Heat signs while in foal?

[Marsha Cassada]

This may be answered somewhere on this forum in the past but I'm not sure how to search for it.
Can a mare have signs of heat while she is in foal? The mare I have, which I do not know yet whether she is in foal, is squealing at my gelding and ejecting a fluid. If a mare does not do this while in foal, then Midnight is just plump.

 

[LostandFound]

It is possible for a mare to show signs of heat while in foal, but it's not real common. I would probably guess that she is just plump.

 

[Ryan Johnson]

As said above , some mares can show signs of heat and some mares will even let a stallion mount them, when they are in fact pregnant.

Only your vet will be able to determine if she is or not. The fact she is ejecting fluid at your gelding , I would say she is empty , just plump

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Our appt is friday.

 

[chandab]

Some will shows signs similar to being in heat while pregnant, you can chalk it up to hormones run amok. My AQHA mare was that type; I had her bred, checked in foal, moved across two states, introduced her to a new herd and almost immediately she acted like she was in heat, so I had her preg-checked again, still pregnant, the following year, she had a lovely filly. And, almost monthly, she acted mildly like she was in heat through her whole pregnancy.

 

[Willow Flats]

Our appt is friday.

Will be checking to see what you find out!

 

[Cayuse]

I just came here to check to news, too!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Just got back from the vet. she is not in foal. Just fat. Not sure to be glad or sorry.

 

[Cayuse]

Thanks for the update! Looks like a diet is in the future for Midnight?

 

[Denisern06]

I have a question about heat cycles--my mini delivered a dead foal about a month ago. She has had no signs of heat since. When should I expect it?

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Thanks for the update! Looks like a diet is in the future for Midnight?

I hate putting my horses on diets. But I will work on it. Plus she never got any exercise when my sister had her, and I am working her. Maybe that will help. I think one thing that happened was she was so poor and thin when my sister got her, that it was satisfying to see her plump up. I think my husband was a little disappointed that there was to be no baby.

 

[Willow Flats]

I have a mare that needed to lose weight and I know what you mean about restricting food. Feels terrible! I cut her back a little, feeding her hay in a nibble net so it would last longer and increased her exercise. I'm letting her out to graze now but use a timer so I can keep on top of it.

Did the vet weigh her or give you any indication where she should be at weight wise?

 

[Cayuse]

I don't have more much luck with diets, mine get a good amount of hay. I think they need hay throughout the day. I'm lucky that I can go out and hay them several times a day so they get small but frequent amount. I use a slow feed net for Cappy.
I bet exercise will work wonders with Midnight.

I am sorry that your husband was disappointed. I think mine would be, too. I can see where he may have wondered long enough about Midnight being in foal to get excited about the possibility.

How chubby is Midnight? From her picture, she did not look fat to me. Maybe slightly plump. Rubenesque, maybe

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I don't consider her quite Rubenesque yet! Vets have this horror of fat ponies. I think they see so many problems from that, that they get a little paranoid. No, he did not weigh her; he was going by feel. And I agree, since she is not in foal, she is too plump. It took her 6 months to get plump; we'll just have to work on making her more svelte. Her mane and coat are lovely now.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I have a question about heat cycles--my mini delivered a dead foal about a month ago. She has had no signs of heat since. When should I expect it?

I'm so sorry this happened to you.
We rode to the vet with a neighbor who is planning to AI her big mare. This was the second time she had been up in 4 weeks to have her ultrasounded. The mare was showing a little more promising yesterday and the vet said to bring her back next Tuesday to check again. She really wasn't showing any obvious signs of heat, so maybe mares are not always noticeable. Guess that is why teasing stallions are used. For the AI, there is only a 36-48 window for it to be a success, so they have to monitor it closely. If she is very close on Tuesday, the vet will give her an injection to make her ovulate and the semen will be shipped overnight. The mare lives with all geldings, so maybe there isn't much to trigger her cycle.