Yearling filly in foal. Help needed.

[TheTrotter.]

Hello, a friend of mine recently purchased a yearling filly, had her around a month now, and her previous owner let her run with a stallion since weaning, so is definatly in foal.
I know this is not common practice, but I understand it does happen.
Can anybody offer me any advice on what extra things we should do with her? Feeding, management etc...
Me and my friend have no experiance in breeding so would like all the advice we can get in ensuring the filly and the foal inside are as healthy as possible..
Thankyou.

 

[Maesfen]

How do you KNOW it's in foal; have you had her tested? If you haven't then that is a priority to have done by a decent equine repro vet (no dearer than any other just more experienced with all things breeding. If you give us your locality someone will probably be able to recommend one)

It might not be too late to abort any foetus and from preference that is certainly what I would do to give the filly every chance to grow on easily and properly.

Until you have her tested there is no way for knowing for sure and only then can you make a decision as to what you have to do. Come back and let us know when she's been tested as there is still time to alter things if it's done early enough.

 

[TheTrotter.]

Our vet has checked her, she is definatly in foal. Possibly around 2months gone, going to get a second opinion, but he seemed pretty sure!

 

[bonny]

What checks did he do ?

 

[sallyf]

If shes only around 2 months in foal it would be pretty easy to abort her at this point in time without any serious consequences.
It may take more than 1 prostaglandin injection to do it though but then they are only around £7 each.
I certainly wouldn't be letting her carry the pregnancy on

 

[TheTrotter.]

Ultrasound, so he is certain she is in foal.

 

[Maesfen]

If shes only around 2 months in foal it would be pretty easy to abort her at this point in time without any serious consequences.
It may take more than 1 prostaglandin injection to do it though but then they are only around £7 each.
I certainly wouldn't be letting her carry the pregnancy on

Absolutely agree with Sally.

 

[Capriole]

Another that would rather she wasn't put through a pregnancy here, at her young age. If she was mine I would be speaking to my vet about aborting the foal.

 

[bonny]

I'm guessing that your friend bought her thinking she was in foal seeing as she checked so soon after buying her and before anything can have shown ? So presumably she wants her to have the foal ? How big and how old is she ?

 

[TheTrotter.]

I'm guessing that your friend bought her thinking she was in foal seeing as she checked so soon after buying her and before anything can have shown ? So presumably she wants her to have the foal ? How big and how old is she ?

Yes, she knew she was/possibly in foal when she bought her..
She doesn't want to have the foal, but after speaking to the vet, simply aborting the foetus is not possible, if it was possible it would have been done..
Filly is about 11hh, a heinz 57 really, and is a year and 3months old, so will foal next year.

 

[bonny]

Yes, she knew she was/possibly in foal when she bought her..
She doesn't want to have the foal, but after speaking to the vet, simply aborting the foetus is not possible, if it was possible it would have been done..
Filly is about 11hh, a heinz 57 really, and is a year and 3months old, so will foal next year.

Bit late now but I have to ask why your friend bought her ?

 

[TheTrotter.]

Bit late now but I have to ask why your friend bought her ?

A pity buy really, she didn't actually think there was much of a chance of her being in foal, being so young.

 

[twiggy2]

if your friend had the vet out and he scanned her surely he would have given care advice?

if not he/she is the person to ask.

i have no experience of breeding but would have thought that such a lengthy pregnancy would be fine to abort at 2 months. was there a reason why this is not so ?

 

[TheTrotter.]

All I was asked, was to post on here asking for advice on how to manage the mare.

I do not have any control on whether the owner aborts the pregnancy, all I know is that she has told me it simply is not possible.

If anybody does have any advice it would be greatly appreciated, as this is a owner who does not have any experiance breeding, let along a yearling..

 

[bonny]

All I was asked, was to post on here asking for advice on how to manage the mare.

I do not have any control on whether the owner aborts the pregnancy, all I know is that she has told me it simply is not possible.

If anybody does have any advice it would be greatly appreciated, as this is a owner who does not have any experiance breeding, let along a yearling..

Don't really know what you expect people to advise, it all sounds very irresponsible but I guess if she's continuing with the pregnancy then all she can do is treat her as any other pregnant mare and hope for the best.....

 

[Maesfen]

I think that is probably your friend deciding SHE doesn't want to abort rather than it being impossible to abort now as of course it is rarely impossible to purposely abort at any stage except very late in pregnancy which she isn't.

 

[AJBliss]

Perhaps she should discuss with a reproduction specialist. It is not fair to the filly to simply to decide to continue when aborting the foetus shouldn't be too difficult at this stage, as sallyf says--it should be a matter of a few injections under veterinary guidance. There are several great repro vets in this country who her vet could contact to check a good protocol for this filly. If your friend purchased her as a "pity buy", why continue the pregnancy if she doesn't have to go through it? Best of luck, this is what I would be doing were I her, and I do have experience breeding. If I could avoid having a pregnant yearling, I most certainly would!

 

[Capriole]

You are getting advise, and advise from people who actually do have experience in breeding and owning youngstock, so I don't get your problem. People are asking questions to get the full picture. Ask the vet if you have questions and you don't like our answers

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

I am far from an expert on breeding, but I am well aware that it is extremely possible to abort this poor little filly's unwanted offspring at 2 months and further if necessary for the filly's well being.

If she bought her purely out of pity then I have to question why she is happy to allow this risky pregnancy to continue. It really isn't in the best interests of either the filly or the unborn foal is it? If she has asked you to post on here about care etc., cant you report back that the general opinion is not to go through with the pregnancy and try and persuade her this really isn't a good idea at all?

 

[FionaM12]

It seems very naive to suggest going on a forum to find out how to manage her whole pregnancy! It's obviously a huge topic and not something anyone can give you instructions on in a few posts.

This is a great place for ongoing support though if your friend wants to join and ask specific questions as things progress. She needs to be aware though that her seemingly irresponsible decision to leave such a baby in foal is likely to be challenged if she does so.

 

[TheTrotter.]

She would like to know whether she should be doing anything diffrent with her, at the moment she is turned out with a gelding, with no extra feed, just grass. So when should we feed her anything extra? and what would you reccomend?

 

[cptrayes]

She would like to know whether she should be doing anything diffrent with her, at the moment she is turned out with a gelding, with no extra feed, just grass. So when should we feed her anything extra? and what would you reccomend?

If your friend is having to ask these questions through you and not even direct (and you are a brand new poster yourself) then she is completely irresponsible to allow this pregnancy, if it really exists, to continue. Go back to her and tell her to abort the foal as a welfare issue for the poor little filly.

And maybe advise her to buy a goat next time, not a pony.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Personally I would be aborting the foal. This baby should be getting fed for her own growth, not having it stunted by having a baby

Tell your friend to google, there are plenty of breeding tips available online. Pity buy or not she should be making the best decision for the horse not the prospect of having a cute wee foal next year which is what it looks like by the postings. Tell your friend to join and field these questions herself unless this is another on of those 'MY FRIEND has just..............' posts when its really the OP Call me cynical.......

 

[TheTrotter.]

Tell your friend to join and field these questions herself unless this is another on of those 'MY FRIEND has just..............' posts when its really the OP Call me cynical.......

Not Cynical at all, just didn't want to be thrown abuse at..
Simply want advice on what to do, other than aborting. Seems this was the wrong place to be asking for advice, just get looked down upon.

 

[FionaM12]

and what would you reccomend?

You already know what everyone would recommend.

 

[FionaM12]

Not Cynical at all, just didn't want to be thrown abuse at..
Simply want advice on what to do, other than aborting. Seems this was the wrong place to be asking for advice, just get looked down upon.

No-one is looking down on you. They are all just honestly telling you what they would do, or recommend anyone else to do. The prime concern here is this poor filly's welfare.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Seems this was the wrong place to be asking for advice, just get looked down upon.

You have been given some very sound advice from experienced breeders - it's just not the advice you wanted to hear.

 

[TheTrotter.]

Forget it. I'll look somewhere else for advice.

 

[AJBliss]

Yes, she knew she was/possibly in foal when she bought her..
She doesn't want to have the foal, but after speaking to the vet, simply aborting the foetus is not possible

Here, you say she does not want to have the foal, and now you say that she does not want to abort it. If she does not want to have the foal, and her vet has told her aborting the foetus is not possible, please have her ask her vet to consult with a specialist. I'm not sure why the recommendations here have suddenly changed how she feels from not wanting a foal to wanting a foal...?

 

[Maesfen]

Not Cynical at all, just didn't want to be thrown abuse at..
Simply want advice on what to do, other than aborting. Seems this was the wrong place to be asking for advice, just get looked down upon.

TBH there is no other advice rather than aborting. It is not something to be taken lightly to be breeding from something so young and if there is any possible means to avoid the pregnancy, it should be taken.
I actually find your vet very naive and unrealistic to have given you that poor advice; it shows they have no experience in this field and is possibly looking at it from the money angle because your friend is surely going to need them a lot before, during and after foaling if there is to be successful outcome without endangering the mare.
I find it very hard to stomach that your friend and their vet should be so irresponsible as to let it continue.