Foaling Watch Update for Surprise: Getting Close!

Can you see how her belly forms a “V” underneath her?

Today, we ran another Neonatal Isoerythrolysis (NI) screen for Elusive Surprise (Day 333) since Thursday marks 14 days since her last test.

🧪 Why do we test every 14 days?
NI can develop late in pregnancy as a mare’s immune system responds to the foal’s red blood cell antigens. If she hasn’t foaled within two weeks of her last test, we need to recheck in case she has developed new antibodies. A negative result means her foal can safely nurse colostrum at birth, while a positive result would mean we’d need to withhold colostrum and provide an alternative source.

📌 Signs We’re Getting Close!
One big change we’re seeing in Surprise is her belly forming a deep “V” shape. As the foal drops lower into position, the mare’s belly shifts from being more rounded and wide to carrying lower, with a noticeable dip along her midline. This means the foal is moving into the correct positioning for birth.

Another big indicator? Her hind end is softening significantly. As foaling nears, a mare’s muscles, ligaments, and tailhead become much looser and more relaxed to allow for the foal’s passage. This process can happen gradually over the final weeks, but when it really softens, foaling is usually just around the corner.

With these changes happening, it’s a great time to start watching the live cameras even more closely! We’ll keep checking her calcium and pH levels daily to pinpoint when she’s truly in the final stretch.

Stay tuned—we’re getting close! 🐴✨ We’ll also plan to share another calcium carbonate test later tonight after collecting samples of mammary secretions from Surprise and Dyana.