A true Monday - Monday

UGHHHH!

This training thing is never boring! I went out to bring Missy up from the pasture. Her and Colty were already at the gate waiting. As I approached the gate Missy was showing signs of heat. Mental note to myself - this explains her attitude yesterday. I catch her and take her to the tie out and begin grooming. She is very touchy about having her tail handled (unusual) but I again chalk it up to being in heat. She lets me brush out her tail and I proceed to curry her belly. I reach under her belly with a cloth to clean her udder area and notice that it is very swollen. ( sidenote: when this mare came for training, she had a large belly. I asked the owner if the mare was pregnant. He said, "No way". I assumed the big belly was from worms. I wormed her with a Panacur Powerpac and went on. Her udder has always been larger than a normal maiden mare. When I asked her owner if she had ever foaled, he again said, "No way." I suggested that her get her palpated before proceeding with training. He declined and I explained what could happen if I continued training a pregnant mare. He said he understood and that I should preceed with training). I ran my hand over the udder and gently squeezed a teat - MILK! I then palpated her tailhead - no real softening. I checked her vulva - it did look a little relaxed. The belly shows no signs of peaking but does appear to be lower (dropped). I called the owner and related the events - he thinks it is just a false pregnancy. What! I have been around a couple of mares with false pregnancies and none of them ever produced real honest to goodness milk, maybe some milky liquid but never milk. He said proceed with training. I made the decision to turn the mare out into a private paddock and watch her for a couple of days. This morning she was unchanged, but I would not be suprised to find a foal tomorrow morning. Now on to Kixsie - she was still showing signs of lameness in the right front. Still no swelling, heat or tenderness anywhere on the hoof or leg. My farrier is coming out this evening to do a hoof tester test. Keeping my fingers crossed!