Can horses have phantom pregnancy

Lexi 123

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 June 2019
Messages
354
Visit site
So i seen someone claiming on tictok that their horse had a phantom pregnancy but the mare never being pregnant . I now nothing about horse breeding but surely a mare would be breed to experience a phantom pregnancy as the hormones would need to change for a mare to think she pregnant . Is a phantom pregnancy in horse even a thing. I now dogs experience it but I never heard anyone say it about horses.
 

JBM

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 February 2021
Messages
4,345
Visit site
So i seen someone claiming on tictok that their horse had a phantom pregnancy but the mare never being pregnant . I now nothing about horse breeding but surely a mare would be breed to experience a phantom pregnancy as the hormones would need to change for a mare to think she pregnant . Is a phantom pregnancy in horse even a thing. I now dogs experience it but I never heard anyone say it about horses.
I’ve known a mare to have one
Wasnt mine
Was 2 months off the due date before they realised she was empty
Had all the symptoms tho
 

meleeka

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 September 2001
Messages
10,722
Location
Hants, England
Visit site
Mine had a cyst on her ovary which caused her to look pregnant and bag up. My vet at the time was sure she was going to foal any day. This was a long time ago before ultrasound was so commonly used.

I also had a mare that bagged up despite not being in foal just after I got her. We never did get to the bottom of why but could have been the change of field.
 

Alibear

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 March 2003
Messages
8,580
Location
East Anglia
Visit site
Yep, one of my previous mares, but a good 20+ years go, defo phantom as she hadn't been near a stallion in years. Bagged up and dripped a milk-like substance. I'd owned or a few years prior with no issue around seasons, although she was generally a mare-ish mare 24x7, and she didn't have another issue after this instance. However, getting her into foal a few years later was tricky, and it didn't take. 30 day and 3-month scans said it was there, but it was obvious later on that she was empty. I didn't try again.
 
Top