Again, I am confused....

[Bonny]

Magic, your not the one I was speaking about. Everyone was starting to get snippy to each other thats what I meant. I actually only meant to you that statement is exactly why I and others feel uneasy to ask, members assume motive. Meaning they think we dont want to hear opinions but what I was trying to explain was that I hope yall understand its not that newbies are trying to be difficult, its a matter of inexperience and lack of confidence. We truly need help. I did not feel that you personally reprimanded me. I was meaning in general. I felt by a members comments that I was bothering the board by continue to ask. I was just trying to clarify why I needed answers.I actually appreciated your reply. And I thank you.

Sorry you took it personal.

All I want to do is figure out whats going on with my mare.

 

[Bonny]

Lyn, does she look preg to you in other pictures or just her udder?

And if she is going through all this I sure hope its a foal not a false pregnancy. I guess maiden can have false pregnancies???

 

[Magic]

Thanks Bonny, I'm glad to know that I wasn't the source of your annoyance!

(or whatever it was; obviously I am not reading things correctly lately).

I can totally relate to the frustration of "is she, isn't she? and if so, WHEN?" Been there, done that, hate that, lol! I really have no clue with your mare, and her latest pictures are even more baffling. If it were me, I'd find a good, and I mean GOOD, repro vet, no matter how far away, who can internally ultrasound her and find out once and for all if she is pregnant, and if she is, they should be able to give you a decent estimate of how far along she is.

Good luck with her and I really hope she doesn't drive you crazy, but if she does you and I will be in the same category.

 

[luv2ridesaddleseat]

Bonny, how is our girl this morning? I'm thinking of you!

 

[shelly]

Bonny,

Have you been able to see or feel any movement at all? She does have a pretty big belly and now developing an ever growing udder, my guess would be yes she is prego but not due for a month or so because of her just starting the udder growth. WATCH HER though as you never know

Did you express any liquid from her udder yet? What color was it?

Any new pics today?

 

[weerunner]

Hi Bonny, I just wanted to say that your mare's udder looks like my mare's did at day 285 or so. I'd be looking real close at her just in case. I got a beautiful little silver bay filly in March. Hope your story turns out just as wonderful. Here is a pic of my mare's udder at day 285. I have pics of every day from 276 to 325 when she foaled, if you're interested in seeing them, let me know.

weerunner

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3147/265332...b847e790a_m.jpg

 

[Bonny]

Hi Ladies,

I built a temporary stall yesterday. Its 16x16. I have her hay water and feed bucket in there. I put it next to the horse pasture where my mare is that she has been kept with. She stayed in it last night and did very well. Today I am going to start gathering supplies to build her a better area. I am also going to ask hubby to get me a camera.We had plans for a real nice barn with 2 stalls but thats before this all started so right now I am going to do the best I can!

Bonny is bigger still but her nipples point in and I must say I have settled down a bit. I feel much more at ease now that I know she isnt going to pop right away!

weerunner post every pic you can~! I need to see the changes! I am taking pictures daily also, and thats good as I will have a lot of compare pics if I ever do this again! Or for someone else to enjoy! Also was she maiden?

Lisa- I love ya! No worries! And I am starting to prepare a foal kit just in case.I have 2 real good books on foaling so I am back to reading. I wish I could get her to the repro. He is almost 3 hrs away. He said he would come here, as I have no trailer, but the farm call would break me!!! it would be about 250.00 for the visit!

Shelly never have felt movement but I quit even looking for it months ago because the vet said she wasnt in foal. I wish I could see movement that would help me a lot.

Magic, sent you a pm, thanks.

Joyce, here are the morning pics.....

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x12/479.../7-10-08002.jpg

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x12/479.../7-10-08004.jpg

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x12/479.../7-10-08015.jpg

I wanted to check for fluid color this am but she wouldnt let me touch.... So I am not sure but my guess would be its still clear.

 

[luv2ridesaddleseat]

Oh my gosh! This is awesome!!! I do think a camera is necessary!

HOW EXCITING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I went back and looked at pictures of Cookie from a couple of months ago when I first shaved her and I really don't see any difference. I'm going to get my seperation fence up this weekend and start her diet.

 

[kaykay]

wow i am in shock at how big her udder as gotten. I really didnt think she was in foal at all until I saw the new pictures.

I will say though that Patches had a false pregnancy a couple years ago and did this same exact thing. Udder kept getting bigger and we could express yellow sticky "milk" Then all of a sudden the udder was gone and no foal. Dang mares they like to keep us guessing

Sending good thoughts!

Kay

 

[Bonny]

Thanks Kay! How is the new foal???

I am so hoping this is not false. But if it is well at least I will have learned something!

 

[Mercysmom]

The only thing I have learned is that mares can be totally inconsistent. OH! I have been fooled before and I swear the mares have laughed under their breath.

If you can get an ultrasound done, it would be worth it... keeping my fingers crossed that that is an option for you and your veterinarian. Our repro vet used an internal wand (his hands were too big for an internal) that was inserted in the mare's rectum after an enema... all my mares except Mercy would deal with it - Mercy would hold the enema back as a weapon and was ready to let the vet know what she really thought so we took her to the clinic and had an external ultrasound done which showed Connie alive and well but did not show her minimal dwarfism characteristics.

Freedom's dam Hope was ultrasounded and the vet predicted a filly - she is now 7 and one of my favorites.

Keep us posted - the best thing about this forum is everyone's experiences - that is how we learn. Been around horses for (yikes) 39 years and I am happily still learning in wonder!

Denise

 

[SunQuest]

Bonnie,

I have been reading your thread. I am curious. Could you please take some pictures from straight behind your horse that clearly shows both sides of the belly? (eye level with the belly is best, but do be far enough away to not get kicked!) The tail can be left to hang naturally. Take them for a few days.

The reason I ask is that when a mare is in foal, often (but not always) by the time they start to bag like yours, you can see the foal change what side it is laying on. So the belly is not perfectly symetrical and the closer to foaling it gets, the more obvious it gets. Sometimes one side will look like it was slightly flattened out even.

Another thing to look for is that the foal will drop and move back when it is very near foaling. Again, on a maiden mare this can be hard to see. But from the side, you see the belly bulge get lower and then it will move towards the hind quarters when foaling is emminant.

Keep a close eye on the tail head area (where the tail joins the rump). The signs can be subtle in a maiden mare, but their will be changes in the firmness to either side of the tail when foaling is emminant. This is where the mare will get to feel like jello. The tail head will move easier when you lightly press there. Also, pick up the tail and notice the resistance when you do so. As foaling becomes more emminant, she will have less strength to resist. Of course this again will depend on the individual as I have some horses that are really relaxed when I am playing with their tail. But you are looking for deviation from what is normal for her.

Another thing to try.... If she is close enough to be bagging, You may be able to feel the foal kick if you "bump" the baby. Check at feeding time. Give your mare a light belly hug just behind the belly, but infront of the hips. (be gentle and be careful as this area is sensative) Sometimes you bump the baby doing this and it will kick you. It will be noticeable and will be on one side or the other.

If this mare were mine, I would be watching for all these signs and the ones that LisaF posted about as a general feeling is that the bag is more than just hormones for a maiden mare.

And like the others, I have a mare that was actively showing to a gelding until she foaled. She was a maiden mare and didn't know what to do with herself and would have let him breed her if he could have. Little hussy is right! LOL.

 

[Bonny]

Thanks SunQuest, this am I did try to get picks of her from behind but she was busy turning to seewhat I was doing...LOL

I will try when she is eating.

 

[Candice]

I've been following your posts for some time and was blown away by the recent photos that you posted. The changes are unbelievable. Her vulva looked elongated in one of the photos that you posted recently as well.

Do you have a trailer or have any access to one where you could get her to a facility for an ultrasound? Even if it is a several hour drive it may be worth it.

Have you tried to milk her at all? This is very interesting to say the least.

 

[weerunner]

Well Bonnie I"m thinking you've got 3 - 4 weeks maybe (or less, since she's a maiden). Here is my mare at day 288. I'm thining you're getting real close.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3024/265414...16126c399_m.jpg

Good luck

weerunner

My mare was not a maiden, this was her third foal, that is why I think you may be getting real close. The milk should get yellowish and oily when rubbed and then sticky after it is rubbed between your fingers for a bit. That is when you are days away from being a mom.

 

[Bonny]

I think that bag is longer than Bonnys...But similar! Ok I tried to get a back shot but miss Bonny is acting grouchy today, she will not let me stand behind her unless I am real close. If I back up at all she turns to see what I am doing. But I did the best I could.

Her bag seems as full tonight as it did this am. She still wont let me try to get milk. I can softly feel the udder and it feels like there is tissue in there not fluid. I dont know what that means.

I dont know if her tail head is softer. And I dont know if her vulva looks longer. But she does have loose stools. kinda wateryish. I have a pic of that but would not feel right posting that- unless yall really want to see it!

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x12/479.../7-10-08025.jpg

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x12/479.../7-10-08039.jpg

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x12/479.../7-10-08036.jpg

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x12/479.../7-10-08029.jpg

 

[luv2ridesaddleseat]

Yes, my dear we want to see it!!!

 

[Bonny]

Ok on with the poo pics...

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x12/479.../7-10-08032.jpg

 

[luv2ridesaddleseat]

Jeepers girl! from everything I have read, This starts to happen not to soon before labor. Keep an eye on that, ok?

Joyce

 

[Bonny]

Before and now vulva.

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x12/479.../4-18-08006.jpg

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x12/479.../7-10-08039.jpg