Do you think my mare is Pregnant or just Fat?

[Carly Rae]

Thanks, I will try get her the grain ASAP.

I read on a few websites, I was looking about for some information on why her udders are a little bit hard, I found that it is just her udder developing and getting ready for the milk to come in, Is that correct?

Also would talking her for a walk help at all, just a slow walk or would that be a bad idea.

 

[chandab]

Mild exercise should be fine, just don't over exert her; so a nice walk would probably be just right.

 

[Rocklone Miniature Horses]

I would get a foal kit ready too. Make a big list of things that you need to watch for and have that in your box to.

I think there is a foal kit link at the top???

 

[Carly Rae]

Thanks Diane, I'll start reading those threads, I have read a few already

I have been taking photos every couple of days and putting them in a Word document with dates and times ect.

We are going to the produce store tomorrow for Snickas. A couple of questions on feeding grain as I don't want to over feed her or underfeed and I don't feed grain that often.

Should i feed her a cup, half a cup, more, any suggestions? How long do I feed it to her, stop when she has the foal or continue feeding after foal is born?

Just any things I should know about feeding her grain would help.

Is there anything I can do that is beneficial to her while the foal is developing?

Thanks!!

 

[Magic Marker Minis]

Read the directions and go from there. You will need to continue the grain after the foal is born. Eventually the foal will start eating it too. Take pics from behind and broadside, at her level. Also take pics of her udder and private parts every so often. Post them on this thread so the experts can see them. They will give you an idea how close she is.

 

[Rocklone Miniature Horses]

I think one thing I've read over and over is to try and keep stress to a minimum so you're doing it all perfect by getting her her own spot so the others don't bother her. That's goes for you too, try not to stress yourself out.

 

[Carly Rae]

Here's an update on photos.

I personally think she is looking a bit smaller, in the tummy and the udders. But her udders are still a bit hard still. It took me forever to get these photos, she was very stand off-ish today, kind of agitated. She didn't want to stand to get a photo, especially the behind photo she kept moving away, same with the udders, she would normally just stand there for me.

Maybe she might have some changes once she is on the grain, which we are getting in a couple of hours. Do you all still think there is a chance she is pregnant?

 

[Carly Rae]

I was just doing some more reading and I read that you should think of it as your mare is "eating to feed two".

I will also post a photo of the bag we get to see if anyone can help me portion it for her.

On a couple of sites I was reading it said that the best thing for a pregnant mare is eating grass, having good grain and some hay.

If I was to have her eat grass of a day then put her locked up of a night in her seperate pen with some grain mixed with hay would that be too much? Or should I be feeding her little portions of grain through out the day? Should I even feed her hay at all?

Sorry if that is a silly question, I just dont want to stuff up and cause problems for her. With Willow last year we fed her grain of an afternoon while she was nursing her foal after they were let out to graze and the foal could play around with the other foal we had.

We were pretty lucky to have Willows 4 yo daughter, foal two weeks after Willow, so the foals had company. Thanks everyone who is helping me!

 

[Ryan Johnson]

Her udder does look a little smaller , but perfectly normal.

How much grass do you have at the moment ? If you have plenty of good quality grass then Id think between the grass and the grain , it would be plenty for her.

The instructions and recommended dosage amounts should be on the back of the bag.

And by the way.............................. NO question is ever a silly question , ask as many as you like , its how we learn

 

[Carly Rae]

Oh thank goodness, I was starting to think she wasn't pregnant

We have a fair bit, they are spending most time in our house yard which is pretty big, about 1 or 2 acres. because we live on 13 acres and normally I like to halve the big paddock because they become antisocial, our electric fence battery is in use so I cant halve it and i let them out the other day to the paddock, Snickas bolted away from me when I went to catch them in the afternoon, I fell in a huge hole that was knee deep and twisted my ankle, don't forget the grass it very tall and prickly. I ended up catching the 4 of them, they were right down in the far back corner of our property, little brats.

So I put them all on leads, I have found that I have a way of leading all 4 at once easily. On our long walk back I found a snake... A BIG snake. Now I refuse to let them down the back paddock. During the hot weather we get a LOT of snakes.

But thats off topic, we got the grain! I will have a read of the bag, we got the biggest one which was a 20kg bag. i'll probably post a photo of what I got.

 

[Carly Rae]

Here is the mix, It turns out it has lucerne in it already and that is the hay I was going to give her

Sorry if the photos are up side down.

 

[Rocklone Miniature Horses]

Try to not worry each time you see her about if she is or isn't cause you will drive yourself mad. Treat her like she is until proven otherwise. I would feed the grain once or twice a day, depends what the recommended amount is. It wont be that much probably, cause they are only wee. If she is standing in with no grass she will need hay, but if shes out on the grass she wont.

 

[Carly Rae]

Okay thanks, I feed her a cup per night which I worked out to be 200 grams, it said on the bag feed one percent of the body weight. She is on grass all day and then i feed her a scoop of M&F (Mare & Foal)

Mum said that when I was walking her back in to her pen, her belly stuck out a lot on the left side.

 

[Carly Rae]

Here's an update from today, she is on the grain now of a night time. Her udders are still hard-ish.

Thanks.

 

[Ryan Johnson]

Looking good

 

[Rocklone Miniature Horses]

That grass looks good. Good for mums and babies.

 

[Carly Rae]

Thank you

We have a lot of grass here at the moment and just across the road where the rail way line is there is really tall thick green grass that they love when I go pick some for them.

 

[Suebe]

I'm always afraid of the grass with pregnant mares because for me I can't tell Fescue grass from other types. If anyone here can please enlighten me, it's so frustrating. Just make sure your mare does not get any Fescue grass or hay (hay is rare) the last 60 days of her pregancy, it carries a spore that can cause abortion, difficult births, and a lack of milk in the mare and no colostrum. You can google it for more info though

 

[Carly Rae]

Quick update on her udders.

 

[Carly Rae]

Here is the father, Steve.