Question...

[Matt73]

Hey All

Lexus, my three year old mare, will be at 300 days' gestation on April 21st. I had her covered once, as after that she actively rejected the stud. At the time -and now- I thought well, if she takes, great, and if not it won't hurt to wait another year anyway. No big deal; I'm not in this for the dough -I'd probably keep this little one-. About a month ago I thought I felt a definite "flutter". But...nearing the 300 day mark, she is nice and slim; she looks great! No belly at all! Here's my question: How many of you have had maidens where it was virtually impossible to tell that they were in foal but actually were and "surprised" you? I'd include a photo, but my computer isn't bringing up Photobucket right now

 

[Bonny]

I have a maiden and am going through pretty much the same thing. Only I have no cover dates. And she has a belly but I have had two neg preg tests and one positive test. So I am at a loss.

Have you had a vet look at her?

I hope you can get a picture posted , I would love to see her!

 

[Matt73]

Hey Bonnie

No, I haven't had a vet look at her only because I'm not too concerned if she is or isn't. She very very probably is not; she doesn't look it at all. But I just though I'd ask if anyone had ever had a mare who they were sure wasn't, but "poof" she was

. I will keep a closer eye on her just in case after April 21st. And...I'll try to get some pics up soon. Thanks Bonnie! And good luck with your girl!

 

[Bonny]

Thanks I need it!

Cant wait to see your girl!

 

[Matt73]

Bump

 

[dgrminis]

Matt

2 years ago I had a maiden mare that I bought bred -- well she ended up being too much for me to handle as she was pretty wild, was a 3 year old that hadnt even been halter broke really, so I made the decision to sell her in March and someone snatched her up right away -- she was a real looker which is why I had got her to start with - -haah -- anyways -- no bag and she didnt look bred at all and the people never actually confirmed a breeding just that she had been on pasture for a month with a stallion and she would be due in May or June... Well end of March shipper picks her up and takes her to her new home... New owner is thrilled with her and about 3 weeks later I get an e-mail telling me to brace myself and I think something bad has happened and I open the pictures attached and here she was with a spitting image of herself -- she had never bagged up or showed any signs even for the new owner and had laid down and foaled at night while they were sleeping... so I would say yes it is totally possible to have one show no signs at all and then boom surprise you

I am actually going through the same thing now with a 3 year old maiden -- her first due date would have been in March but she rebred later putting her due in May so I have been watching her close and to me she doesnt look bred at all but she also hasnt come into heat at all that I have seen and I thought I saw some movement once but then I thought maybe it was my imagination... Our vets dont ultrasound -- closest one that does is an hour and half away so we are just waiting now to see what will happen

 

[kaykay]

Matt years ago I bought a bred maiden mare. She NEVER looked in foal even the day she foaled LOL. My more experienced friends would come look at her and say no way is that mare in foal. I was so glad I kept watching her anyway as she did foal a beautiful filly.

 

[Matt73]

Thanks guys. This is a pic of her from last month -would be about 8 1/2 or 9 mos. along-.

She sure doesn't look in foal does she?

 

[Bonny]

Well she sure is a cutie but I can see what you mean, she doesnt look preg at all. But never say never!

What about the little white one?

 

[alongman]

Matt -

I have had a couple of maiden mares that were definitely "slim" or toned or whatever the phrase is just weeks before foaling. My mare, ROWBUCK Ramsey, actually was Reserve National Champion in her halter class - went home and 2 months later foaled. I still remember the judge commenting on how conditioned she was. I had the same feeling as you, if she was bred fine, if not, fine.

I have a mare in the barn currently who is confirmed in foal by ultrasound yet looks very slim yet as well - she is 30 days off. I'll try to get pictures for you.

 

[Matt73]

Thanks Adam.

Regarding the palomino behind her, she's the opposite. She looks pregnant, but is just a little butter ball -she smells hay and gains pounds-. She's Addison, my foal from last year. Also, some of the belly is hair. Just some

 

[Sassy'sMom]

I actually had a similar thing happen to me with a big horse! I bought a horse in July of 2006, never being told she had been exposed. (I have never been around a pregnant horse, and didn't know to look for signs.) At the end of April 2007, I thought she looked like she had a bit of a belly, but I just assumed it was a hay belly from the winter and that her and I had some work ahead of us! I rode her in the middle of April!!! Nothing hard at all, just two very easy walk/trot rides around the pasture. I e-mailed her previous owner at the beginning of May to see if there was any way she could be pregnant. I didn't truly believe it, and I waited to here back from her. On the evening of May 3, she e-mailed me back and said yes, she had been exposed, but they didnt' think she took.

She couldn't have mentioned that to me when I bought her?

Well, I was going to call the vet the next day to get them out there right away to see if she was. I walked into the stall the very next morning, May 4, and there was a perfectly healthy, dry, gorgeous little colt! What a shocker!! Thank goodness that everything went great and that there were no complications! Sure am glad that I made sure my mare had been fed very well that winter, although she never had any pre-natal care! And I definitely wouldn NOT have been riding her! And I would have loved to have been there for the birth too!

But, it's okay, I got the last laugh! She had to pay me to get the colt that she had tried to breed for! When I sold the colt a few months later, she bought him!