My Mare is Possibly Pregnant.

[Taz]

Hi Pitter Patter, I'm trying to put this where it's supposed to be, hahaha.
How's Snickers doing? Any sign of a baby belly yet?

 

[Pitter Patter]

OOps! Thought it was the old thread, but looks like a new one after you mentioned putting it in the right spot. Sorry everyone! Anyway, her belly is getting bigger and baby is still quite active. She is better about letting me feel her belly but have to watch her ears at the same time. I have about half a second within seeing those ears pinned back to get out of her line of fire! I took a picture of her udder, but I can't really tell much (way too much hair!) She is letting me lift her tail. Don't see any changes as of yet. Praying and begging her not to have the baby until at least end of March! And to think I was worried she was having it last summer--LOL!! Still worried if baby suffered from the acorn fiasco and won't know until he or she is born. Everyone in our house is betting on who the baby daddy is! We will only know based on when it is born.(previous owner's stallion or my own, Volt) Ugh! Very much considering getting my boy fixed--don't know if I'm ready or skilled enough for this baby stuff! On the plus side, Snickers is actually mellowing out---slowly! I'd post a photo but really with all the hair it's hard to discern anything telling, although there is no question she is pregnant.

 

[Taz]

Yay, two baby fixes on the way!
I'm still waiting to find out if I have a major oops baby coming this spring. There's a chance my newly gelded stud (6 weeks after gelding ) got the job done but I haven't felt anything yet. That doesn't really mean much, I'm not checking very often and her other foal was super quiet and hard to feel, she carried high until two weeks before foaling. She has a bit of a belly but it could be hay. Would be just starting her last trimester .
If you don't want to do the baby thing you might want to get him gelded as soon as it gets warmer. Snickers could breed again on her foal heat and Patches should be good to go by April or so. You'll be fine with a little one once he/she's on the ground, it's the waiting and worrying that's awful. I'm voting on Volt being dad so I think that puts her coming into her third trimester(?) if he got her when they first moved in together.

 

[Pitter Patter]

Yay, two baby fixes on the way!
I'm still waiting to find out if I have a major oops baby coming this spring. There's a chance my newly gelded stud (6 weeks after gelding ) got the job done but I haven't felt anything yet. That doesn't really mean much, I'm not checking very often and her other foal was super quiet and hard to feel, she carried high until two weeks before foaling. She has a bit of a belly but it could be hay. Would be just starting her last trimester .
If you don't want to do the baby thing you might want to get him gelded as soon as it gets warmer. Snickers could breed again on her foal heat and Patches should be good to go by April or so. You'll be fine with a little one once he/she's on the ground, it's the waiting and worrying that's awful. I'm voting on Volt being dad so I think that puts her coming into her third trimester(?) if he got her when they first moved in together.

I think you are right about Snickers probably being in her 3rd trimester. So scary! My confidence sure isn't very high after Cottontail's death and although my vet (the only vet locally) can be helpful, I can't help but think I can't rely on him so have more learning to do!! That being said, how many people here have their mares flushed out after delivery? He isn't very good about coming out on the spur of the moment. What is the timeline for this flushing, if done? Is this something only a vet can do? I hope you will be having an OOPS baby this Spring--I won't feel so alone! LOL. So, a stupid question---Patches had a mini mule according to previous owner. She had it alone in a far back pasture and the 1st owner said they didn't even know it for several months when they came in from that pasture (they had her with an old Jack). I don't know the whole story, but apparently they put down the baby due to aggressiveness. Is this a mini mule kind of thing. I've heard donkeys and horses are very different in several ways. Or is it because baby wasn't socialized with people? Would a new baby from Patches (a mini horse baby) have similar traits or can they be very different like people and other mammals whose offspring differ greatly from one to the next?

 

[Ryan Johnson]

Think its time we got some pics Pitter Patter

 

[Flying on boo]

Pitter patter, how many months pregnant is your mare?

 

[Taz]

I think you are right about Snickers probably being in her 3rd trimester. So scary! My confidence sure isn't very high after Cottontail's death and although my vet (the only vet locally) can be helpful, I can't help but think I can't rely on him so have more learning to do!! That being said, how many people here have their mares flushed out after delivery? He isn't very good about coming out on the spur of the moment. What is the timeline for this flushing, if done? Is this something only a vet can do? I hope you will be having an OOPS baby this Spring--I won't feel so alone! LOL. So, a stupid question---Patches had a mini mule according to previous owner. She had it alone in a far back pasture and the 1st owner said they didn't even know it for several months when they came in from that pasture (they had her with an old Jack). I don't know the whole story, but apparently they put down the baby due to aggressiveness. Is this a mini mule kind of thing. I've heard donkeys and horses are very different in several ways. Or is it because baby wasn't socialized with people? Would a new baby from Patches (a mini horse baby) have similar traits or can they be very different like people and other mammals whose offspring differ greatly from one to the next?

I don't know this but I think flushing is only done if you have to be invasive to straighten up a foal, it's not done regularly after foaling. Poor Patches, I'm so happy you have her now. I wouldn't worry about a temperament if she has a foal from Volt. He has a great temperament and it sounds like she does too. Donkeys/mules can be harder than horses and not being handled for that length of time and who knows how well when the finally noticed him could have been a factor. I would also not put too much stock in what someone like that tells you.
I don't know if I want an OOPS baby this spring. Well, of course I do, but the way 2021 is going so far I don't know if it would be a good thing. So far I've had a dog diagnosed with congestive hears failure, two founders that I'm working on getting the through(really high sugar in the hay this year and problems even with it being rationed) and found one of my little ones dead in his stall a couple of weeks ago(day 1 sick, day 2 105.2C temp on banamine, day 3 temp normal and eating and drinking again, day 4 dead) and I'm hobbling around in an air cast for torn ligaments in my ankle. It really might be tempting fate to have a foal .
I agree, even with the hair we want pictures please!!

 

[Jodie]

Oh my goodness Taz! You’ve really been through the ringer! So sorry to hear all that bad news and I hope things turn around for you. And yes Pitter Patter, I agree with seeing pictures! After the whole Rosie debacle I miss all of this and chatting with you ladies!

 

[Pitter Patter]

I will try to get pictures soon. She's blanketed and it's going to be a very cold for the next week or so. She's not the most patient mini, but will get what I can!

 

[Taz]

No worries, you can wait till it warms up if your going to take her blanket off then. Maybe a hairy udder picture to hold us over? Is it weird that I think hairy udder pictures are cute?

 

[Maryann at MiniV]

Pitter Patter, You asked about flushing your mare........ We've done it both within 24 hours of foaling and during foal heat. It's important to go in when the cervix is open. For a couple of years (over 15 years ago) we kept having late abortions or dead foals and our vet suggested we flush every mare both after an abortion AND even after a birth. So we did. Our vet taught me how to do it and just sold us the supplies. It does need a second person, so my husband would help. The result was that we didn't have abortions OR birthing issues for YEARS. (Oh, I should add that we changed our vaccinations at about that time too.) Anyway, FLUSHING (and infusing) is actually rather easy! I've taught (in person) about a half dozen people how. Once you know what to do it will save you a ton of $$.

You WILL need to purchase things from your vet. Ask him if he knows how and if he does, have him show and guide you. If he's a decent vet he will allow you to go inside the mare.

 

[MerMaeve]

Wait, did I miss something? Is Patches pregnant too? (I must read too fast!)

Geez, Taz you can't get a break!

 

[Ryan Johnson]

I have always had a mare flushed if she has any issues at all during her pregnancy or delivery. One of my mares this year delivered a red bag ( which I was there for) but unfortunately the foal was allergic to the colostrum and passed away a few days later (valuable lesson learnt). We had her flushed even though she was not being bred this year.

 

[Pitter Patter]

I have always had a mare flushed if she has any issues at all during her pregnancy or delivery. One of my mares this year delivered a red bag ( which I was there for) but unfortunately the foal was allergic to the colostrum and passed away a few days later (valuable lesson learnt). We had her flushed even though she was not being bred this year.

They can be allergic to their own mother's colostrum?! UGH, one more thing to worry about! I'm sorry about your loss, Ryan. That had to be heartbreaking.

 

[Pitter Patter]

Wait, did I miss something? Is Patches pregnant too? (I must read too fast!)

Geez, Taz you can't get a break!

Nope, just Snickers as far as I know. I'd be shocked if Patches were as she usually doesn't allow any of them to get too close yet, but you never know! Volt is not gelded and he is very sweet. He is small and pretty fine boned. Looks nice and is registered. Plan is to geld sometime this spring, Making sure no one wants to use him for breeding first because it's a done deal after that--LOL. I'm not looking for more babies myself, but if it happens it happens until he is gelded. I could separate him but I think his anxiety would go sky high and he'd probably pace the fence line all day. Personally, I think I'm leaning towards the seniors more.

 

[Maryann at MiniV]

Having a foal allergic to its mother's colostrum is a NIGHTMARE. (Also called an RH Factor Foal). I'm so sorry Ryan that you had to go through that.

If you catch the signs early enough (like the first 24 hrs.) People can locate colostrum from another source to bottle feed, keep the foal from nursing from mom, and milk out mom for at least 3 days. And once she is producing just MILK, you can let the foal nurse.

We address the problem.... along with how to handle a Red Bag on our "Health Pages" in our website. Yep. We've experienced both, unfortunately.
http://www.miniatureventures.com/r_h_factor_foal.html

 

[Pitter Patter]

Thank you Maryann! Good to know. Is an RH Factor Foal also like and RH human baby who is "attacked" by the mother's system in utero? I have powered colostrum on hand. Will that work as a substitute? I'm not fully convinced Snickers will have milk as there hasn't been much udder development since the acorn fiasco.

 

[Ryan Johnson]

Thank you, It was quite the experience, not one I ever want to go through again. As soon as I knew something wasn't right, the vet was called and the little guy was admitted to the state equine hospital. He was given 3 transfusions but unfortunately the damage was already done.

Pitter Patter its also known as NI (Neonatal Isoerythrolysis) To put it bluntly "Its the destruction of a foals red blood cells). There's a few tests your vet can run
" Pre breeding" , "Pre foaling" (Both of these I would recommend) , especially if you cannot guarantee you will be at the birth of the foal. There is a test you can run yourself at the birth, but, THIS NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE THE FIRST DRINK. You can take a drop of the mares milk and a drop of the foals blood from the umbilical cord, if they separate and curdle , you need to stop the foal from drinking IMMEDIATLY. If they mix together , everything is ok.

Pitter Patter please don't stress, I had a Terrible year with my horses last year, I lost 2 foals, a mare, and my 20yo heart horse.

Trust me when I say "we are gonna do everything we can to get your little one safely on the ground"

 

[Taz]

Pitter Patter, not to increase your stress but have you been able to figure out how to get a camera up? I have another one very sick and am freaking out a bit for you, not because of anything other than I'm freaking out about how many are going to get sick here and it's just running over onto you. Ones Patches starts coming into season in the spring I'm sure she will be much more friendly to Volt.

Ryan I'm so sorry.

 

[Flying on boo]

Pitter Patter, how is snickers doing?