Mare showing signs of being in foal?

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NicoleandRosy

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I'm sure I'm going utterly crazy! But I spend every night with her and she's changing in more way than one! Her behaviour for a start. She's never taken interest in the foal at the farm, other than when the foal was first born (in April), she'd run the fence line watching but about it. THe foal and mare have now been moved into a field we have to walk through to get to my mare's field. Now she suddenly keeps trying to chase after the foal, not in a bad way, but is highly attracted to wanting her close. She's biting at being tacked up or brushed, genuinely pinning ears back, swinging her head around. The other problem is that's in the last 2 months she's gotten bigger.. on less grass, minimal hay (only when she's in) and a few VERY small feeds (never usually feed in summer, but grass is bare) . She simply has half a handful of cooling mix, a handfull of chaff and an apple cut up, and that's only when she stays in or is ridden.. turned out she has nothing. I rode yesterday thinking it was because she was in for 2 days, she took off after the other horse on a road and kept going straight past, kept bucking, tanking off, threatening to rear etc, and going home I had no brakes, literally held on and hoped for the best. This is nothing like her, I've had 9 year olds ride her and listen to every word in an open field with loose horses..

The next problem? I've come to remember than back in Jan/Feb (unsure of exact dates), a newly cut colt (cut a week prior) had been dumped in my field with the owners other 3 horses. And I know she was in heat, as I had to walk her through a field of geldings (who were scared of her normally) and they followed her up her backside, and she was teasing, etc. Problem I have now is she's gone from her athletic size, to a huge (for her) rounded belly. She's up to date with worming, etc. Back, teeth and tack are checked etc. I've cut back her feeds thinking it was me driving myself in sane, as well as her hay.. and still it's growing in size. She's bigger now on bare grass, than she was on a field full!

Awaiting vet to come out, but can someone give me any opinions based on their experiences? Thank you!



This photo was taken the start of June 2014
http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr235/xNicoleLouisex/Rosy/Touch of Rosemary/20140603_202421.jpg

And these were take in the last few days..
http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr235/xNicoleLouisex/Rosy/Touch of Rosemary/20140816_210140.jpg
http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr235/xNicoleLouisex/Rosy/Touch of Rosemary/20140816_210131.jpg

And if you can access this.. this is a video taken last night
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=267108956819286&l=1015692896133802322

Thank you
 
Looks like your going to be a Granny! I'm no expert but I think the signs are there. Wait & see what the vet says and see if you can find out more accurately when the colt was brought in! Mares take 11 months so if it was Jan /Feb time your looking at a pre Christmas baby!
Let us know!
 
Carlosmum said:
Looks like your going to be a Granny! I'm no expert but I think the signs are there. Wait & see what the vet says and see if you can find out more accurately when the colt was brought in! Mares take 11 months so if it was Jan /Feb time your looking at a pre Christmas baby!
Let us know!
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I will try and find the exact dates out, but when stabled alone she used to run laps in the stable. Now she stares at us leaving and walks off and eats her hay.. so strange! But that's what everyone thinks, and the video shows her true size. It's come from nowhere,but starting to make sense. Will keep you updated with the vet! :)
 
Sounds very unlikely that she would have been able to conceive in January. Most mares, if they do cycle through winter, tend to just have transitional heats during this time and aren't having proper heats until April/May. There is nothing really about her behaviour that screams she's pregnant. To know for sure, you should have her checked by the vet.
 
Spring Feather said:
Sounds very unlikely that she would have been able to conceive in January. Most mares, if they do cycle through winter, tend to just have transitional heats during this time and aren't having proper heats until April/May. There is nothing really about her behaviour that screams she's pregnant. To know for sure, you should have her checked by the vet.
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She will be checked by the vet. But what would explain her weight? She's never been this big, up to date with worming etc. Grass is literally bare minimum and has only had 6 small feeds over a week period.. I literally can't ride her or touch her stomach without her kicking off. The vet will be out this week, but she hasn't had issues like this ever.
 
NicoleandRosy said:
The vet will be out this week, but she hasn't had issues like this ever.
Click to expand...
She has had issues, according to your posts at the beginning of the year. From what you've previously written, she's had problems for many many months. Did you ever get the vet out back when she started behaving like this at the beginning of the year, and if so what was the diagnosis? I'd personally have had the vet out a long time ago as something is clearly not right with your mare, and hasn't been for some time. Ulcers would be my first thought.
 
Spring Feather said:
She has had issues, according to your posts at the beginning of the year. From what you've previously written, she's had problems for many many months. Did you ever get the vet out back when she started behaving like this at the beginning of the year, and if so what was the diagnosis? I'd personally have had the vet out a long time ago as something is clearly not right with your mare, and hasn't been for some time. Ulcers would be my first thought.
Click to expand...

When she was ill last winter, she had blood tests, scopes, etc. And found to be red worm that had caused further damage (she was in an equine hospital previously with other owners due to redworm nearly killing her, so has a profound weakness). She has had those issues, yes. And the last problem with her being 'sore' was caused by children riding her wrecklessly without a numnah behind my back.

However, her riding is APPAULING. And I mean I can't even hold her anymore. She went off the yard, turned right, stuck her nose to the floor bucking and full galloped up the other horse's backsides trying to push them out of the way. She was bucking and running sideways, and would tannk off to catch up to the horse in front and tank past. If I asked her to stop, eitehr using half hlats, legs, seat etc, she'd throw her head, buck and leap and fight me, grab the bit and tank off. Everything is up to date and has been checked. But started biting me for the girth and brushing her stomach. Her back I can poke and prod, her stomach she swings her head around at.

She isn't ribby with a bloated stomach. She has completely started to drop and round. Her attitude and behaviour is getting dreadful, and riding is awful, whereas I rode her out a few weeks ago on a hack and she was a saint aside from a little tantrum but I could hold her easily.


EDIT:

I have owned her 2 years, so know when something isn't right with her. She's never had such weight gain, and even when she has been 'big', she's never had her belly drop and round. She's eating normal, fine in herself. She used to box walk, call, run riot in her stable if she was stabled in alone, now she just stands like a lemon eating hay only since all this has occured. Still running around the field like a lunatic, bucking, bronking, rolling etc. Since her behaviour on ground has changed and this weight gain has started building up, her riding attitude has changed..
 
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You'll get no different answers to those given you last night on FB which in the main were don't ask an internet forum about something they can't see or know about without any certainty. Just get a vet and be done with it as your mare obviously has problems that need treating anyway whether in foal or not..
 
The vet is out Tuesday. She was tested last year as she became very ill. Ulcers etc covered and no sign. She has never done this previously, and a few weeks ago was riding perfectly well without the rodeo tantrums.Soon see when the vet checks her over.
 
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