Vet reckons little feral pony might be in foal - if she is, what do I need to know?

TheMule

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Progress today! It is two weeks since her teats started to change - any ideas how long? She is settled atm, sticking with the herd, so pretty sure not imminent!!

You've probably got a bit of a wait yet- possibly still a couple of weeks, but they can change quickly so do keep monitoring closely!
 

maya2008

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Thanks all, the pictures are very useful! I would love to have a month left before she foals, she would be so much more handled by then! Should be able to do up the head collar today, get her used to taking it on and off for feeding. I doubt she has ever been vaccinated so hoping to get that done as soon as we can hold her for it. Even the first dose would be hugely better than nothing!
 

maya2008

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She is less round now - except for when she turns one way to drink or look and tummy sticks out a mile! I am guessing that means her belly has dropped?
 

maya2008

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Couldn’t get underneath her today but got these. Her vaccination has been put off a week as the vets had an emergency (and not much space to book us back in).
 

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meleeka

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Hopefully not too long to wait, but as you say another couple of weeks would be handy. I’m not sure we can all cope with all this waiting though!
 

TheMule

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She was standing apart from the others today - but I don’t think she is ready. Two of them had had an almighty argument, so she might have just been keeping safe.

All the creases need to fill in and teats themselves will swell too. I'd say you're a few days off at least- have you got some pH testing strips?
 

maya2008

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Have you not separated her?

Not yet - Mr gelding was brought under control by his ‘wives’ and they all ceased physically telling her off at all quite a few weeks ago. Any arguments and she is sent away/one of the others stands between her and the arguing ones. She is also so attached to her friend (who cannot go into the smaller paddock as there is too much grass in there for her) that I wanted to leave her with her herd until she was close. Their field is large, she can get quite far away if she chooses, but so far she has always been with the others. The paddock is just an extension of that field, so can move her instantly and it is the same environment.

Chances of catching her once in the paddock are also less (more grass) and she needs at least one vaccination before foal, so for that reason also. Vet due Thursday, hope he can give an estimation of due date (would be nice!). I am hoping we have a few more weeks, but if she had stayed away from the others today (or given any other signs) we would have moved her.

Maybe it is the wrong call, but even on here no one thinks she is close, vet says given her age likely to be well into the summer (because she would have had to get pregnant aged one or thereabouts…) and her whole herd are looking after her like she is literally made of glass. I also don’t want her stressed and unhappy, and right now I would have a stressed, frightened mare if I split her off - potentially for up to a month before foal arrives.
 

maya2008

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Hot tub testing strips are the best thing and can really accurately predict the foaling. She would have to be comfortable with you touching her udder

She will let my husband do pretty much anything while she is eating - he checks her over, brushes her, strokes her all over to get her used to it. It is he who gets the udder pics each day! Where do I find them?
 

TheMule

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Something like this will do- https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/18426972...yatV-GffymFtoQedOfmzjobRf3kBEtZRoCHmMQAvD_BwE
You just squeeze 1 drop onto the test strip (can milk into a small lid or similar then dip or directly on) and you're looking for a drop in pH (it will start over 7.8 when not close and then drop down to below 6.2 within approx 24-48 hours- yellow is the magic colour! Sometimes they do drop v quickly so I test twice a day. The total hardness (calcium) will rise too.
Dead easy and pretty reliable
 

maya2008

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Well…she’s had her first vaccination, which in itself was drama-free. Didn’t take kindly to the vet though so took a little while to let him near her!

He said that without putting his hand inside, he couldn’t tell for sure if she was pregnant. Although he did then say in conversation, ‘when she foals you might have trouble getting her to accept help if she needs it.’

So I have no more idea of due date or anything else than I did before!

I had to go before the end, and husband forgot to ask about safe wormers to use in late pregnancy - what can we give her that’s ok?
 

maya2008

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WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D:D:D:D colt or filly and what happened, were you there for the birth,

Missed it by minutes I reckon. Not me there, husband is - her favourite person so all good. He checked her over 4 hours ago, tail clamped, bag not full, peacefully grazing, not restless, no signs she was imminent at all!!!!

Vet on way to check… we have no idea what we are doing, would much rather pay for help if they are happy to come!
 
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