How long until my mini foals?

Phoebe1

Phoebe1

New Member
Apr 6, 2016
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Hi, we rescued two minature Shetlands last year in September. We we're told the mare (Molly) had been running with a stallion and she already had a neat little belly when she came to us which makes me think she must of been already about 3 months.
I know it's impossible to predict from photos but thought it would be nice to hear everyone else's opinion as she is showing a lots of signs. Her tail bone is sticking up and her muscles have relaxed, she has bagged up but due to her being wild when we rescued her, it's impossible to see if she has waxed up (she is now coming in and eating and will come up for treats but she's very timid unlike her daughter we rescued with her who loves being taken for walks and having brushes!) she seems very restless and lifting her tail a lot, she's staying close to her stable. Her udder didn't look as full today as you can see from the photo, some days she looks like her udder is full to the brim!
Any opinions would be great, I'm getting so excited everyday convinced it may be the day but not so far!
 

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image.jpeg Please excuse how muddy it is as this is our walk way to the field! This is Molly this morning.image.jpegimage.jpeg
 
Wally is the one to ask about pregnant Shetlands!!!

How do the muscles feel either side of her tail? Have they slackened off? Will feel like jelly if palpated. Has her vulva elongated? If you look at her teats through her back legs are the teats facing inwards or outwards yet? Any wax? All signs of being imminent :)
 
domane said:
Wally is the one to ask about pregnant Shetlands!!!

How do the muscles feel either side of her tail? Have they slackened off? Will feel like jelly if palpated. Has her vulva elongated? If you look at her teats through her back legs are the teats facing inwards or outwards yet? Any wax? All signs of being imminent :)
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Hi Domane,
Thank you for your reply Because she was wild (hadn't been handled at all!) it's difficult to get near her apart from now she has softened to her face being tickled and sometimes depending on how she feels on the day a stroke down the neck! Pickles her daughter has come around lovely, in fact we are hoping to show her, she even will wear a rug and now getting her over some poles. I don't blame Molly for her lack of trust, I'm hoping once she's had the foal she might be more willing as she looks longingly when the other horses and ponies are being fussed up!
The pictures doesnt show quite how big her belly is! Her bum although she won't let me touch it looks very jelly like and her tail bone has become very pronounced. As for her tears when looking from the back they looks ever so slightly inwards but the other day they where a lot fuller and pointing more outwards so I think she's trying to keep us guessing! She has started over the last couple of days rubbing her bum on the stable wall which she doesn't normally do and raising her tail a lot!
I see movement in her belly more towards her hind legs but after being on YouTube tonight I'm now worrying she doesn't get as much movement like the clips online, should we be worried or are some less active then others?
 
If she's not been handled the bet will be she will be even more aloof when the foal is born.
It's impossible to see from the photo of the udder, you need to see the teat and duct.

If she's rubbing her bum and rasing her tail make sure she does not have worms, You can often see them if they are there .

The foal will slow down and hardly move as it gets ready to be born. I check every 2 hours once they wax up. You will see globs of sticky wax blocking the ends of the teats.

Unless your Shetland is ill or old they really really don;t need rugs, they will get far too hot. It 's not good for them.

When all's said and done she'll have it when she has it, I have seen all the signs and non,
 
Hi W
Wally said:
If she's not been handled the bet will be she will be even more aloof when the foal is born.
It's impossible to see from the photo of the udder, you need to see the teat and duct.

If she's rubbing her bum and rasing her tail make sure she does not have worms, You can often see them if they are there .

The foal will slow down and hardly move as it gets ready to be born. I check every 2 hours once they wax up. You will see globs of sticky wax blocking the ends of the teats.

Unless your Shetland is ill or old they really really don;t need rugs, they will get far too hot. It 's not good for them.

When all's said and done she'll have it when she has it, I have seen all the signs and non,
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Hi Wally,
Thank you for your reply. Under the guidance of our vets she has been wormed so I'm definitely sure she hasn't got worms!
We haven't wanted to push her with handling her as we felt it would just put her under unnecessary stress with her being in foal. When she came to use she was wearing an ill fitted head collar which was soaking wet and knotted into her mane, trying to get it off her set her back but it had to come off! She follows us into her stable and comes to us for a treat but other then that, means she is so far along I wouldn't set her back as I have found this approach doesn't work, after being neglected they have a lot of scars and need time to understand not everyone is a monster!
I tend to make show fleeces for them, we have owned mini's for years (all have been rescue ones, coming from neglected backgrounds) and I find although not always necessary for them to wear rugs it's always good to get them use to all different circumstances and pickles quite likes her pink fleecy show rug on when I take her up the road for a walk, she looks very proud when people coo over her!! We also have a elderly mini who has Cushing so I made her a light stable rug, as you may know ponies with Cushing don't shed their coat in the summer so I clip her and the rug comes in handy if her coat hasn't grown back ready for the chilly winter nights. The vet is amazed how she is doing as we we're told 4 years ago she wouldn't survive for another year!
I just wanted to ask everyone's opinion really as I'm getting excited and I think Molly will be relieved as she's looking very uncomfortable! She's been a lot more affectionate towards the other ponies and biting at her belly. I will see how her teats are looking tomorrow but will respect her space if she feels nervous.
 
Can't wait to see the new foalie pics!!! Lucky mare to have found you when so in need of care.
 
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Thank you KP nut, I can't wait to post photos for everyone to see! Such an exciting time Fingers crossed all goes well!
 
I agree about the not stressing her with unnecessary handling, but an unhandled dam might produce an unhandled foal?
She will teach that foal to be timid and cautious around humans.
 
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newforest said:
I agree about the not stressing her with unnecessary handling, but an unhandled dam might produce an unhandled foal?
She will teach that foal to be timid and cautious around humans.
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Hi Newforest,
I'm hoping because her daughter is now so well handled that maybe the foal will be more inclined to want to have a bit of the action?! Pickles is only 2 so she's been quite easy to bring around. The lady didn't know how old Molly actually is but she thought maybe 12 so she is a bit more stubborn! Saying that though, when she see's her bucket of food she is in! She's not herself tonight though, she was very reluctant to want to come in but because of the amount of foxes here we didn't want to risk her foaling outside so took 45 mins of extreme patience until she came in Finally sat down now with a cup of tea !
 
Fingers crossed with the other one around you, it helps the baby.
You know we will need photos, hint :)
 
newforest said:
Fingers crossed with the other one around you, it helps the baby.
You know we will need photos, hint :)
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I can't wait to share lots of pictures with every one I think all the animals get bored of me as I'm always taking lots of photos I'm getting very excited, I'm sitting in the living room with a clear view into her stable so instead of watching the tv I'm watching Molly...so far nothing!
 
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Jessey said:
She's so cute and looks ready to pop, her belly is huge :p
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Lol her belly is massive, poor girl can barely get up the small step to get into the yard! I checked them last night and our other mini Holly had her face pressed against Molly's belly, it was the cutest thing I've ever seen, shame I didn't have my phone to take a photo!
 
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