Feeling sick, Skinny Minnie might be in foal :(

[MrsElle]

Looked at Bailey yesterday and thought 'foal'. I have no idea why this thought popped into my head, but now it's there I can't get rid of it.

I posted photos in breeding last night and replies were confirming what I suspect. A friend who breeds is coming to look at Bailey later and we will get her scanned/bloods taken in the next day or two.

If Bailey is in foal I am going to have to make some decisions, and I don't like doing that

Keep everything crossed that it is a false alarm, but have tissues on hand to dispense in case it isn't!

 

[MrsElle]

Well, experienced breeder friend came to look at Bailey and is also of the opinion she is in foal. Foal movements were seen and felt.

The vet is coming out Wednesday to confirm, but barring any weird illness that replicates her being in foal, it looks as if we will be hearing the pitter patter of tiny hooves in four or five months time.

I am devastated. Bailey still needs a lot of building up and goodness knows what her lack of condition and nutrition has done to the foal

I am off to look at photos of frolicking foals in the hope they cheer me up and show me what we (may) have to look forward to

 

[rhino]

Oh dear MrsElle Regarding the mare looking poor, it is very likely that the foal has been perfectly well 'fed' at the expense of his/her dam. Please don't go worrying about the foal's health, just look at the state of some of the feral native ponies at the end of the winter and they have surprisingly few problems foaling The fact she has regained condition so quickly and is now 'blooming' would suggest there was nothing horrendously wrong with the mare either!

I know it is not what you wanted, but I still think mare (and foal) are lucky to have found a home with you

 

[welsh horse rider]

fingers crossed for a good outcome Mrs Elle xx

 

[Shantara]

*hugs* I really hope everything turns out for the best!

Just a question (I hope this isn't taken against you or anyone else, just wondering!)
How often do things like this happen? Getting a mare already in foal? I've seen it 2 or 3 times on here and it's even happened on my yard :O
Do you think the sellers knew and are trying to fob mares off, or do you think it's a genuine over sight?

Either way, thanks for any replies and MrsElle, good luck with everything <3

 

[Archangel]

Fingers crossed that it is just a 'food baby'.

 

[TelH]

This is my little mare, on the left is the day I brought her home and on the right is a little over 3 months later. It was like an A-Z of equine worms that came out of her when I wormed her, I have never seen so many in my life, or so many different types in one horse, and when you lifted her mane up it looked like her coat was moving cos there were so many lice. The farrier estimated it was 12-18 months since her feet had last been trimmed.

They are surprisingly resilient, I never expected to get a live foal, I think I was like the neurotic owner hassling the vet all the time But it was worth the stress, he's now 2yo and towers above his Mum.

Good luck with your mare

 

[stencilface]

Oh dear, but ditto rhino above, mare has probably been ensuring foal is ok before her, so hopefully foal will be ok. She is certainly lucky to have landed on all 8 of her feet with you

 

[rhino]

How often do things like this happen? Getting a mare already in foal? I've seen it 2 or 3 times on here and it's even happened on my yard :O

It's pretty common I think. Quite often I think the sellers will know, or at least have a good idea

As an aside, but worth pointing out as a lot of people don't seem to realise: vettings do not cover tests for pregnancy!

 

[fatpiggy]

I've seen two pony mares bought from the local sales which then popped out an extra set of hooves apiece - bet your life the previous owner knew full well they'd been caught and got rid before it became obvious. Don't worry about the foal though, it will be absolutely fine. Nature ensures that the baby comes first and unfortunately at mum's expense. Virtual skeletons have been known to give birth to perfectly healthy foals. Don't be tempted to overfeed the mare, just carry on as you were. Just be aware that you MIGHT have to give the foal supplementary milk if mum can't produce enough. Its a nuisance for you though, two mouths to feed and all the associated costs doubled up.

 

[crabbymare]

If she is in foal and is already putting weight on you should not have much to worry about, horses are supposed to lose weight in winter and piut it on oin summer so although she has taken it a bit far and was not looking good when you bought her she will have been feeding the foal before having nuitrition for her own. Main thing is not to panic and start pushing a lot of short food into her, as long as she has vitamins and mineralls and keeps putting weight on slowly you should have a healthy foal. Foal will not be very big at this point so by the time it is born the mare will be looking very different and Dr green arriving in spring will be the best medicine.

 

[JFTDWS]

Argh, that's always a bit of a shock, but I agree with rhino and others - the foal may well surprise you! Fingers crossed for smooth running of the whole affair and for a lovely little one in a few months good luck!

 

[rockysmum]

Aww bless her, I'm sure you will get a lovely foal

The breeding experts will no doubt confirm this, but I read somewhere that foals do most of their development in spring. Something to do with wild ponies being used to starving in winter, apparently its quite natural.

Looking forward to the pics of baby Minnie soon What will your other boy think about this ???

 

[MrsElle]

Thank you all for the reassuring words. I am still in shock at the moment after friend pointed out all the signs and symptoms of pregnancy that Bailey is displaying - I was hoping I was imagining it, but evidently not! I will try not to panic too much until the vet confirms (or not) on Wednesday.

I have been in contact with a couple of feed companies this afternoon who have been very helpfull. If pregnancy is confirmed by the vet I will be back in touch to work out what is best for Bailey and foal.

 

[Spring Feather]

If she does turn out to be pregnant, don't worry about her prior lack of weight, the foal's health should not have been compromised Mothers will give their all to their unborn foals. She's picked up well in the short time you've had her.

 

[muddygreymare]

That must have been quite a shock for you! Fingers crossed for both you, the mare and the little one, let us know what the vet says. Hopefully in a few months you will have a gorgeous healthy little foalie and mare too

 

[lialls]

This was a mare we had on loan, picture taken the first day we got her sometime in November a couple of years ago. She was suspected to be in foal as had been running on a hill with a stallion. Picture dosn't show full extent of her skinnyness.

And this is what she gave us, a healthy colt foal in May the following year =] picture taken a couple of hours after he was born.

I'm sure your mare will be fine

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

My cob was taken to Bransby as a 2 year old in foal - she was an RSPCA prosecution case so you can imagine the poor state of her Anyway she did have her foal there and he is fine and in a foster home as well

My point is she was in a fare worse state than Minny and still had a live foal - so I am sure she will be absolutley fine

 

[MrsElle]

I'm feeling a bit more positive now I have calmed down a bit I am still hoping we are wrong, but the signs and symptoms do point to her being in foal.

I was worried as my grazing contract is only for two horses, but luckily I rent the land off the friend who breeds horses who checked Bailey out this morning. She knows that the foal is totally unexpected and is fine with it She has assured me she will be there every step of the way and help out as much as is wanted, bless her.

My mother is already thinking of names for the foal, she will be very disappointed if Bailey isn't in foal after all!

 

[MrsElle]

Just for comparrison, here she is 5 weeks ago: (Someone on here suggested she was in foal then, I assumed worms!)

And yesterday:

She looks a lot better in the second photo but has put weight on mainly round the middle. She is still very bony round the back end and has a neck like a giraffe! That is what alerted me I suppose, a fat middle and skinny everywhere else.

ETA: I am going to trim her tail tomorrow, I didn't realise how long it was until I saw that last photo

 

[Archangel]

Gosh what an improvement. What a lovely mare