Fat or in Foal??

[Sam_and_Cleggy]

The fact she's had a foal in the past would give the impression at times that they are pregnant. The muscles weaken.

Mine looked pregnant without work for three months on grazing. She wasn't but no work and she looked horrendously obese.

I hope so... she'll have a lot if weight to lose and wont thank me for it ??

Weird thing is, shes been ridden out there times a week, plus some in-hand walks and lunging ?‍ In the past month shes become very irritable about tacking up and riding. I last rode her on Thursday and since she felt 'off' I decided to get her checked out and give her a break until then x

 

[carthorse]

If she's in foal the work won't have done either of them any harm, so don't worry about that.

 

[diplomaticandtactful]

if this helps, this was Suze two weeks before producing an unexpected foal, this was the day after she arrived.

 

[Mary Poppins]

I am really interested in what the vet says. I guess I am swayed by experience because I have known a few people buy mares and have false pregnancy scares. Someone bought my friends mare some years ago and 4 months later tried to get my friend to pay the vets bills to test if she was in foal. It caused a big row and it was eventually confirmed as no pregnancy after lots of threats towards my friend for apparently selling a pregnant mare.
The unevenness of the belly is a good point though, my gelding is most definitely evenly fat all round with no bulges. I would say however that riding 3 times a week is not enough to keep the fat away from a good doer. When Ben was slim and healthy (and sound!) I was riding him for 2 hours everyday. Oh how I wish I could do that again. Good luck with the vet, I hope that you get the news that you want.

 

[Sam_and_Cleggy]

I'm still no closer to knowing either way after vet visit. The vet opted to do blood test rather than rectal exam so I'm now waiting for results... ?

 

[newforest]

She's not about to drop them else they would have.
Is it a horse vet that you have? Surely they could do a portable scan. The ovaries were scanned while I stood there for mine. Job done.

 

[Sam_and_Cleggy]

She's not about to drop them else they would have.
Is it a horse vet that you have? Surely they could do a portable scan. The ovaries were scanned while I stood there for mine. Job done.

Yes, it's an equine vet. The girl wasnt their most experienced though and she didnt seem keen on doing the exam even tho she had sedative with her and the horse wasnt fussy with jab and blood test. She said she wouldn't like to say either way without bloods... and then said she'sd known false negatives so if that was the case to be watchful still ?. Her final comment was that I'd have a few weeks yet if she is. Maybe results by Friday? x

 

[carthorse]

I'd be pretty miffed with that vet. If she is pregnant she's a good way along so the vet should be able to tell by examination, and since you'd told the practice what you wanted a vet for they should have sent someone more experienced if this girl wasn't confident. I'd have rung the practice, complained, and asked for someone else to come out who knew what they were doing - yes I can be stroppy! Sounds like a complete waste of time and money.

 

[Kite_Rider]

I'd be pretty miffed with that vet. If she is pregnant she's a good way along so the vet should be able to tell by examination, and since you'd told the practice what you wanted a vet for they should have sent someone more experienced if this girl wasn't confident. I'd have rung the practice, complained, and asked for someone else to come out who knew what they were doing - yes I can be stroppy! Sounds like a complete waste of time and money.

My thoughts too carthorse.

 

[Sam_and_Cleggy]

I am left pretty frustrated about it, especially when she said that she herself had known false negative pregnancy bloods. I'll feel like I need to request another appointment to do the exam/scan even if it comes back negative on blood. I suppose the issue was that I'd made the booking on 'zone day' when they're stretched with bookings and time, but I had had a good conversation with the lady booking it in and said I was wanting her annual flu and tet jab and pregnancy assessment. ?

 

[Mary Poppins]

I too would be annoyed at the vet. If you have her history since November 2019 then she would be at least 9 if not 10 months pregnant. How can a vet not be able to identify a horse who is heavily in foal? Did she offer any opinion at all? I would understand if the pregnancy was new, but by going on your timescale she would be giving birth in just a few weeks. Seems very strange.

 

[diplomaticandtactful]

I too would be annoyed at the vet. If you have her history since November 2019 then she would be at least 9 if not 10 months pregnant. How can a vet not be able to identify a horse who is heavily in foal? Did she offer any opinion at all? I would understand if the pregnancy was new, but by going on your timescale she would be giving birth in just a few weeks. Seems very strange.

vet came out to do tetanus on Suze when she arrived and didn't mention that she could be in foal....which she had 10 days later....

 

[diplomaticandtactful]

I am left pretty frustrated about it, especially when she said that she herself had known false negative pregnancy bloods. I'll feel like I need to request another appointment to do the exam/scan even if it comes back negative on blood. I suppose the issue was that I'd made the booking on 'zone day' when they're stretched with bookings and time, but I had had a good conversation with the lady booking it in and said I was wanting her annual flu and tet jab and pregnancy assessment. ?

they should have been able to confirm one way or another.

 

[Sam_and_Cleggy]

vet came out to do tetanus on Suze when she arrived and didn't mention that she could be in foal....which she had 10 days later....

My goodness! It looked so obvious on your photo of her too! Was the foal ok? Did you realise at all beforehand or just find the foal one morning? x

 

[Sam_and_Cleggy]

I too would be annoyed at the vet. If you have her history since November 2019 then she would be at least 9 if not 10 months pregnant. How can a vet not be able to identify a horse who is heavily in foal? Did she offer any opinion at all? I would understand if the pregnancy was new, but by going on your timescale she would be giving birth in just a few weeks. Seems very strange.

Once the vet got in the stable with her, she said at first, 'well she could be' but then explained how it can be very hard to tell. She then said 'she isnt ready to pop, so we should be ok to wait for blood results... although I've known false negatives' ??

 

[Sam_and_Cleggy]

This was Tia today:

 

[diplomaticandtactful]

My goodness! It looked so obvious on your photo of her too! Was the foal ok? Did you realise at all beforehand or just find the foal one morning? x

she was an ex brood mare who had spent two weeks getting here from France, thought she was just wormy tummy and dropped belly as unfit. I went up to the barn and heard all the donkeys braying, wondered what had happened. Checked the stables, everyone alive, then looked in suze's and saw blood everywhere, wondered what the hell had happened and saw newly born wet foal.

 

[carthorse]

vet came out to do tetanus on Suze when she arrived and didn't mention that she could be in foal....which she had 10 days later....

But did you ask them to see if she was? It may be that they assumed you knew she was in foal and didn't feel the need to comment. @Sam_and_Cleggy had specifically asked, before the visit, to have her mare checked to see whether or not she's in foal.

 

[diplomaticandtactful]

But did you ask them to see if she was? It may be that they assumed you knew she was in foal and didn't feel the need to comment. @Sam_and_Cleggy had specifically asked, before the visit, to have her mare checked to see whether or not she's in foal.

I did mention it, particularly as she had a bit of a saggy bag. I told them she was sold as not in foal but she was pretty dropped. It was a first health check to do vaccinations etc so given i had bought her sight unseen i expected them to check her over. Mind you it was the same vet that killed Sasa through mis diagnosis so maybe shouldn't have been surprised

 

[newforest]

Can't they even hear the heartbeat.
I wouldn't expect blood to be taken, I would expect a portable scan!