Update, for those who are interested

Oh wow! That soon? How exciting. I bet you're on pins every time you go to see her!

I've only personally been involved with one foaling (another 'accident'). It was about 1973, my friend and I (both teenagers) were helping look after this pregnant pony mare, with the aid of a library book on breeding horses which we carried about reading as we went. :) We watched her like hawks, night and day but still missed the event. :(

I'll never forget the excitement one morning as I made my way across the field and could just make out this little bundle at that mare's feet.

I haven't been majorly involved in it, I did work at an arab stud for a season, and remember the little bundles, they were fantastic to watch develop, we had cctv rigged up and watched this one mare all night she was so restless we knew it would happen! Come the morning... nothing, I went out and got the preprepared feeds put them in the wheelbarrow (only six of them) went out to do the rounds and there was the foal in the stable! I also rescued 3 young ponies, one had been running with a stallion, we watched her loads, then one day saw the complete unevenness in her sides and knew, the next day I got up and went to work, came home and the family dog was lying in the field, apparently she had been there all day, she was with the aborted foal :( I broke my heart for the mare she had had such a hard start. I think to be honest that years ago, I would have been far far more stressy about it, but I am so much more mellow these days, it suits my horses, and ebony is so laid back that I am just going with it... she is obviously happy with where she is and whatever is going on.

Will be disenfecting the stable again tomorrow :D
 
Morning all,

No further update this morning, just wanted to say thank you all for your lovely replies and interest. Really glad your enjoying the journey with Ebs and I :)
 
lol , you do know that the week of the 16th we'll going to be like a bunch of kids on a car journey? 'is it there yet?...................is it there yet?':p:D


PMSL! Yes, I am sure you will, I have to empty my PMs ready for the onslaught! :D:D I actually can't believe how relaxed I am about it... I used to be such a stress head, but 'if she is' pregnant, I just know she is going to be fantastic as a mum. If not, I think I need to get a sharp stick and puncture her LOL! :D:D I feel a bit of a meanie, all the other horses have rugs on now at night except her, and ben, I don't want to rug one without the other and I can't rug her, just in case. However, she is well warm enough. Work is being really good and is fine with the fact that I will be taking the day she foals off at very short notice, and I have a good load of annual leave stacked up so that I can take a good week or two off early on. I can't wait to get up there every day just to see if there are any changes, and have taken more pictures of her in these last few months than in the last 10 years I have owned her!
 
So exciting for you! I have a foal due next April, but really wish I had put my retired mare in foal last year, especially now I have another horse I may be forced to retire. My lovely old mare will be eighteen next year though and I just couldn't risk it with her never having a foal before.
 
sorry missed the previous story and yes i am going to be the one to say..... why oh why haven't you had a vet look at her? what if its twins? have you delt with a mare in foal before? you are asking a forum to guess if she is in foal? seriously get a vet out. for your mares sake :-/
 
sorry missed the previous story and yes i am going to be the one to say..... why oh why haven't you had a vet look at her? what if its twins? have you delt with a mare in foal before? you are asking a forum to guess if she is in foal? seriously get a vet out. for your mares sake :-/

All this was explained on previous post. The OP's vet friend (a horse breeder) advised her she's fine dealing with it as she is. No, she's not asking us to tell her if it's in foal, just inviting us to share the story.
 
sorry missed the previous story and yes i am going to be the one to say..... why oh why haven't you had a vet look at her? what if its twins? have you delt with a mare in foal before? you are asking a forum to guess if she is in foal? seriously get a vet out. for your mares sake :-/


Binky, thank you for your concern, for replies to all your queries please refer to my prior thread :D I believe I anwered all of those and more there ;)


http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=483179

Everybody does things differently, my mare is perfectly fine, If I was in any way worried about her wellbeing I would get the vet out. As for whether I have dealt with mares in foal before, then I do believe I covered that in an earlier post in this thread, and as for experience I believe I am more than covered, with myself, the livery yard owner, OH and the vet down the road.


I know this mare, has been mine for 10 years, I know all her little quirks and mannerisms, believe me when I say she is absolutely fine. I may not be handling this as others would chose to, but I am behaving in a way that suits me and my mare, furthermore she is being a lot better cared for than many of the broodmares out there.

:)
 
All this was explained on previous post. The OP's vet friend (a horse breeder) advised her she's fine dealing with it as she is. No, she's not asking us to tell her if it's in foal, just inviting us to share the story.

F-12 I love you :D Can you be my bodyguard? Whenever someone says anything remotely negative you just slap 'em down for me :D:D

If I could package you and sell you, I would make a fortune. :D
 
I have been one of those to say why have you not had the vet out before? But I am still interested in the journey :D

And I cannot wait until the 16th so we can all hopefully welcome the new one!
 
F-12 I love you :D Can you be my bodyguard? Whenever someone says anything remotely negative you just slap 'em down for me :D:D

If I could package you and sell you, I would make a fortune. :D

:D:D:D I can get a bit indignant sometimes I'm afraid. I know people are entitled to their opinion, but they could at least read the answers you've already given!

Most people are only trying to help by giving what they believe is good advice, I know, but a few on the previous thread went a little OTT and anyone would think this is a case of horse cruelty/neglect!

If yours was one of the posts which starts "Advice please..." or "what do you think I should do..." (as mine aften do!) it would be different.
 
Of course you do all know that the putative foal is not GUARENTEED to arrive exactly on that date, don't you?

Oh yes it is, because that's my birthday and I DEMAND A BIRTHDAY FOAL:cool:

Please do let Ebony know so she can deliver on time. No need to giftwrap:D
 
i am soo glad to see these photos because it might make all of the posters on the last thread think twice about what they said :~) i will eat my hat if she doesnt drop something!

To be fair, if she was carrying twins, there isnt much you could do about it, unless it was planned and the first scan showed twins and it could be pinched, but as you didnt plan it. there isnt much you could do, apart from what you are already doing :~)
 
Binky, thank you for your concern, for replies to all your queries please refer to my prior thread :D I believe I anwered all of those and more there ;)


http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=483179

Everybody does things differently, my mare is perfectly fine, If I was in any way worried about her wellbeing I would get the vet out. As for whether I have dealt with mares in foal before, then I do believe I covered that in an earlier post in this thread, and as for experience I believe I am more than covered, with myself, the livery yard owner, OH and the vet down the road.


I know this mare, has been mine for 10 years, I know all her little quirks and mannerisms, believe me when I say she is absolutely fine. I may not be handling this as others would chose to, but I am behaving in a way that suits me and my mare, furthermore she is being a lot better cared for than many of the broodmares out there.

:)

Good for you. :)

If she does have a foal then I hope all goes smoothly for you all, if not, then, well, you'll know in a bit one way or another. Best of Luck to you :)
 
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sorry missed the previous story and yes i am going to be the one to say..... why oh why haven't you had a vet look at her? what if its twins? have you delt with a mare in foal before? you are asking a forum to guess if she is in foal? seriously get a vet out. for your mares sake :-/

I believe the Vet knows the situation :)

What if it is twins? Too late to do a darn thing about it now really except be prepared and by all accounts all the p's have been attended to.:) Scanning is not infallible, I lost full term twins, and almost the mare (with a Vet in attendance) several years ago and she was scanned at the appropriate dates, it happens, you just kick on and cope with the cards you are dealt with.

Loads of people are first time breeders, it doesn't make for a bad horse owner, at some stage or another we all begin with a first foal/puppy/kitten/child after all.
 
Of course you do all know that the putative foal is not GUARENTEED to arrive exactly on that date, don't you?


:D:D:D yeeeeees :D:D:D



:D:D:D I can get a bit indignant sometimes I'm afraid. I know people are entitled to their opinion, but they could at least read the answers you've already given!

Most people are only trying to help by giving what they believe is good advice, I know, but a few on the previous thread went a little OTT and anyone would think this is a case of horse cruelty/neglect!

If yours was one of the posts which starts "Advice please..." or "what do you think I should do..." (as mine aften do!) it would be different.


I completely agree with you, I don't mind hearing the views and opinions of others because I have complete confidence in how i am handling things, bearing in mind the mare, myself and the circumstances, and I don't need to defend myself because I have you to get indignant for me and ebony :D:D:D

Good for you. :)

If she does have a foal then I hope all goes smoothly for you all, if not, then, well, you'll know in a bit one way or another. Best of Luck to you :)
Thank you :D:D

i am soo glad to see these photos because it might make all of the posters on the last thread think twice about what they said :~) i will eat my hat if she doesnt drop something!

To be fair, if she was carrying twins, there isnt much you could do about it, unless it was planned and the first scan showed twins and it could be pinched, but as you didnt plan it. there isnt much you could do, apart from what you are already doing :~)

My thoughts exactly re: twins, If she's not in foal I could send you my hat to eat too, if you want it? :D

... god, my face is getting achey from all this grinning :D:D

off to yard now to see my (was going to say babies, but that takes on a whole new meaning now lol!) girl and boy, armed with camera.

Stay tuned :D
 
I've been secretly reading these posts :) I'm quite excited!!I hope there is a little foalie :) RE feed - just see how she goes, if shes gets skinnier.. feed abit more! don't worry! I used to work at a stud and the mares got a bucket of stud mix a day - your supplementing so I'm sure she'll be fine! RE rugging - don't be soft :)

No, this is probably not the way I would do it.. but, Your mare is clearly very looked after and obviously wants for nothing! you have covered every eventuality! accidents happen, even if she is not in foal... she just needs to go to fat class a few times and all will be fine!

I wish you and lovely mare all the best, and look forward to updates and maybe... cute foalie pics?!? :) give Ebony some big scratches from us! and tell her to get a move on ;) xxx
 
F-12 I love you :D Can you be my bodyguard? Whenever someone says anything remotely negative you just slap 'em down for me :D:D

If I could package you and sell you, I would make a fortune. :D

ooooooohhhhh errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr soz ard! lol as i said MISSED THE PREVIOUS POST! i do hope she is ok tho and has a speedy uncomplicated birth. and well if she isnt in foal.... what else could it be? any time soon eh:D
 
I've been secretly reading these posts :) I'm quite excited!!I hope there is a little foalie :) RE feed - just see how she goes, if shes gets skinnier.. feed abit more! don't worry! I used to work at a stud and the mares got a bucket of stud mix a day - your supplementing so I'm sure she'll be fine! RE rugging - don't be soft :)

No, this is probably not the way I would do it.. but, Your mare is clearly very looked after and obviously wants for nothing! you have covered every eventuality! accidents happen, even if she is not in foal... she just needs to go to fat class a few times and all will be fine!

I wish you and lovely mare all the best, and look forward to updates and maybe... cute foalie pics?!? :) give Ebony some big scratches from us! and tell her to get a move on ;) xxx


Well, I did go soft... ish! I got up there and it was bucketing it down, so they came into the stables for a bit of respite and dinner, have given her a little bit more feed than normal tonight, and they both had a cake of hay each while they dried off before they went out again but I couldn't do it, they looked so snuggly and warm in their stables and within a short time had wolfed most of their hay down, so I pulled their beds down and gave them a load more hay and water, lots of cuddles and left them in. Its official, I am now a softie, I am always the last to rug and the last to bring in, I am now the first on the yard to bring my horses in, but they didn't seem to mind :D earlier rise tomorrow though... darn it!
 
snuggle bunnies:

as you can see, despite the 'ad lib' hay in her stable, she prefers to check out the bales in the stable next door LOL! (love the shiney eye)
ebony003.jpg

ebony002.jpg


and here is benny... obviously hating being in the warm and dry :D
ebony008-1.jpg



I am sooo soft its embarrasing me :D
 
I've only just found this story and I'm hooked, I really want to find a pic of a lovely little foalie thats popped out soon :D Good luck and I don't blame you for being soft (I am :o )
 
Update on update of update :D

Still no foalie but vulva has started to relax, she has had her food upped, I have NEVER before fed a horse enough to fill a tyre feed bowl :eek: but she loved it :D:D, she wasn't as fractious with her tummy this night as she has been the last couple of nights. Any way here are a few pics, main changes are that the back end seems to be starting to sink a bit and the vulva is relaxing but not pinking up inside yet. Still no bagging up though.

you can see the shadow on the right hand side of her tail where she is starting to sink
ebony019.jpg

ebony018.jpg


No bagging, I confess, I am a bit worrisome about this, I know it may not happen until she drops, but I would rather see it now!
ebony017.jpg

Couple of side views, definate change although it seems more noticable on one side than on the other, it almost seems to lower more when she came in from the field, although thats probably just my imagination lol :D
ebony015.jpg

ebony023.jpg

Definate change here, although not sure if I have before pics, will have to look, but she is definately way more relaxed
ebony022.jpg


She took a wee while I was there, although it was weird, she will usually take ages with it and while she holds her tail up it is still pointing away from her, this time it was short and her tail came completely up and rested over her rump (if you get what I mean?) Is this normal? Does it mean anything? Having a bit of a google about it but if anyone can comment on this Id appreciate it :D

Going up again in a couple of hours YO is checking on her till then.
 
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