Mini Horses waiting to give birth Subscribe to The Pet Collective: http://bit.ly/tpcsub Website: http://www.thepetcollective.tv/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thepetcollective Twitter: https://twitter.com/petcollectiveTV Tumblr: http://thepetcollective.tumblr.com/ Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/petcollectivetv/ Google+: http://gplus.to/thepetcollective Special thanks to Little Hooves Miniature Horses To learn more go to: http://www.littlehooves.com/ And like them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LittleHoovesFarm Q: What breed are these horses? How big do they get? A: The mare and foal are registered Miniature Horses. The mare is 32.5 inches tall, measured at the last hair of her mane. Miniature horses can be as tall as 38 inches. Q: How old is the mare? What is her name? A: The mare is named Princess. She is an AMHR/AMHA registered miniature horse. She was bred to Puck of Little Hooves. Q: When is the foal due? What is the name of the foal? A: The foal is due May 31. The name is to be decided. Little Hooves usually chooses the name of the foal after it is born. Q: What is the foal's gender? A: A surprise! Q. Where do these miniature horses live? A: These horses live in Washington state. Q: What if I'm interested in adding one of these miniature horses to my family? A: First, check with your city or county zoning restrictions, then contact Little Hooves Miniature Horses if you're interested in one of our horses. Q: Is there a vet to keep an eye on the miniature horses? A: There is a vet on call. Q: Why does mom disappear sometimes? Is she out at pasture? A: Horses of all sizes like to exercise on a daily basis. We let her out of her stall as her health and weather permits so she can get her exercise; it's just like taking a dog out for a walk. Q: What are the daily activities of a miniature horse foal? A: Miniature horse foals spend a lot of time eating and sleeping. Unlike dogs and cats, however, they are able to walk within an hour after birth, and after a day, they are able to run around. Training a foal begins immediately at birth, starting with socializing, also called "imprinting" to assure the foal is people-friendly. After the foal is a week old, halter training and leadline training begins. Q: When will the foal start eating regular miniature horse food? A: A foal will attempt to eat, or imitate eating its mother's food when they're about 3 days old, sometimes sooner. They nurse for about 4 - 6 months, but usually will combine nursing with eating hay and grain when they're a week old, when their teeth start coming in. Q: When a foal is born do they come out head first or feet first? A: Foals are born front hooves first. We always look for a hoof pointing in a downward position when the foal is presenting, then the second hoof offset behind the first, and then the nose for a proper positioned foal. Q: When a mother goes into labor, how long until she gives birth? A: From the time the mare's water breaks and she starts pushing, the birth should take no longer than 30 minutes. However, the birth usually happens in less than 5 minutes. Q: What are the signs of labor and how long does it last? A: Horses are designed to disguise their first stage of labor, but usually they display signs of rubbing their face, yawning, biting and scratching at their sides. First stage labor is normally 4 - 6 hours, but a mare can start and stop the process over a couple days. Sometimes, there are no signs of labor at all, which is usually the case for first-time mothers. Q: Do miniature horses ever have twins? A: There have been a few documented cases, but it is very rare. Twins are usually aborted by the mare. Q: How long is a miniature horse pregnant? A: The gestation of a miniature horse is approximately 11 months, although some have given birth at 10 months and others have gone over a year! Q: Ew! Why does the foal eat manure? A: This is a mystery for the most part, but it's believed that the foal improves its immunity by eating its mother's manure. Foals usually stop eating manure after a month, but this varies. Q: I want more MINIATURE HORSES what do I do? A: Easy, subscribe to The Pet Collective channel!