# My mare is pregnant and I have no idea by what.



## Equus_girl (Jan 25, 2009)

Most mares maternal instincts will kick in when they have a foal, however maiden mares are definitely more likely to reject or be rough with their foal than seasoned mares. Make sure she is getting proper food for being in foal, and you watch her closely when she gets close to foaling. When do you think she's due? Do you have any pictures of her stomach and udder? 

Most mares foal uneventfully, however of course there are risks and her being young could be potentially a problem. I've known people that bred horses young and their's seemed fine. I hope everything goes well for your filly and foal!


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## Equus_girl (Jan 25, 2009)

Another thing you can do is get her used to her udder being handled. Some maidens won't let the foal nurse, so if she's already used to that it should be easier. Just be careful and make sure she doesn't kick you if she doesn't like you doing that!


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## amynjay (Mar 28, 2011)

Yes I am working with her on this, she does not like it at all. I am trying to be very patient with her. I have already put her on a mare and foal grain and mare plus supplement, I am reading up on everything i can get my eyes on.


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## Equus_girl (Jan 25, 2009)

Thats good you are working with her on that. One thing I have read is you can take a warm cloth when you touch the udder and sometimes they will be more accepting. The book, "Blessed are the Broodmares" is an excellent one for mares in foal. Do you have a stall/small paddock she can foal in - somewhere where you can keep a close eye on her?


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## FGRanch (Feb 9, 2008)

Can you post pictures?


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Do you have a photo of this "lump"? Foals don't really stick out like lumps.. just wondering what you might mean?


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## amynjay (Mar 28, 2011)

I haven't downloaded the pictures that i took today as of yet, but i agree that I thought mares usually had a large round belly when pregnant, but my little girl is not doing this at all as of yet. The vet feels she is about 8.5 months pregnant. I have her next check up the first week in May.


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Very curious to see photos.


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## Equus_girl (Jan 25, 2009)

Some maidens carry very high though and won't show very much. Does seem wierd about it looking like a lump on her side though.


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## Juna (Apr 4, 2010)

I'd be curious to see the lump, as well. 

I can understand your fear that she might not be a very good mother because of aggressive eating habits, her moodiness, etc....because I once had a mare like that. Maiden mare, very moody...hated other horses, like to pick fights and fight for her food. When she foaled, sure enough she rejected her foal. We fortunately have a sort of resident "nurse mare" (just another mare we own who we have discovered LOVES foals and will nurse any mare's baby) she took in the foal and raised it. But, it was interesting to find that our fears of the maiden mare's "selfishness" did really result in her rejecting her baby. 

She was Arabian, though, and rejection among Arabian maiden mares is the highest out of any breed. What breed is your filly? I don't mean my post to make you even more nervous, I'm sure your filly will settle down fine. Even if she never lets you touch/handle her udder she will in all likely hood nurse her baby just fine. It's in the mare's instincts to freeze when the foal is trying to nurse, even though it is painful after birth. Lots of our mares REFUSE to let us touch their udders, but they nurse their babies perfectly. Good luck!!


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## FGRanch (Feb 9, 2008)

Yes a lump sounds very unusual. I am very curious to see pictures. 

I have a maiden mare that is 5-6 weeks out and she is hardly showing, that is generally how maiden mares are. It's odd that she has a "lump" look to her.


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## amynjay (Mar 28, 2011)

_I will try and post some pictures of her tonight. It is kinda hard for a picture to catch what it is that we see. I had no idea that there was a chance for her to be in foal, so when I noticed this odd form I really didn't know what to think, but as it got a little larger I did get worried, the vet was thinking it may be her (some long horse vet word better known as the appendex)but after palpating her he said that he felt bone were he shouldn't have which in turn he confirmed her at being pregnant. She is a small Quarter horse mare only 14hands, not sure if her growth is stunted do to her being pregnant so young. To describe what I see, it looks just like a outline of a baby, no fat belly just baby. I am trying to my best to do everything I can to hopefully have a healthy foal and my mare. She is a Zippos chocolate chip granddaughter and it is ashame that i have no idea what she is breed to. _


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## manca (Feb 23, 2011)

I had problems with touching my mare's udder, it took more than month (everyday!) for her to get used to it (although she wasn't pregnant). I would work on this regulary if I were you, and spend as much time as you could with her (going for a walk, maybe do some natural horsemanship games with her, just everything you can remember to work on your relationship and making her respect you, so you could "save" a foal if necessary.) If she is agressive when eating maybe get her free choice hay, that MIGHT help a bit. 
And just for the worst case (I really hope it won't happen) try to find "nurse mare", contact barns near you and vet if he can help you. I would do that before she foals. Maybe get a safe video camera, so you could know when it beggins (I heard they often foal at night). And if she attacks you can react in time.
Hope everything will be alright! 
Maybe she will suprise you and will be a good mother


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## Snowkicker (Dec 23, 2009)

My mare did not like me handling her udders either. I was worried about it. My husband said "well how would you feel if some one grabbed your boob?" When it came time she was excellent with her foal even though she gave me such a hard time. 
Make sure you have her nutrition in mind. Especially since she is still growing herself.
Prepare a birthing area that is clean and safe. Remember that babies lie down a lot and can easily roll under a fence and end up trapped or on the other side.


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## Super Nova (Apr 27, 2010)

Well IMO cleaning/touching your mares udder or your geldings penis for that matter should be no different than picking up their feet.......it is a training issue......all my mares allow udders to be cleaned on a regular basis.....even my grouchy difficult mare.....its just a part of the grooming process......I've got one mare that absolutely loves it.....might have something to do with she gets really dirty and gets quite itchy. 

As far as a mare rejecting her foal that is rare......but I have come across a mare that did not want to let her foal nurse initially .....the vet was called and we sedated her a couple of times that day and compressed her hard udder.......in 24 hours the mare was allowing the foal to nurse.

I too would be interested in this lump you keep talking about.....as it would not be how I would describe a pregnant mare.

Super Nova


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## Sunny (Mar 26, 2010)

Subscribing!

Interested to see pictures and hear more info.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Sarahandlola (Dec 16, 2010)

Me too!

And Lola does not let my touch her udders at all but she has had a few foals before..


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

My mare's strange then LOL...she LOVES when you clean her udders!!! She will literally curl her head up and quiver her lip, ears pricked forward and LIFT HER LEG like a DOG to let you clean it hahaha!! It's the most hilarious thing I think I've ever seen! She's had 2 foals before (previous to me owning her) so I thought maybe that's why she likes it? Until I read the post before mine! Maybe it's just my mare's personality  haha


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

Who did you get your filly from? Pretty crappy that they won't return any of your calls...makes me think they KNEW there was a chance she was in foal and didn't want YOU to know :-x Can you go check out who else in on their farm/what studs? Might be able to figure out who they bred her to, assuming he's on their farm/still there.


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## amynjay (Mar 28, 2011)

After I had her for a few months and started to get suspicious of what I was seeing I tried to call them and email them, used different phones to call them and still they will not answer me or email me. After researching them a little, it seems they are horse traders. It looks like they had her for about 5 months. When I called to go look at her he also had advertised a 2year old buckskin colt for sale, when I went to their farm they had already sold the colt. It never even dawned on me to ask where they kept the colt. They had a nice farm, everything looked good to me. She was in a field byherself and seperated from all his other horses. He had told me the only reason he was selling her was he had gotten to busy with work to break her. I had been looking for a horse for sometime and she was what i wanted. But since all this i have investigated him more to find that he is a auction buyer and seller. I am not a new horse owner by no means, I have had horse for more than 20years. I usually am real good about noticing when someone is trying to pull something over on me. They did not come off like that at all. Answered all my questions about her, I new she was high strung but I just fell in love with her, she has come along way since then, but she has her days, like any other mare can have. But yes I am nervous about this baby, I would never had breed this mare. In my eyes she is just a baby herself.


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## QHDragon (Mar 6, 2009)

Hoofprints in the Sand said:


> My mare's strange then LOL...she LOVES when you clean her udders!!! She will literally curl her head up and quiver her lip, ears pricked forward and LIFT HER LEG like a DOG to let you clean it hahaha!! It's the most hilarious thing I think I've ever seen! She's had 2 foals before (previous to me owning her) so I thought maybe that's why she likes it? Until I read the post before mine! Maybe it's just my mare's personality  haha


I knew a mare that did that too. It was so funny! She was a buckskin too...maybe its a buckskin thing? :lol:


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## amynjay (Mar 28, 2011)

QHDragon said:


> I knew a mare that did that too. It was so funny! She was a buckskin too...maybe its a buckskin thing? :lol:





amynjay said:


> After I had her for a few months and started to get suspicious of what I was seeing I tried to call them and email them, used different phones to call them and still they will not answer me or email me. After researching them a little, it seems they are horse traders. It looks like they had her for about 5 months. When I called to go look at her he also had advertised a 2year old buckskin colt for sale, when I went to their farm they had already sold the colt. It never even dawned on me to ask where they kept the colt. They had a nice farm, everything looked good to me. She was in a field byherself and seperated from all his other horses. He had told me the only reason he was selling her was he had gotten to busy with work to break her. I had been looking for a horse for sometime and she was what i wanted. But since all this i have investigated him more to find that he is a auction buyer and seller. I am not a new horse owner by no means, I have had horse for more than 20years. I usually am real good about noticing when someone is trying to pull something over on me. They did not come off like that at all. Answered all my questions about her, I new she was high strung but I just fell in love with her, she has come along way since then, but she has her days, like any other mare can have. But yes I am nervous about this baby, I would never had breed this mare. In my eyes she is just a baby herself.


 Picture of her side


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## amynjay (Mar 28, 2011)

amynjay said:


> Picture of her side


 This is my girl.


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## FGRanch (Feb 9, 2008)

Hmmm I don't really see the lump but then again maybe it's cause I can't see her in person. 

You said she was underweight and what I can see from these pictures she doesn't look bad at all so that's good!


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## amynjay (Mar 28, 2011)

FehrGroundRanch said:


> Hmmm I don't really see the lump but then again maybe it's cause I can't see her in person.
> 
> You said she was underweight and what I can see from these pictures she doesn't look bad at all so that's good!


It was really hard to get a picture to pick up what we see, but if you notice the lighter color bay on her side, that is where the baby seems to be. She is not really underweight, just for her being pregnant I would like to see her a little bit bigger. I am feeding her the max of what my farm allows per board and I am giving her mare and foal feed 2 times aday.


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

I can kinda see the bulge...right along that side muscle that on my mare who's had 2 foals has all stretched out lol 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Ladybug2001 (Mar 15, 2011)

amynjay said:


> It was really hard to get a picture to pick up what we see, but if you notice the lighter color bay on her side, that is where the baby seems to be. She is not really underweight, just for her being pregnant I would like to see her a little bit bigger. I am feeding her the max of what my farm allows per board and I am giving her mare and foal feed 2 times aday.


My mare had the EXACT same thing.. She wasn't pregnant or we don't think.. o.o She isn't now but yeah.. anyway so I can see the bulge, when ever she does give a foal you must show pictures.


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## Super Nova (Apr 27, 2010)

Can't tell anything from those pictures.........if you posted a side view it would be more helpful.

Super Nova


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

My thoughts exactly Super Nova... can't tell much of anything from those photos.


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## Sunny (Mar 26, 2010)

Bulge or no bulge, she is CLEAN!

So shiny. :lol:
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Super Nova (Apr 27, 2010)

This is the angle of picture we need........mare is 7.5 months pregnant...this will give you some idea of what your mare should look like.










Here she is just a week away from foaling.










Super Nova


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## amynjay (Mar 28, 2011)

Sunny said:


> Bulge or no bulge, she is CLEAN!
> 
> So shiny. :lol:
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


 Thank you. Other than my 2 daughters she is my baby.:lol:


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## amynjay (Mar 28, 2011)

Super Nova said:


> This is the angle of picture we need........mare is 7.5 months pregnant...this will give you some idea of what your mare should look like.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 I will try and get some better pictures of her this weekend. She was kinda in a bad mood when I took those and wouldn't keep still.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Interested to see pictures!


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## momo3boys (Jul 7, 2010)

My brother got the same basic buy one get one deal...She will only be four when the baby gets here, and I know that isn't that young but we had just started her training and now we need to take a long break!

Can't wait to see more pictures!


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## amynjay (Mar 28, 2011)

Yes, I was really looking forward to doing some light showing with her this summer. I have been working on her training now for 5 months, and she is doing really good. She has a great little walk and jog. I will ride her for as long as I can before the foal comes.


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## amynjay (Mar 28, 2011)

*04-02-2011*

























amynjay said:


> yes, i was really looking forward to doing some light showing with her this summer. I have been working on her training now for 5 months, and she is doing really good. She has a great little walk and jog. I will ride her for as long as i can before the foal comes.


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## Ladybug2001 (Mar 15, 2011)

Her stomach doesn't look as enlarged as the other pictures you posted..


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## Ladybug2001 (Mar 15, 2011)

****, ignore that. ^^^^ I should learn to read everything before opening my mouth.


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## Juna (Apr 4, 2010)

I don't see a lump. Nice looking mare! Congrats on the foal and good luck!


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

Yeah with the second set of photos I can't really see it either. But she is one beautiful mare and I'm sure the foal will be gorgeous too  good luck!!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Super Nova (Apr 27, 2010)

Nice looking mare......she really does not look pregnant in the first and third pic......but the second picture looks like she could be........I say could be as that this stage she really doesn't look pregnant to me.

Super Nova


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

I've known a maiden mare who showed no visable signs of pregnancy up untill she dropped the foal.

Foal was called Shreek because thats the sound the owner made when she came up to stables and popped her head over the door and saw the foal.


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## Juna (Apr 4, 2010)

She looks pregnant to me, especially in the second pic. Especially because this filly is only 2 years old. (how old _exactly_ is this filly? Almost three? Or is she really two? Does she have papers?) 

We bred a three year old filly last year, and now she is four (and two months) and due in three months, she is barely starting to look pregnant. _Barely. _Young maiden mares are usually sooo tucked up.


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## amynjay (Mar 28, 2011)

Hershey will be 3 on the 19th, she is a registered QH her grandfather is Zips Chocolate Chip and her sire is Pure Dynamic. I have owned her for 252 days now. I have no idea what she is breed too or when she is due. I had her checked on the 10th of March and the vet said he felt bone so his guess was she was about 8 months along. Vet will be back out to check her the first of May and give her Rhino shot. It really sucks that I will not be able to register this foal.


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## Juna (Apr 4, 2010)

Yeah, that's too bad about registering, especially because your mare is so nice. It should be a well conformed foal, providing the stallion wasn't terrible. Good luck!!! I hope you can get in touch with the owners to get an idea of the sire. 

Wow, 8 months along? She sure is tucking it up there, isn't she?


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## CheyAut (Nov 26, 2008)

I have a mare who will be 340 on the 5 of next month, and she doesn't look pregnant hardly (does to me, since I know her well, but not to the average person). Then I have one who was pasture bred and is as wide as a house lol! (She's probably about the same time frame, judging by udders and her foaling history of her udder progression from what her prev owner told me).


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## Super Nova (Apr 27, 2010)

Well at 252 days your mare has to be at least 8.5 to 9.5 months pregnant and even for a maiden should look larger then she does.....and a foal cannot be felt by palpation at this time as it has slipped down behind the pelvic floor.

I'm not yet convinced she is pregnant. The picture of my mare who is also a maiden is at 7.5 months and you can definitely tell she is pregnant....Yes some mares hide them well but I would want to know beyond a shadow of a doubt so I would recommend you get some blood pulled and do a blood test so you can know for sure.........especially if your vet is not an experienced "repo" vet.

Super Nova


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## Juna (Apr 4, 2010)

At 9.5 months you can palpate a foal. The window is 7 to 8 months where they are unreachable. I agree, amynjay's mare looks very tucked up to be as far along as 9.5 months, but it's not unheard of.....did your vet seem positive that he felt bone, amynjay? Was he positive that there was a foal in there? I would also do a blood test at this point. Better than feeding her like a pregnant mare and losing training and riding days all for nothing.


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## amynjay (Mar 28, 2011)

My vet was pretty sure that she was pregnant,said he is feeling bone where he should not. He is coming back out the end of this month to do a recheck on her, I will diffenently have him do a blood check on her. At this point I am still riding her lightly and still doing ground work with her. Sometimes she looks pregnant and others I agree she does not. She was very spooky that day and standing very on edge which is why she is so tucked up. I have a concussion right now and wont be riding for a couple of days any way. Not horse realated.


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## Super Nova (Apr 27, 2010)

Juna said:


> At 9.5 months you can palpate a foal. The window is 7 to 8 months where they are unreachable. I agree, amynjay's mare looks very tucked up to be as far along as 9.5 months, but it's not unheard of.....did your vet seem positive that he felt bone, amynjay? Was he positive that there was a foal in there? I would also do a blood test at this point. Better than feeding her like a pregnant mare and losing training and riding days all for nothing.


Hmmm.......I think the window actually starts at about 5 months.....I am unsure exactly when that window opens again but I know it is near the end of the pregnancy.....so I guess at 9.5 months it might be possible to feel the foal depending on size and position.

Wasn't the mare palpated in Feb so that would mean she was closer to 7.5 to 8 months depending when in Feb.

Super Nova


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## amynjay (Mar 28, 2011)

So I went out to the barn today(even though I was not suppose to because of a head injury) but I just could not resist a 83 degree day in NC. So when I get there I find out one of the girls is having the vet out. So blood test has been drawn and should find out either on Friday or Monday. The vet saw the bump on her side and thought as well very odd looking, but she had a hard time believing that Hershey is pregnant. We will find out for sure soon enought. I told her what the other vet said, and she says sometimes when you are looking for something you seem to find it even though it is not there.


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## TheLovedOne (Jan 26, 2011)

This is very interesting. I had a mare years ago that was pregnant and I literally never knew until I went out to the barn and found a foal in her stall. True story. My vet had been out three weeks before she foaled and never said a word. There were also other people around who saw her and nobody thought she was pregnant. I got her off the track as a 3 year old and she was in a boarding farm for about 2 months before coming to my place and it was there that she was bred (of course the BO knew but just forgot to tell me).


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## amynjay (Mar 28, 2011)

Super Nova said:


> Hmmm.......I think the window actually starts at about 5 months.....I am unsure exactly when that window opens again but I know it is near the end of the pregnancy.....so I guess at 9.5 months it might be possible to feel the foal depending on size and position.
> 
> Wasn't the mare palpated in Feb so that would mean she was closer to 7.5 to 8 months depending when in Feb.
> 
> Super Nova


 She was actually palpated March 10th.


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## Juna (Apr 4, 2010)

Can't wait to hear the results of the blood!!


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## amynjay (Mar 28, 2011)

Juna said:


> Can't wait to hear the results of the blood!!


Yeah you and me both. I am hoping that she is not pregnant. Of course my daughters are really hoping that she is. Young ones just don't understand all the things that can go wrong, they just think its so cute.


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## Juna (Apr 4, 2010)

Super Nova said:


> Hmmm.......I think the window actually starts at about 5 months.....I am unsure exactly when that window opens again but I know it is near the end of the pregnancy.....so I guess at 9.5 months it might be possible to feel the foal depending on size and position.
> 
> Wasn't the mare palpated in Feb so that would mean she was closer to 7.5 to 8 months depending when in Feb.
> 
> Super Nova


Here we go....I guess we were both remembering wrong. LOL. I didn't remember that the window started so early! It's from 3-5 months, of course, varying between each mare. I got the info from a vet on another forum.

"After about 90 days of pregnancy, the size of the developing fetus usually pulls the uterus over the pelvic brim, and it can become difficult to palpate/ultrasound until about day 150 when the size increases to the point where it becomes evident once again."


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## MicKey73 (Dec 26, 2010)

Interesting post; I'm subscribing


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## Super Nova (Apr 27, 2010)

Juna said:


> Here we go....I guess we were both remembering wrong. LOL. I didn't remember that the window started so early! It's from 3-5 months, of course, varying between each mare. I got the info from a vet on another forum.
> 
> "After about 90 days of pregnancy, the size of the developing fetus usually pulls the uterus over the pelvic brim, and it can become difficult to palpate/ultrasound until about day 150 when the size increases to the point where it becomes evident once again."


Thanks for finding that info......I went looking for it the other day but couldn't find it.

Super Nova


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## Super Nova (Apr 27, 2010)

amynjay said:


> So I went out to the barn today(even though I was not suppose to because of a head injury) but I just could not resist a 83 degree day in NC. So when I get there I find out one of the girls is having the vet out. So blood test has been drawn and should find out either on Friday or Monday. The vet saw the bump on her side and thought as well very odd looking, but she had a hard time believing that Hershey is pregnant. We will find out for sure soon enought. I told her what the other vet said, and she says sometimes when you are looking for something you seem to find it even though it is not there.


Good for you for taking it one step further and trying to get conformation one way or the other.

Super Nova


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## jess93 (Oct 14, 2010)

My mare is 10 months preg now and to me only looks tubby the farrier was out the otha week and said byy she looks well. Wasnt until i told him she was 9 nd half month preggers he was like i wouldnt of guessed just look in show condidition. She is also a maiden rising 4 14.3 breed to to a 16.1
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## bellagris (Dec 6, 2010)

subscribing! 

Youre mare is beautiful!


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## Cat (Jul 26, 2008)

Curious to find out the results of the blood work.


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## Sunny (Mar 26, 2010)

Agreed, can't wait to hear the results.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## amynjay (Mar 28, 2011)

Well the results showed her estragen levels at a 2, so the vet says no baby for hershey. Kinda happy and sad all at the same time.


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## amynjay (Mar 28, 2011)

amynjay said:


> Well the results showed her estragen levels at a 2, so the vet says no baby for hershey. Kinda happy and sad all at the same time.


 We are actually very relieved to know the results, just remember we have been thinking for over a month now we were going to have a foal sometime soon, so thats why it is kinda sad as well, But I am extremly happy that this little girl is not going to be a momma right now. Back to getting her training finished.


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## amynjay (Mar 28, 2011)

kstinson said:


> subscribing!
> 
> Youre mare is beautiful!


Thank you so much.


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

So what is the lump then that you're seeing??
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

Yeah... now to find out what that lump really is!


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## Juna (Apr 4, 2010)

Good to know the results for sure!! Still can't understand some vets saying they "feel bone" so it must be a foal in there! <scratches head>


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## Stormness (Apr 6, 2011)

Well then now there's the mystery of the lump.. I hope it's nothing major. I hate lumps, they scare me - my mare and my sister in law's gelding have the same lump in their flanks.. it's really weird, but the vet says it's nothing. No Such thing as a second opinion around here though.


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## amynjay (Mar 28, 2011)

I want to thank everyone who encouraged me to get the blood work done. The vet that did the blood work didn't seem to think the lump was anything to worry about as well.


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## Super Nova (Apr 27, 2010)

Juna said:


> Good to know the results for sure!! Still can't understand some vets saying they "feel bone" so it must be a foal in there! <scratches head>


Wonder if he just felt the pelvic rim? 

Super Nova


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## Juna (Apr 4, 2010)

Well, if there is no foal in a mare...bone is really hard to feel. There are no bone-y like structures in there. I scan mares rectally everyday...it's squishy in there, you can't feel the pelvic rim. Still puzzles me about the bone. Sounds like a vet who _really_ doesn't know what he's doing. LOL


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