question re: broodmares bagging up

ok riddle me this I think I have truly hit overload this year with all going on in my life I can't remember anything or make sense of anything Im out taking blankets off of my pasture broodmares due to foal April 27 and 28 and to my surprise they are way bagged up... seems a little early if you ask me but at this point I can't remember if this is normal and only one is a repeat mare for me... I was concerned at first thinking the 1st mare was one we bought and getting ready to call the previous owners to confirm breeding dates then I pulled the blanket off of the mare bred to Peppy and she is bagged just as much and I was holding her when she was covered so I know w/o a doubt her date. Seems weird to have big bags about 10weeks before foaling? Or am I crazy and trust me crazy isn't a stretch right now

My mares aren't due until the middle of March, and they started bagging up in January. Most of your older experienced mares will do this. Course my maiden mare did it too... one day I was having to stand on top of my head to see her teats - next day I could see 'em.

My mare has a bag you can see from across the barn and she's not due until April 1st.

Those mares will drive you CRAZY ..

I have some that will bag a few months early.. I go by the waxing.. Then I have some that do it all in one afternoon..

Bluejay is right. It just depends on the mare. So just remember who does what.

I was starting to wonder about one of the mares in my barn. Not due till early april, but bagged up. Now I can't put my mind at ease. Vamp is supposed to be due before her, has no bag yet. Whereas Trouble looks like she may be almost waxing. Great, no kids for the whole weekend (my mom has them) and I have to be on foal watch. Well, it is worth it.
What about the ligament on either side of tail. How long before foaling does that usually sink. Most of my mares are only on their 2nd foal, so I don't really have a pattern with them yet. Troubles seemed to be a little sunk this morning

That can also start early.. I used to rely on the stretching under the tail and then I knew we were getting close.. Same thing here.. They are all different..

What you can do is write down what each mare is doing and keep track so you know what to extpect next time.. Some, not all will follow the same pattern.. Like for me when I see a dried drop or milk on the utter ( I refer to this as a pearl. It is bigger then waxing) I know it will be within 24 hrs...

Just keep in mind, some will do everything all in one afternoon. Or, do nothing until the foal is coming.. Then there are the ones who go by the book... Staying close to your mares and really having a good relationship with them really helps. I keep my mares close to me.. I know them pretty well.. The ones who are maiden or new to me are the ones that really challeng me at foaling time. The others are very predictable...

That is the fun part 4 of the 5 are new mares and 1 of those is a maiden mare... the one that is old hat to me not too worried about at this time although she did bag up earlier than expected... only on her 3rd foal though so not really an old hand herself either.