Is my mare in foal?

[E829047201]

I bought my mare in November 2025 and am now noticing she’s looking rather round and had bagged up the other day. This has since gone down a bit but could it come back?

 

[gallopingby]

Yes

 

[E829047201]

Yes

Photo for reference

 

[Sandstone1]

Possibly, best get vet to check then you will know for sure either way.

 

[E829047201]

Possibly, best get vet to check then you will know for sure either way.

They’ve said it’d be too late to do bloods and she’s not going to let them palpate without sedation, which they don’t want to do either if she’s in foal

 

[TheMule]

It does rather look like she is in foal, yes. Not due imminently, probably in around 2-3 weeks. Has she had a foal before?

 

[Sandstone1]

They’ve said it’d be too late to do bloods and she’s not going to let them palpate without sedation, which they don’t want to do either if she’s in foal

Ok, Thats a bit odd. Is she very hard to handle?

 

[E829047201]

Ok, Thats a bit odd. Is she very hard to handle?

She’s terrified of the vet, and is a kicker

 

[E829047201]

It does rather look like she is in foal, yes. Not due imminently, probably in around 2-3 weeks. Has she had a foal before?

Nope no foals before

 

[Amy May In A Manger]

The easiest thing to do at this point is have some quiet time with her in the stable and have your hands on her belly. If she's in foal you'll feel it moving.

 

[TheMule]

Do you have the set up for foaling and keeping a foal? Do you have any experience with foaling? In the short term, make sure she's up to date with her vaccines and give her a wormer. Start keeping an eye on her udder, as it develops you'll be able to get a drop of milk out to test the pH which will give you a good idea of how close she is getting.

 

[Asha]

The easiest thing to do at this point is have some quiet time with her in the stable and have your hands on her belly. If she's in foal you'll feel it moving.

this ^^

Plus if you are giving her any balancer/feed etc . Feel her belly while shes eating /just after. It usually wakes the foal up

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Can you contact the person you bought her from to see if there was a chance she got in with a stallion last summer?

 

[I'm Dun]

Photo for reference

That pointy shape to her belly is almost certainly a foal so start preparing now. Youve got a little while yet.

 

[E829047201]

Am trying to get someone to come and scan her

 

[E829047201]

 

[E829047201]

Tests keep filling up and then going back down again, but now have this crust on the ends

 

[smurf]

I feel your pain, I also bought a mare last November and now have discovered she is in foal. I blood tested 5 weeks ago and the levels were sufficient to confirm she was pregnant.
Why are people so blooming irresponsible with mares and stallions/colts? Makes my blood boil.
It's so unfair on the mare to pass her on without telling the new owner. The mare can't get the right food, care, vet attention if the owner does not know. I was jumping mine until mid June !
I would never have bought mine if I had known. Lesson learnt, next time I vet a horse I will also blood test for pregnancy.
And how do we sell foals when we have no clue who the Sire is?

 

[I'm Dun]

Am trying to get someone to come and scan her

They probably wont scan at this stage. I'd just be prepping for a baby. Have you got somewhere safe to foal down, somewhere safe to turnout afterwards etc etc?