Do you think she's in Foal?

AppyLover

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Hi All

Somewhat of a follow up of my hard to catch thread earlier this week which is now no longer a problem, She's gone in with the boys and now comes up to you and even let me give her nose a kiss today *Shocked Face*

Anyway I don't know much about her past really she was bought at a horse sales almost a month ago by a friend/Yard Owner and we bought her off of her. Before being sold she had an MOT by the vets and they mentioned nothing, before we agreed she would be ours I asked if she was in foal and they said they didn't know and she wasn't showing any signs of it being imminent if she was and if she was not to worry and that they would take it on and deal with it as they have many years of experience from breeding their own and they know we have never dealt with foals before etc. The other day we were told to keep an eye on her just incase as they are now wondering more if she might be and not just be fat (She is in a smaller paddock with restricted grazing), I just want to make it clear though that I don't care if she is or if he isn't as I know what ever happens very experienced and knowledgable people will be dealing with it :). Ive asked a few other people I know on what to look out for so I am but wondered what you lovely people thought :) (she's no longer being ridden just incase but she wasn't really anyway so not a massive difference for her)

I know its not all that obvious from pictures and without knowing her etc but thought it would be interesting to hear peoples thoughts.

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Exploding Chestnuts

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I think she needs more exercise, a lot more, and a strict diet.
If she was in foal, it would be expected to arrive in the next two - three months, and though it can t be ruled out it seems unlikely, There is nothing showing below, if she was heavily in foal she would be grumpy if girthed up.
 

windand rain

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may be for next year but not imminently so. If she is she will be fat unevenly with a big bit on one side of the body looking from behind and a slim or even riibby appearance over her back. At the minute she looks a bit overeight rather than in foal
 

Equi

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I would scan her with a vet. Some maiden mares hide a foal very well and if you automatically starve her you can harm any potential foal. End of the day you won't know form a pic or a guess..Get a vet.
 

SpringArising

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Doesn't look like she's in foal at all. She's just incredibly fat.

She will be absolutely stunning once she's lost some (read: a lot).
 

Mrs B

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Hello! *waves*

I'd say that if she IS in foal, with that amount of fat on her, the foal's in no danger of being malnourished for quite a while ;)

Also (and please forgive me if I'm misinterpreting!) if the third pic down is 'restricted grazing' it honestly isn't - there's much more than a bit to 'pick on' there. It needs to be just about bare, with a few green shoot to search for so they're constantly foraging for food. If they have enough time to hang over the gate, there's probably too much food.

Nice little mare, but if she's not in foal, she really needs to lose about a third of her body weight.
 

AppyLover

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Thanks everyone I should have said the third pic down was after the boys broke her out of her paddock.

She was very nervy and scared of almost everything to begin with but now she's coming around so will be put into more work to help shift her weight a bit she's already looking smaller than when she arrived so its all moving in the right direction. :)

The more I look at the pics I realise they make her look bigger than she does in person as she doesn't look overly huge and I can still feel her ribs but I do even in person think she could do with shifting a few pounds so will continues as I am and get her working on the lunge some :).
 

Tiarella

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Are you going to have the vet to check whether she is in foal or not? It will be nice to know asap so you can get cracking with the weight loss. She needs to lose 80-100kg not a few pounds....
 

ChwaraeTeg

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I cannot add to everyones observations , except that she looks lovely :) and maybe share a little memory I have of a horse we bought many years ago from a sales. My brother competed professionally and found this mare to be very talented. She loved jumping. .. but her weight would not shift. 9 or 10 months later, She got a seconds at Broomes in the open - next day there was a perfectly healthy foal in the field with her !
:)
 

muckypony

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Definitely get a vet to check just to be sure. She needs to loose an awful lot of weight, regardless of belly size, the fat pocket on her shoulder is a sure sign of being overweight. Lunging to shift a few pounds won't get the amount of weight off that needs to come off, restricted grazing and some good exercise (either under saddle or in hand walking) will get the weight moving.

She looks as though she will be really nice once trimmed down!
 

AppyLover

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Like I have said before a vet has already seen her and didn't say anything after a fairly rigorous MOT, My Boy is having his teeth done in a couple weeks so she will see the vet again then. I started this thread as a more what did others think as I didn't think she was either, She's only been ours for a week and teaching her that not everyone wants to beat the living crap out of her was more important than her weight. She also doesn't look nearly as fat in person as these pics make her look (which did make me wonder if I should post this thread or not as pictures never give a full and accurate view of things) as she looks well in proportion and you can still feel her ribs and will now be working on getting her fitter and healthier, thank you for everyones advice.
 

Equi

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Like I have said before a vet has already seen her and didn't say anything after a fairly rigorous MOT.

Unless they stuck their hand up her arse with a scanner, then they will NOT know. And honestly unless they are very well versed in scanning they sometimes can't tell either. Only way to know is a good reproduction vet with a wedge and lube. Dont be offended by the weight thing either. A lot of people here are just used to the finer types. I think she is very overweight but i have seen worse and she looks healthy. I would hate to see the reaction my old retired cob would get :)
 
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fawaz

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I would get her scanned if there is the slightest chance she is in foal. Whether she looks it or not. Undiagnosed twins are dangerous as is giving birth when so overweight. You are risking the chance she will die or suffer major complications if you are not prepared.

You can have all the experienced friends in the world but if you don't know when or if she is due then they are no use to you. 20mins in a foaling mare from the beginning of labour could be the difference between life and death. Unless your friends are sleeping in your mares box from now on chances are they won't be very useful.
 
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AmyMay

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As Equi says, a vet will only know for sure if she's in foal by giving her an internal examination.

She's absolutely gorgeous by the way, but yes very overweight. Please don't lunge her. Restrict her grazing, and get on board and work her.
 

Gloi

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I think that any mare coming through the sale ring has a good chance of having run with a colt at some point. She doesn't look like she is due to foal soon but she could well have one sometime in the next 10 months.
 

cornbrodolly

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Plenty of doomsayers on this thread. I think you ve got a very sweet little cob, very like one of ours whom we put down last xmas - aged 29. She was often as fat as this , had 8 foals , none of which we were there for at time of foaling! From the pics I wouldnt think she was in foal, tho our little cob was 1 1/2 months overdue for her first foal, and had no bag. Slow and steady for weight loss and fittening - as above posters hae written, I wouldnt agree with lunging at this stage- too much strain on hocks and pelvis. Slow hacks ,or led off another would be a much better option to harden her off and begin the slimming process .Our fat girly remained well covered even when hunting , so ignore the 'lami mafia' - what did they think you could do in a week!?
 

Meowy Catkin

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Plenty of doomsayers on this thread... (snip)...so ignore the 'lami mafia' - what did they think you could do in a week!?

You only need one day to get things on track.

Day 1, get some electric tape out and fence off a starvation paddock for the horse. Set up a hay feeder (soak hay if required) and water trough if one isn't in the starvation paddock. Phone Vet to arrange pregnancy scan. Walk horse out in-hand.

When you've held horses (not mine I will add) while they are shot due to severe pedal bone rotation in more than one foot, you see intentionally insulting terms such as 'doomsayer' and 'lami-mafia' for what they are - foolhardy. Don't risk laminitis with your horse, just don't, it's so terrible.
 

AppyLover

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Plenty of doomsayers on this thread. I think you ve got a very sweet little cob, very like one of ours whom we put down last xmas - aged 29. She was often as fat as this , had 8 foals , none of which we were there for at time of foaling! From the pics I wouldnt think she was in foal, tho our little cob was 1 1/2 months overdue for her first foal, and had no bag. Slow and steady for weight loss and fittening - as above posters hae written, I wouldnt agree with lunging at this stage- too much strain on hocks and pelvis. Slow hacks ,or led off another would be a much better option to harden her off and begin the slimming process .Our fat girly remained well covered even when hunting , so ignore the 'lami mafia' - what did they think you could do in a week!?

Thank You Cornbrodolly now she's not nearly as scared of human contact we can start getting her out more especially with this nice weather at the moment :) And thank for reading she has only been ours for a week, miracles cannot be worked in that time period :)

& also ChwaraeTeg for your nice comments :)


We are just going to put an end to this thread now no one is posting anything different just the same thing written differently ways.

I would like to point out again she is on restricted grazing and if she moves to a different paddock she will be in a grazing mask.
 
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SpringArising

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Dont be offended by the weight thing either. A lot of people here are just used to the finer types. I think she is very overweight but i have seen worse and she looks healthy.

People aren't so stupid that they confuse amount of bone with fat. I've seen plenty of Cob types and heavy horses who are the correct weight. She doesn't look healthy, either.
 

Pearlsasinger

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I would scan her with a vet. Some maiden mares hide a foal very well and if you automatically starve her you can harm any potential foal. End of the day you won't know form a pic or a guess..Get a vet.

We bought a BOGOF, who we had been assured was not in foal. I realised that she probably was when riding on a bigger horse behind her and couldn't see her 'waist'. Needless to say the vet confirmed that she was in foal - he was her 7th and last foal aged 10.

OP, the only way to be sure either way is to ask a vet to examine her. And you really need to know before you start working/starving her.
 

Equi

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People aren't so stupid that they confuse amount of bone with fat. I've seen plenty of Cob types and heavy horses who are the correct weight. She doesn't look healthy, either.

I mean her coat is in good condition and her general presence. Just because she's overweight doesn't mean she's not in a good order. She could be much much worse for coming from a sales yard
 
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