Anyone bought a mare and found she was in foal?

The other thing is that it will probably slow down her growth, for this year. My filly still looked like a two-year old last year, while other people were backing their three year olds. The PRE society registrar, who is a breeder herself, advised me to wean at four months old because lactating would affect the growth of the dam. I did not do this because early weaning brings its own host of problems, and since we were at a livery yard, we did not have the facilities to safely wean the colt that young. He was clearly nowhere near ready at four months. Ended up staying on the mare until he was seven months. She bounced back in the spring and looks like a horse now.
 
Early weaning - if there's one subject that gets my goat, it's that one. I can't bear it. So glad you didn't listen to the 'wean him' mob, Caol Ila.

Happens with breastfeeding humans too. Any kind of upset at all and a lot of humans cry out, "Wean him!"
"Put him on the bottle!"
I guess it's easier to say that than to offer something useful. (Breastfeeding lunatic here :cool::D)

OP, good grass is what a lactating mum needs. And plenty of it.
 
Lois Lame said:
Early weaning - if there's one subject that gets my goat, it's that one. I can't bear it. So glad you didn't listen to the 'wean him' mob, Caol Ila.

Happens with breastfeeding humans too. Any kind of upset at all and a lot of humans cry out, "Wean him!"
"Put him on the bottle!"
I guess it's easier to say that than to offer something useful. (Breastfeeding lunatic here :cool::D)

OP, good grass is what a lactating mum needs. And plenty of it.
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I have 3 acres of nearly knee high grass for her to munch her way through. My other two were out 24/7 most of last Winter on 2 acres but they can come in at night if necessary from Nov/ December to save the grass for the one who needs it!
My old mare was found to be in foal when vetted (she was 4), I didn’t get her until foal was weaned and he was 4 months old (I had no say in the matter) but it was way too young!
 
Caol Ila said:
The other thing is that it will probably slow down her growth, for this year. My filly still looked like a two-year old last year, while other people were backing their three year olds. The PRE society registrar, who is a breeder herself, advised me to wean at four months old because lactating would affect the growth of the dam. I did not do this because early weaning brings its own host of problems, and since we were at a livery yard, we did not have the facilities to safely wean the colt that young. He was clearly nowhere near ready at four months. Ended up staying on the mare until he was seven months. She bounced back in the spring and looks like a horse now.
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She is 14.3 now and predicted to make 15.1/2! I was going to potentially sit on her next Autumn when 3 1/2 and back properly as a 4 year old. There is no rush at all as she is my forever horse and my 20 year old cob x is still going strong? Foal can be weaned in Spring and when ready so at least 6 months?
 
In my limited experience (of one example!) a pony foaling at 2.5yo might be a little shocked at the whole ‘becoming a mother’ thing and need an older mare to help comfort and guide her. Equally, they grow a fair bit quite quickly after weaning as it definitely does stunt growth - anything up to a hand in a few months as they catch up!
 
The yard I was at as a kid used to run the foals/yearlings together and one did end up foaling at under 2 years. However only one case that I knew of so suggests that while not impossible, it's unlikely.

It did affect the mare's growth however almost a year younger than the mare in this case.
 
TheMule said:
It’s highly unlikely (not impossible) that a 2yr old is in foal so hopefully scan will be negative.
Has she been well wormed since you got her?[/QUOTE

my daughter bought a yearling gypsy cob, she presented us with a wee blagdon colt in April this year!
Poor devil ?, still a baby herself!
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I'm not sure what to think.

She's huge, and has put on a lot of weight in a short time.

If it's just blubber, then she's going to need very careful managing in the future if she's to be healthy.

I've also known of vets who declare a mare not to be in foal, only for the owner later to find that an unexpected foal has been produced.
 
A vet declared a recently bought mare as not in foal. A few weeks later….
I honestly don’t understand how they get it wrong when the foal is imminent. If scans are unreliable surely they can find out another way?
 
Dexter said:
I thought scanning wasnt accurate at a late stage? I had a friend who had a similar set of circumstances and had the vet out who said not in foal, then the mare foaled down in a huge storm overnight in February a month or so later.
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Oh god! I flipping hope not! She did have arm down her rear end too!
 
Tiddlypom said:
I'm not sure what to think.

She's huge, and has put on a lot of weight in a short time.

If it's just blubber, then she's going to need very careful managing in the future if she's to be healthy.

I've also known of vets who declare a mare not to be in foal, only for the owner later to find that an unexpected foal has been produced.
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Oh god! This is not filling me with hope! She was quickly quite dismissive and said she was too young to have been caught and have foal now! Would be a Spring baby if she was in foal! I’m going to put her on track system asap! She’s back in with my other two which she’s happy about?
 
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