# Confusing advice about my mare



## Rhossili (9 March 2019)

Hey everyone, donâ€™t know why Iâ€™m sharing but I guess I just need to share with fellow pony people
Iâ€™ve had my mare, who will be 4 in June, since July 2018. She was very petite when I got her but sheâ€™s been piling on the pounds even though sheâ€™s on low sugar/starch diet as my other pony is EMS. Minimal grass in the field and my EMS pony has lost weight over winter (planned) but my mare has got fatter.
I asked the vet at her vaccines in December and she said it was just her shape as to why she had a large tummy and with work in the spring she will tone up
Thereâ€™s no chance sheâ€™s been covered whilst being with me and the previous owner said no chance from April 2018 onwards and doubtful before that too
Yesterday I saw these abdominal movements and the vet said theyâ€™re from gas?
To ultrasound her they want her travelled there to go in the sticks or sedated at my yard, and Iâ€™m really not keen to put her through the stress and trauma of either unless I absolutely have to
She doesnt have any swelling around her teats
Basically Ive always had geldings and totally utterly clueless with mates and breeding but something just doesnâ€™t sit right with me thatâ€™s shes just fat
And if she is I need to do something ASAP or Sheâ€™ll be in real trouble going in to spring!! 
So this is us and I just needed somewhere to share hope thatâ€™s ok
P.s not sure how to attach the videos? Iâ€™ll try and link them


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## Rhossili (9 March 2019)

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		https://flic.kr/p/2f2tnFb


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## Rhossili (9 March 2019)

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		https://flic.kr/p/2e1dDJ9


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## DabDab (9 March 2019)

I'd get a vet out who does stud work to give a second opinion if I were you. She looks rather pregnant to me....


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## buddylove (9 March 2019)

Did you notice her coming  to season at all since you have owned her?


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## SpringArising (9 March 2019)

I have to say it looks suspicious... 

I'd get the ultrasound done for peace of mind.


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## PapaverFollis (9 March 2019)

I'm betting on preggers too.  If it was her shape to have a belly that dipped like that I'd expect a dippy back to go with it... get another vet out.


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## Rhossili (9 March 2019)

Yea it is the stud vet who wants the sedate but I guess I couldnâ€™t get them out for just a health check

havent seen and standard
 Season â€˜signsâ€™ that Iâ€™ve seen in friends mares but again when I asked the vet said that can be expected as sheâ€™s so young so I donâ€™t know


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## paddi22 (9 March 2019)

I know the answer is yes, but is all worming up to date? it does look like a preggers belly shape


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## Rhossili (9 March 2019)

I canâ€™t get get the videos to upload no here or flickr thatâ€™s annyoing


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## WandaMare (9 March 2019)

When I got my mare I was worried she was pregnant and my vet came out and did an examination of her, no ultrasound, and confirmed she was not pregnant. I didn't need to get her sedated or anything.


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## Rhossili (9 March 2019)

Wormed when I got her in July, did an egg count in sept came back as 300 so under vets advice I wormed her then and again in November, due another worm egg count now but not done it yet


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## Amymay (9 March 2019)

Why on earth would they want to sedate?  Iâ€™m another whoâ€™s going to say preheats - and if she is thereâ€™s bigger all you can do about it, except be prepared.

Is she stabled at all?


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## tda (9 March 2019)

She does look quite pregnant ðŸ¤” 
Our vets have a portable scanner, or can just do manual feel inside?


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## Rhossili (9 March 2019)

She said for safety because itâ€™s a rectal ultrasound probe? I have no idea about these things
Yes theyâ€™re stabled over night and out approx 10hours in the day just her and my gelding
I donâ€™t even know where to start I guess I need to start googling ASAP


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## Amymay (9 March 2019)

Deep breath. Youâ€™ll be fine.


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## The Fuzzy Furry (9 March 2019)

I think you'll only need to wait a couple of weeks or so,  poss a month?
If last owner said def not covered from April onwards, if she was in foal then you'll have a result by beginning of May.
I'd just get vet to do internal manual check.

I had an unexpected foal last year, mare was doing xc on the Sunday,  foal arrived early Friday morning... but, I had only purchased the mare 6 weeks prior, from breeder, my vet had said 10 days before that she was a little round, so to up the workload.... all went well tho.
I've had a number foal down in the past, but this maiden didnt wax up, no signs at all even the night before. I'd even only 4 days before,  put her properly out with the 3 others!


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## ihatework (9 March 2019)

Looks very suspiciously preggers to me.

You shouldnâ€™t need a scan or sedation. Any half competent vet should be able to stick their hand in and feel the foal.

Shouldnâ€™t need stocks either, just back her up to a stable door.


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## Peregrine Falcon (9 March 2019)

Looking at her shape I would be suspicious that she is in foal. She doesn't look like she is carrying too much weight on her shoulder but has a rather large belly!

I've had ultrasounds done at my yard without being in stocks. Is she quiet to handle? One mare just had an internal so I would be tempted to ask your vet for one.


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## Cortez (9 March 2019)

You should be able to feel movement of the foal yourself through the flank, they start to kick around quite a bit in the final months. I have never, ever had to sedate for a scan or rectal exam - is your vet a breeding vet?


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## Snowfilly (9 March 2019)

Looks incredibly pregnant to me! 

Never heard of a vet sedating for that, is he used to working with broodmares?

PS foal pics are mandatory


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## Rhossili (9 March 2019)

The Fuzzy Furry said:



			I think you'll only need to wait a couple of weeks or so,  poss a month?
If last owner said def not covered from April onwards, if she was in foal then you'll have a result by beginning of May.
I'd just get vet to do internal manual check.

I had an unexpected foal last year, mare was doing xc on the Sunday,  foal arrived early Friday morning... but, I had only purchased the mare 6 weeks prior, from breeder, my vet had said 10 days before that she was a little round, so to up the workload.... all went well tho.
I've had a number foal down in the past, but this maiden didnt wax up, no signs at all even the night before. I'd even only 4 days before,  put her properly out with the 3 others!
		
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Woah!! Thatâ€™s crazy I bet that was a shock and a half!!! So glad they were both ok!!


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## Rhossili (9 March 2019)

Yea I think so, they said theyâ€™d got the stud vet to speak to me?
Iâ€™ve got videos of what I thought was kicking on the underside of her tummy but the vet said itâ€™s gas?

Hmm well also Iâ€™ve just managed to contact the person who I got her from, who has contacted the person she got her from, who said that he got her from a dealer who had an Arab stallion? Dates are around March/April 2018?


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## The Fuzzy Furry (9 March 2019)

Rhossili said:



			Woah!! Thatâ€™s crazy I bet that was a shock and a half!!! So glad they were both ok!!
		
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All good,  despite mare dieting lol 
Get a good vet to check, then if she is you can increase good fibre  (hay).


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## hobo (9 March 2019)

From the sideway on photo and with the information you have just given look forward to a lovely Arab cross foal sometime soon. Anything from 11 months to 13 months is considered normal as mares can control it somehow strange but true.


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## Leo Walker (9 March 2019)

Yup, I'd be preparing for a little part bred arab foal fairly soon. I'd be changing vets as well!


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## SusieT (9 March 2019)

To be fair - why should a vet risk breaking an arm if the stable door isnt the right height and the horse is a youngster and wriggly? W dont actually know what the facilities are like or the mares temperment and a wriggly scan over a stable door can and will break a vets arm and /or scanner.
I would travel her to the stocks to get an exam and or scan - if shes that near foaling she should be easily identifiable on manual exam


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## Coblover63 (9 March 2019)

Have a look at her from the front and see if she sticks out more one side than the other.  Belly fat is symmetrical


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## Pearlsasinger (9 March 2019)

SusieT said:



			To be fair - why should a vet risk breaking an arm if the stable door isnt the right height and the horse is a youngster and wriggly? W dont actually know what the facilities are like or the mares temperment and a wriggly scan over a stable door can and will break a vets arm and /or scanner.
I would travel her to the stocks to get an exam and or scan - if shes that near foaling she should be easily identifiable on manual exam
		
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Fair enough but dismissing probable foal movement as gas is inexcusable without an exam.


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## paddi22 (9 March 2019)

Yeah, you would need to start thinking about her nutrition now, just so if she is in foal it gets what it needs.


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## paddi22 (9 March 2019)

Pearlsasinger said:



			Fair enough but dismissing probable foal movement as gas is inexcusable without an exam.
		
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yeah surprised a vet would say this? we get rescues in who are often in foal. never got any scanned properly, but vets always guessed correctly if they were just from feeling and visual checkup, even at earlier stages than this


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## Pearlsasinger (9 March 2019)

paddi22 said:



			yeah surprised a vet would say this? we get rescues in who are often in foal. never got any scanned properly, but vets always guessed correctly if they were just from feeling and visual checkup, even at earlier stages than this
		
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Yes, actually, I hate to say this .....but I am beginning to wonder.


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## Rhossili (9 March 2019)

Beginning to wonder what?
Yea need to research nutrition, sheâ€™s on thunderbrooks meadow nuts, daily essentials and linseed atm with plenty of hay but little grass
Totally clueless about foals need to do some serious research and phone vets Monday


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## JJS (10 March 2019)

Let's just say that she looks more pregnant than my pregnant mare ever did, so I'd definitely be getting her checked. 

I know that when my mare was checked, via both manual exam and a rectal scan, the vet did it without any sedation or backing up to doors. She's a nice tempered mare so he just stood behind her in the stable.


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## Cortez (10 March 2019)

Rhossili said:



			Beginning to wonder what?
Yea need to research nutrition, sheâ€™s on thunderbrooks meadow nuts, daily essentials and linseed atm with plenty of hay but little grass
Totally clueless about foals need to do some serious research and phone vets Monday
		
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I wouldn't get too wound up about it - she looks very well covered in the pic and certainly doesn't need more food, just perhaps a bit of vit/min balanced for broodmares?


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## MissTyc (10 March 2019)

They can do a blood test for pregnancy too, I think?

We had a surprise foal many years ago. Mare was in full work, lean, strong. She'd been on yard 6 months. One June morning there was a foal lying in the straw.


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## meleeka (10 March 2019)

JJS said:



			Let's just say that she looks more pregnant than my pregnant mare ever did, so I'd definitely be getting her checked.

I know that when my mare was checked, via both manual exam and a rectal scan, the vet did it without any sedation or backing up to doors. She's a nice tempered mare so he just stood behind her in the stable.
		
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I thought of you when I read this post. What a wonderful outcome you had.  I wouldnâ€™t have thought it would be particularly difficult to diagnose given the size of that belly.


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## Amymay (10 March 2019)

meleeka said:



			I thought of you when I read this post. What a wonderful outcome you had.  I wouldnâ€™t have thought it would be particularly difficult to diagnose given the size of that belly.
		
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Me too. OP, have a chat with JJS. She too had a surprise foal.


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## cundlegreen (10 March 2019)

SusieT said:



			To be fair - why should a vet risk breaking an arm if the stable door isnt the right height and the horse is a youngster and wriggly? W dont actually know what the facilities are like or the mares temperment and a wriggly scan over a stable door can and will break a vets arm and /or scanner.
I would travel her to the stocks to get an exam and or scan - if shes that near foaling she should be easily identifiable on manual exam
		
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Ever heard of a twitch??


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## Chippers1 (11 March 2019)

We had a mare on our yard that ended up around that size - she had a mule foal that was almost the same size as her! No one knew she was in foal when she was bought so was ridden regularly until she ended up getting bigger and bigger..


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## HeyMich (11 March 2019)

What's the verdict OP? Have you had the vet out to see her?


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## Rhossili (11 March 2019)

Vet booked for thursday. and im freaking out


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## HeyMich (11 March 2019)

Rhossili said:



			Vet booked for thursday. and im freaking out
		
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Good luck! Let us know how you get on xx


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## Equi (11 March 2019)

As said a balancer for stud would be more appropriate than any more actual feeding, its all my mares ever got. 

When feeling for movement, i have found the best way is to give the mare her feed, then have your hand either right under her just in front of the udder but to one side of it, and the other in the little hollow at her opposite flank so your body is also on her as you get more coverage for feeling (i can do both spots at once on mine, but on a larger horse that might not be possible, just always stay safe and work with what your mare will allow). A foal movement is quite detectable it feels like a short sharp prod, or a rolling/fluttering sensation, gas won't create that much tangible feeling. 

As a side note, i have never heard of a vet asking a mare to be sedated to be examend. Surely that would be risky to both mare and foal.


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## The Fuzzy Furry (14 March 2019)

Rhossili said:



			Vet booked for thursday. and im freaking out
		
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And?


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## JanetGeorge (15 March 2019)

Rhossili said:



			havent seen and standard
Season â€˜signsâ€™ that Iâ€™ve seen in friends mares but again when I asked the vet said that can be expected as sheâ€™s so young so I donâ€™t know 

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Sorry - but that's a dumb vet.  I've seen fillies in season from about 9-10 months of age.  Seasons tend not to last as long - and might not result in pregnancy if covered, but I sure won't let fillies that age run with colts the same age.  I have put a LOT of 3yo fillies in foal - easy, peasy.  That mare certainly looks heavily pregnant to me.  Never believe former owners - even if you know them well.  People can have conveniently bad memories if a colt gets out or arrives in the 'wrong' place.  Or be ignorant of consequences - "But he CAN'T have got her in foal - he was only in with her for 15 minutes."  (And - believe me - that's ample time.  My randy stallion can get a mare covered in 50 seconds flat - and that includes the time he takes to get to the covering area.)  First time mares often don't show anything noticeable in the udder until 2 weeks before foaling - and even then - if you haven't been watching it closely and KNOW what you're looking at, you might not see it.  Scanning at this stage is pretty pointless - any decent repro vet could 'feel' the foal externally - and judge with his own eyesight.  Look at her head on - and from the rear with her standing straight.  Is the belly bigger to one side than the other?  Look for the 'swelling moving slighlty back on her body and getting lower.  Look at the vulva daily - des it appear to be getting a bit longer.  Run your fingers down her rump either side of the spine.  Can you feel a softening in the muscles there?  And get organised for watching her close to the time - ideally have her in at night.  Because if she needs help with foaling it needs to be quick.


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## Ambers Echo (15 March 2019)

So foalie on the way or not....?


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## cundlegreen (15 March 2019)

JanetGeorge said:



			Sorry - but that's a dumb vet.  I've seen fillies in season from about 9-10 months of age.  Seasons tend not to last as long - and might not result in pregnancy if covered, but I sure won't let fillies that age run with colts the same age.  I have put a LOT of 3yo fillies in foal - easy, peasy.  That mare certainly looks heavily pregnant to me.  Never believe former owners - even if you know them well.  People can have conveniently bad memories if a colt gets out or arrives in the 'wrong' place.  Or be ignorant of consequences - "But he CAN'T have got her in foal - he was only in with her for 15 minutes."  (And - believe me - that's ample time.  My randy stallion can get a mare covered in 50 seconds flat - and that includes the time he takes to get to the covering area.)  First time mares often don't show anything noticeable in the udder until 2 weeks before foaling - and even then - if you haven't been watching it closely and KNOW what you're looking at, you might not see it.  Scanning at this stage is pretty pointless - any decent repro vet could 'feel' the foal externally - and judge with his own eyesight.  Look at her head on - and from the rear with her standing straight.  Is the belly bigger to one side than the other?  Look for the 'swelling moving slighlty back on her body and getting lower.  Look at the vulva daily - des it appear to be getting a bit longer.  Run your fingers down her rump either side of the spine.  Can you feel a softening in the muscles there?  And get organised for watching her close to the time - ideally have her in at night.  Because if she needs help with foaling it needs to be quick.
		
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I had a maiden mare who hadn't bagged up at all, and she foaled the next morning. Fortunately her milk came in, and all was well.


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## Flyermc (15 March 2019)

????????


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## Apercrumbie (15 March 2019)

Doesn't look like we're getting an update - shame as I was intrigued!


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## JJS (17 March 2019)

Apercrumbie said:



			Doesn't look like we're getting an update - shame as I was intrigued!
		
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I saw that the OP had posted on the Foaling Hub, and I know she wasn't sure whether to scan or not, so I imagine that she might not have any new info to update us with.


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## Heidi_GL (20 March 2019)

Snowfilly said:



			Looks incredibly pregnant to me!

Never heard of a vet sedating for that, is he used to working with broodmares?

PS foal pics are mandatory 

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I've just had a vet out to scan my mare, because she's only 6 and hasn't had a scan or anything before, to make her more comfortable they did give her a small amount of sedation - they're a specialist equine vet. Although they did ask me and would have gone ahead with it without if I had requested, so seemingly a bit more lenient than the ones the OP is using!


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## {138171} (21 March 2019)

She looks extremely pregnant, i too had a surprise foal from a 4yo. Can offer support on here with how i handled mine


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