# My mare has a fat tummy... could possibly be pregnant? :)



## cassie (Jan 19, 2012)

Hi Everyone






I have a 9 year old mare I have had her almost a year.

She was quite skinny when I got her and so built up her feed and have had her on pretty good grass (the place I got her from had no grass at all... so she loves it here )

I started dropping her back to a stable diet about 3-4 months ago I would like to show her a little this year but she has quite a tummy we thought she was pregnant but the previous owner doesn't think

there is any way she could have got in with his stallion,

so my question is... what is the best way to get her to lose her tummy? I have added pictures so you can see how she is currently...

she has had two foals with her previous owner, but not for 4 years or more...

I tried to put her on the lunge but she doesn't know how to lunge. I put her over a few jumps and she takes them well she is actually quite a good little jumper





would love your help with this.

Thank you.













Sorry she needs a bath and haircut desperatley. Thanks for the help


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## Marty (Jan 19, 2012)

She's so pretty! And she looks like she can be pregnant so I think you need to get her tested before anymore jumping and exercises just to be sure.





Sometimes its really hard to tell between a belly full of grass and a belly full of foal! Best wishes.


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## cassie (Jan 19, 2012)

Marty said:


> She's so pretty! And she looks like she can be pregnant so I think you need to get her tested before anymore jumping and exercises just to be sure.


Thanks Marty she is my special girl, I love her to bits  I know she has faults but hoping to work on those...





regarding the pregnant status, I thought she was too. a few months ago I did the wee foal test and it came back as a faint negative ( I know they can be wrong) LOL

so I put her on a massive diet doesn't seem to be helping... I will have had her a year in March and I have no stallions on my property so it would have had to have been at the old owners place, I rang him (he is a bit of an idiot sorry to say hehe)

he said he thought there was no way she could have gotten in with a stallion... this being said the other mare I got from him WAS in foal and had a beautiful little colt three months ago and he said back then "the stallion got through the fence to her"

so you can see how hard this is for me lol

I would guess she would be coming up to 300 days due I got her end of march, and I thought it could be very possible she is pregnant her tummy is hard, not soft (fatty)

the old owner said she gets absoloutly massive when in foal and that I would be able to tell straight away. he only had the one foal from her but surely she would get just as big if she WAS pregnant again? wouldn't you think? thanks

oh she is 35-36" tall


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## AnnaC (Jan 20, 2012)

Well said Marty! We, as Cassie's friends, also think that Penny could be pregnant! So Cassie I still think that you should give Penny just a little more time to prove us all wrong before you go full steam ahead on a work programme.





You say that she has had 2 colts - well she could be carrying a filly this time! Mares can, and often do, carry foals of different sexes in different ways, so she may not get 'huge' with this one. She is already showing a little filling in the veins in front of her udder and she could still have another 6 weeks or so before her due foaling date.

Hang in there, she might yet suprise you!!


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## Wings (Jan 20, 2012)

If she isn't pregnant I'd dry lot her, my show team are on minmal to no grass and most are stabled at night. Carefully balanced small feeds and slow supply of roughage. I hate lunging so I trot my guys out alongside our very small tractor.


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## cassie (Jan 20, 2012)

AnnaC said:


> 1327044574[/url]' post='1441465']Well said Marty! We, as Cassie's friends, also think that Penny could be pregnant! So Cassie I still think that you should give Penny just a little more time to prove us all wrong before you go full steam ahead on a work programme.
> 
> 
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Lol ok thanks Anna



I will wait a bit longer hehe it would be exciting n I can prove her previous owner wrong hehe



If she is pregnant you will all see her on marestare in the next few weeks



Fingers crossed everyone







Wings said:


> 1327045029[/url]' post='1441466']If she isn't pregnant I'd dry lot her, my show team are on minmal to no grass and most are stabled at night. Carefully balanced small feeds and slow supply of roughage. I hate lunging so I trot my guys out alongside our very small tractor.


Thanks Bree



Suzies n Finn are practically on a dry lot... So I'd put her in with them or in another dy lot paddock I haveThanks for the advice


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## targetsmom (Jan 20, 2012)

I am not sure which pregnancy test you ran, but if it was a Wee Foal 38 I would not trust the results too much. I had two (out of three) incorrect results on that test this year and others also posted problems with that test this past year. I would watch her carefully for signs of udder development at this point because you do know the latest she could possibly have been bred. You could also have an external ultrasound, but I think I would just wait and watch. I once bought a mare that the seller insisted was not pregnant and she had a mule 8 months later - in November, in New England! Good thing I noticed she was bagging up!


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## cassie (Jan 21, 2012)

Thanks for the advice targetsmom



Will do



Will keep you involved with any updates


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## rabbitsfizz (Jan 21, 2012)

What a pretty mare!! I almost hope she is in foal for you





I am in the "she's pregnant" camp, so no more jumping, OK??

If she is pregnant she is in BRILLIANT condition.

If she is not then she needs a bit of toning. Dry lots have no place with me, I have good grass and anything that is not showing has free access (within reason, I do not want laminitis!) My show stock are out in the day, all day, and in at night, They do get exercised- you need to build a round pen of some sort, it can be done quite cheaply if it does not have to be pretty, and you can replace it when you can afford it.

For instance - a sort of round pen can be cobbled together out of jumping poles and tin cans- you will need to use a lunge line in a pen like this but it just stops the animal constantly pulling away form you, which green on the lunge horses tend to do, and is useful to teach them to lunge in. DO NOT DO THIS UNTIL YOU HAVE MADE SURE SHE IS NOT IN FOAL.

Look, mistakes happen to the best of us, I had a three year old filly down with the geldings, on a crash diet because she was so fat. She had a lovely little filly foal and was a wonderful mother, BUT I did not breed her, the girl who looked after my horses when I was away for three days thought it would be funny to let the stallion in with the mares and I had two completely unexpected foals (I do not breed two year olds) one of which was nearly killed by a vet misdiagnosing her filling bag as mastitis and prescribing steroids- so, please do another test or better still get an ultrasound.

You mare would look WONDERFUL in harness, she is built for it and such a lovely colour.


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## supaspot (Jan 21, 2012)

Im in the probably pregnant camp too so follow the good advice already given , she sure is pretty too , love her colour and markings

if she does foal have you any idea of what the possible sire/s is like ?


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## AJ (Jan 21, 2012)

Feel for foal movement.


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## cassie (Jan 22, 2012)

rabbitsfizz said:


> What a pretty mare!! I almost hope she is in foal for you
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Thanks for the advice RabbitsFizz





she was quite scared when I first got her, but with some love and attention she is turning into a really sweet and loving mare





Thank you all so much for the advice you have given, and until the end of march (when Its a year and I will know whether she is in foal or not LOL) I will not do any jumping or lunging... I don't want to hurt her or the suspected baby



\

the round pen Idea is brilliant, and I'm sure I can knock something together pretty easily  we own cattle and have a stock yard which i can move around and put into a circle



so thanks for the idea

how awful about your poor little filly I'm so glad she had a beautiful foal and she was ok, but how scary for you... I bet you were annoyed to say the least...

I honestly have never tried harness LOL I could try have to find someone around who does it. alot of people on here say she would look great in harness so I will try to find one n learn how to use it





Thank you very much for your help.



supaspot said:


> Im in the probably pregnant camp too so follow the good advice already given , she sure is pretty too , love her colour and markings
> 
> if she does foal have you any idea of what the possible sire/s is like ?


Hi SupaSpot, thankyou I will, your all so lovely to help me (from the other side of the world hehe)

there would be two possible stallions...

one is a bay and white pinto with blue eyes, Gift Horse Blue Mystery




and a taffy or silver bay with 4 white socks Gift Horse Silver Star






AJ said:


> Feel for foal movement.


Hi AJ I have felt for movement, and I *thought* I could feel little flutterings... but nothing huge... so its still very much up in the air for me LOL

here are some recent pics of her, not brilliant but I took them to see her tummy, and the easiest way to take pics is when she is eating LOL so she is not all over me





Thanks for all the advice and please keep it coming





this would be my second foal (*if *she is pregnant and I still have SO much to learn )

Thank you all!!!!













I also have udder photos and one of her rear end if you would like to see... thought I would check before I just add them in here


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## lucky lodge (Jan 22, 2012)

yer you know we like photos.............


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## rabbitsfizz (Jan 22, 2012)

Udder pictures are fine, they would far from the strangest things we have seen on here


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## supaspot (Jan 22, 2012)

she definately looks in foal in those last pics , great that you know the possibles sire , at least you will be able to reg the foal


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## cassie (Jan 22, 2012)

supaspot said:


> 1327260783[/url]' post='1441792']she definately looks in foal in those last pics , great that you know the possibles sire , at least you will be able to reg the foal


Thanks



Yeah they aren't great pics of either stallion but theirownerhas sold them n they are the only pics I have... Will put up udder photos after work today



Thanks for the help


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## Tremor (Jan 22, 2012)

On the topic of pictures of our mare's modest parts, I am a firm believer of taking pictures, checking milk changes (texture, color, tastes), checking vulva for changes, and testing milk.

If the cops were to ever get a hold of my computer they would probably think that I was some sort of bestiality freak because I have 500 pictures from a 2010 pregnancy and probably 100+ from 2011's. So uh, keep that in mind.





If you have an email I can email anybody who interested a powerpoint I made of my mare's 2011 pregnancy. It covers ways to predict the foaling and shows pictures to show the change over the course of time from a month to right before. It covers the belly, vulva, croup, milk, and PH testing. I've used this process to predict four foalings.


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## cassie (Jan 22, 2012)

Tremor said:


> On the topic of pictures of our mare's modest parts, I am a firm believer of taking pictures, checking milk changes (texture, color, tastes), checking vulva for changes, and testing milk.
> 
> If the cops were to ever get a hold of my computer they would probably think that I was some sort of bestiality freak because I have 500 pictures from a 2010 pregnancy and probably 100+ from 2011's. So uh, keep that in mind.
> 
> ...


WOW Tremor I would love to see that if its ok?

my email...

[email protected]

this is only my second foal... if she is in foal so I still have HEAPS to learn





ok here are some udder pics comparison from 18th Jan, pics taken yesterday morning... thanks

so 18th Jan




yesterday...




18th Jan




and yesterday....




not much filling happening yet but maybe a little seperation of the teats? maybe??

thanks for looking


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## Tremor (Jan 22, 2012)

cassie said:


> WOW Tremor I would love to see that if its ok?
> 
> my email...
> 
> ...


It definitely looks like we have something going on!

I'll be sending the powerpoint to you as soon as its attached!


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## cassie (Jan 22, 2012)

Tremor said:


> It definitely looks like we have something going on!
> 
> I'll be sending the powerpoint to you as soon as its attached!


YAY heres hoping!! I will wait maybe a week before I set up marestare... I'll just see how she goes,

thanks heaps for the advice





can't wait to see that powerpoint should be good to see and learn from thank you!

do you think she is small to be late term pregnant? I have upped her feed to 1/4 scoop of mitavite breeda (which is an aussie brand pellet for pregnant and lactating mares and foals...) its about 17/18% protein?


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## Tremor (Jan 22, 2012)

cassie said:


> do you think she is small to be late term pregnant? I have upped her feed to 1/4 scoop of mitavite breeda (which is an aussie brand pellet for pregnant and lactating mares and foals...) its about 17/18% protein?


It all depends on the mare. Every one is different. I've had one mare that resembled her, belly wise. Most of my mares had BIG bellies and were very predictable. VERY textbook.

Your feed should be okay. I know some countries don't have the same brands as we do, but a higher protein percentage is good. I fed my mare 16% protien and she did great with her baby nursing. I fed it to her pregnant as well. It helped her gain the weight that she needed.


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## cassie (Jan 23, 2012)

cool thanks again Julia






just had a look at the power point it is brilliant! thank you so much!! your mare was huge and what a lovely filly she had!



hoping for a gorgeous little baby myself before long!!!! come on Penny!!


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## Tremor (Jan 23, 2012)

cassie said:


> cool thanks again Julia
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> 
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Why thank you! Would you believe me if I told you that my mare is actually starting to work *some* of that belly off? rofl.

Just keep watching your mare. Take lots of pictures and try to center them underneath her so you can get an accurate bag shot. (So that they're not angled.) Get her used to having her bag touched and wash it every so often. They get so gunky when they get big!

Be ready for some sleepless nights! (But if you test her milk often enough you may only stay up a couple nights!


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## cassie (Jan 23, 2012)

will do, lol how old is her foal now? my mare has still got her baby belly, her colt is three months old but starting to lose it,

with her she waxed up and everything which was great! tested her milk and it was off the scale she foaled 2 hours later at 8:30pm!!!  would love for the same with penny, Suzie (my other mare) was massive though and started bagging up 6 weeks before...Penny's previous owner says she bags up 11/2 to 2 weeks before, so I guess time will tell.

Thanks for the advice with the pics, will try and get the pics like you said



thanks for the advice


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## targetsmom (Jan 23, 2012)

Keep checking that udder - it looks like something is going on!!

And Tremor, could you e-mail me the Power Point presentation for me to use for my 4-H Club (maybe with some editing LOL!)? I would really appreciate it. I am trying to let them know what to watch for and expect for our 3 mares that are all between about 230 and 260 days now. e-mail [email protected] Thanks!


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## MeganH (Jan 23, 2012)

Cassie she is such a pretty mare



Fingers crossed for you


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## cassie (Jan 23, 2012)

thanks Targets mom and Megan,

yeah I'm wondering about that udder too... will keep an eye on her, going to start using her pregnancy thread on the marestare page soon if any of you want to keep an eye on how things are going





once she starts bagging up, (if she does hehe) I will be putting her on marestare, and the more eyes the better with that





Thank you all for your advice and help.

Hopefully we will have a little foal here in the next month or two! Fingers crossed!!


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## cassie (Jan 24, 2012)

new pics added to Penny's pregnancy thread on the marestare page... if any of you wanted to have a look, I would love your opinion...

http://www.miniaturehorsetalk.com/index.php?showtopic=126411&st=150

we think its growing...



lol

Thanks


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