How Far Gone?

[Beausmate]

As I seem to have inadvertently bought a (probably) pregnant mare, and I've not had anything much to do with broodmares for over twenty years, and not very much then, I was wondering if you experienced people could give me a rough estimate on how advanced this mare might be. I know there are a lot of variables, but an educated guess would do.
Thanks muchly.

Udder

 

[crabbymare]

do you have a side on picture from a few months ago or when you bought her to compare to? and did the seller say if she has had a foal before? would be best to get a vet to gave a grope around and see what they think from what they can feel

 

[TuscanBunnyGirl]

thats a really hard one :/ her quarters look dropped away a bit and her tummy seems also dropped...but doesnt look that big :/ Her teats look to be filling up some. I wouldnt say shes going to drop in the next month or two.. Has she had a foal before?

 

[Apercrumbie]

Nothing practical, I just wanted to say that she's really sweet! She does look a tad guilty in that photo though...had you been telling her off?

 

[popsdosh]

Its more likely than not she is not in foal . More likely she has recently been weaned from one. Big bellies like that are not unusual this time of year esp when mare has had foals before.

To be totally honest asking on here is a total waste of time as anybody who can tell from a picture would be making their fortune elsewhere. as said before there is nothing more sure than the trusted arm with the added proviso the vet is experienced as shown by a recent poster. The reason I say its unlikely is due to the time of year mainly. I too have several empty mares who to those that dont know would look to drop any day.

 

[Beausmate]

From August

She has a positive urine test, blood test results should be next week. The vet couldn't find anything, but he thinks the foal (if there is one) has dropped out of reach.

As far as I know, she hasn't foaled before and the seller said so too. I'm asking here, because I thought that someone who has seen a lot of pregnant mares might be able to give me some idea of timescale, so I can try to trace the sire. In her sale pics from 5-6 months ago, she looks quite trim.
Brilliant if she's empty, I don't want a foal, but she has got very broad rather rapidly.

She should look guilty, the dirty slapper!

 

[popsdosh]

Scan her then ! might not see the foal but you will readily see the placenta or external scan to see if there is anybody home. Blood test are unreliable too.

 

[Magicmadge]

If she's 200 plus you should be able to feel it . I've always been able to feel mine from around then just put a hand in front of the udder . If I was having a guess I'd say yes she is and March . Better then than November !!!! Udder looks to have a bit of life to it, my maiden mares udders are still tucked right up. So she has either had one before or it's starting to fill( hopefully not)

 

[LadySam]

I haven't done babies in a long time, but I stand by my guess of 7-8 weeks to go from the other thread. Maybe a bit longer having now seen her udder. (Though, iirc, maiden udders can vary a lot in how and when they bag up.)

 

[cundlegreen]

Just to give you an idea... Mare in January. Just back in work after 3 months on grass holiday.

Two weeks after this photo, she suddenly ballooned, and I could feel a foal kicking stink out of her. When scanned, the vet estimated 7 months in foal, but as I had no idea when she had got covered, it was a guess. She had the foal two months later, so she had been successfully eventing all last year in foal, and jumped clear around an OI course when 6 months in foal! Her father had got at her, don't ask me how, still a mystery!
Have to say, looking at your mare, she has put on the weight. is she lopsided from behind? They always carry more one side than the other.

 

[Equi]

Shes definitely got a belly, and there looks to be some filling on one teat, but that could be from something else. Its really hard to say. I would think vet should be able to feel something at that size! If i was guessing from my own mare i would say no longer than 2 months off. If she foals after jan 01 youll have a great advantage! lol

 

[Beausmate]

She is bigger on the left side. The vet thinks the foal (if there is one!) has dropped down too far to feel it. Once the results are back, I'll arrange a scan. I'd like to check there is only one in there too!

 

[Equi]

The foal (yes we are going with the foal, not the possible foal) could have been lying funny that day - they wriggle about lots! Some days my mare looked so fat i put her on a diet..next day i would be wanting to feed her up.

This is my mare day 307 she foaled about 315ish? Bare in mind miniatures foal sooner than large horses - but not to dissimilar! Your mares is more to the back. When it starts moving forward (like my mares is a bit more to the middle) thats when you start to worry!

 

[Ddraig_wen]

She looks around the same shape as my maiden did at 6.5months. I have 3 in foal for next year all May/June and early July foals and they're not quite as low hung as your girl