*Equestrian Author*
Member
Hi Everyone 
This is very lengthy-please bare with me!
On the livery yard I keep my horses at,it's always been a rule that no entire stallions or colts are allowed. I've been there 9 years; wasn't until around 2 years ago this unbroken rule was,effectively,broken.
However,the colt was kept in or turned out in a paddock well away from any other horses=situation manageable.
Last summer,owner of said colt decided to take on a third pony (sold a gorgeous mare he claimed he couldn't afford to keep winter 2016-already had the gelded colt & a mare he apparently hand-reared/supposedly failed to breed from), claiming the pony was intended for his grandson-we've never seen him bring any relatives to the yard.
Having an entire 18 month old colt on the yard was disconcerting given my family's older mare has numerous health issues and my own 6 year old mare has skin/conformation issues that (aside my view that indiscriminate breeding is a huge issue that I'd never knowingly add to) putting her in foal would be not only foolish,but hazardous. We were assured he'd be kept well away from all mares & told we had nothing to worry about.
When we went to the winter fields one afternoon,we noticed the colt had been turned out one field over from ours-without warning. We definitely weren't happy about that! Once again,we're reassured he couldn't get to our mares.
Days later,I went to catch my horses,only to find this colt had escaped & gotten in with the gentleman's mare-mounting her. This was the field directly next to ours-separated by awful fencing. I rushed all of mine in & let the yard manager know straight away (yard manager is not the yard owner-though the yard owner,who ultimately makes decisions about what horses are brought onto the yard,dislikes being involved in anything to do with the yard if possible). Nothing was done about it,so kept our mares in.
When Mum spoke to the gentleman who owned those ponies the next day (I was in work so not privy to the conversation),he claimed he wasn't bothered if his mare was in foal. Shocked at this attitude,we approached the yard manager again who basically said they're his ponies and weren't in our herd,so weren't our concern.
Month or so later,I was doing a routine fence-walk (& shoe-search courtesy of my naughty pony!),noticed the fence bordering our winter field & the gentleman's field had been re-done. Yard manager & yard owner don't fence-walk & don't put up fresh fencing unless fence is damaged. I assumed this was a refresh to fencing I'd requested the yard manager arrange months previously; since the colt was one field over & all seemed quiet,I didn't panic. After this,my family & I started to notice some people on the yard suddenly became a bit strange around us.
We're a cheerful family who get along with everyone & will help whenever needed. We love our horses,they are our lives-to the extent we travel an hour-round trip to & from the stables at least once (though often twice) every day; as a family we scrimp & save to give our horses the best life possible. My husband & I can't afford our own house because we put everything into keeping our horses happy & healthy. We couldn't understand why a few people,including the yard manager (who admittedly isn't approachable most of the time anyway),stopped chatting to us.
When there was a bit of snow winter 2017,the gentleman's ponies escaped into our herd's summer field. Ours weren't in there so it wasn't a major issue. He took a few days to fix the fencing,though we were once again assured it would all be sorted & part of the field adjacent to his would be sectioned off, to eliminate colt contact, before moving our mares to the summer field come March. Next time there was icy conditions, my family had no choice but to turn our horses out into their summer field on the stable yard-only to find the gentleman's ponies escaped into our summer field & were galloping around with ours (the colt was in, thankfully). The fence was supposedly fixed overnight,though due to my family being unable to get to the yard until late because of the snow,the yard manager turned our horses out in the field-they'd been brought back in by the time my family got there.
One day in February this year, Mum & I were looking at my mare concerned that her stomach appeared larger than normal for that time of year (grazing is always sparse by this time,though she was only getting one sensibly-sized feed a day along with light exercise,to avoid risk of her entering spring overweight; usually maintains ideal weight). She's a good doer,but not 'that' much of a good doer. Having rescued her as a yearling in a sorry state,I know my girl very well & her shape wasn't normal. Despite this,we discussed having the vet check her over when they were due to do her vaccinations a week or so later,since she was otherwise happy & healthy. Her potentially being in foal didn't enter our minds, until a person from the yard shouted in front of everyone who was at the yard at the time (out of character for a usually quiet person),that my gelding was mounting my mare.
I ran up to the field to check,only to find the herd totally chilled & grazing peacefully. I'd put a brand new rug on my mare 20 minutes before; field was muddy yet there were no mud/hoof marks on her rug.
Concerned that despite being on a strict diet whilst still being in light work (I had surgery so my sister was left to work my mare when she had time-otherwise she'd have had a better exercise regime), my mare was gaining weight on her stomach alone (when gaining weight she'd usually gain all over) ,I requested the vet check her again but this time do an actual pregnancy test instead of just have a look at her overall image. Vet did a rectal examination,claimed my mare was 'very tight' but that she couldn't feel anything. Explained she'd checked a mare the day before whose foal could've 'shaken hands' with her. Said it was highly unlikely my mare was in foal & it was safe to put her into full work (should my health have allowed that). The vet also said how impressed she was that we'd gotten our mare checked,despite the risk being minimal. I don't know if it's worth mentioning,but the vet was tiny & didn't 'route around' for too long. I don't doubt her expertise,but being of small stature myself,I'm aware one's size can impede certain activities,through no fault of one's own-would that make a difference?
Work was increased (admittedly not as much as I'd like) & my mare's diet cut down (a handful of hi-fi lite with much-needed joint & skin supplements).
We don't cause trouble. Since few on the yard seemed to be bothering with us at the time, we didn't think it worth causing any hassle by mentioning we had our mare pregnancy tested.
However,yard manager approached Mum the next day (when I wasn't at there) to ask why the vet was out. My Mum explained & yard manager got very defensive,claiming the colt was kept well away from our mares & there was no risk he'd gotten over or through the fence to my mare. Strange,since Mum didn't suggest anything; we just wanted to rule out that as an issue.
Funnily enough,news of my mare not being in foal must've spread; all of a sudden people on the yard were being nice to us again. The gentleman got his colt gelded shortly after the vet checked my mare.
It's nearly July & my mare still hasn't been in season. I really want to get her blood tested or ultrasound scanned,but my family aren't sure it's worth the cost or stressing my mare out-since likelihood of her being in foal is minimal. She's always been cuddly,though just lately she's become 'clingy'. I'm not complaining as she's my girl & it's lush to have a close bond with her; she's always been all for my husband before now. But she's wanting to stay in a lot more & has shown absolutely no sign of being in season all year; whereas our older mare seems to have been mounted by a gelding who mounted my mare last September when he was first turned out. My mare's usually a tart when in season & can get a bit touchy-absolutely no sign of such behaviour whatsoever,all year.
I've checked her udders; there's slight swelling around them-which I did put down to her fly bites that went down after cleansing & putting cream on. Though there's absolutely no sign of the teats themselves being dropped down,swollen,or laden with milk. It goes without saying that she's never,ever had a foal & wasn't destined to either.
I just don't know what to do. If there's any risk she's in foal,I hate the thought of causing her or any potential foal harm by leaving her rugged & turning her out with a mixed herd containing geldings.
However,given that risk is minimal & the vet already stated it's highly unlikely she's in foal,I cannot justify to my husband that getting her checked again is worth the cost & stress-money is tight. I've tried to make the point that if she's in foal, we'd need to make arrangements (not to mention the monetary implications) as her stable is way too small for two & she couldn't be turned out with the herd. We'd need provisions in case anything went wrong too.
If she isn't in foal,I'm terrified she has an ovary problem. As much as I know horses do mature & some mares aren't so dramatic when in season,I can't help feeling it isn't normal for her not to be her usual feisty self,especially how she gets when in season. I'll try to include photos of her basic shape.
Silly question; what definite signs are there other than movement/udders please?
If you made it through,please reward yourself with a chocolate biscuit & cup of tea
Many thanks in advance for any advice!
This is very lengthy-please bare with me!
On the livery yard I keep my horses at,it's always been a rule that no entire stallions or colts are allowed. I've been there 9 years; wasn't until around 2 years ago this unbroken rule was,effectively,broken.
However,the colt was kept in or turned out in a paddock well away from any other horses=situation manageable.
Last summer,owner of said colt decided to take on a third pony (sold a gorgeous mare he claimed he couldn't afford to keep winter 2016-already had the gelded colt & a mare he apparently hand-reared/supposedly failed to breed from), claiming the pony was intended for his grandson-we've never seen him bring any relatives to the yard.
Having an entire 18 month old colt on the yard was disconcerting given my family's older mare has numerous health issues and my own 6 year old mare has skin/conformation issues that (aside my view that indiscriminate breeding is a huge issue that I'd never knowingly add to) putting her in foal would be not only foolish,but hazardous. We were assured he'd be kept well away from all mares & told we had nothing to worry about.
When we went to the winter fields one afternoon,we noticed the colt had been turned out one field over from ours-without warning. We definitely weren't happy about that! Once again,we're reassured he couldn't get to our mares.
Days later,I went to catch my horses,only to find this colt had escaped & gotten in with the gentleman's mare-mounting her. This was the field directly next to ours-separated by awful fencing. I rushed all of mine in & let the yard manager know straight away (yard manager is not the yard owner-though the yard owner,who ultimately makes decisions about what horses are brought onto the yard,dislikes being involved in anything to do with the yard if possible). Nothing was done about it,so kept our mares in.
When Mum spoke to the gentleman who owned those ponies the next day (I was in work so not privy to the conversation),he claimed he wasn't bothered if his mare was in foal. Shocked at this attitude,we approached the yard manager again who basically said they're his ponies and weren't in our herd,so weren't our concern.
Month or so later,I was doing a routine fence-walk (& shoe-search courtesy of my naughty pony!),noticed the fence bordering our winter field & the gentleman's field had been re-done. Yard manager & yard owner don't fence-walk & don't put up fresh fencing unless fence is damaged. I assumed this was a refresh to fencing I'd requested the yard manager arrange months previously; since the colt was one field over & all seemed quiet,I didn't panic. After this,my family & I started to notice some people on the yard suddenly became a bit strange around us.
We're a cheerful family who get along with everyone & will help whenever needed. We love our horses,they are our lives-to the extent we travel an hour-round trip to & from the stables at least once (though often twice) every day; as a family we scrimp & save to give our horses the best life possible. My husband & I can't afford our own house because we put everything into keeping our horses happy & healthy. We couldn't understand why a few people,including the yard manager (who admittedly isn't approachable most of the time anyway),stopped chatting to us.
When there was a bit of snow winter 2017,the gentleman's ponies escaped into our herd's summer field. Ours weren't in there so it wasn't a major issue. He took a few days to fix the fencing,though we were once again assured it would all be sorted & part of the field adjacent to his would be sectioned off, to eliminate colt contact, before moving our mares to the summer field come March. Next time there was icy conditions, my family had no choice but to turn our horses out into their summer field on the stable yard-only to find the gentleman's ponies escaped into our summer field & were galloping around with ours (the colt was in, thankfully). The fence was supposedly fixed overnight,though due to my family being unable to get to the yard until late because of the snow,the yard manager turned our horses out in the field-they'd been brought back in by the time my family got there.
One day in February this year, Mum & I were looking at my mare concerned that her stomach appeared larger than normal for that time of year (grazing is always sparse by this time,though she was only getting one sensibly-sized feed a day along with light exercise,to avoid risk of her entering spring overweight; usually maintains ideal weight). She's a good doer,but not 'that' much of a good doer. Having rescued her as a yearling in a sorry state,I know my girl very well & her shape wasn't normal. Despite this,we discussed having the vet check her over when they were due to do her vaccinations a week or so later,since she was otherwise happy & healthy. Her potentially being in foal didn't enter our minds, until a person from the yard shouted in front of everyone who was at the yard at the time (out of character for a usually quiet person),that my gelding was mounting my mare.
I ran up to the field to check,only to find the herd totally chilled & grazing peacefully. I'd put a brand new rug on my mare 20 minutes before; field was muddy yet there were no mud/hoof marks on her rug.
Concerned that despite being on a strict diet whilst still being in light work (I had surgery so my sister was left to work my mare when she had time-otherwise she'd have had a better exercise regime), my mare was gaining weight on her stomach alone (when gaining weight she'd usually gain all over) ,I requested the vet check her again but this time do an actual pregnancy test instead of just have a look at her overall image. Vet did a rectal examination,claimed my mare was 'very tight' but that she couldn't feel anything. Explained she'd checked a mare the day before whose foal could've 'shaken hands' with her. Said it was highly unlikely my mare was in foal & it was safe to put her into full work (should my health have allowed that). The vet also said how impressed she was that we'd gotten our mare checked,despite the risk being minimal. I don't know if it's worth mentioning,but the vet was tiny & didn't 'route around' for too long. I don't doubt her expertise,but being of small stature myself,I'm aware one's size can impede certain activities,through no fault of one's own-would that make a difference?
Work was increased (admittedly not as much as I'd like) & my mare's diet cut down (a handful of hi-fi lite with much-needed joint & skin supplements).
We don't cause trouble. Since few on the yard seemed to be bothering with us at the time, we didn't think it worth causing any hassle by mentioning we had our mare pregnancy tested.
However,yard manager approached Mum the next day (when I wasn't at there) to ask why the vet was out. My Mum explained & yard manager got very defensive,claiming the colt was kept well away from our mares & there was no risk he'd gotten over or through the fence to my mare. Strange,since Mum didn't suggest anything; we just wanted to rule out that as an issue.
Funnily enough,news of my mare not being in foal must've spread; all of a sudden people on the yard were being nice to us again. The gentleman got his colt gelded shortly after the vet checked my mare.
It's nearly July & my mare still hasn't been in season. I really want to get her blood tested or ultrasound scanned,but my family aren't sure it's worth the cost or stressing my mare out-since likelihood of her being in foal is minimal. She's always been cuddly,though just lately she's become 'clingy'. I'm not complaining as she's my girl & it's lush to have a close bond with her; she's always been all for my husband before now. But she's wanting to stay in a lot more & has shown absolutely no sign of being in season all year; whereas our older mare seems to have been mounted by a gelding who mounted my mare last September when he was first turned out. My mare's usually a tart when in season & can get a bit touchy-absolutely no sign of such behaviour whatsoever,all year.
I've checked her udders; there's slight swelling around them-which I did put down to her fly bites that went down after cleansing & putting cream on. Though there's absolutely no sign of the teats themselves being dropped down,swollen,or laden with milk. It goes without saying that she's never,ever had a foal & wasn't destined to either.
I just don't know what to do. If there's any risk she's in foal,I hate the thought of causing her or any potential foal harm by leaving her rugged & turning her out with a mixed herd containing geldings.
However,given that risk is minimal & the vet already stated it's highly unlikely she's in foal,I cannot justify to my husband that getting her checked again is worth the cost & stress-money is tight. I've tried to make the point that if she's in foal, we'd need to make arrangements (not to mention the monetary implications) as her stable is way too small for two & she couldn't be turned out with the herd. We'd need provisions in case anything went wrong too.
If she isn't in foal,I'm terrified she has an ovary problem. As much as I know horses do mature & some mares aren't so dramatic when in season,I can't help feeling it isn't normal for her not to be her usual feisty self,especially how she gets when in season. I'll try to include photos of her basic shape.
Silly question; what definite signs are there other than movement/udders please?
If you made it through,please reward yourself with a chocolate biscuit & cup of tea
Many thanks in advance for any advice!
