Pictures Is my mare in foal? No one knows...

Kitty B

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I've read these threads over and over, never thought I'd be posting one myself. I know what you're probably saying already; call the vet and find out! Trust me, we'll get to that.

Towards the end of last June, I bought myself my beautiful now rising 4 piebald filly, Magpie. She came off Dartmoor, her mother was a Dartmoor Hill Pony, but her sire is in question. The mare just came in with Mags at foot, and while there are guesses, nobody knows for sure where exactly she sprang from. I loved her straight away and knew she was my girl so that was that. She came home to me and I've been teaching her everything from scratch as she'd never been handled, and we have a fantastic relationship. A piebald mare was the exact opposite of what I'd set out to buy, but when you know, you know... you know? ;)

Flash forward to the end of January. We came onto the yard one evening to have the lovely girl who owns the place ask if there was any chance that Magpie could be pregnant. There had been some shifts in behavior, mostly looking rather rounded, lopsided, laying down a lot when she usually doesn't during the day... looking like a beach ball was sitting on her ribs when she did... I took some photos of her udder and vulva, and I determined to keep an eye on it, because it didn't seem likely to me. I did, however, get to thinking, and I can't honestly say I've ever seen her come into season once since I've had her. Still, not every mare is a hormonal rage demon in season, so perhaps she is simply subtle about it.

That said, I'm paranoid, and this pony is just my wish come true, so I called the vet. An internal check was done, and the vet said that she couldn't locate the uterus, which could be a sign of pregnancy as the foal would be pulling it down and forward. She also said it felt like there was a lot of fluid in there, which could also indicate pregnancy. She said she couldn't be certain after her exam, so bloods were taken and sent away. Several days later, I got a call and the woman I spoke to said they were going with not pregnant as there were markers that they look for that were low. She went on to say that low markers are also an indication of a mare in her final weeks of pregnancy, but she wouldn't expect them to be as low as Magpie's, so said again the verdict was not pregnant. Basically, with the aforementioned paranoia and all, I was left not feeling I had a definite answer after that second comment about low markers in the final weeks, but she seemed pretty confident so I got back to dreaming about backing Mags this summer and starting our adventures together.

Another fast forward, and we arrive at tonight. Our 9-month-old New Forest colt decided he wasn't coming in tonight, so since Mags is his best friend and lives in the stable beside his, I used her as bait to convince him to come in because it was rapidly getting dark, I was cold, and Magpie was impatiently pawing because she knew her dinner was waiting for her inside. They have interacted together since we got him in December, and he's never done anything to suggest he thinks she's a mom replacement, but tonight he tried to nurse her three times and she didn't stop him so I had to. When we've had them together for exercise in the school, she spent weeks driving him away every time he got remotely close, then one day just started to groom him. She grooms him or she is driving him away. There is no middle ground in that relationship.

So, I decided to have another look at her in case he got hold of her trying to nurse etc, and found that she was looking a bit swollen. I took more photos, then to have the whole set I did another vulva shot (I pray nobody ever wants to look at my phone, they'll think I'm a crazy person), brought them home and got a look at them all side by side on my computer. There are very significant changes. Messaged the yard owner, who has had mares in foal before, and she had a look and said it looked like the start of bagging up to her, and she went away to ask someone else. That person said that there can be swelling while a mare is in season, but again she is showing zero signs of being in heat, so I'm right back where I started... wait and see.

Now, at the end of my novella, which I apologise for, but I do think detailed information is important in these situations... I'm bringing it to you. What do you think? Does this look like the bagging up of a pregnant mare, or is she just very subtly in season? Poor Magpie, here go the final threads of her tattered dignity on an equine forum. Sorry, Pie...

MysteryoftheMagpie.jpg
 

windand rain

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Can you get a picture from behind with her standing square and one side on. Maiden mares are very difficult to tell but it looks like either bagging up so possible foal or exposure to red clover and other high oestrogen food including soya. Seems odd you havent seen her in season when there is an entire around even if he is young So I would assume in foal until totally ruled out by september it is rare but a very few mares go a long way over gestational dates
 

Peregrine Falcon

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What's the time difference between pics on left and right? Keep an eye on the head of her tail. Slackening off here indicates muscles relaxing in preparation for birth. Vulva will redden up too close to birth.

I'll have a look at my phone for "boob pics" of my mare last year. Bagging up can start 6 weeks before birth.
 
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PurBee

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If she was about to foal giving low markers id expect her belly to look a lot more swollen/dropped.

yet the other changes suggest its possible, unless as mentioned she’s had high soya feed..?
 

Kitty B

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The photos on the left were taken on the 31st of January, and the ones on the right were taken tonight. The side on was taken yesterday afternoon.
 
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Can you contact the people you got her from and ask if she had been near a stallion? A mare on my yard came off Dartmoor at 4yo and was in foal, I don’t have breeding experience myself but my yard owner had bred two foals since I have been a livery there and I would say yes your mare is pregnant
 

Kitty B

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Can you contact the people you got her from and ask if she had been near a stallion? A mare on my yard came off Dartmoor at 4yo and was in foal, I don’t have breeding experience myself but my yard owner had bred two foals since I have been a livery there and I would say yes your mare is pregnant

Yes, he had colts on-site at the same time, there were a handful of ponies in that he was selling that all came off the moors. Without going into his business, he was dispersing the herd on his mother's behalf, they aren't his thing so it is possible that Pie either caught pregnant before they came in or with a colt they had there, potentially with the seller not knowing that even a yearling colt could do the job. We don't even know who Magpie's father is for sure, so there seem to be some Mills and Boon shenanigans happening on the Moors with this herd if she does happen to be pregnant.
 

Kitty B

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Hmmm, sounds a possibility she may have caught. Her vulva does look lengthened too. If you watch her sides you could see movement if she is in foal.

She's shedding like mad at the moment, so tomorrow when I brush her out (yet again) I'll attempt to be stealthy and investigate further. She's been getting increasingly restless and shifts about a lot, so it isn't always easy. Tomorrow Operation Mag-spy begins. Magpie will be thrilled. The grump.
 

Millie-Rose

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She looks pretty suspicious to me and being young fertile and exposed to entires I would say that it's more likely than not. Blood tests and scans in later pregnancy are notoriously unreliable so probably no way to get a definite answer I'm afraid. Please join "the foaling hub" on Facebook (I think there are 2 but you want the one with lots of members run by Sue Williams) so much information and help on there and the lady who runs it has helped many people with surprise foals even going so far as being on the phone with them during middle of the night emergencies. Good luck.
 

TheMule

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I suspect she probably is, the problem yoy'ol have is guessing when so I predict a long spell of nervous watching for you and comparing every tiny detail. I would guess that she still has a bit of time left, but maiden mares are tricky to accurately judge. Get some pool strips to test her milk and save yourself too many sleepless nights.
If she isn’t pregnant now then she most likely will be soon enough if you leave her with the NF colt!
 

Kitty B

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I suspect she probably is, the problem yoy'ol have is guessing when so I predict a long spell of nervous watching for you and comparing every tiny detail. I would guess that she still has a bit of time left, but maiden mares are tricky to accurately judge. Get some pool strips to test her milk and save yourself too many sleepless nights.
If she isn’t pregnant now then she most likely will be soon enough if you leave her with the NF colt!

I have them together for exercise during the poor weather we've had recently, but they aren't paddocked together, they are neighbors until we have him gelded next month, and for at least another two additional months afterwards to ensure he is no longer capable of siring a foal on her. They are never just left together, and my husband is there with me so they can be separated if it were to become an issue. So far it hasn't been.

I've never had a pregnant mare, but it isn't my first rodeo with youngsters.
 

Trouper

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I think I might be tempted to put some money on an addition to the family. As others have said look for the softening of muscles either side of her tail but like @TheMule says I think you might have a few weeks to go yet. An Easter baby??!!;)
 

Asha

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Shes a similiar belly shape to my mare who is in foal,and due end of April. When you bring her in for her tea watch her flanks and see if you can see any movement.

have you got any photos of her belly from behind, they are usually quite lopsided
 

Kitty B

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I'll be aiming for some photos from the rear this evening after she comes in for the night. I was going to brush her out and have a feel this morning, but she tried to cow kick me twice, and I didn't fancy finding out if three times was the charm for making connection with any part of me. She's much more cooperative when she's stuffing her face with her tea, so tonight's plan is to sit and stare at her for a while and see if she's wonky. There have been times when she's been very lopsided to one person or another looking at her, but nobody has taken a photo of it, I don't think. I'll have to scroll through my phone and double-check. I take a ridiculous number of photos of my ponies.
 
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