Horse Pregnancy Length

Horse pregnancy usually lasts for 12 months but on average, foaling happens during the eleventh month. The foal is usually visible during the last three or four months of the pregnancy. This is also the months that the horse is too burdened by pregnancy that riding on her should be stopped and exercising should be at the minimal or none at all. Normal horse exercises should only be done during the first six months of pregnancy.

Day 1 to 15

This is the stage of horse pregnancy where the foal is cited as ‘conceptus’. This is the time that it will float from the uterus going to the one of the uterine walls of the mother. The daily growth is about four millimeters. The mother horse doesn’t have any changes yet in her physical appearance. But she might reject the advances of the stallion to her. Pregnancy tests is quite too early to perform at this stage.

Day 16 to 120

On the 16th day of pregnancy, the conceptus may have connected itself to the uterine wall and this is the stage that we can call it fetus. The earliest time that you can perform a horse pregnancy test is 21 days after the artificial insemination or mating. Vets can already feel the developing foal in the womb through a rectal exam. The shape of the horse’s uterus is also experiencing a gradual change. An ultrasound can also be performed for confirmation. When day 30 comes, there will be an increase in the appetite and the horse will become moody. The fetus has already developed into a little hairless horse complete with genitalia and hooves. The weight of the fetus will be a little over than one pound.

Day 120 to 240

The legs of the foal are getting longer and the fetus is gaining more weight. This is the time that the activities of the mother horse must be reduced gradually. The foal will begin to grow some hair around its lips by day 100. The most dramatic growth of horse pregnancy happens during day 150 to 180. The weight of the fetus generally quadruples around this time. On day 180, the foal’s neck should have lengthened and the tail and mane will start to grow.

Day 241 to 399

Horses generally foal during day 365 of their pregnancy but they can still have healthy foals until day 399. Foals born before reaching day 350 is considered as premature. Foals will usually die when born before reaching day 300. This is the stage of horse pregnancy that the abdomen of the horse is really huge. The appetite of the horse also grows in size along with her abdomen. On day 270, the foal’s tail, mane, and body hair are already developed. It is also during this day of horse pregnancy that the feed of the horse must be 15 percent more than before to help burst the growth of the foal inside.

The Day Before Foaling Occurs

This is the time that the mother horse prefers to be alone and doesn’t want the company of other horses, other animals, and people. Her breasts will swell and milk will start to drip from them. It is best to collect the dripping milk for the foal to drink later since it has valuable antibodies.