# Thoughts on this belly please



## Megibo (5 November 2011)

These are some photos of my mare today.
Ribs are seen and felt, but she has this whopping great belly ? She was in with a stallion march time which would put her at 7 or so months if she was pregnant but we didn't think he would be big enough to cover her successfully so hoping he hasn't ? What do you think.

She is being wormed in the next couple of weeks and hates having her tum touched which is new for her..


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## whisp&willow (5 November 2011)

dont mean to be rude... but why was she in with a stallion if you dont want a foal??


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## JanetGeorge (5 November 2011)

Tazhazzamoose said:



			These are some photos of my mare today.
Ribs are seen and felt, but she has this whopping great belly ? She was in with a stallion march time which would put her at 7 or so months if she was pregnant but we didn't think he would be big enough to cover her successfully so hoping he hasn't ? What do you think.
		
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If the stallion was 10hh and the mare is 17hh+ then I STILL wouldn't rule it out - it's amazing how helpful and co-operative mares can be - and how enterprising some stallions can be!

We can only take educated guesses - get her scanned!


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## Clodagh (5 November 2011)

I've got a riggy pony and my 16hh mare used to stand at the bottom of the bank in her field and bend her legs so he could mount. Tarts they are.


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## Megibo (5 November 2011)

willow-because he was about 8 hands and she is 14 hands! it was temporary as we reckoned he wouldn't be able to reach..


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## Megibo (5 November 2011)

would there be any other signs of pregnancy ? I thought she'd been in season a couple of times so ruled out a foal til her belly starting sinking towards the floor!


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## Bennions Field (6 November 2011)

I'd get the vet to look, or you could try the weefoal tests, cost aprox 30£ so poss same cast as vet call out fee

regarding small stallion / bigger mare, my 36" shettie colt was caught trying to cover my 15.2h mare, she was laying on the ground for him :0 ! Unsurprisingly he was split up from her within minutes and gelded within the week!  Thankfully she didn't catch, but they both enjoyed trying! )


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## magic104 (6 November 2011)

Just get her scanned it's so much easier.  Dont mean to be blunt, but if a mare is in with a colt or stallion no matter how big then there is going to be a possibilty.  The story of the mare lowering herself (probably in more ways then one!) is not the first I have heard. Get her scanned then there is no doubt & you can start planning.


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## whisp&willow (6 November 2011)

Tazhazzamoose said:



			willow-because he was about 8 hands and she is 14 hands! it was temporary as we reckoned he wouldn't be able to reach..
		
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if its got balls then it will use them.  i wouldn't have a mare in a field with anything of breeding age with balls.... unless i wanted a foal.  ive even seen mares present over the fence.... 

anyway.  whats done is done.  get her scanned and then you'l know.


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## eventrider23 (6 November 2011)

Where there is a will there is a way!  Get her scanned.


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## Megibo (6 November 2011)

oo heck.
Right, I am going to ring vets and organise a scan..fingers crossed its a wormy/hay belly please(though those piccies are of an empty tum)..that'll be much easier to fix...


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## Ottinmeg (6 November 2011)

oh well, on the bright side haribo would have a playmate...


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## Megibo (6 November 2011)

Ottinmeg said:



			oh well, on the bright side haribo would have a playmate...
		
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yeah but what the hell would a Welsh D cross mini shetland look like !!!


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## eventrider23 (6 November 2011)

Well I have seen a Shire x NF!


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## Megibo (6 November 2011)

eventrider23 said:



			Well I have seen a Shire x NF!
		
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## Clodagh (6 November 2011)

And I a shire x dartmoor!


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## Megibo (6 November 2011)

Clodagh said:



			And I a shire x dartmoor!
		
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good god..

fingers crossed she's not in foal, and if she is that it's not a welsh cob on shetland legs..


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## Clodagh (6 November 2011)

An equine corgi!
Actually the shire x dartmoor was a good looking cob type, it was a young shire colt with a dartmoor mare.


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## Fools Motto (6 November 2011)

A new trend??  A  MiShelsh!! (mini shetland x welsh). 

Sorry, someone had to!!


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## Spring Feather (6 November 2011)

The photos are not great but from what I can see, and this is my best educated guess, the mare does not look 7 months pregnant, but you never know so always best having her vet checked.  As to small colts covering large mares, it happens.  When mares want covering they will often do anything in their power to make it happen regardless of height differences.

You aren't planning to breed this mare to your new colt are you?


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## pinkypug1 (6 November 2011)

I know a lady who bought a 16.2 mare.... she poped a foal a few months later... daddy was the shetland stallion she has been sharing the field with!! previous owner had also thought it would be an impossible act.

I would get her scanned as if she is you will need to amend her feed etc now she is comming into 3rd trimester!

The foal in question is now a lovely 3 yr old pony & doesnt look at all shetland like!


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## Megibo (6 November 2011)

Spring Feather said:



			The photos are not great but from what I can see, and this is my best educated guess, the mare does not look 7 months pregnant, but you never know so always best having her vet checked.  As to small colts covering large mares, it happens.  When mares want covering they will often do anything in their power to make it happen regardless of height differences.

You aren't planning to breed this mare to your new colt are you?
		
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Of course! I got a freebie so that I could make lots of pretty welsh cross babies!!! 
...
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=493482 - do you not recall posting on this thread twice ? Where I ask about the expense, as it's our top priority to get him fixed ..?


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## Megibo (6 November 2011)

Here are some better quality photos from today. Taken before she was allowed to walk off and start eating! Her diet is 10 pounds of hay and two scoops of happy hoof due to her ribbiness.


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## Ottinmeg (6 November 2011)

Spring Feather said:



			You aren't planning to breed this mare to your new colt are you?
		
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I'm actually a bit offended at that.The only reason i took this colt on was to secure his future, not to do a bit of irresponsible breeding with our mare!

If the little tart did lay down to accommodate the mini shetland and IS in foal then that is purely down to my ignorance as i really didn't think he would be able to reach. we live and learn though eh ?


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## ischa (6 November 2011)

I'm going to say no at 7 months I would expect her to be bigger 
But as people have said to rule it out is to get vet or get a wee test 
Here is a site which might be useful
http://www.yellowhouseranch.com/foaling.htm


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## emlybob (6 November 2011)

I am not convinced she is in foal tbh.  But again as everyone has said there is every chance as a shetlad could have covered her!!!

I knew a Jack russel dog that mated with a blood hound bith when it was lying down!!  Never saw the pups tho!!!


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## Spring Feather (6 November 2011)

Ottinmeg said:



			I'm actually a bit offended at that.The only reason i took this colt on was to secure his future, not to do a bit of irresponsible breeding with our mare!

If the little tart did lay down to accommodate the mini shetland and IS in foal then that is purely down to my ignorance as i really didn't think he would be able to reach. we live and learn though eh ?  

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There seems to be a lot of irresponsible breeding going on these days so how would I know if you are a responsible breeder or not?  Particularly in light of this thread asking if the mare who has been in with a shetland colt could be pregnant.  It is your prerogative to be offended if you so choose, as is it's my right to ask whether you were planning to breed this mare to the new colt. 

And to Tazhazzamoose, yes I posted on that thread to give information on cryptorchids.  I've lived long enough to know that what people say and what people do are often two different things so I'm happy to hear that you indeed are not planning to use him as breeding stock.


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## be positive (6 November 2011)

She looks like a pony that is not in work, she seems to have very little muscle.
Her belly, which hopefully has no foal in it, will not lift up until she is working correctly and lifts her abdominal muscles, this will take time and reducing her food will make little difference to her stomach shape she will probably lose her topline first which will in turn make her stomach look bigger.


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## foal (6 November 2011)

In the 2nd photo, it looks to me that your mare has been rubbing her tail quite a lot, so might have pin worm, when did you last worm her and what wormer did you use??? or she could be like others have said....    I know of a lot of folk that keep shetlands ponies as company for their horse/pony and it does'nt cross their mind that they may or may not cover, not the end of the world tho, chin up


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## Megibo (7 November 2011)

be positive said:



			She looks like a pony that is not in work, she seems to have very little muscle.
Her belly, which hopefully has no foal in it, will not lift up until she is working correctly and lifts her abdominal muscles, this will take time and reducing her food will make little difference to her stomach shape she will probably lose her topline first which will in turn make her stomach look bigger.
		
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She hasn't been working as regularly due to issues with finding a saddle. She doesn't however lack muscle, she does always look like a charity case as we go into winter though! 
She's turned away over the winter due to lack of a school.


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## Megibo (7 November 2011)

foal said:



			In the 2nd photo, it looks to me that your mare has been rubbing her tail quite a lot, so might have pin worm, when did you last worm her and what wormer did you use??? or she could be like others have said....    I know of a lot of folk that keep shetlands ponies as company for their horse/pony and it does'nt cross their mind that they may or may not cover, not the end of the world tho, chin up
		
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she suffers from sweet itch


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## Alexart (7 November 2011)

Oh dear!! Any entire male has a possibility of getting a mare in foal no matter what size, the danger is the stallion injuring itself trying to mount a larger mare repeatedly especially if it is still growing - hence the reason people don't run colts/stallions of any age with fillies or mares unless they want a foal! 
It is highly possible that she is in foal - the foal only does the majority of its growing in the last 3 months and as she is quite long backed she could easily hide it until the last month or so.  
The scan is a good idea to be 100% sure so you can up her feed accordingly for the last 4 months, so you need to be thinking along the vitamin lines now and then stud mix over the next few weeks if she is in foal, especially if she is a poor doer, she looks fine at the moment - yes she's lacking muscle but her overall weight is fine for a broody.  
God knows what you'll get from that cross conformation wise, just keep your fingers crossed it doesn't inherit her sweet itch!


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## Megibo (8 November 2011)

Alexart said:



			God knows what you'll get from that cross conformation wise, just keep your fingers crossed it doesn't inherit her sweet itch!
		
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I dread to think...

So majority of opinions is get her scanned..i will ring the vets in the next few weeks and have a chat with them. 
If she isn't in foal then god knows what i'll do with that belly, she's already a bit poky ribs wise!


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## weesophz (8 November 2011)

Clodagh said:



			I've got a riggy pony and my 16hh mare used to stand at the bottom of the bank in her field and bend her legs so he could mount. Tarts they are.
		
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 so true haha, at my yard we have a miniature donkey stallion that is in a separate field from all the horses, but a 16.2 mare presents her arse over the fence hes often  more than happy to try it on!

chances are she is, one of my friends had a horse that was running with a stallion that was only 12hh and her horse was 15.2 and she now has a foal! id get a scan to be sure..


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## magic104 (9 November 2011)

Tazhazzamoose said:



			She hasn't been working as regularly due to issues with finding a saddle. She doesn't however lack muscle, she does always look like a charity case as we go into winter though! 
She's turned away over the winter due to lack of a school.
		
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Sorry but she sure does lack muscle tone & I she is not exactly blooming in her coat even for this time of year.  Wintec do saddles that can be adjusted to fit all sizes, so hardly an excuse.  Just how long does it take to get a vet out to scan in your area!  Just looking at dates from when you asked to now.  I really really hope she is not in foal as I dread to think what it is going to turn out like.  Rude & blunt yes because she does not have the best conformation to start with.  Stop messing about & get her scanned that is the only way you will know.  We are coming into winter if she is then she needs to receive correct feed for her condition, which you can ask your vet about.


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## Maesfen (9 November 2011)

I can't believe you're actually calling her ribby - she almost has a gutter in those later pics!


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## eventrider23 (9 November 2011)

Ditto Maesfen - yes her coat may be poorer, etc but she is anything but ribby.


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## crazycoloured (9 November 2011)

Please excuse me here if iv missed something but what was a 8hand shetland doing with a 14hand mare in the same field in the first place! was this planned? ..please get the mare scanned by your vet then you'l know one way or another,please try and do it soon as times ticking by.....


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## Meowy Catkin (9 November 2011)

Wintec do saddles that can be adjusted to fit all sizes
		
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There are plenty of horses that do not fit a Wintec, even if the correct gullet has been fitted.


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## LynneB (9 November 2011)

Tazhazzamoose said:



			i will ring the vets in the next few weeks and have a chat with them.
		
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why the next few weeks?? Don't you think it important to know?


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## crazycoloured (9 November 2011)

ditto lynne b..needs to be done asap.....


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## eventrider23 (9 November 2011)

Ditto - if she is 7 months+ pregnant then you need to know so you can plan to adjust her feed/routines, etc accordingly as well as ensure all is ok.  If it were mine the vet would have been out first thing....if she is 7 months + then they will be able to feel if pregnant so an ultrasound not really necessary.


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## emlybob (9 November 2011)

Sorry to say this as i have refrained so far.  But this is really irresponsible.  If you THINK your mare maybe in foal get her looked at asap by a vet.  Especially due to the fact u sa she drops weight in winter.  One of my broodmares doesn't do well over the winter so she is in her stable tucked up with  rug on and stuffed full of stud cubes morning and night o her weight doesn't drop and she can give the growing foal all the goodness it needs

What is wrong with getting the vet out now and getting her checked, why are you waiting a few weeks?


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## Ottinmeg (10 November 2011)

Ok people,
 my daughter is 17 yrs old and often puts her mouth (or fingers in this case ) in motion before her brain is in gear. She doesn't have my experience of the good ole H&H forum and the wondeful people on it. Even i look at some of her posts and think 'they're gonna tear you apart for that one'.

Anyway to answer a few questions.

The shetland being in with the mare was down to ME as i genuinely didn't think he would be able to reach. We all live and learn and this is one mistake that won't happen again.

To the poster asking if this was planned ...SERIOUSLY ?!  who in their right mind would PLAN to cross a welsh with a mini ?

The mare is not a poor doer, quite the opposite so no problems there

The vet is coming tomorrow and if she is in foal then we will deal with it. Potential foal will be kept and not become another statistic.


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## Megibo (10 November 2011)

magic104 said:



			Sorry but she sure does lack muscle tone & I she is not exactly blooming in her coat even for this time of year.  Wintec do saddles that can be adjusted to fit all sizes, so hardly an excuse.  Just how long does it take to get a vet out to scan in your area!  Just looking at dates from when you asked to now.  I really really hope she is not in foal as I dread to think what it is going to turn out like.  Rude & blunt yes because she does not have the best conformation to start with.  Stop messing about & get her scanned that is the only way you will know.  We are coming into winter if she is then she needs to receive correct feed for her condition, which you can ask your vet about.
		
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1. I don't have the money to be churning out on new saddles.
2. She can only take a 16 inch saddle, whereas i need a 17 inch, HENCE the issues.
I worry about what it would be like too. And in regards to her confirmation, a professional *sports horse breeder* praised her confirmation, as did the owner of a well known stallion. You can't judge from a couple of bad photos where she is coming into her winter coat, not at all.



Maesfen said:



			I can't believe you're actually calling her ribby - she almost has a gutter in those later pics!
		
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she is for her, you cannot judge from a photo when I see her everyday and can count all of her ribs just by running my palm along her side. That is certainly not a gutter! What on earth are you on about?! THIS is a gutter...






As stated, she is being examined by the vet tomorrow.


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## Arigon (10 November 2011)

I wish you luck for tomorrow  and I&#8217;m sure whatever the outcome is you'll deal with it, we all learn from our mistakes, unfortunately we have to make them first to learn from them... 
Let us know what happens x


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## Megibo (11 November 2011)

Arigon said:



			I wish you luck for tomorrow  and Im sure whatever the outcome is you'll deal with it, we all learn from our mistakes, unfortunately we have to make them first to learn from them... 
Let us know what happens x
		
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It definitely wasn't planned but if she is in foal (worst case scenario) baby will be kept whatever it looks like. Definitely something to learn from never thought he'd be able to cover her since she's 7 hands bigger!
Thankyou.


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## crazycoloured (11 November 2011)

What was the outcome of the scan??


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## Lakesidelil (11 November 2011)

What was the result?  Once you have this info at least you can devise a plan of action.

I hope all goes well.


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## Megibo (11 November 2011)

she's not in foal, thank god!

Also the vet examined her condition and said she is fine.


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## emlybob (11 November 2011)

I'm glad for everyone's sake she isn't in foal.  Now you can carry on and enjoy her in whatever area you wish to

Lesson learnt too i think!


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## Megibo (11 November 2011)

emlybob said:



			I'm glad for everyone's sake she isn't in foal.  Now you can carry on and enjoy her in whatever area you wish to

Lesson learnt too i think!
		
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A big one! She'll be back in work next year and that should sort out her loose tum.


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