Foaling Out Services

[MountainWoman]

I want to send a maiden to be foaled out next year. Looking for top notch facility with vet nearby and on 24 hour call, on MareStare, etc. Do you have any suggestions?

I'm not picky about the location in the country. Just want it to be a great facility.

 

This is a great topic for everyone who wants someone to foal out for them.

We may all have our favorites to suggest, and I ask that you PM any "personal names" to answer the post.

But, for educational purposes, lets list what makes a "top notch" facility by everyone's standards. We all know what's not good, but how about posting what YOU would be looking for if you were having your mare foaled out?

I, for one, have sent a recommendation along through a PM, but I know that I would certainly want to be able to watch "my" mare on marestare or something similar, just so I could be there during the delivery -- even if it was just watching. Plus, it is so good to be able to watch them under camera and see the shape they are in and how they are being treated -- the conditions they are living in.

Anyone else have ideas to share in what they would be looking for?? Auntie Anna, what do you think would be important for a facility or another breeder to have to make you feel comfortable foaling out one of your special girls?

 

[Ryan Johnson]

Great Topic

Obviously as stated in the first post, 24 Hour care & Access to a nearby vet would be my first two musts.

I think I would request a tour of the stud to make sure the facility was what I was looking for, cameras for Marestare as Diane said.

Lastly, Word of mouth. Ask close friends if they have experienced any of the studs being considered.

Good Luck Sara

 

[lkblazin]

Must be close to a vet/ have experience in the vet world.

A lot of experience and success along side.

Barn cams.

Maybe the alarm beepers. But not needed.

Night time stalling.

Very important that needs to be there main job. I wouldn't want them leaving for work and missing something/being late for work because there is something.

That's all I can think of at the moment, great topic

 

[AnnaC]

My 'wants' would be experienced vet care within easy reach and on duty 24/7. Experienced human eyes to be keeping an eye on the horses day and night regardless of cameras. I also want someone 'sitting up' at nights actually in the barn - none of this checking a camera or visiting the barn every hour/30 minutes to do a visual check.

I agree with Ryan in that a personal visit to the stud in question to see for myself how their own horses were cared for/all their facilities etc. And word of mouth is also very helpful.

For my mare I would also want full daytime access to suitable pasture (no dry lots!) and I would also like to know what safe outside space would be available to my mare and her new foal until I could arrange collection. Then we come to stall size - a safe 12x12 is the smallest I would consider, mainly due to giving sufficient room for any vets or helpers to assist my mare should it be necessary, and also to provide enough space for my new foal to run around should the weather on a particular day not be suitable for turnout.

As far as bedding is concerned, well most of you know how I feel about this! LOADS of clean sweet straw - one thick layer put down and stamped on, then another layer and another and another etc., until when you walk on the top surface the bed is approx 9" to 12" thick so it feels like a good quality mattress! I like my mares to be able to lay down flat out to rest and have their tummies sink a little way into the bedding with their heads resting comfortably and their spines straight - not on a hard surface with little bedding and their tummies getting in the way and therefore their heads lower, horses dont like having their heads lower than their bodies and most mares will soon 'sit' back up when trying to rest in late pregnancy on a floor lacking in a comfortable covering. Oh and no shavings or if you really have to use shavings then they too should also be piled in and stamped down to give you that thick 9" to 12" of floor covering.

OK I'll shut up now! Wishing you the best of luck Sara and hoping that we can also watch for you on marestare.

 

I knew I couldn't say it as well as you do, Anna. So, I'm so glad you came to tell us. You're ladies are very lucky to have you!!

And I second being in the barn. I never had cams and lived in the barn during foaling season, often in the stall with the momma who was due, so she couldn't be too sneaky. Even if I was sleeping, their movement would rouse me when they even turned around, so I could be in attendance at every birth. I learned my lesson early on with these sneaky mares. Foaled out 3 girls in one night, checked on one that wasn't due for about a month -- no bag and baby not in position -- and decided all was well and I could go to my bed.

BIG MISTAKE. That mare foaled during the night, and when I went to feed in the morning about 3 hours later, there was my beautiful blanketed appaloosa filly dead in the sack. Never trusted a mare after that!

 

[lkblazin]

I too would want someone in the barn. But feel that there may not be a lot of facilities that do this. Or at least that I have heard of. But when my girls are about a month before there due dates, I'll be out there. I plan on sleeping next to the stall. Hopefully there won't be any midnight critters creepin about, lookin for a warm place ( aka my bed).

 

[MountainWoman]

Anna, I love how you describe the bed for your mares. Makes me want to go lie down with them right now

I thank everyone for their answers. I think this is an important topic and also something for people to consider who might have a problem delivery ahead of them or can't be home to watch their mares foal.

I have found a wonderful facility recommended by my trainer and Ritzy will be headed there to foal and anyone who wants will be able to watch on MareStare.

Ritzy is a maiden, who was sired by a Reserve World Champion son of Billy Idol and she's also double Blue Boy bred on her dam's side and is now bred to LM Hawks Burton so it's a very exciting cross for me and I'll be keeping the baby for sure.

However, all babies are important - from the rescue mare who finds a loving home to the show mares and that's why I'm so glad we have this board and all the Nannies.

I can always count on this board for support and friendship. Thanks again.

 

[AnnaC]

So glad that you found somewhere for Ritzy Sara, will be looking forward to watching on marestare when the time comes. I can see why you are excited to see this foal - good luck!

Regarding my stables and the bedding I use I should have said that we deep litter - really couldn't muck out that amount of bedding on a daily basis (although where I trained/learned about deep beds many many moons ago we had to - ended up with bedding on one side of the stable piled up over high window height while otherside of stable mucked out, then everything reversed to muck out second side before laying the bed again and 'bashing' it down to a deep packed down level again). Now I just leave the basic layer, pick all droppings by hand (so as not to miss even the smallest piece) every couple of hours (night as well) and add clean straw more or less daily. Never see or feel a 'wet patch' as it drains down through the base, stays lovely and warm too when you sit on it! People ask why the barn never smells 'horsey' and I say it's coz the beds are so deep. BUT there comes the time when full mucking out happens - like now before the winter and again in the Spring a month before the first mare comes in to foal. Hard work but still do it by hand, literally peeling up the layers into rolls and carting them away. Suprising thing is that, without fail, the concrete floor although 'stained' a dark colour, is absolutely dry when we eventually get there (!) and still no smell. Not everyones cup of tea I agree, but it works for us.

 

So happy you found a place for us to watch the delivery of your little one, and we'll be watching for you, for sure!! You'll have to post the link when the time is ready.

And I, too, just love the way Anna describes that wonderful bedding!