Have you ever been curious about how horses are born? How long is the gestation of those cute foals that after being born are already capable of taking their first clumsy steps? If you are curious about all these and more aspects related to pregnancy, childbirth and reproduction in general of these beautiful animals, stay and discover it with this article on our site.
Reproduction of horses
Horses are mammalian and viviparous animals, which implies that the young are gestated in the womb of their mother, who later nurse until they are able to feed themselves.
Mares are fertile from the age of 3, although there are some that reach sexual maturity somewhat earlier, these being isolated cases, while males are usually ready at around 2 years of age. The sexual life of horses is quite long, since their fertile age is lifelong in males and up to approximately 15 years of age in females. In this way, if you wonder what is the fertile age of a horse, here is the answer.
Horses have a breeding season that runs from early spring to late summer, as females are seasonal and they will be receptive for copulation in that specific period. During this period of time, the female enters estrus every 21 days, this phase lasting 5 to 7 days. It is known that a female is in estrus if we observe that her genital area is red and swollen, in addition to being receptive to the male's attempts to mount her.
Once copulation has taken place, A mare's pregnancy will last 11 months But how do you know if a mare is pregnant? We will know that the mare is pregnant thanks to signs such as abdominal growth or swollen breasts. Ultrasounds can also be used after 21 days of pregnancy, something totally recommended to keep an adequate control of it. These mares will only need to be assured of a correct supply of nutrients and hydration for optimal gestation.
When the time of parturition approaches, the mare usually exhibits specific behaviors, such as seeking a secluded and quiet place or walk restlessly from one place to another, showing agitation. After giving birth, the mare gives birth to a foal, being characteristic of the species that they only have one offspring per pregnancy, so it is rare for twins or triplets.
To know all the details about the reproduction and mating of horses, don't miss this other article: "How do horses reproduce?"
How to know that a mare is going to give birth? Labor symptoms
Once the time necessary for the gestation of the foals has elapsed, we will be waiting expectantly for the delivery to arrive. When the delivery approaches, different symptoms can be observed in the mother that predict it.
The symptoms of a mare giving birth are:
- 2 to 4 weeks before: udders relaxed and lax from their normal state.
- 1 week to 3 weeks before foaling: the abdomen is prominent and noticeably drooping, especially in older mares or mares that do not they are first timers.
- 4 to 6 days before calving: The udders begin to fill out, becoming more and more bulky.
- 1 to 4 previous days: the nipples show a serous secretion, the tips of which are stained with this substance.
- Between 1 and a half days before giving birth: vulva relaxed and milk begins to leak from the breasts.
- 1-4 hours just before foaling: the mare is becoming more and more restless, becoming elusive and wanting to get away from everything. He starts to sweat, urinates more than usual, and has colic-like symptoms, getting up and lying down all the time.
- In the 30-60 minutes before at the beginning of parturition: the membranes rupture, secreting between 8 and 22 liters of water into the medium liquid, which we will know is not urine because of the quantity and because its color is darker.
How many offspring can a horse have?
The usual thing in this species is that they only give birth to one foal. However, if we ask ourselves the maximum number of foals that a mare can gestate, we can say that can have up to two. However, we repeat, this is not a frequent situation.
How horses are born: explanation for children
In previous sections we have briefly explained how horses reproduce. However, it is not surprising that children are curious about this process and ask us how horses, or any other animal, are born. So that they can understand it without having to resort to tales or stories that have nothing to do with reality, we can choose to explain it to them in an even simpler and less detailed way. For example, we can tell them that, in order for a horse to be born, the mother and father must first meet and relate to each other so that the mare becomes pregnant and the baby grows in the womb of she
The adorable foals are born after almost a year in their mother's womb, being very independent from the moment they enter the world. These little seahorses are fed by their mother, who gives them her milk until they are able to eat on their own. Their mother only helps them by cleaning them and leaving them neat, ready to play and run around the meadows or the stables where they live.
Birth of horses: what foals are like
As we mentioned before, foals are born so developed that as soon as they are born they can stand up on their own, although they stagger and they fall easily in the first hours, two hours after birth they are already able to run.
These foals feed on mother's milk, the consumption of colostrum being fundamental, which is a special milk that the mother secretes during the first hours after birth, which is loaded with essential antibodies for the proper development of the foal's immune system.
At birth, it is estimated that a foal weighs 10% of what it will weigh as an adult, thus, light breed horses usually weigh at birth from 45 to 54 kilograms, while the largest and heaviest breeds start at 63 kg and reach up to 85 kilos at birth!
How horses are born: video
In the following video by Orlando Alamillo, we can see the birth of a horse from the first signs of labor to the end, as well as the ability of the foal to get up and walk within minutes of being born.
Horse curiosities
Horses are known for being incredibly sensitive and empathetic animals, which is why they are often chosen as therapy animalfor people with conditions such as cerebral palsy, Down syndrome or autism.
Do you know that there are 3 different types of horses? Yes, apart from the many breeds that we can find, horses are usually divided into three categories:
- Warm-blooded horses: alert and nervous in temperament, such as the Arabian horse, the English thoroughbred and the Spanish thoroughbred
- Cold-Blooded Horses: very calm temperament, robust and heavy stance breeds.
- Horses of warm blood or warmblood: they are hybrid breeds between cold-blooded and warm-blooded horses. They are characterized by being calm and docile as well as light and fast.
Where do horses live?
Although we may be used to seeing horses in stables and riding stables, there are still a few colonies of wild horses, such as those considered to be the last truly wild equines on the planet, the Przewalski horses, which they run free across the steppes between Mongolia and China and are actually feral. They are descended from the earliest known domesticated horses associated with the Botai, a people who lived in northern present-day Kazakhstan 5,500 years ago.
That horses eat?
Horses are strictly herbivorous animals, which means that they eat only plant-based foods. Specifically, the diet of horses must be based on the consumption of hay and grass, both fresh and dry. It is good to include a variety of vegetables in their diet, as well as some occasional fruit that we can give them as a he althy treat.
It is important to ensure that the horse's diet is adequate, as they are very prone to colic, a very painful and uncomfortable intestinal disorder that is usually a sign that our horse's he alth is not all that good it should.
Sometimes horses are coprophagous, that is, they eat their own feces. If it is something punctual, we do not have to worry, but if our horse does it regularly, it may indicate nutritional deficiencies or poor conditions in its habitat. Do not miss this other article to know the "Keys to the correct feeding of horses".
