Placenta question

[seawaif]

I have a placenta question: when the mare stands up, the umbilical cord and the membranes attached break off and the mare swishes around with these for a while. They finally drop off and are scooped away.
Question: is there still the business end of the placenta in utero and is that expelled later, or is the placenta all of one piece with the membranes and when they fall off, the placenta is considered delivered? I've noticed that nobody examines what falls off the mare very well if at all and my second question: is the placenta examined to make sure there are no retained bits left in the uterus?

[bndranch]

When any of my mares deliver, I will tie the placenta in a knot on the end to add more weight to the already hanging placenta. Yes there is still part of the placenta inside the mare. The added weight will gradually ease the placenta out. Just like in a woman who needs to expel the afterbirth the body will continue to contract to get all that out. Once it is totally expelled most owners will take and spread the placenta out to make sure that it came out intacted and not in bits and pieces. The mares uterus is shaped like a Y with each part of the Y being called a horn. When the placenta is stretched out it should look like a complete Y with no holes except where the foal emerged.
I hope this answered your question!

[kitcat0601]

I saw the placenta in the dirt since she foaled outside (unplanned) and when the vet examined it, it wasnt torn or ripped and was completly expelled. Its quite interesting the way nature works.

[seawaif]

Hey, thanks so much, that was a good explanation. Got it.