Update, for those who are interested

QB she is past her due date now isnt she? how longer before you give up on the foal idea and then have to worry about why she looks preggers etc?
 
I have not posted so far , have tried to keep out of it BUT am I right in understanding that this mare is 19yo and that this is possibly her first foal? Am I also right in thinking that the OP has not had a vet actually look at the mare but only spoken on the telephone?
 
Well if you HAD read it then you would know that others have also shared the same disbelief and the whole "OMG QB is a dreadful owner and should never have horses :eek:" has been done to death. She is doing things her way, she has experienced people on hand, and she is prepared for all eventualities. Just because she is doing things a different way to most other people doesn't mean she is neglecting her horse.
This thread is for the people, like me, who are interested in Ebony's progress, I believe there is another thread for people like you who are outraged about the whole situation to discuss the whys and wherefores of her doing things differently.


http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=483179
 
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This is an Open Forum, if something is posted then by definition all can read and all can post, you cannot dictate that only 'nice' things can be posted. As I said, I was not going to post but your ill informed comments have made my mind up so I WILL post exactly what I think.

It is fairly obvious that you have not had much experience foaling mares, IF you did, you would understand that NINETEEN is far too old for a first foal, I understand that it was an accidental covering (however I would not have put a newly cut colt in with a mare in the first place) but to then compound the matter by not getting the vet to do a simple exam of the mare in question is unforgivable, I do not care how many 'experienced' cow breeders are close to the OP. The OP does not even know for sure the mare's due date but it would appear that she is past it now and yet she is STILL in a mixed field of horses?????

If the mare is in foal, I pray to God that there are no complications, if she is not then I worry that there is a tumour, either way she need to be seen by a vet and pronto.
 
I love the way that you have decided you know exactly what my experience is with horses based on 2 posts. Actually I HAVE got experienced with in foal mares, foals and stallions, having worked on several studs over the years including a yard with a lot of mares and foals, yearlings and 2 year olds, perhaps you will have heard of North Farm Stud?
Yes I know that 19 is old for a maiden mare, however as QB has stated the mare was given a clean bill of health earlier this year by a vet who was called for an unrelated reason.
How many BOGOF stories have you heard of? I have heard quite a few and not one of those mares had a problem with their foals, despite the fact that many owners have just thought they were fat to begin with and put them on diets!
 
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QB has answered what you are asking/saying already.

I understand you and many others may not agree, but its not your, my or any other person's decision. Arguments have been done to death on this thread already...I think there's been enough now.
 
broke_but_happy said:
How many BOGOF stories have you heard of? I have heard quite a few and not one of those mares had a problem with their foals, despite the fact that many owners have just thought they were fat to begin with and put them on diets!
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I would say you, and they, were lucky then. I have seen both mares and foals who have not had a 'happy ending'. So has the OP, as she stated earlier in this thread:

queenbee said:
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.
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rhino said:
I would say you, and they, were lucky then. I have seen both mares and foals who have not had a 'happy ending'. So has the OP, as she stated earlier in this thread:
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But again how many mares have you seen to have problems even with the appropriate checks, jabs, feeding, worming, etc? Swings and roundabouts, no matter how you go about it there will always be mares who have problems foaling.
I am not saying that this is how I would handle the situation, far from it, but the OP has decided that this is how she is handling things and I do not see the point in poster after poster telling her in no uncertain terms how unusual and unorthodox her decisions are. There is another thread for that discussion and I, personally, would like this thread to stay as it was intended - for those of use who are interested to hear about Ebony is getting on.
 
Hi all, FWIW I am starting to lean towards the 'not in foal' camp again, for a number of reasons I suppose. She is looking a little more waif like :D although interestingly it is harder to see her ribs, almost like she has put on a slight fatty layer but lost the bloat. Whilst not her old 'nutter' self she is more chipper and jumped the hosepipe on the way to the field this morning. I am assuming that the puffiness and relaxation of the vulva and teats that I have observed has probably been more to do with her being stabled at night rather than anything else. I am also suspecting that the more relaxed nature that she has been displaying may purely have been a combination of factors, to include being 'teacher to a baby' and possibly she was feeling a bit stodgy from being bloated. For those who think that a horse should not be bloated, this horse does get bloated and has loose droppings, in the past she has been checked by vets relating to this and they have told me not to worry. This year she was more bloated than normal and that is what made me think that it may not just be 'bloating' now however I am starting to believe that this is what it was. I do however want to be certain about this, my main reason for having the vet come is to have confirmation that she is/is not in foal. As I said in my previous post, this will be happening on Thursday. When I hope, (even though a foal would have been a welcome and much adored addition) I will be given the 'all clear' to ride.
 
Amaranta said:
IF you did, you would understand that NINETEEN is far too old for a first foal,
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We had a maiden mare of 19 foal this year .... she did it in the field whilst out in the day (she was stabled at night). No problems, lovely foal.

She may be an exception to the rule but she completely disproves your above shouty statement :D.
 
quirky said:
We had a maiden mare of 19 foal this year .... she did it in the field whilst out in the day (she was stabled at night). No problems, lovely foal.

She may be an exception to the rule but she completely disproves your above shouty statement :D.
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Lol! Bless her, glad it worked out for you and apologies to your mare, I was not being ageist - honest!
 
Amaranta said:
Lol! Bless her, glad it worked out for you and apologies to your mare, I was not being ageist - honest!
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no, just Queenbeeist, no offence Amaranta but if quirky put a maiden into foal out of choice (sorry quirky... presuming here!) at 19, and Ebony 'accidentally was in foal at age 18, and yes you were wrong, she is 19 next year, why is it so bad of me but not a scathing word to quirky. I realise that my decisions have got peoples backs up on here, but I wish people would understand that I really do know the ins and outs of my horses, and I trust my judgement, I am not an oracle when it comes to horses, and agree that there are those who are far more knowledgeable than I am, but I do know this little mare and whatever people on here think, I would not do anything to harm her. The wellbeing of my horses are and always will be, my priority.

just read quirkys post, so not her mare, but the sentiment remains the same.
 
queenbee said:
no, just Queenbeeist, no offence Amaranta but if quirky put a maiden into foal out of choice (sorry quirky... presuming here!) at 19, and Ebony 'accidentally was in foal at age 18, and yes you were wrong, she is 19 next year, why is it so bad of me but not a scathing word to quirky. I realise that my decisions have got peoples backs up on here, but I wish people would understand that I really do know the ins and outs of my horses, and I trust my judgement, I am not an oracle when it comes to horses, and agree that there are those who are far more knowledgeable than I am, but I do know this little mare and whatever people on here think, I would not do anything to harm her. The wellbeing of my horses are and always will be, my priority.
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Firstly, Quirky's mare was not accidentally put in foal, she received proper care towards the end of her gestation, I would imagine that she was also separated from the herd near to her time.

The fact that your mare is 19 is only one of the things I believe were detrimental to her health, it is more the fact that you only consulted a vet over the telephone and then decided to 'wait and see', many many things could have gone wrong, the age of the mare was the least of her problems - btw do you know WHY 19 is rather old for a first foal?
 
queenbee said:
This year she was more bloated than normal and that is what made me think that it may not just be 'bloating' now however I am starting to believe that this is what it was.
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How would you account for the 'foal movements' you saw though? Foal movements leap and bounce and are very extravagant movements, quite unlike anything else that goes on in the abdomen. Nothing else can produce such an array of erratic movements :confused:
 
Spring Feather said:
How would you account for the 'foal movements' you saw though? Foal movements leap and bounce and are very extravagant movements, quite unlike anything else that goes on in the abdomen. Nothing else can produce such an array of erratic movements :confused:
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Just another one of the things I will be checking out with the vet, I remember when I was a child and got scared I would 'see things in the dark' that weren't there. Perhaps this is the case, perhaps I am talking myself out of it, but there is still a foal in there? Who knows! I did see movement and lumps and bumps, still can, and she is still narky when you touch her flanks and tummy. However there is less noticeable movement and while this could be explained by foal growth and positioning, I am less convinced. Vet is coming on Thursday and will be able to say one way or the other, speculation can then stop and I can get on with getting her fit if she isn't.

Amaranta, I am aware of the potential problems in older maiden mares, however since the majority of these are associated with foaling and as you will have read ebony was only assumed possibly in foal in august you will of course concede that this was too late to do anything about it. In addition to this she was given a clean bill of health for foaling aged 15. Finally not to be overly picky or to labour the point... SHE IS 18!!!
 
queenbee said:
I do however want to be certain about this, my main reason for having the vet come is to have confirmation that she is/is not in foal. As I said in my previous post, this will be happening on Thursday. When I hope, (even though a foal would have been a welcome and much adored addition) I will be given the 'all clear' to ride.
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Hallelujah - I actually hope that however much you say that we haven't influenced you that the many many posters on this thread that have implored you to get a vets opinion may just have had an effect. That's why I think it is important that people HAVE posted their views even if they were unpopular to others. Once you know for sure what is up with your mare you can start to put things in place to deal with it - that is putting your mare's wellbeing at the top of your priorities. Waiting and seeing, in my opinion was very far from it.
 
Bedlam said:
Hallelujah - I actually hope that however much you say that we haven't influenced you that the many many posters on this thread that have implored you to get a vets opinion may just have had an effect. That's why I think it is important that people HAVE posted their views even if they were unpopular to others. Once you know for sure what is up with your mare you can start to put things in place to deal with it - that is putting your mare's wellbeing at the top of your priorities. Waiting and seeing, in my opinion was very far from it.
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Apologies in advance for blowing my top at you here but read my past posts before you presume to patronise me. It was always my intention to call the vet if/when she went over what would be her due date and if you were not intent on being so bloody sanctimonious and had read the history then you would have seen that. Furthermore I can pretty much guarantee that if she is not in foal the vet will be happy with her health, I'm no vet, never said I was but I know my mare. If for one second you or anyone else thinks I have not had my mares wellbeing at the top of my priorities at all times then quite frankly your narrow minded and ill informed opinion is not one that I hold in high esteem.
 
Looking forward to Thursday's update either way and glad to hear Ebony doing well.

You've been defended so well by yourself and others I will keep out of it this time :D
 
Good luck I just heard tonight about a human who was told 3 years ago that they couldnt have children and didnt know they were 6.5months pregnant.

So what will be either way............if its wanted foal great, thats the main thing.......she looks like she has changed shape more underneath ie lower...my gelding can look that fat though................and i have no idea if its pregnant or not(I just know I was like an elephant)

But will look forward to the next update and good luck.........so pls come back to let us know if it is a big FART(as suggested earlier) or indeed in foal etc

Good luck ...ignore the snipes. You sound like a caring owner.
 
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