Update: she couldn't be in foal could she?

Ibblebibble said:
i've no idea if she looks pregnant or not lol, but if she is, how exciting :D and if she isn't what a shame:(
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Thank you, I kind of feel though that if she isn't, then I can enjoy getting on her and riding gently over the winter so even though the thought that she is exciting, I won't be bothered if she isn't because I love her and can enjoy riding her.

Missyme: It was my understanding that the general method for checking later on in a pregnancy is preferred to be by 'feel of touch' because of the positioning, whilst I know that my vet has a scanner, we didn't really get that far into the conversation (checking method) because after discussing the relative need for checking, it was deemed to be absolutely fine not to.

I quite like the intrigue, since I feel that preparations have been made, I feel relaxed with 'what will be will be' OH just wants me to chuck her out in field and forget about her and book a holiday, because his farming has gone quiet... :eek: I of course replied in the negative!
 
This is exciting.

Foal should definitely be called Lottery Win (lottie if a filly, otto if a colt) if it all happens as that is about the same odds!!

V x
 
thank you,

she is the product of my blood, sweat and tears, my heart and soul and my pride and joy!

What will be will be, if she is, she will be a fantastic mum I am sure :D if not, we will have plenty of fun riding. :D
 
ohhh, I like that Trickivicki...

I was thinking of:

Immaculate Conception or the Devils Daughter for a filly (when she was younger she was a right heller and had the nick name of 'the devil' at her old yard!) But I love the Lottery win because of the lottie/otto use. but I refuse to get ahead of myself, one day at a time...
 
I would certainly ask the vet to call in and do a manual - if she is that far in foal then he will be able to feel the foal really easily.

You do really need to know - to me she doesn't look in foal but fat with no muscle. My Clydie is similar. She has no bag developing.

One week prior to foaling
DSCF1485-1.jpg


36hours before foaling
DSCF1497.jpg
 
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There is just one thing your vet has missed in his advice and that is you should be giving her additional jabs around this time prior to foaling. She should have had the Herpes virus some weeks ago but at the very least a tet booster 6 weeks prior to foaling.

Otherwise, yes, mares foal all the time and no they don't need a lot of additional care. Good luck.
 
I acquired a mare and new little history, i was suspicious of her shape, the low hanging belly, but after getting the vet to do an internal examination it was confirmed she wasnt in foal.
She was just fat, with a grassy and gassy belly and muscle wastage.

You mare has the same shaped belly as my mare.
But main sign is if you see movement in the later stages.

have you done a human pregnancy test?
I did it on my tb mare a few years ago just for a laugh!
and it showed positive, i had already had her scanned to confirm it.
 
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After reading through allof the posts properly i have somemore to say!

I know its good to be laid back, a lot of mares go on to have healthy foals when no one knows they are pregenat.
But if you mare isnt pregnant she has a lot of weight to need to be addresses sooner rather than later.
If she is she need the extra injections that you wouldnt only want to give her if you were certain as the extra expess would be unnedded if she isnt in foal.

Is this vet you have been talking to about your mare the same vet that told you is was ok to put a mare in with a gelding after only a couple of weeks of the having the snip?

If so i wouldnt be taking all of his advise!
Get a proper examination or change vets!
 
I think she looks pregnant, but I know nothing about these things (bred dogs, but not horses). We've had surprises in the past with the dogs ( the 'is she or isn't she' game), including a phantom pregnancy.

I hope that, foal or not, you have a lovely winter with her :D
 
I have very limited knowledge on this but I had a sec a mare who I thought was just fat she popped a foal out :D
I bought her from a rs that I started working on she had been very mistreated not by rs they took her to save her but had no use for her as she was not doing well they had apparently tried to use her on rs :(
I decided that I would buy her for a small amount and see if we could bring her round with tlc, no matter what I was doing the belly would not come off she did look like your mare. I was worried about lami, my boss swore to me he knew nothing about her being near a stallion. But as the weeks went on I became very supious about if it was really fat. Called the vet who wouldn't diagnose one way or other :( I had no experience of mares in foal nor any one else on yard. She started filling teats up quite close to having Ellie but the guy in the next stable had bought a sec a from sales who also turned to be in foal :D she was a oldermare and she bagged up early so it was obvious.
So we had 2 sec a mares on yard who dropped foals within a week of each other, poppy my mare was in her element being a mum and foal had an amazing temperament it all went great.
I would want to know though it drove me mad not being sure :)
 
queenbee said:
she has only run with ben (the coloured horse in my sig) 2 1/2 weeks after he was gelded (I was advised by vet that 2 weeks was safe!)
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A horse at our yard has only just stopped being 'studdy' eight months after being gelded...still wouldn't turn him out with a mare, partly cos it wouldn't be fair to him. What was your vet thinking :0
 
She looks pregnant to me, but then so do some geldings! However, I have to say that some of the replies on this thread have been less than pleasant.
 
Wagtail said:
She looks pregnant to me, but then so do some geldings! However, I have to say that some of the replies on this thread have been less than pleasant.
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I thought so too; I know very little about foaling though so I can't say whether or not I think she's up the duff. But her belly does look very low and 'hanging', similar to in foal mares I've seen.

Anyway, at least the OP is prepared, should she be in foal.. surely that's the most important thing? The OP has thought well about the welfare of the mare and her possible baby.
 
Rather confused since your vet will be able to confirm for sure whether she's in foal or not, so why all the wondering and online posting of photos? Surely it's far better to have the vet out and know for sure one way or another!

My mare came back from stud at 7 months gestation looking like yours. I posted some photos on here asking if she looked in foal - most said yes, but a palpation and scan proved she'd slipped and was merely unfit and a tad over weight.

Have your vet out and be sure. Dont guess. :)
 
blucanoo1990 said:
After reading through allof the posts properly i have somemore to say!

I know its good to be laid back, a lot of mares go on to have healthy foals when no one knows they are pregenat.
But if you mare isnt pregnant she has a lot of weight to need to be addresses sooner rather than later.
If she is she need the extra injections that you wouldnt only want to give her if you were certain as the extra expess would be unnedded if she isnt in foal.

Is this vet you have been talking to about your mare the same vet that told you is was ok to put a mare in with a gelding after only a couple of weeks of the having the snip?

If so i wouldnt be taking all of his advise!
Get a proper examination or change vets!
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Hi, no, not the same vet as gelded ben, the one I have consulted re: pregnancy is my neighbour who breeds horses himself and knows her on more of a personal level although has seen her in the past professionally too.

Going into the winter with this mare, I can guarentee you that weight wise she is fine, she will loose weight in winter, in addition the bulk of her weight is around her abdomen and you can feel her ribs. In addition she does present with a pulse when she carries weight as fat, it has been confirmed by my farrier that this is not the case. I understand your concern but I can honestly say that with my knowledge of ebony she is fine, if it is a foal then that explains her tummy, if it is not then this will go with the winter at which point she will be put on a conditioning mix when necasarry. Time will tell if she is or isn't in foal.
 
Laine said:
If you've had the vet out to her why did he/she not just give her an internal exam and tell you either way??
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sorry I don't think you have correctly read the posts:
I have 'spoken' to the vet who is a personal friend and breeds horses, he also knows my mare, he has seen pictures, I have discussed everything with him and am happy with the guidance that he has given, if he is ok with the way it is being handled then I see no reason for me not to be ok with it.

Ebony is happy, she is healthy, if she is in foal she stands as good a chance as any of producing a healthy foal. If she is just carrying weight it is not as bad as it looks, she does not have fat rolls, you can still feel her ribs and it will drop off soon due to climate change. I refer you to my previos post in response to a query by missyme which outlines my conversation with the vet.

The point is, I do not care either way, because I know ebony and either outcome is ok and not going to be detrimental to my mare. It is costing me little in relative terms to prepare as if she is, and should a foal arrive, I will deal with that, if she isn't her weight will come down with the onset of winter.
 
ironhorse said:
A horse at our yard has only just stopped being 'studdy' eight months after being gelded...still wouldn't turn him out with a mare, partly cos it wouldn't be fair to him. What was your vet thinking :0
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Ben was an absolute gent and a softie right up until they dropped, the advise I was given was 2 weeks from one vet and 4 from another, when I queried the difference I was told that it was fine after 2 weeks in terms of ability to inseminate but that they remained full of hormones, hence the advice for 4 weeks. Ben settled down very quickly in temperament after gelding, so I was happy, based on the advice that I had been given to put him in since he was in no way acting like an idiot. In addition, I had any number of fields that I could have separated them too, should it have been necesarry due to temperament, it was not needed he never once behaved in an agressive manner to her.
 
Tinypony said:
Shame you're feeling that you have to prove that you're not a negligent owner. It sounds as if you've got it covered to me.
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From a breeders perspective I don't think OP has it covered at all.

Is OP using the same vet who told her that a mare was safe to go in with a gelding who was only castrated 2 weeks prior?

The same vet who does not think it imperative to scan the mare before 17 days to make sure she is not carrying twins?

A vet who does not advise the mare owner of all vaccinations which should have been given to the mare prior to foaling?

This vet has been highly irresponsible and potentially could have put this mares life at serious risk. As it is I do not think the mare is pregnant and if I was the owner I would be very relieved that she isn't.
 
Wagtail said:
She looks pregnant to me, but then so do some geldings! However, I have to say that some of the replies on this thread have been less than pleasant.
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LOL! :D

it happens, I am not fussed, no some could be viewed as that, but it doesn't bother me, i feel that for ebony and me, this is the right way and am happy and relaxed with my decision. That is not to say that other people are wrong, just that i am doing what feels right to me in this situation, and I can't remember my gut instinct failing me and my horses to date so I must do something right, if the vet had been outraged at my approach or suggested against it i would have taken his advice. People just have different ways of doing things, different reasoning and different approaches. I am more than happy for anyone to post any view on here because I am not doubting myself, equally, if I were, then to hear others advice and methods and opinions would be useful :)
 
I just don't understand? Why hasn't OP called the vet out to confirm it? I understand it would be a nice surprise and all, but I'd want to know to protect my horse as much as I can.

Just doesn't seem logical to me, but maybe it's just me?
 
Spyda said:
Rather confused since your vet will be able to confirm for sure whether she's in foal or not, so why all the wondering and online posting of photos? Surely it's far better to have the vet out and know for sure one way or another!

My mare came back from stud at 7 months gestation looking like yours. I posted some photos on here asking if she looked in foal - most said yes, but a palpation and scan proved she'd slipped and was merely unfit and a tad over weight.

Have your vet out and be sure. Dont guess. :)
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I understand your query, the posting online, was merely so people could follow the progress of 'is she, isn't she?' I thought they might enjoy it. If she is unfit and overweight then a month or so off at the onset of winter is not worrying me, I can still feel her ribcage... just, and it is no crime to let a horse who has given her heart year in, year out have a bit of time off in the field. I have taken lots of pictures because I wanted to chart her progress and see what the outcome is. She is bright, sparky, healthy, so I am happy to just see what happens. I really don't feel an overwhelming need to know for sure since I feel we are both prepared whatever the outcome. I enjoy the musing, the fact that I see something, some change or feel some really wierd movement and think... 'YES, she is!' then by the time I go to bed I talk myself down and say 'NO, she can't be!' I think its a journey that we are both taking, I am spending even more time with her than I did, we are walking in hand up and down the lane with ben. It has made me do some things that I wouldn't normally do with her and we are both enjoying it. As long as we are prepared 'in case' I am really happy not knowing because of the different 'type' of time and attention I am enjoying with her.
 
The thing is every mare is different! My mare went to stud to have her foal, she bagged up slightly but nothing in comparison to other mares I have seen that are about to drop, she didn't change shape and her muscles didn't slacken off at all. I would say she looked like your mare 2 weeks before she had baby. She had no waxing up so we thought we had another week to wait. She then had baby in the middle of the field at 4.30pm on a sunny afternoon surrounded by all her broodmare buddies!
She was a maiden mare - she was HUGE but has always been impossible to keep weight off anyway - plus her pregnancy was deliberate so I wasn't questioning it.

Queenbee - I don't have a clue if she is in foal or not but it is clear you adore your mare and what will be will be! I look forward to updates and the next few weeks will be very interesting I am sure.
 
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