# Is my mare in foal?



## Tryst (Feb 8, 2012)

The only way to know is to have a vet out to see her, and I would do so ASAP. She will need additional vaccinations if she is pregnant and you need to make sure that your hay is free of fescue. Is there a particular reason you have not had her vet checked prior to this point?


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## ladygodiva1228 (Sep 5, 2012)

My advice is get a vet out to palpate her. The only other way you will know is if you wake up one morning and see a foal. 

Was this a planned breeding?


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

The only way to know for sure is a vet check.

Each mare can act differently each time she's pregnant. I've got one who is normally very lovey, almost from the day of conception, that's acting like a hag this year. Into EVERYTHING and normally she's really an easy handle. But she's pregnant, confirmed and starting to show. 

At 8 mos a mare can be starting to look heavy in foal and others can barely be showing. With a maiden, I'd expect her to not be showing as much, she's not got as much experience in being "stretched" out by a baby. 

You really need the vet to tell you so you can do the things a pregnant mare needs.


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## dbarabians (May 21, 2011)

Maria the only way to be sure is to have a vet check her to see if she is indeed in foal.
I have had mares that fooled me into thinking they were bred and proved to be open. I have also had mares fool me into thinking they were not bred and then foal.
At 8 months that mare should just begin to show as the foal grows a pound a day in the last trimester.
To my knowledge no one on this forum has the ability to forsee the future so we cannot tell you if she is pregnant or not. Get the vet out and have her checked then let us know.
If she is there are plenty of people here that have tons of knowledge to help you with foaling advice and raising it. 
Good luck. Shalom


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

Agree with the others. A vet will do a rectal exam with a sleeve on and check her for pregnancy. It is my advice to do this 30 days before or 30 days after 120 days of pregnancy. At 120 days the production of progesterone to maintain pregnancy shifts from the ovaries to the Uterus and fiddling at that time is not wise. The vet always told me it made no difference.. but if you are going to have an early embryonic death that is when it happens so I don't fiddle around with any stuff like worming, vaccinating or palpating at that time.


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## Tryst (Feb 8, 2012)

^^^ the mare is already 240 days.


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## Maria Winser (Feb 12, 2014)

Wow, what a wonderful forum, I didn't expect 6 replies in such a short time! Thank you! Yes, this was a planned pregnancy and "CHARM" was at the breeders for 5 or 6 weeks. My husband is a retired rancher and has raised many foals and never had the mares vet checked so that is the only reason I didn't get a preg test. She is 13 years old and I decided to breed her for a few reasons a) she has excellent foundation breeding and color b) the breeder owed us for a horse trade and c) I haven't ridden Charm for over a year due to my back issues. She has such a wonderful disposition although I have noticed significant changes in her since she was bred such as she used to be so herd bound in the pasture but come feeding time she will leave her feed and go stand at the far end of the pasture far away from the other 3 mares. After an hr she will come back to feed. I put her in a separate pen to feed because the other 3 horses are being fed pretty undesirable hay and I don't want her getting sick or affecting her foal if she is in fact in foal. She just seems different to me now. I am beginning to see her sides are widening when I look at her head on; her sides are now protruding past her shoulders whereas before I couldn't see that and she was always in pretty fit shape and definitely not skinny or fat. Lately, I was wondering if she was in fact in foal or whether I was giving her too much hay. No, there is no fescue in her hay. I know how dangerous that can be to both pregnant horses and cattle. I have one more question? During this mornings feed the other mare began to kick her and she fell down and the other mare was still squealing and kicking her gut area. Charm got up and didn't appear hurt and ate her grain and some hay before she went to the barn but then returned to finish her hay. I tried to separate her from the other mares but with the freezing temperatures that didn't work because we only have one heated water source. So my question in this case is "How protected are unborn foals"? I will have the vet come out for a pregnancy test. Thank you again, your feedback is so much appreciated!


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## Joie (Dec 30, 2011)

Elana said:


> Agree with the others. A vet will do a rectal exam with a sleeve on and check her for pregnancy. It is my advice to do this 30 days before or 30 days after 120 days of pregnancy. At 120 days the production of progesterone to maintain pregnancy shifts from the ovaries to the Uterus and fiddling at that time is not wise. The vet always told me it made no difference.. but if you are going to have an early embryonic death that is when it happens so I don't fiddle around with any stuff like worming, vaccinating or palpating at that time.


I know that the mare is beyond the 120 day mark, but I just have to clarify a few things. In my opinion, when in doubt, it is always, always, always better to check. I have had mares palpated at all stages of pregnancy without adverse effects. 

Also, in regards to progesterone: The corpus luteum (CL) is what actually produces progesterone early on in pregnancy, not the ovary, per se. A CL is formed in the ovary as a result of the rupturing of the follicle and the shedding of the ovum. The CL will secrete the progesterone that prepares the uterus for pregnancy and maintains a pregnancy for about 120 days. After 120 days, the placenta takes over progesterone production (not the uterus, per se).

EED can happen at any point early in gestation, and has NOT been attributed with any conclusive evidence to rectal palpation or ultrasound. 

A really great article:

Early Embryonic Death (EED)


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

Thanks for stating the Details Joie. I did not get into the details you gave.. just spoke in general terms. Yes. The CL does the work and then the Placenta takes over (the placenta is attached to the uterine wall by placental cotyledons that transfer nutrients into the embryo and waste out via the placenta). 

After birthing the placenta separates from the cotyledons and passes out as "after birth." At foaling (and calving) pre placental birth often results in foal/calf death. 

As to the time of palpation I understand all the science. That being said, the most common time for EED in my livestock was around that 120 day mark. I avoided rectal checks at that time. My experience is anectdotal and I know that but wanted to add it because it is worth thinking about.


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