Do you think my mare is Pregnant or just Fat?

[Carly Rae]

Hi,

I have a 3.8 yo mini that I purchased on the 16th of September 2014, We bought a black stallion and she came on heat/season and he was mounting her. This was around mid to late May. He was mounting my other mare Willow as well and when ever he mounted Willow she would ooze creamy urine-like stuff. I don't know if the stallion got to my mare Snickas or not, but I would like to know your opinions? There is a 50-50 chance that she is, a lot of the time we saw him mount her he was either not close or she would kick him away, but Willow let him mount her most times, Willow is 15.

I have some images of both their udders and vulva, also a rear end shot. Please note, I may be getting too ahead of myself with this because I am really excited to have some foals here again and she may just be fat from all the grass and treats

, we have only ever had 2 foals born on my property and It was such a beautiful experience we only experienced Willow's birth but it was so beautiful.

Willow showed good signs of pregnancy last time before she foaled- Milky urine that frothed on the ground, large udder, Isolation from other minis, she was more grumpy toward the other minis and her belly dropped. After she got a large full udder she foaled 1 week later with a little colt.

Then Willow's daughter, Lou-Lou had a foal 2 weeks after Willow and only showed signs of a large udder and clear stuff coming from her udder. We just thought it was early signs but 3 days later she gave birth to a colt nearly identical to Willow's colt and she had him overnight so we thought Willow's foal just got in with Lou-Lou but nope, was her foal.

So yeah, I might just be hoping that they are pregnant, and they may not be

So I thought I might ask people with more experience. Please if you have any suggestions I would really appreciate it. We no longer have that stallion now but I have 2 colts here, one is nearly 2 and one is 11 months and they don't hassle or mount the girls so maybe they haven't come back on heat since the last stallion?

So this is Snickas, she is nearly 4 years old and she has never had a foal before, I can get more images if needed as some she is wet in some images she just had a bath

Snickas will let me touch her udders and everything where as Willow doesn't like her udders being touched which I can understand. I can update images, and she is fluffy at the moment but she is starting to shed her coat, NOTE: She has been out in the paddock so she may be a little bloated, If there is any signs of her being pregnant, even the slightest, I can lock her up and put her on some feed to see if she is just really bloated Please let me know if you would like images of Willow.

Thank you!

 

[Carly Rae]

Thanks so much for the reply

I will update some photos in a few days for you and I'll get some of Willow as well today

I have read some of the threads here and they are so helpful

 

[Carly Rae]

Hi!

I got some photos of my mini 15 year old mare Willow, I bought Willow as my first ever mini back on the 13th of May 2013. She has had her foal weaned off of her around March this year, He no longer lives here so I don't think she is still producing milk.

She has had foals before (positive that she has had 3 but most likely more that I don't know of) I am not sure if her udders are just 'stretched' because of her age and all her foals or if she is in foal again. The stallion was mounting her numerously and most times she stood for him.

She fooled us last time she was pregnant as she was standing for the stallion to mount her and we thought that she was back in season and not pregnant, but she was.

Her last foal was born on the 21st of July 2014 and he was a little colt named Bam Bam, Willow is such a great mother and knows exactly what she's doing

If my mares are in foal its only my third time experiencing it so I am sorry if some questions that I may ask are silly

I just got a heap of photos of her udders on different angles. I do have images of her vulva I can upload them if needed. I am also happy to update in a few days for a comparison.

And I just want to add a image of her foal Bam Bam. I think hes pretty cute

He loves with a friend of ours and he is an inside pony!

 

[paintponylvr]

Lets see if I understand?

Willow last foaled (Bam Bam DOB 21 July) and you last had a stallion with her in May of 2015? Was the stallion running with her the whole time from July 2014 thru May 2015?

And on Snikas the stallion was mounting her from Sept 2014 (when you purchased her) - May 2015?

**********

Can you explain "Bloat" as it relates to how you are using it? I am only familiar with that term in relation to cattle and goats here in the USA and both are BAD NEWS. Even recently heard it in relation to dogs - but never horses and I have no idea what it means.

If a horse is colicy - the last thing you want to do is remove him from grass, lock him up and give him GRAIN. So.... Me mega confused. I'm thinking Bloat is NOT the same as Colic.

**********

Welcome to the MareStare Forum. We do share here and learn from each other and cry on one another's "shoulders" when needed.

I've foaled out "a few" mares - most of my shetlands have foaled between checks - sometimes only when going from the stove to the living room to sit down (pony right outside the kitchen in a kennel under our carport - cars outside)... and 1 when moved from the stall in the carport to her normal feeding area in the barn to eat - while eating her breakfast she foaled standing up w/ her face deep in her bucket (crazy mare!)... I heard the "splat" of fluids/foal from the feed room right next to her. It was WILD, let me tell you. Beautiful filly - one of our show ring winners and now ready to start driving.

 

[Carly Rae]

I am sorry if I have made things unclear,

Yes Willow foaled on the 21st of July 2014,

The stallion started running with Willow and Snickas around early May to about Mid June? They are just rough estimates, we Sold the stallion about 2 weeks ago.

We only bought the stallion on the 25th of April, but wasn't let out with my other minis until he got used to his surroundings. I have It all written down on my calender if needed.

Oh no! Sorry, my mum just uses 'bloat' for when they get fat on grass. Just if they have been on grass for a few days they get 'fat' and need a break from all the grass Its nothing bad, we just don't know what to call it so we just use 'bloat' I am not sure why, our Farrier told us to lock them up of a night and let them out in the morning but lately I have been getting home at dark with a load of school work to finish so I can't lock them up so they could just be a little bit fat.

My little colt Toby got colic about 3 days living at our place, he got out of the yard into the large paddock with my other minis and the vet said either he just gauged himself with grass or ate something he shouldn't have, the vet came late and he was lucky to be alive $400 later he had antibiotics and the vet but a 'hose pipe thing' through his nose into his stomach and pump out all the grassy stuff that was coming out of his nose (sorry I don't know all the right words to describe) but yeah Its definitely not colic that I was explaining thankfully what happened with Toby really scared me.

Thanks for the welcome!

Wow! I could so see Snickas doing that, when she is eating.. she is eating. Nothing will stop her haha.

 

[Carly Rae]

So its been 4-5 days since I last posted about Snickas and by looking at the photos I am not convinced she's pregnant I am starting to lock them up of a night because I think they are really fat, I do have photos like asked because I may be wrong so once she has lost some weight (takes overnight to start loosing her grassy fatness) Then I will update again (either the next day or in a few days) if you think there still could be a chance. I might also be asking all this stuff too early.

But yeah here are her photos from this afternoon, she is shedding her winter coat so sorry for the messy look of her.

Thanks!

 

[Carly Rae]

Ok so I locked Snickas and Willow up overnight (6pm yesterday) and I took these at 7:50 this morning before i am off to school. her udder has changed but I don't know if its just the way she is standing but it looks different. Also she hasn't lost much of her fattiness overnight like she normally would but I am not sure if that has any relevance to this situation. So I am leaving her in with Willow and my dad will give them some Lucerne hay and I will see if that changes anything

(They have shelter and water and and a medium size yard and each others company so they will be fine until I get home)

I got some images of her again also her udder, It seems to have gotten smaller and her teats are 'touching' each other, and it just doesn't look like the other images. But here they are

Sorry for the glare in the photo it is a very sunny morning Thanks!

 

[Carly Rae]

Hi again...

So its been a while since I last posted in this topic. After posting this topic and getting opinions, I was nearly sure Snickas wasn't pregnant, So I stopped checking her udders and everything, Its been around 4 months now. On the weekend (that just passed) Willow was in season and Toby was mounting her ect. But not once since our Last stallion have I seen any signs of Snickas being in season, she hasn't been interested in Toby-Nor Toby interested in her.

So I thought to myself, cant hurt checking her udders again. So yesterday I was pretty shocked at what I saw, they were a lot bigger since I last posted. She hasn't been overfed or anything, she is (in my opinion) overweight which we have been working on for some time now.

Here are some photos, Before and after.

Before (August)

After (Yesterday)

What do you all think? Opinions would be great. Thanks.

 

[Magic Marker Minis]

I'd say your mare is pregnant.

 

[Ryan Johnson]

Ill second that

 

[Carly Rae]

I really do hope so

 

[Carly Rae]

Yay!!

 

[Rocklone Miniature Horses]

I would say pregnant. You really should get some veterinary advice and start reading a lot of books and websites on foaling, it is not for armatures.

 

[Kim P]

I really like the braid you have in Snickas tail. So cute!

 

[Carly Rae]

Thanks!! I love braiding

I read and research A LOT, ever since I got my first horse I never stopped learning.. I have experienced horse breeders close and they said I can ask questions anytime and they are willing to help.

 

[Magic Marker Minis]

I would also take her off her diet. She is not that overweight and needs the extra nutrition for the baby. She looks like she is nearing the end of pregnancy. I would start giving her grain (slow increase) and checking on her during the night. Also give her her own area away from the other horses. This might be why she has been giving you attitude because she is in her last trimester of pregnancy.

 

[Carly Rae]

I don't have any grains here, only lucerene hay. I'm sure we could get her grain though, would a mare and foal mix be good? I know that we got Mare and Foal after Willow foaled as she was losing weight and needed more than just grass and hay. Do you have any suggestions on grain?

I will separate her, she has been isolating herself from the others so maybe separating her will help her a little. When Willow had her foal last year we made her own pen, it was dog proof (not that we have any dogs besides my dog around usually but just in case) and that pen was connected to a shelter that blocked the wind and we lined it with grass hay that they don't eat. Just for comfort. Should we do the same for Snickas? Willow had her foal in the middle of winter thats why we wind blocked it completely, so the foal didnt freeze, but our nights are very warm.

How long do you think she may have left? Do you think shes past half way?

 

[Rocklone Miniature Horses]

She is well past half way. Her behaviour and physicality would more point to the last few weeks.

 

[Magic Marker Minis]

Mare and foal grain is fine. Also putting her in a pen with shelter (like you did for Willow) is a.great idea.

 

[Ryan Johnson]

You should be able to get Mitavite Breeda quite easy