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  Discussion on SURPRISE!!!!!
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Member:
Canderso

Posted on Thursday, Feb 20, 2003 - 8:28 am:

A friend bought a three year old mare in the fall of last year. The mare had been out in a field for most of her life with other young horses; she had about a month's experience under saddle.

Since that time the mare has grown (bum high, withers high) and has generally been quite odd-shaped for some time.

The mare is a sweet thing, generally willing, but in the past months has had ever so slightly decreasing levels of energy.

On Tuesday the owner was doing a lesson on the mare. At the end of the lesson, her coach looked the horse over VERY carefully and asked "Are you sure this horse isn't pregnant?"

Vet came out yesterday- mare should be foaling in the next month or so (!!!)

So, dear members, when considering purchasing a young mare that has been out 'with other young horses', be sure to ask if there is any chance the mare has been bred BEFORE you put your money down.
Member:
Jdunton

Posted on Thursday, Feb 20, 2003 - 8:49 am:

Hi Cheryl,

The same thing happened to me about 4 years ago. I bought a horse for my daughter, which she rode in the junior rodeo. My horse had came up lame and so I had to ride my daughters horse. I noticed when bathing her that she looked like she was getting an udder. Always having geldings, I wasn't familiar with mares and foaling. I asked everyone what they thought and they all said no, she probably isnt pregnant. Well 2 weeks later she foaled. While I had her in for her shots, even the vet told me that she probably wasn't, that if she had had babies before her udder could look like that. She did not even have a belly at all. My daughter was riding her hard every week for practice at a gallop a lot of the time. She had a beautiful black filly with a star. It was exciting for us. Too bad though, we never knew, so she didn't get the extra nutrition that she needed, but the foal came out just fine. Lucky for us!
Member:
Chrism

Posted on Thursday, Feb 20, 2003 - 1:19 pm:

My mare was very preggers when I bought her, unbeknownst to all.

The owner later admitted to putting her stud pony in with the mares a few days the prior summer, but didn't "think anything happened as he didn't act studdy."

Huh?? Anyway, I was dumb about it too - after having the mare about a month and just starting her on the lunge, I noticed how she was ravenous and we couldn't keep enough food in front of her to build her up.

I also noticed the baggy udder and thought, "Humm, look at that." And her hips had a slack look and she stumbled a little that last week.

We never knew she was in a family way until the owner of the boarding barn came out to bring the horses in from night turn out.

His thoughts:

"hmm, looks like a baby deer got in with the horses."

"No, that is a foal. It must have gotten in from the next door neighbors, how odd."

"YIPES!!! Chris' horse had a baby!!!!!"

Then he ran for his SO who was the horsier of the pair ... and she came running out of the house naked! Must have been a wild sight as they were running around getting mother, foal, afterbirth and calling me.

Foal was still wet, I heard about it and got there so fast.

We were lucky, as foal had a leg injury from foaling out in the pasture with other horses (which was addressed and she got over) and the mare produced milk (even though she had been on fescue).

Surprised us all - previous owner, vet who vetted her, etc.

I've since heard of a number of surprise foals since then.

Cheers.
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