The main problems usually come just as you described Meek - when porting the .gif file by copying and pasting via email.
Many people use Netscape, and Netscape is notorious for losing embedded animation code in emails sent by Internet Explorer.
A good way to test it is as you said, save the .gif file to your hard drive, then use the "OPEN" command of your browser. If the animation code is still intact and the gif file is still animated when you open it with your browswer (IE, Netscape, Opera, Firefox) then you should be able to post the code using that broswer to FR.
Hope this might help some.
Thank you, sir! :^D