I think i might have brought a pregnant pony!!

my_cadbury · 03-20-2005, 03:59 PM

I brought a pony on the weekend, to train up and get in better condition, and mainly to give her a nice caring home with good facilities ie. water and grass as she barely had neither at her old home. Her name is Jackie, and she is approx 12hh and 12 years, but i wont know her age for sure until the dentist comes out. Anyhow, she is quite bony aroud her bum and shoulders and she sure doesnt have a big pony neck, but she has the HUGEST belly. When we went to see her for the 2nd time, the owners werent with us, so we really got to inspect everything. We suspected she is pregnant and checked the old horse she was in with, and he had a really swollen penis, which we believe that he may have been a 'rig' (I dont know anything about it, except that when they are gelded and it isnt done properly then they can still impregnate a mare) or he was a stallion, but we couldnt tell as there appeared to be swelling of some sort. Are there any obvious signs of a pregnant mare, or is there any ways to check a mare is pregnant? I dont want to have to get a vet out unless there are obvious signs of pregnancy apart from a huge belly. Any tips would be great...

My farrier is coming out on thursday, and i will get him to have a look at her, he breeds horses and knows a fair bit about it, i guess we will go from there, but all suggestions would be much appreciated so i can get to the bottom of this. (If she is pregnant, then i think i got myself a REAL bargain!!)

Thanks guys : )

devilishjumper · 03-20-2005, 04:05 PM

I'm not sure if you'd call that a bargin, it costs a lot to care for a pregnat mare and the foal. Also you wouldn't know the breed or who the sire is also if this mare is in bad condition it is probably not best for her to have a foal. I think it is best to have a vet come check her out. See what your farrier says but don't wait too long. You don't want this mare to be too stressed especially one in bad condition

tuckni · 03-20-2005, 04:17 PM

That would be a bargin $400.00 right? If this little mare is bred, than it is a good thing you got her and can give her and her baby a safe place.
It is a misfortune that the people didnt know enough to take care of her and would let her get bred by what ever

I agree that you need to have a vet out just as soon as you can.
Good luck with her.

my_cadbury · 03-20-2005, 04:27 PM

My sister and i have our first mare in foal, she is due in ten months. We give our horses the best of care and feed, and they are looked after 100% before we look after ourselves. I understand what your saying DJ about the costs and care involved etc, but that is no problem at all for us, we are sure to handle it if this mare is in foal!!! If she is pregnant then i think it is a bargain, because i will have a nice little foal to imprint and train, and he/she wouldnt have cost me a thing. Not to mention how wonderful jackie has proved to be, she is the most well behaved pony i have dealt with in a long time, and for the cost of her, she is just amazing me, i am glad i followed my gut instincts on that one!!! Vet does sound like a good idea, but if i did have a few hints and tips first hand to give me some sort of idea, as i would hate to pay hundreds of dollars for this pony to find out its not pregnant anyway and has a grass belly, my parents would kill me!!! But yes, if i find out some things to check, and she is showing more obvious signs, then i will take her to the vets in an instant, i might ring the vets and ask them for a quote now. If anything, i know this horse was old, but i did hear he was a fantastic eventer in his day, so you never know!!! Keep those tips coming!!!!

Appylvr · 03-20-2005, 04:51 PM

You're talking about the little gray in those pictures right? She's cute! Have you tried holding your hand on her flank? Right where the hip and stomach meet. When my mare was pregnant you could see and feel the foal kicking. I got a video of it too. She does have a big belly, though. My mare looked a lot like that towards the end, but I think my mare's belly was bigger. Before she was pregnant she never had a swayback, but during and after she does.

my_cadbury · 03-20-2005, 05:01 PM

Hey thanks appylvr i will check it out and see what i can feel!! Yeah, thats her, and she is really cute!! I spruced her up yesterday, and she just looks so much better and happier, not to mention how much different she is in my hands, that little girl let her get away with murder, but what a faithful pony!! If you read the thread about her, then you would know i had trouble with my sister, and she told me to keep away from her, well when she saw what she could do yesterday, she is secretly being nice to jackie and trying to say nice things about her to me because she knows how WRONG she was!! He he, i finally feel REALLY good about buying her, and if she is pregnant it will be an added bonus! I will let you know how i go with feeling her belly ok!

Appylvr · 03-20-2005, 05:04 PM

That's cool! I hope you get to sell this pony for a great price to show your sister you can. How far apart in age are you? My sister and I are 2 years apart and we've always been really close.

It would be cool to get a baby out of the deal. I don't know how you sell them, though. I get so attached to animals I could never get rid of them.

SkipaJo Cowgirl · 03-20-2005, 06:03 PM

You say her belly is huge - well check her vulva to see if it is softening and her milk bag to see if she is producing one. Usually 30 days prior to foaling the mare will start a milk bag.

In lieu of a vet check - this would probably be the best way to confirm a pregnancy.

my_cadbury · 03-20-2005, 06:22 PM

Thats SJC, i will check it out. Appylvr, jess and i are two years apart also, im 19, she is 21. We get along so well, and we are so close, but when it comes to horses its like i cant have my own opinion, because she knows so much more than me, she is always right sorta thing. Although i will never be as good as her, i am slowly proving her wrong!!! The whole getting attached thing is half the problem. I am a total softie, and i fall in love with everything. Jess on the other hand doesnt have a problem selling on horses, she is just that sort of person. But when i brought jackie, i know that i brought her to eventually sell on, so i will always think of her as something i love, but something i will have to let go. I have slowly fallen in love with her since i first saw her on wednesday, she is so gorgeous! But i just have to know that one day i will sell her, even though she is so much fun!! But then again, if she turns out to be great, i dont have to sell her straight away, i can have some fun with her too!! As far as a foal goes, well that may be a different story!! I do get really attached, but if i want to buy and sell, then i will just have to know that cadbury is the only one i can really love, cos there is no way in the world i could sell him, and the rest can just be my friends!! Its hard though!

my_cadbury · 03-21-2005, 02:35 PM

Any one else have any other ideas that may help?

03-20-2005, 03:59 PM	#1
my_cadbury Senior Member+ Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: South Australia Posts: 988 Images: 9	I think i might have brought a pregnant pony!! I brought a pony on the weekend, to train up and get in better condition, and mainly to give her a nice caring home with good facilities ie. water and grass as she barely had neither at her old home. Her name is Jackie, and she is approx 12hh and 12 years, but i wont know her age for sure until the dentist comes out. Anyhow, she is quite bony aroud her bum and shoulders and she sure doesnt have a big pony neck, but she has the HUGEST belly. When we went to see her for the 2nd time, the owners werent with us, so we really got to inspect everything. We suspected she is pregnant and checked the old horse she was in with, and he had a really swollen penis, which we believe that he may have been a 'rig' (I dont know anything about it, except that when they are gelded and it isnt done properly then they can still impregnate a mare) or he was a stallion, but we couldnt tell as there appeared to be swelling of some sort. Are there any obvious signs of a pregnant mare, or is there any ways to check a mare is pregnant? I dont want to have to get a vet out unless there are obvious signs of pregnancy apart from a huge belly. Any tips would be great... My farrier is coming out on thursday, and i will get him to have a look at her, he breeds horses and knows a fair bit about it, i guess we will go from there, but all suggestions would be much appreciated so i can get to the bottom of this. (If she is pregnant, then i think i got myself a REAL bargain!!) Thanks guys : ) __________________ Cadbury... my horse, my life, my love, my best friend! Winnie... Welcome to my life! Courtney

03-20-2005, 04:05 PM	#2
devilishjumper Senior Member+ Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pennslyvania USA Posts: 2,130 Images: 101	I'm not sure if you'd call that a bargin, it costs a lot to care for a pregnat mare and the foal. Also you wouldn't know the breed or who the sire is also if this mare is in bad condition it is probably not best for her to have a foal. I think it is best to have a vet come check her out. See what your farrier says but don't wait too long. You don't want this mare to be too stressed especially one in bad condition __________________ ~Kim~

03-20-2005, 04:17 PM	#3
tuckni Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Montana Posts: 596 Images: 91	That would be a bargin $400.00 right? If this little mare is bred, than it is a good thing you got her and can give her and her baby a safe place. It is a misfortune that the people didnt know enough to take care of her and would let her get bred by what ever I agree that you need to have a vet out just as soon as you can. Good luck with her. __________________ Tuckni <\__~ // \\ Tuck,Apple,Ace,Bugz,Hokie,Senic,Romo,Vandy,RIP Bud There are only two emotions that belong in the saddle; one is a sense of humor and the other is patience." Lyons "You can get in a car to see what man has made, but you have to get on a horse to see what God has made." Russell

03-20-2005, 04:27 PM	#4
my_cadbury Senior Member+ Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: South Australia Posts: 988 Images: 9	My sister and i have our first mare in foal, she is due in ten months. We give our horses the best of care and feed, and they are looked after 100% before we look after ourselves. I understand what your saying DJ about the costs and care involved etc, but that is no problem at all for us, we are sure to handle it if this mare is in foal!!! If she is pregnant then i think it is a bargain, because i will have a nice little foal to imprint and train, and he/she wouldnt have cost me a thing. Not to mention how wonderful jackie has proved to be, she is the most well behaved pony i have dealt with in a long time, and for the cost of her, she is just amazing me, i am glad i followed my gut instincts on that one!!! Vet does sound like a good idea, but if i did have a few hints and tips first hand to give me some sort of idea, as i would hate to pay hundreds of dollars for this pony to find out its not pregnant anyway and has a grass belly, my parents would kill me!!! But yes, if i find out some things to check, and she is showing more obvious signs, then i will take her to the vets in an instant, i might ring the vets and ask them for a quote now. If anything, i know this horse was old, but i did hear he was a fantastic eventer in his day, so you never know!!! Keep those tips coming!!!! __________________ Cadbury... my horse, my life, my love, my best friend! Winnie... Welcome to my life! Courtney

03-20-2005, 04:51 PM	#5
Appylvr Senior Member+ Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: California Posts: 7,007 Images: 307	You're talking about the little gray in those pictures right? She's cute! Have you tried holding your hand on her flank? Right where the hip and stomach meet. When my mare was pregnant you could see and feel the foal kicking. I got a video of it too. She does have a big belly, though. My mare looked a lot like that towards the end, but I think my mare's belly was bigger. Before she was pregnant she never had a swayback, but during and after she does. __________________ ~Tonya~ Teak~Coco~Baylee~Dolly~Rosie~Shilo~Jazzy A solitary ride through the bush is more beneficial than six months with the best psychiatrist

03-20-2005, 05:01 PM	#6
my_cadbury Senior Member+ Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: South Australia Posts: 988 Images: 9	Hey thanks appylvr i will check it out and see what i can feel!! Yeah, thats her, and she is really cute!! I spruced her up yesterday, and she just looks so much better and happier, not to mention how much different she is in my hands, that little girl let her get away with murder, but what a faithful pony!! If you read the thread about her, then you would know i had trouble with my sister, and she told me to keep away from her, well when she saw what she could do yesterday, she is secretly being nice to jackie and trying to say nice things about her to me because she knows how WRONG she was!! He he, i finally feel REALLY good about buying her, and if she is pregnant it will be an added bonus! I will let you know how i go with feeling her belly ok! __________________ Cadbury... my horse, my life, my love, my best friend! Winnie... Welcome to my life! Courtney

03-20-2005, 05:04 PM	#7
Appylvr Senior Member+ Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: California Posts: 7,007 Images: 307	That's cool! I hope you get to sell this pony for a great price to show your sister you can. How far apart in age are you? My sister and I are 2 years apart and we've always been really close. It would be cool to get a baby out of the deal. I don't know how you sell them, though. I get so attached to animals I could never get rid of them. __________________ ~Tonya~ Teak~Coco~Baylee~Dolly~Rosie~Shilo~Jazzy A solitary ride through the bush is more beneficial than six months with the best psychiatrist

03-20-2005, 06:03 PM	#8
SkipaJo Cowgirl Senior Member+ Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 1,660 Images: 31	You say her belly is huge - well check her vulva to see if it is softening and her milk bag to see if she is producing one. Usually 30 days prior to foaling the mare will start a milk bag. In lieu of a vet check - this would probably be the best way to confirm a pregnancy. __________________ Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security deserve neither and will loose both. - Benjamin Franklin

03-20-2005, 06:22 PM	#9
my_cadbury Senior Member+ Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: South Australia Posts: 988 Images: 9	Thats SJC, i will check it out. Appylvr, jess and i are two years apart also, im 19, she is 21. We get along so well, and we are so close, but when it comes to horses its like i cant have my own opinion, because she knows so much more than me, she is always right sorta thing. Although i will never be as good as her, i am slowly proving her wrong!!! The whole getting attached thing is half the problem. I am a total softie, and i fall in love with everything. Jess on the other hand doesnt have a problem selling on horses, she is just that sort of person. But when i brought jackie, i know that i brought her to eventually sell on, so i will always think of her as something i love, but something i will have to let go. I have slowly fallen in love with her since i first saw her on wednesday, she is so gorgeous! But i just have to know that one day i will sell her, even though she is so much fun!! But then again, if she turns out to be great, i dont have to sell her straight away, i can have some fun with her too!! As far as a foal goes, well that may be a different story!! I do get really attached, but if i want to buy and sell, then i will just have to know that cadbury is the only one i can really love, cos there is no way in the world i could sell him, and the rest can just be my friends!! Its hard though! __________________ Cadbury... my horse, my life, my love, my best friend! Winnie... Welcome to my life! Courtney

03-21-2005, 02:35 PM	#10
my_cadbury Senior Member+ Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: South Australia Posts: 988 Images: 9	Any one else have any other ideas that may help? __________________ Cadbury... my horse, my life, my love, my best friend! Winnie... Welcome to my life! Courtney

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