Equine Abortions

Most mares that conceive remain healthy throughout pregnancy and foal normally when expected, but, unfortunately, a few mares will lose their foal either early or late in pregnancy. Early embryonic loss occurs relatively commonly in the first couple of months of pregnancy, usually because the embryo is not developing correctly or the uterus (womb) is not as healthy as it should be. Older foetuses may be aborted by the mare for a number of reasons (see causes). If the foetus is less than five months of age, it may be fully resorbed by the uterus so there is no external evidence of this miscarriage. Over five months of age, the foal will be expelled by the mare, along with the placenta and associated fluids. If this occurs outside, it may go unnoticed, as it can be a relatively ‘clean’ process and the foetus may be removed by wildlife.