Helpful Hints for foaling season....

Miniature Horse Talk Forums

Help Support Miniature Horse Talk Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

MeadowRidge Farm

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2002
Messages
5,196
Reaction score
1
Location
Wisconsin
With all the newbies that are now on the forum, I thought it might be a good idea to start a thread on some helpful hints, or just some good advice, for the upcoming foaling season....this is kind of going off the foaling kit post. I'll start with ...towels, I never use a towel which has been dried with a scented dryer sheet to dry foals off, alot of times this will leave a "scented" odor on the foal and the mare might reject it after it is dried. So use clean towels,(not dryer scented) and if the mare does not want to accept the foal after drying it...rub your hand in the plecenta and then rub it onto the foals back, the mare will usually accept the foal again. Corinne
 
Read everything you can about foaling. Then read it all again. Then read it again right before the mare foals so its fresh in your mind. Pay close attention to details.

Listen to people that have foaled out mares before and their stories.

Most of all don't panic as the mare is counting on you.

Joyce

Forgot to add that if your mare is still in her winter woolies, its best to shave her belly and down a bit on the legs so the foal won't have so much trouble finding the teats among all that hair.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Never use a blanket on the foal that's been used on another foal without washing it first. I had a friend who did this and the mare about killed the foal before she could get the blanket off, it must have smelled like the other foal and the mare hated it. I also rub the blanket on the mare, then just lay it on the foal until I'm sure the mare will accept it on her baby, before I close the velcro. Good thread!
 
The Complete Book of Foaling should be in everyone's hands and re-read it every year before foaling season as a reminder of the important things.

Most of all, watch your mare, be with her for delivery, and watch mare and foal even after birth.

A monitor and a Breeder Alert or a device similar are your best tools for helping. Be alert and ready for everything that comes your way. Vet's number handy and a way of transporting the mare or mare and foal if there are problems.

Well stocked foaling kit and enjoy the birth. :saludando:
 
I foal mine out in the barn under a heat lamp and don't towel dry the babies so I don't have to worry about changing the scent at all. Handling the foal as little as possible until the mare has had a chance to check it out is the best way to go without risking her rejecting it. Something for a new to foaling person to realize is that it usually happens fairly quickly and if it isn't there is usually something wrong. Something else to think about is that if you hover and keep checking on the mare repeatedly she will likely hang onto the foal and wait till you leave to go down. That is why cameras are so great - you can keep a watch on the mare without disturbing her and maybe preventing her from foaling. Once she is down and the foal is on its way you can then slip down to the barn and be there. It is really important to treat the navel against infection once the cord breaks - check with your vet for what he recommends and have it on hand. I put it in a shot glass and press it up against the belly to make sure it is well dunked!
 
Great Thread and Great Advice posted above!

Here's more --

When your mare is showing all the "signs" according to the books (and/or videos) let your vet know you have a miniature horse getting close, just to give him/her a heads up. And keep the vet's number handy in the barn.

One of the things I store along with clean towels (which I NEVER dry with dryer sheets!
default_wink.png
: ) is an old but clean BED SHEET. As long as the mare gives me enough warning on camera, I am right there tucking that sheet under her hind-end for the foal to land on. A lot of liquid is soaked up by the sheet and once the navel is doused, I quickly move the baby onto a bed of dry grass hay bedding and pull the messy sheet OUT.

Oh, and I use soft GRASS HAY for bedding in the foaling stall....not straw. We used to use straw until we had a colt have an eye injured on a sharp piece of straw bedding. Fortunately he wasn't seriously injured, but it was enough of a warning.

MA
 
[SIZE=10pt]Exelent thread Corinne! I'll be copying and pasting away!!
default_yes.gif
: :aktion033: :saludando: Lori
[/SIZE]
 
I keep a small layer of shavings/grindings on the stall floor for soaking up any fluids. After the foal has arrived I clean up the wet bedding and put down a thick layer of bermuda grass hay. It is very soft and won't hurt the foals eyes. If you are new and don't know what to look for, put the placenta in a plastic bag and keep in the fridge till the vet can check it out.

I use vet wrap to tie up the placenta if it starts to drag the ground.

Keep some bran on hand so you can make a nice warm bran mash for the mare. It will help with the cramping.

Talk to your vet about what shots he/she thinks you will need. If the mare is too uncomfortable I give her a shot of Banamine, but NOT until after she delivers the placenta. The foal gets Tetnus Antitoxin and some penicillin. Have plenty of Betadine to dip the foals stump in (I just squirt a lot on it).

Don't cut the cord for as long as possible so the foal can get as much of the blood as possible. When you tie the cord off use some cotton dental floss or cotton string.

Robin
 
Have the Vets number on sped dial in the house and on your Cell- you will not be able to remember you own name in an emergency!!

When in doubt call the Vet.

If you think there is something wrong, there probably is.

When it comes to foaling, there is no such thing as a "wasted Vets call"- if you think he is needed, get him.

Or her
default_yes.gif
:
 
Great thread -

1. Really really know the structure of a horse - the anatomy. When you're elbow deep trying to reposition a body part it's good to know what the front and back should feel like (how they bend, etc.) or other parts.

2. Vaseline - it's a great lube for helping with foaling issues. We buy 6 or so at the dollar store, and use it for that foaling then throw it out as it will be contaminated. We learned this from the UCD repro team - I use to buy the KY type jelly - they use vaseline - it works much better. It's a mess to get off the foal after, but well worth it. We've delivered foals with a leg back by lubing them up really well!

3. We use Nolvason for dipping cords. (Ask your vet for dilution rate) We store it in a film canister, it's the right size and can be filled ahead of time and capped.

4. Check the placenta for tears/holes - if you aren't having the vet check it. I don't remember who told me this tip (probably on the Forum last year!) - but we fill ours with water - you can see the whole structure and check it for missing pieces. We don't weigh the placenta, but do check the cord and note any that are out of the ordinary - color, size, etc.

5. I don't routinely give an enema, but do keep a child size one cleaned out and ready to go (in a large ziplock bag), so it can be used if needed. We wait a couple hours to see if the meconium will pass on its on first.
 
Forgot to add that if your mare is still in her winter woolies, its best to shave her belly and down a bit on the legs so the foal won't have so much trouble finding the teats among all that hair.


 


Another very important reason for shaving that long winter hair away from the mare's belly & rear leg area, is because the mares are usually shedding by the handfuls by the time they foal. Many foals will ingest so much of this hair while searching for the teats, that they will get hairballs in their little tummies & make them colic. There have even been foals who have died from this! I usually shave the entire belly, halfway up the sides, and rear legs on winter-coated mares.
default_yes.gif
:
 
Not a tip but a question...I have heard to dip the hooves in the iodine too, an old timer told me this, because the hooves are still very porous they can absorb bacteria? GREAT THREAD!!!!!!!!
 
i do also dip the hooves. I figure it cant hurt and better safe then sorry. I also use nolvascan not iodine.

we did have a foal colic due to ingesting mothers hair and she was belly and side clipped. Now I clip much higher up!

Also always remember if you have to help pull a foal ONLY pull when the mare is contracting!!!

I think a good rule of thumb is if a mare is down and actively pushing for 10-15 mins and you dont see two legs and a muzzle CALL A VETERNARIAN as something is definately wrong
 
[SIZE=12pt]These tips may sound a little strange to you...but here goes!
default_rolleyes.gif
: [/SIZE]

Be aware of you OWN health issues as well! I have asthma, so I have a spare inhaler in my foaling kit!

Long finger nails! Sorry, girls, IF you have long lovely finger nails, in foaling season, shorten them! You sure don't want to be going inside a mare (gloved or not) with long nails!

Viki
 
YEs, infection can get in thur the hooves. I use spray iodine, and spray the hooves when I am spraying the cord. I dont think any of us who have foaled out mares can stress enough about the books BLESSED ARE THE BROODMARES and THE COMPLEST BOOK OF FOALING, and having the VETS PHONE nuber on speed dial.(altho, this doesnt always help in a remote area like where I live, and the vet can be 2 hours away, so we need to learn what to do in a emergency!) I also made a chart that hangs out in the barn, on poster paper, I wrote the most common foaling problems and what to do--copied out of Blessed are the Brood Mares, such as RED BAG, positions, etc. Corinne
 
Great thread!

I agree, Blessed are The Broodmares is an EXCELLENT very informative book to have. I love the ideas of using the post its for important areas and labeling it and also the note board!

Another very important thing to remember is to have the foals IgG levels checked between 9 and 12 hours old.

If you can, have extra colostrum on hand.

MOST IMPORTANT: Make sure your vet has the equipment available to help you if your foals IgG levels are too low. I recently found out that there ISN'T a vet anywhere around me that has the equipment (closest is 2 hours away), and if they do have the equipment, they will not come out to where I live. Locating vets that can help you BEFORE you need them is best, that way you aren't calling every vet known in your area at a time when you do need them, it's far easier to know this information before hand (less stress!)
default_wacko.png
:

Keep your foaling kit filled up and make sure that anything isn't past its use by date. Call your vet to see what they recommend having on hand in your foaling kit.
 
One of the most important things to remember, is, let nature take it's course! Soooo many newbies will get worried, jump right in and start "helping" the mare...not good... Watch from outside the stall, or far enough away that the mare has a chance to get-er-done. Allow the mare and foal to nuzzle and bond, before getting up and naturally break the cord. The ONLY time I will cut a cord, is if the foal and placenta arrive together in a heap. Even then, I will try to tear the cord, rather than cut it, as cutting will sometimes cause it to bleed. (Yes, you can tie it; but is preferable to do it as close to natural as possible, IMHO.)

Blue Dawn dish detergent is a great lubricant, safe to use, and very slick; for the times which we find it necessary to move a foal that is turned or stuck.

Rubber gloves...invaluable.

Non-scented baby-wipes...great for cleaning nostrils and around the eyes if needed.
 
[SIZE=12pt]This may sound over cautious, but if I know we are within a coupla days from foaling I usually have the truck with horse trailer attached backed right up to the barn door. My vets prefer the mare come to them...they can do more at the clinic. And that way if I am home alone with a mare in trouble, I don't have to go fumbling around with the truck and trailer and leave the mare. And I'm not wasting precious moments getting her going.[/SIZE]

Also, I always have a black plastic lawn and garden garbage bag handy on the floor outside the stall on the floor....its plenty of room to spread the placenta out on to inspect, and then inside it goes when I'm done. I then put the rest of the bloody and soaked bedding in the bag too so the neighborhood wolves, coyotes, and dogs don't get any ideas.

I keep a journal yearly on each mare that states pre-foaling signs and dates they occur, gestation lengths (in days), foaling occurances and problems, and foal conditions. Every year during mare stare I read back on the journals and refresh my memory for that mare. I also watch over my foaling videos from the previous year....it helps me to learn what to change next time, and watch the mares labor habits.

ABSOLUTELY if you have a mare that is dripping milk do NOT take your eyes off her!!! Foaling is assured to be imminent! For my mares it is withing minutes up to 2 hours prefoaling. ***CAUTION*** Not all mares drip milk prefoaling so do not rely on that alone
default_wink.png
:

I put thermoses of hot water in the barn with me when I go out...for comforts such as washing my hands afterwards in warm water and also to make a warm bran mash for the mares.

Put your Ivermectin right in the foaling box to give to the mare after foaling....otherwise you will forget and have to run back to the barn later instead of taking that long desired nap!!
 
What about if the baby is in the wrong position? Are there any websites too? Thanks.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top