ADVICE NEEDED - IS MY MARE IN FOAL!?

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staceyryder

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eventrider23 said:
If she has not had a season since her last foal then a) there is no way she could be in foal now as would have to be in season to conceive and b) there would definitely be something very very wrong with her if not cycling which could be explained by the unknown mass the vet may have felt. If this is all the case I would honestly not be hesitating to have her looked at by a true repro specialist. As much speculation and advice as can be given on here, no one is either a vet or seen her in person and so you really need to get a specialist to come and look - even if it means travelling her to them if you are this worried.
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She has not shown any 'normal' behavioural changes to indicate she has had a season for certain during her time with me (jan 2011) which could suggest she may be in foal. Although previous owners have stated she has not had a season since foaling with her first offspring, im sure you can appreciate that often you do have to be open minded with the information that is sometimes given from previous owners as not be naive.

The vet has assured me that not having a season after foaling however in cases are very normal and sometimes the mares system just needs restarting, although it is unconcerning. However considering the facts and knowing that before i bought this mare she was taken on trial to people who wanted her for breeding from their stallion at home - it seems unlikey they would have considered trailing her if they were concerned she had not had a cycle and would therefore not take to the stallion in question.


I have been advised by the reproduction specialist that i have coming out to examine my mare to wait until the end of the month to note any changes in my mares attitude/behaviour/interests in all traits so that all things can be considered during the visit.


Given all of the information regarding my mare i have been advised by the specialist that it is unlikey there is not something very serious wrong as suggested, which explains the inimmediate intervention.

I have not hesitated to schedule this appointment or seek proffesional advice and if advised by a vet that it was a matter of urgency for her to be seen i would like to feel that i have put across that i would not hesitate to take such action.

She is not displaying any worrying symptoms that such a mass if not a foal is causing her ill health momentarily.

Although i know nobody on this forum is a vet or can give professional advice as such - it is also nice to have peoples varied opinions given their horse ownership experience on my mares situation.

I will repost if my mare does foal or give details of the through examination she will be receiving from the reproduction specialist.

I hope not to have offended with this post or equally portrayed i have used this forum to diagnose my mares discussed issues - as this is very far from the truth. All the interest i have received has been kindly appreciated.
 
Spring Feather

Spring Feather

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staceyryder said:
The vet has assured me that not having a season after foaling however in cases are very normal and sometimes the mares system just needs restarting, although it is unconcerning.
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Was this your usual vet who told you this? Because it is not very normal, it's abnormal for a mare to not come into season after foaling. Some mares may have heats that are difficult for their owners to see but that's not the same as saying it's normal for a mare not to come into heat. If any of my mares did not come into heat after foaling I would know there was something very wrong and would be having it checked out immediately. It could be something as relatively "simple" as a uterine infection or it could be something far more worrying. Either way it would be checked.

There is certainly something going on with your mare but is she pregnant, I don't think so but time will tell.
 
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staceyryder

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Spring Feather said:
Was this your usual vet who told you this? Because it is not very normal, it's abnormal for a mare to not come into season after foaling. Some mares may have heats that are difficult for their owners to see but that's not the same as saying it's normal for a mare not to come into heat. If any of my mares did not come into heat after foaling I would know there was something very wrong and would be having it checked out immediately. It could be something as relatively "simple" as a uterine infection or it could be something far more worrying. Either way it would be checked.

There is certainly something going on with your mare but is she pregnant, I don't think so but time will tell.
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The reproduction vet has assured me that he is not concerned something is 'very wrong' although he will cover all aspects of her reproduction system during his visit and any concerns will be further investigated. He will also assess the 'mass' that was deemed abnormal during her rectal by the previous visit from the initial vet. He is highly recommended and specialised in this area so i feel i trust his diognostics for the time being.

You have the added advantage of recognising your mares behaviours and traits, sadly because this is my first 'season' with my mare i have nothing to compare her cycles too to recognise any changes from her usual processes :(
 
eventrider23

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I was only trying to offer some advice so I hope you didn't take it as me telling you off at all. Some mares cycle very quietly and so it is hard to tell if in season however that said, I have had loads of mares in that I have been told the same that they never show in season but once I have got to know them very very few don't show any changes...it is just keeping an eye for them. I am genuinely surprised a repro vet would say not having a season is normal after foaling as this is very very much not normal though. How long ago did she last have a foal???
 
JanetGeorge

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eventrider23 said:
Some mares cycle very quietly and so it is hard to tell if in season however that said, I have had loads of mares in that I have been told the same that they never show in season but once I have got to know them very very few don't show any changes...it is just keeping an eye for them. I am genuinely surprised a repro vet would say not having a season is normal after foaling as this is very very much not normal though. How long ago did she last have a foal???
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Ditto this! I have had mares come to the stallion - we scan and SEE what is happening. The stallion is 'interested' but mare shows bu**er all! And variations on the theme! I had two mares - who I know well as they are on their 4th and 5th foals for me and this year we missed 3 cycles because they went from: "I might be interested tomorrow" to " ******* off - yesterday was as good as it got!" We ended up AI'ing them as neither is a mare you would want your stallion approaching if they were not fully receptive!:eek:

But it is NOT normal for a mare not to cycle after foaling! She may not stand - either because she is immensely foal proud, or because her oestrogen levels are low, but she WILL cycle - even if silently!

As for the mass, it is almost certainly a haematoma from a bad foaling. I had one mare who developed one the size of a football after a bad foaling and a bleed into the broad ligament! A year later, it was the size of a squashed tennis ball! She cycled happily!
 
Spring Feather

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I often forget how lucky I must have been when I first embarked upon my horse breeding debut decades ago as I had such super people around who were willing to show me, teach me and help me with what I see as really basic stuff nowadays. They never seemed to tire of the questions asked by me. Many of those questions were probably very silly indeed but these people still took the time to encourage my learning. Nowadays the internet is available to almost everyone and if new breeders are being given information which other experienced breeders are saying is not correct then it is so easy to check on equine reproduction sites to confirm who is talking sense and who is not. OP before you meet the repro vet at the end of this month it would be well worth your time to read as many well-respected equine reproduction sites online so that you have all your questions lined up for this gentleman. You could be well enough versed at least to know whether he is the real deal or another spoof.
 
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