Please help!! Mare doesn't look pregnant anymore

[Alfie&Milo]

I have a welsh section c mare that I bought last May/June, unknowingly she was pregnant but in very early stages. Either that or one of our geldings wasn't cut properly and she was covered during summer, not sure!
At the end of summer I had a vet out to look at her as she was looking very big and she confirmed that she was pregnant, roughly five months pregnant and due around April 2012. Over christmas she looked like this

and it is now March... She doesn't look huge like she's supposed to for a month to go! I thought maybe she had aborted it but there was never a period of time when she was distressed/acting like she'd lost it and no fetus has ever been found.

It is her second foal and I don't know any previous information about her first pregnancy. Could she still be pregnant or just fat?? She's sensitive to me touching her belly/teats and every time I take her rug off she instantly goes to the same spot for an itch at the back end of her belly.

These are from this week:

Any information would be much appreciated!

 

[Wagtail]

She doesn't look pregnant to me in any of the photographs. How did the vet test whether she was pregnant?

 

[FionaM12]

I think I'd have the vet out again. Surely it would be better to know?

 

[Alfie&Milo]

She was internally palpated or whatever its called

 

[Wagtail]

The only photo that she looks SLIGHTLY pregnant in is the last one. So if she was definitely in foal at the time of the first photo, then I would say she has slightly more of a pregnant shape now.

 

[Bikerchickone]

We have a mare on our yard who is due to foal in early May, from the side she doesn't look pregnant, however if you look at her from the front or back she quite clearly is pregnant. I'd take a pic from that perspective and see then. In fairness too, some humans don't look pregnant at all until very late stages, why shouldn't it happen with a mare?

Ultimately have to say if you're seriously concerned call the vet out, I would. Good luck and I hope it all comes right for you both. x

 

[Alfie&Milo]

I am considering having the vet out again but saw online that someone had their mare internally checked in the last couple of months causing the mare to then abort the foal.

I just don't see her getting huge like they normally do! I know she's not a regular broodmare and she's 7yrs old so maybe shes hiding it.

 

[Alfie&Milo]

We have a mare on our yard who is due to foal in early May, from the side she doesn't look pregnant, however if you look at her from the front or back she quite clearly is pregnant. I'd take a pic from that perspective and see then.

She looks big bellied from the front but from behind it doesn't stick out much more than her hindquarters, although I think she's a bit of a chunky monkey at the moment!

 

[Beatrice5]

Oh dear she doesn't look pregnant does she

You would think a vet would know doing an internal especially at 5 months - isn't the foal beagle sized by then?

Has she had a hard winter? My mare foaled March 16 2010 and she was massive by the last few months - unmistakeable.

I saw a lot of belly movement . Have you noticed any? How much feed is she getting?

Personally I would get the vet for another look but then I am rather a worrier.

Good luck

 

[Beatrice5]

If you are worried about the internal talk to your vet. I would have thought that they would hear a heart beat with a stethascope on her belly by now.

 

[Alfie&Milo]

You would think a vet would know doing an internal especially at 5 months - isn't the foal beagle sized by then?

Has she had a hard winter?

I saw a lot of belly movement . Have you noticed any? How much feed is she getting?

I was told it was roughly the size of a guinea pig at 5 months, gets bigger especially in the last couple of months. Nope not a hard winter at all, as you can see she's not thin!! She was lame for part of it and had a couple of weeks box rest but nothing that led to her being too distressed.
I can't tell about belly movement as I was watching her earlier and couldn't tell if it was just her breathing or moving or it was a foal! I've tried putting my hands on her belly when she's eating and think something is moving about but again can't be too sure it's not the mare!

 

[FionaM12]

If you are worried about the internal talk to your vet. I would have thought that they would hear a heart beat with a stethascope on her belly by now.

I agree. Don't let the vet do an internal if you're worried, but still get them out to externally examine her.

 

[FionaM12]

She was internally palpated or whatever its called

Vets can make mistakes. The best one I've had was with a pet rabbit I found. I asked the vet what gender it was, she said it was a young buck. The next day it gave birth to 8 babies.

 

[Beatrice5]

Googled foal size at 5 months gestation and it said 8 - 14 inches and 6 to 11 lbs . Guess a beagle is a bit bigger

But depends on breed and size of parents - a shettie foal would be much smaller I guess !

When my Filly was in utero Trixies belly was like something out of Alien - Hillarious and unmistakeable.

Hope all goes well and it's just a quiet foal.

 

[Beatrice5]

Vets can make mistakes. The best one I've had was with a pet rabbit I found. I asked the vet what gender it was, she said it was a young buck. The next day it gave birth to 8 babies.

Oh my - did you go back to that vet again......? Think I would have asked for consult fee back LOL!

 

[Alfie&Milo]

Vets can make mistakes. The best one I've had was with a pet rabbit I found. I asked the vet what gender it was, she said it was a young buck. The next day it gave birth to 8 babies.

Blimey!! Okay well booked vet for Monday, see what they say! Just wanted to know if anyone had any similar experiences of the mare not showing much or of losing it but thank you very much for all your advice

 

[Wagtail]

Blimey!! Okay well booked vet for Monday, see what they say! Just wanted to know if anyone had any similar experiences of the mare not showing much or of losing it but thank you very much for all your advice

You would have noticed if she had lost it after five months. The aborted foetus would be immistakable. So either the vet was wrong and she was never pregnant, or she is just carrying it high.

What is her udder like? We have one here due in 5 weeks and her udder (and just in front of it) has already started to swell.

 

[Alfie&Milo]

You would have noticed if she had lost it after five months. The aborted foetus would be immistakable. So either the vet was wrong and she was never pregnant, or she is just carrying it high.

What is her udder like? We have one here due in 5 weeks and her udder (and just in front of it) has already started to swell.

Yeah that's what I thought! I thought she would have at least been in distress whilst pushing it out! I check them throughout the day in field/or stable so would have noticed something. Yes if the vet is wrong I will be a little miffed, waste of time!

They're like normal I think although she doesn't want me touching them!

 

[Odd Socks]

I know of someone to whom this happened. Mare confirmed in foal, then towards the end of the 11 months, started to look not so pregnant. Waited and waited for foal to appear but never did. The owners concluded that either the mare lost it and they never found anything or the foal was born and stolen from the field. There had been a few foal thefts at the time and horse was out 24/7. Mare was absolutely fine though! Who knows what really happened but I hope you get to the bottom of it. Hope the vet visit goes well. Fingers crossed

 

[Alfie&Milo]

Definitely starting to think she's lost it along the way, oh well back to plan A and re-backing this summer although a baby would have been lovely

 

[amy_b]

our mare lost hers last year, she was scanned in foal in october (put in foal in july/aug) and the foal never appeared!! Vet said she must have lost it quite soon after the scan as there wouldnt have been much mess, otherwise she would have had mess down the backs of her legs and we would have noticed. Gutting non the less.
Plus if she had it in the field a fox would have run off with it and you would never have seen it

 

[Alfie&Milo]

our mare lost hers last year, she was scanned in foal in october (put in foal in july/aug) and the foal never appeared!! Vet said she must have lost it quite soon after the scan as there wouldnt have been much mess, otherwise she would have had mess down the backs of her legs and we would have noticed. Gutting non the less.
Plus if she had it in the field a fox would have run off with it and you would never have seen it

But wouldn't there have a been a mess? And a bit of a commotion? I can't imagine her getting straight up and acting like nothing happened, she can be quite easily stressed and she's in with two other ponies that are very curious youngsters

 

[jj1966]

Foal could be sitting high, remember foals dont all come a bang on 11 months depending on condition she could come nearer 12 months if she wants if there isnt problems, also what was size of stallion? You only have a guide on when due, I would wait on signs of bagging up and go from there. Some mares can go full term and not look very pregnant. Especially if they havent had many foals, and are heavier set animals.

 

[amy_b]

But wouldn't there have a been a mess? And a bit of a commotion? I can't imagine her getting straight up and acting like nothing happened, she can be quite easily stressed and she's in with two other ponies that are very curious youngsters

not neccesarily, especially early on as far as I understand there wouldnt have been much of a labour and very little/if any mess. I could be wrong of course but it is the impression our stud vet gave. Unless she is stabled 24/7 she could have had it in the field and walked away, it would quite obviously not have been alive and horses don't mourn in the same way we do

 

[Alfie&Milo]

horses don't mourn in the same way we do

I don't know about that, a mare at my work gave birth to a dead foal and she stayed by its side for many days bless her but I get what you mean.

 

[Alfie&Milo]

Foal could be sitting high, remember foals dont all come a bang on 11 months depending on condition she could come nearer 12 months if she wants if there isnt problems, also what was size of stallion? You only have a guide on when due, I would wait on signs of bagging up and go from there. Some mares can go full term and not look very pregnant. Especially if they havent had many foals, and are heavier set animals.

Yeah she did look really really large beforehand but have read somewhere online that the foal changes position and the mare doesn't look so wide ? Don't know whether maybe that happened but she just doesn't look very pregnant! The stallion size we have no idea as bought her unknowingly pregnant but if it is from one of our geldings the dad would be a 15.2hh piebald cob so I don't think she'd be this small unless one of our dartmoors had a third testicle as I watched both of them being castrated!

 

[stacie21]

horses do mourn to a point as when we have a dead foal we leave it with mare and she calls at it and nudges it all night trying to wake it up and still shouts in morning when we take it away. and early on in pregnancy the mare will absorb the foal as opposed to actually giving birth will just look like in season. and we also have mares that dont look that in foal maidens especially but her belly would change shape like have a hard bit were foal is lying and if you gently push it should move. as for bag i have one due in 1 week that has no bag yet and will normally come on in just a couple days to a week a vet could do a blood test and that would tell you with no internal hope this helps

 

[Spyda]

Best have her checked again. She may have slipped or maybe not been in foal at all.

In one of my mares I had the usual early scans done before bringing her home from stud. I then had her checked at 4½ months gestation (as she was prone to slipping) and had a new vet from another practice (more local than my usual vet) attend. She manually palpated the mare and said, "Yep. Definitely in foal. I can feel a foot." For entirely different reasons I had my normal vet out 3 days later and mentioned that I'd had Theatrix checked earlier in the week. He looked in on her and asked if I'd mind if he scanned her to double check. Luckily he had his scanner in the car. Scan showed she was most definitely empty and she certainly hadn't lost it in the 3 previous days since the first vet had attended. Goodness knows what the first vet thought she was 'palpating' but it certainly wasn't a foetal 'foot' The mare had left stud in foal and at home had been kept turned out in a small starvation size paddock. I pooh picked once or twice a day and checked her carefully and never saw anything untoward to suggest she'd lost even a small foetus. She had a caslik but no discharge and certainly no passed foetus in the paddock. It does happen. And vets aren't infallible!

 

[Alfie&Milo]

horses do mourn to a point as when we have a dead foal we leave it with mare and she calls at it and nudges it all night trying to wake it up and still shouts in morning when we take it away. and early on in pregnancy the mare will absorb the foal as opposed to actually giving birth will just look like in season. and we also have mares that dont look that in foal maidens especially but her belly would change shape like have a hard bit were foal is lying and if you gently push it should move. as for bag i have one due in 1 week that has no bag yet and will normally come on in just a couple days to a week a vet could do a blood test and that would tell you with no internal hope this helps

Thank you very much, all very helpful! Hopefully vet will be able to make a better guess on Monday!

 

[Spring Feather]

She doesn't look pregnant to me either sorry. If she is, or ever was, then by now you would definitely be seeing a lot of jumping and bouncing around going on in her belly. Foal movements can't be mistaken (unless the person watching is totally clueless) for anything else. If she was pregnant and has lost the fetus then it's highly unlikely you would ever have seen it or found your mare distressed. At that stage it would be like delivering a large poo and the mare wouldn't have any attachment to it like they do when they deliver full term foals. Scavengers will make quick work of any aborted fetus and it's very unusual for owners to be given any signs that the mare has aborted until the mare is closer to her due date and the owner realises the mare is not the size she should be.