Pregnant?

[Sennali]

Hello,
I'm new here!
I would like to get a second opinion on something because I really don't know it anymore.

So, I recently bought a miniature mare, two months ago to be exact.
In those two months she gained quite a lot of weight and i'm starting to think she might be pregnant.
I really hope she isn't because she just turned 2 years old, but that belly keeps getting bigger so i'm not sure.

Hopefully you guys have more experience with pregnant mares than I do, so please comment your opinion!

 

[LostandFound]

It's impossible to tell from pictures, but she kind of looks it to me. Take another picture under her belly, but closer to her back legs so we can see if she is developing an udder.

 

[Standards Equine]

If possible, do a fresh fecal collection and have a vet clinic assess it for parasites. It could be that she's got a high parasitic load causing her to get the heavy belly. Hopefully your baby cutie isn't carrying a baby of her own!!!

 

[Sennali]

Thanks for the replies!

The udder has been the same since I first got her, and is looking normal to me. The picture where she has more hair is from this week and the other one from the end of July.

Yes I immediately thought about parasites too! But I already did a fecal collection last week and that came back negative.

 

[LostandFound]

I'm going with not pregnant then. I'd probably start her on some light exercise. It won't hurt her if she is pregnant, and if she isn't then it should help with the belly. Anything is possible though, it can be really hard to tell with these little guys.

 

[Sennali]

Okay thanks!
I already take her on short walks but I don't want to do too much with her since she just turned 2.
She only has a halter, would there be anything of light work you can recommend?

 

[LostandFound]

Long walks are good, some trotting is better. Hills are great if you don't want to jog with her.You can start teaching her to lunge or if her turnout area is a good size you can do round pen work in a square or rectangle pretty well. If you have a couple poles you can start teaching her the basics of obstacle work. Walking and trotting over poles, sidepassing, backing up through them. I just made my mare trot around her pen for 15 minutes a couple times a week.

 

[Sennali]

Thank you very much, i'll definitely try those exercises out!

 

[Sennali]

Hello!
I'm back with some new pictures because she changed so much again.
I train her about 3 times a week now and the trainings include light hillwork, walks and sometimes trotting or a short canter in the forest.
She really seems to love the work and i thought she would lose weight pretty quick since she really goes for it every training. Unfortunately she gained even more weight instead and is now looking like she's about to pop.

Is she just way too fat and maybe needs more training? Or is she pregnant?

(Btw, she's in a paddock 24/7 with unlimited hay and & is able to eat grass in our garden about 30 minutes a day)

 

[LostandFound]

Well, that much hay and grass can really cause weight gain for some minis. But she doesn't look that overweight on her topline. She might look worse than she is because of all that winter hair. But can you get an udder picture again?