Friend's new mare possible in foal. WWYD

Ample Prosecco

Ample Prosecco

Still wittering on
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A friend on my yard bought a 4yo Connie X unseen from Ireland. Arrived 2 week ago and has gained weight which we assumed was good grass and grub. But today when grooming her tummy started moving around! There are clear movements visible on both sides. It bulges in and out. And her teats are swollen. Vet is coming on Monday. Dealer has said she will take mare back. But how can you travel a heavily pregnant mare safely?

Our yard has had homebreds before and there is a foaling barn and YO has lots of experience. But my friend is freaking out a bit about possible problems, huge vet bills, dealing with a foal etc. So wondering what her options are.
 
If it is imminent then it makes sense to let it foal down and return it for full refund plus any vets bills once foal is ok to travel, if not too far along send back now to reduce the risk of vets bills, tb mares travel fairly late into their pregnancies but the due date will be known, in reality most mares foal down without any trouble even if they have been in work, possibly better than if they have been allowed to get fat, so other than a check prior to and after foaling it should not cost that much.

If she decides to keep them she should ask for a partial refund, bogoffs are all very well but it is not fair to expect the owner to miss out on 6 months riding, plus the added costs just because the dealer did not properly check what they were buying or where it came from.
 
Would wait and see what vet says on Monday. If foaling not imminent then would send back ASAP. If vet says it is close then if you’re friend isn’t happy to deal with foaling and having a foal then probably best to sent to a stud to foal and keep until old enough to travel at the dealers expense as it’s not worth her being stressed about something she didn’t want, after all she wants a riding horse not a mare and foal! Hopefully it’s a good vet your friend has got coming as blood tests are renowned to be inaccurate and sometimes even on palpating vets can get it wrong! Hope it all works out what a nightmare for your friend and the poor mare if in foal!
 
Ambers Echo said:
Milk is now in. None yesterday. Any thoughts on how soon?
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It depends entirely on what the 'milk' is- you can get fluid out for several weeks prior to foaling, it won’t have much colour. If it is white milk then you're talking hours or days. If it is running out by itself, not long at all! Easiest way to know is to get hold of some pH testing strips- pool/ hot tub testing strips work well. The pH will drop from slightly alkaline to below 6.2 shortly before foaling- you can track is very accurately
 
It's not clear so yes I'd say whitish colour. Not running ouy by itself. Vet will presumably give a better idea tomorrow.
 
Do we need a vet now? YO not around. It's just us here with a mare dripping milk! Shes on shavings- do we need to get straw. Ive been roped into unexpected midwifery services and I'm clueless!!!!
 
Ambers Echo said:
Do we need a vet now? YO not around. It's just us here with a mare dripping milk! Shes on shavings- do we need to get straw. Ive been roped into unexpected midwifery services and I'm clueless!!!!
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No need for vet, they can’t do anything, but get clued up quickly!
She's unlikely to have a foal during the daytime (not unheard of, but they do prefer the small hours) so keep in normal routine today. Bed the stable up to the door, clean shavings are ok. Remove anything potentially hazardous in stable- no hay net, no buckets with clips etc. and be prepared to watch through the night- hourly checks, try not to disturb the mare during checking, that can put them off starting.
 
Ok I'm home now. Thanks for all the advice. My friend rang another friend who has bred several foals and she came to have a look. She does not think the mare is in foal at all. Thinks the fluid coming from her teats is from hormones and the movements in the belly are floating ribs though I have to say I have never seen a belly move around ike that. Says she is not fat enough. Belly not low enough, pelvis not jelly like enough. So there we are. Every day is a school day. Friend is still getting the vet to check though to put her mind at rest. She has heard from the desaler who confirmed that she was kept at a stud with stallions so it is technically possible.
 
Ambers Echo said:
Ok I'm home now. Thanks for all the advice. My friend rang another friend who has bred several foals and she came to have a look. She does not think the mare is in foal at all. Thinks the fluid coming from her teats is from hormones and the movements in the belly are floating ribs though I have to say I have never seen a belly move around ike that. Says she is not fat enough. Belly not low enough, pelvis not jelly like enough. So there we are. Every day is a school day. Friend is still getting the vet to check though to put her mind at rest. She has heard from the desaler who confirmed that she was kept at a stud with stallions so it is technically possible.
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My lastest mare wasn't huge, didn't drop a huge amount, had a very slightly extended vulva but not hugely and only brought milk bags in a couple of days before she dropped the foal. No waxing up or leaking milk, nothing. Her teats only actually started pointing down 24 hours before she foaled. Her backend never really relaxed either.

She had a very small foal. If I didn't know the exact one and only day she was covered you would have looked at her and given her another month at least.

We have bred Shetlands for years. Some go text book, others as far from it as possible. I would be keeping an eye on the mare tonight regardless.
 
Ambers Echo said:
Yes friend has now decided to go back up to yard. Mare is in the foaling barn which is wired up for foal cam so if vet confirms mare is in foal we will set that up tomorrow. Vet was spoken to earlier today and is coming tomorrow.
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Probably best to set it up tonight. But if that’s not possible - sleeping bag, car, hot chocolate and a good torch.
 
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