# Is horse pregnant (PLEASE read and reply ASAP)



## ChingazMyBoy (Apr 16, 2009)

Get a vet to have a look, it sounds like it though.


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## LadyDreamer (Jan 25, 2008)

Horses have a gestation of 11 months, give or take. Sometimes more, sometimes less(not months less), but if it has only been five months, then it is very unlikely that the stallion at camp covered her. If she _is_ pregnant, and only been back from camp 5 months, then she was not covered by the camp stallion, but by another before then. 

Get her checked by a vet.


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## tealamutt (Aug 21, 2009)

the only way to be sure is to have her palpated. A 5 month pregnancy would be easy for the vet to detect without ultrasound so it shouldn't be very expensive. But you should have her checked because you do need to know for sure. If it isn't pregnancy, something else could be causing these changes which you also need to find out about.


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## InspiredByHorses (Jul 19, 2009)

The problem is...my father doesn't know about her being possibly pregnant, and therefore we can't take her to the vet...and If i tell my dad, it will NOT go down well and he wont believe me anyway


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## tealamutt (Aug 21, 2009)

you know what REALLY won't go down well? Him finding out about it when she foals out and then finding out that the two of you knew about it all along. Trust me, you're going to have to bite the bullet on this one and fess up. Save yourself a real hiding later on and tell him now.


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## sillybunny11486 (Oct 2, 2009)

mares in foal need special recautions, you can give certain foods (fescue grass) certain dewormers ect. It would be VERY irresposible not to tell your father. She could have complications, she could die, so its in your best interest to call the vet and talk to you father.


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## InspiredByHorses (Jul 19, 2009)

OK, I need instructions on how to do THAT lol


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## sillybunny11486 (Oct 2, 2009)

instructions on what? 

if you can post the topic here im sure you can talk to your father about it just fine. just tell him what you think.


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## LadyDreamer (Jan 25, 2008)

"Dad, I have been reading, and I was wondering if you thought Crystal might be pregnant? She is showing these signs that I read about, and there was this stallion at camp that she might have been in contact with, and I just want you to check her out to see if we should call a vet. I am very worried about her, because I have been reading all these terrible things that could happen to pregnant mares. Please daddy, come look at her. I love her so much, I don't want something to be wrong with her."

I don't know about you, but "daddy" works on my dad. 

Unless your mare is really for sure pregnant, I must say there isn't really much point in posting everything we know about equine reproduction. All there is to know cannot be covered here. I suggest you start reading through the threads on this breeding section.


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## angelsgrace (Apr 30, 2009)

Hi i actully own crystal,

My father is not very open minded at all with vets he wouldn't let us take the dog to the vet when she had a huge whole in her side from barb wire its all on cattle propertys.Is there any chance a horse pregnacy test would work ok enough?

What foods are good for mare that are pregnant at the moment she is on grass and garlic, kelp,shine, apple cider vingar, a cap of sunflower oil and a little molasise. Is that ok for a pregnant mare?
thanks I have told my mother that crystal seems to be pregnant i'm looking at horse pregnancy test online now.

thanks Issy


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## CheyAut (Nov 26, 2008)

Try Wee Foal. If she's pregnant, then tell your dad since there's nothing you can do about it!

She can stay on her regular feed (as long as there is no fescue) for now. I increase it the final three months of pregnancy, adding in mare and foal feed. 

Rhino shots (making sure it's the one for pregnant mares!) start at 5 months, so you need to find out now.


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## boxer (Feb 20, 2009)

I'm not sure if we have fescue grass in australia. does anyone know?


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## XivoShowjumper (Oct 16, 2009)

BOXER i don't think we do....? but remember their mare need different things due to a different climate etc.


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## angelsgrace (Apr 30, 2009)

Um today i got her some human preg test the vet said to try it cause they were only cheap


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## CheyAut (Nov 26, 2008)

Your VET told you to try it? They don't work, sorry! There are horse ones though called Wee Foal.


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## Winged (May 24, 2008)

I've never posted here, but I've been lurking for quite awhile. I finally come across a topic I have to reply to. 

First, if there's a possibility she is pregnant, Dad definitely needs to know. If he's anti-vet, explain to him the possible complications of horse pregnancies and, thus, the need for a vet. You're far better off talking to your dad, letting him know, getting a vet out there, and finding out for sure, than you are only thinking she might be expecting, not really knowing when the foal is due, and not having a vet that's already familiar with your horse if there are complications. (If you're having trouble talking to him, show him this thread, or send him an email and link this thread, asking him to read it.)

I have never had experience with horse pregnancies. I've had experience with dog and cat pregnancies though, and have read enough to know that things can go wrong in horse pregnancies just like any other animal's (or human's) pregnancy. It is really important to find out whether or not she is pregnant, and if she is, you'll probably need a vet out there eventually (even if you don't need a vet to find out if she is pregnant).

Also, a final note, a human pregnancy test will NOT work. Human pregnancy tests test for the human chorionic gonadotropin hormone, emphasis on the "human". For that reason, even if for no other reason, human pregnancy tests do not work for any other species.


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## InspiredByHorses (Jul 19, 2009)

We've had many people say that she pregnant.
We've tried a pee-stick but she won't urine.
"PFFFFT!"


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## themacpack (Jul 16, 2009)

A HUMAN pregnancy test will NOT work - they detect a HUMAN hormone associated with pregnancy which a horse will not have. The pregnancy tests that are used on horses detect specific hormones and chemicals associated with an equine pregnancy. If your vet suggested it, time for a new vet.


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## bubblegum (Oct 6, 2009)

the only way that i can see to go through with this is talk to your dad, tell him what happened and what you need. this is not a game or a bit of fun, this can get seriuos


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## Appyt (Oct 14, 2007)

Here is my (then) 5 month SURPRISE preg mare..


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## Appyt (Oct 14, 2007)

Here she is in Sept, at 6 months. Look familiar?


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## angelsgrace (Apr 30, 2009)

I know this is not a game or a bit of fun i want to look after her I just need to know for sure that shes pregnant before i tell him,
if the human preg test is falty and say she is preg then I tell him and we get the vet out our vet is very used to crystal I'm going to try wee foal.
I have had 5 horse experts look at her and they all said she looked pregnant.


Thanks But do look after my horses and I know it's not a game or fun so plz don't think that cause you don't know any thing about her apart from what my 10 year old sister has said so don't judge that thanks.


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## SuperStarsSugar (Sep 9, 2009)

InspiredByHorses said:


> The problem is...my father doesn't know about her being possibly pregnant, and therefore we can't take her to the vet...and If i tell my dad, it will NOT go down well and he wont believe me anyway


If she's preggers, the baby is going to make an appearance eventually, so better for him to know now so you can prepare adequately.


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## themacpack (Jul 16, 2009)

OP, this is not really something you can hide forever. If she is in fact bred, it will become more and more obvious in her appearance and, eventually, in the appearance of the foal. As much as you may be concerned about your father's reaction, the responsible thing to do is to make your suspicions known sooner rather than later. Your father is not going to be in the dark forever and the fallout will be far worse if/when he learns it was hidden from him than if you just come clean to it now. Now he will (possibly) be upset about the breeding - down the road it will be the breeding and, worse, the deception.


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## PonderosaMiniatures (Oct 2, 2009)

Im having a problem with the fact you have a large animal and your dad not a 
"vet person" mares and mares that foal require alot of work and sometimes alot of medical care, emergencies come up, If he will have a problem just vetting her...to find out , if she in foal, what happens when foal comes and ....may need some attention...You could be putting your mare in danger without proper vet care...if you dont know what you are doing. I hope , things pan out for you and you can care for your mare, with a vet, if she is in foal.


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## LeahKathleen (Mar 5, 2009)

This is absurd.

If you want to be responsible, caring horse owners - tell your dad. You are being selfish by not doing so. You are putting the mare and her potential foal in danger.

If you're more worried about getting in trouble than about your mare's health, then you need to rethink owning horses.

I know you keep saying that you take this seriously, but if you were concerned for her health, you'd bite the bullet and 'fess up. 

And a human pregnancy test absolutely will not work. She needs to be looked at by a vet.


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## Tayz (Jan 24, 2009)

LeahKathleen said:


> This is absurd.
> 
> If you want to be responsible, caring horse owners - tell your dad. You are being selfish by not doing so. You are putting the mare and her potential foal in danger.
> 
> ...


I agree with her. My parents aren't excalty "vet loving" people either, but when my cat Bigboy looked unwell and wasn't eating much, I told them and *made *them get him an appointment with the vet. Turns out he had an ulcer in his bowel and it would have killed him in a number of weeks if he didn't have surgery to remove part of his bowel. He is fine now, on a huge scar and no hair around there is the reminder. But the point here is, if I hadn't talked to my parents, he would surely be gone.
Human preg test on a horse?  May I ask who came up with such a ridiculous idea?
I hope everything works out with your horse and your father


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## LadyDreamer (Jan 25, 2008)

So, out of curiosity, do you plan on waiting until the potential foal's front feet are presenting before going to your dad saying "Um... I think she is in foal?" Or I guess that would then be, "Um, dad, let me explain..."

Foals are the worst surprises. Regardless of if she is pregnant or not, your father needs to know. Who is paying the bills on this horse?(I don't know if you guys are financially supporting your horse, just curious). You really need to talk to your dad about this, regardless of what he knows or cares about. I talk to my dad about my misc. creatures and I know he couldn't care less about them. Do the mature thing and give your dad a head's up that there might be another equine in your care.

Google is your friend. Google pregnant horse feeding, and care of the pregnant mare, and all other sorts of wordings to find articles on how to take care of your horse. Do NOT rely on this forum to tell you what you want. Do an active search, and if she is not pregnant, everything you will have learned through YOUR OWN research will stay with you until you have need to use it again.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

InspiredByHorses said:


> *Ok, so Crystal (my sister Ireland, angelsgrace kind of owns her) she's 7 years old and showing signs of pregnancy after 5 months...5 months ago we went to a horse camp with her and Angel and Gerrie, there was a stallion there that had already sired 3 foals, he had escaped from his stall then and mabye have covered our beautiful mare, Crystal...he was a Quarter Horse Stallion, 5 months later (now) she is showing signs, like grumpiness, Large stomach, The pregnancy vein around her stomach, her milk breasts are very swollen, she is not de-sexed, and I have not seen her spray since then.*
> *She was also on heat (spraying) then (5 months ago)*
> *Need anymore information on what happened?*
> *PLEASE ANSWER ASAP!!!!!*


What does de-sexed mean? Do you mean spayed? Mares are rarely spayed.

At 5 months her teats would hardly be swollen with milk, as her pregnancy wouldn't even be at the halfway point.

So the stallion 'may have' covered your mare, but you're not sure. 

Sounds like a bunch of irresponsible people running that horse camp, if a stallion can get out and cover whichever mares he pleases.

If this ISN'T a troll posting or kids playing a game, which from everything else posted on this thread it's looking mighty suspicious, a vet needs to be called.

Seriously, HUMAN pregnancy tests? And you said YOUR VET told you to do that? Yeah, I'm not thinking this is a real situation. 

If it is, the sheer amount of neglect, ignorance, and irresponsibility is horrifying.


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

First off, AngelsGrace and InspiredByHorses, it's good that you're asking questions. Please everyone let's not jump on them for coming forward asking for a bit of help. Right now the most important thing you can do for your beloved mare is get proper vet attention. You have now been made aware that a human preg test is not accurate for horses, so the next step is to find a knowledgeable vet and convince your father that the mare should be preg checked. A pregnancy palpation itself isn't terribly expensive. 
Pregnant mares need different care than non-pregnant mares. They need vaccines at certain times and need to be a little more carefully watched in regards to feed. 
When the mare is due to foal, it is important to keep a good eye on her, as emergency situations that do require a vet can and do happen rapidly, so keeping a close eye on her when she's due to foal is imperative. 
Your first concern should be finding out (from a qualified vet) if she's pregnant or not. Your father does need to know, it may not be pleasant to do, but more than one lift may be on the line. 
Please take this matter seriously, and keep us updated.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

First off I agree that this may not be a real post. If it is, I'm going to disagree with most of the advice that has been posted. Horses are quite capable of foaling without any human assistance and they don't need any special feed. They may need different vaccines if you choose to give any. You do need to be prepared to house the mare and foal but it's not rocket science. If she were my horse I would not have a vet preg test her I would wait another 4 months and it should be pretty obvious. At 5 months you can not tell on most horses if they are pregnant or not by just looking.


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

While horses (and humans... and every other animal out there except what is it - pugs?) are very capable of giving birth without any human intervention, it is wise to keep a close eye on a mare close to foaling. Things can and do go wrong; death or injury is preventable just by observing the mare and being there and able to call a vet if something does go wrong. It would be tragic (to me at least) for something to happen that could have been prevented or fixed if I had just been there within range of a phone. In my opinion, being a responsible horse owner means just that - preparing yourself adequately, taking all preventative measures against injury, sickness, or death, and having the vet on speed dial


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## themacpack (Jul 16, 2009)

kevinshorses said:


> First off I agree that this may not be a real post. If it is, I'm going to disagree with most of the advice that has been posted. Horses are quite capable of foaling without any human assistance and they don't need any special feed. They may need different vaccines if you choose to give any. You do need to be prepared to house the mare and foal but it's not rocket science. If she were my horse I would not have a vet preg test her I would wait another 4 months and it should be pretty obvious. At 5 months you can not tell on most horses if they are pregnant or not by just looking.


While that is all very valid - you are an adult and the one with the right to make that call. The OP/OP's sister, are not - the person in the situation who should be the one deciding whether to have the vet out, whether they want to test, what they want to do nutritionally, is the adult - which is why the responsible thing to do is to bite the bullet and let dear ol' dad in on the big secret.


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## angelsgrace (Apr 30, 2009)

It's ok I was going to tell him after we found out by getting wee foal or some thing, in fact though crystal was born in a paddock with no human help one day they came back from shopping and there was a little paint foal in the paddock, but i don't intend to do that,

also my other mare is a brumby do you think they have horses out there that are vets?
When did the strong horse turn into some thing that needs to be bubble wrapped,

But I'm going to tell my dad tonight I was not worryed that i would be in trouble but if you guys new that my dad is 2 metres tall and weighs 120kg you might crap your self so lay off a little.

though I do feel sorry for the poor stallion owners they might be charged which they should get for not locking him up better.but what will be.

O and I'm only 13 so proberly streaching it calling me an adult don't you think
When I break it to him he'll cope but might not listen very well.

thanks for you time and advice
Ireland
thanks the pics helped she looks like the 5 month one


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Angelsgrace, I would just like you to be aware that while wild horses foal unassisted, they can also die from the lack of assistance. Wild horses generally don't live long, (15 is old!) and there is good reason for that - disease, sickness, lameness, lack of food.. all those factors kill wild horses on a regular basis. Our domesticated horses are very fortunate to have the vet care they need to survive into their 30's and 40's, some even longer. Your mare may foal out just fine without assistance - but she may not, and there is a very real risk of losing both the mare and baby. I will resurrect a thread from earlier this year from breeders on this board and their mishaps. I am not meaning to scare you, my intentions are to make you aware of the risks involved, and be an educated person going into this. 
I would recommend to you to prepare yourself, your sister, and your parent(s) by talking to vets, and reading lots of books on breeding and foaling. 
Stallion owners have a responsibility (by law, at least here in Canada) to be kept in sturdy enclosures designed for stallions. Failure to do so can result in a fine or penalty. Also, if a stallion does get out and breed a mare, that stallion owner can be asked (and taken to court if necessary, and if you have proof that the stallion was kept in an inadequate enclosure, and is in fact the sire of your foal) to cover the vet fees for the unplanned pregnancy. 
Good luck!

ETA - here is the link: http://www.horseforum.com/horse-breeding/breeding-gone-wrong-28610/


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## angelsgrace (Apr 30, 2009)

I'm very aware that things can go wrong that why I have every intension to call the vet when she goes into laybore and at this moment I'm reading 5 horse breeding book 1 being on imprinting cause i'd like to think about imprinting him/her.Mnn but also here in australia I think he can claime half the money of the foal cause this foal has good qh blood line and arab he could make us sell it and get half the money CAUSE here in australia i don't think there is many stallion rules apart from ur average keep em locked up and tell every one but I don't intend to tell them cause I don't know where they live or where I could find anything on them. thanks I'll look at the thread


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## QHChik (Jun 26, 2009)

I'm sorry, but this all sounds ludacris to me.


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## angelsgrace (Apr 30, 2009)

Don't be sorry It pretty much is so people stop posting plz


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## lacyloo (Jul 1, 2008)

WHATTTT?


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## ChingazMyBoy (Apr 16, 2009)

Should someone close this thread? So people stop posting and the O/P and O/P's sister get a vet?


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Okay guys -- this thread was made by two younger girls who have no experience with this sort of thing, asking for advice from more experienced members. Even if the story isn't 100% accurate (first off, we have no idea, and you know what assuming things does  ) perhaps someone has learned something from this thread. Please remember our Etiquette policy when posting, and avoid going off topic with comments that are not constructive and sometimes downright hurtful.


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## angelsgrace (Apr 30, 2009)

I'm not lieing sorry about my not great gramma i'm dislecsict
witch means I'm not very good at spelling I'm going to get some one to close this thread


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## ChingazMyBoy (Apr 16, 2009)

> How Can I Tell If My Mare Is In Foal?
> Mares do not usually show much sign of abdominal enlargement until the last three months of pregnancy. The enlargement is obvious in narrow, light-framed animals, but in larger, broader-framed individuals it may be impossible to discern. Mammary development is usually obvious in maiden mares during the last month, but in mares that have previously foaled, 'bagging up' (mammary enlargement) may not be apparent until shortly before foaling.
> How Long Does Pregnancy Last?
> A normal pregnancy in horses lasts approximately 11 months - around 340 days. Colt foals tend to be carried longer than fillies. Premature foals may be born and survive, with intensive care, after 310 days gestation. Foals may, on rare occasions, be carried three to four weeks over time.
> ...


 
I was hunting through my files and found this. It is not written by me and its been copy and pasted from a website but I can't find the link sorry.

~~~~~~

You girls need to be strong and tell your dad what is going on your mare or foal could get seriously hurt if something goes wrong. You should get a vet to check the mare out. I'm sure your dad will understand that its not your fault and I'm sure he knows accidents do happen.

As for the anti-vet part, my dad was like that until my first dog had puppies and now his a vet addict. So everytime something goes wrong its call the vet.


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

closed.


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