Foaling / Foals -- Stall Bedding Question

[Jill]

Thanks for the input so far, folks! This year, we've had no problem with our mare eating the straw (and it's soft) but last year, we did bed down with hay because the girls were trying to eat the straw. We kept "Piper" on straw for a month I bet! I knew it was longer than need be but she was a January foal and I was usuing as much for warmth as anything. These next babies though won't need that much time on it

 

[Tenltraining]

We use very nice shavings that are not dusty, then put good soft clean straw on top of that when Im pretty sure the mare is about ready to foal. I leave them on straw for a week and then go back to the shavings and Ive had no problems at all with this. One thing to mention though, is to keep plenty of hay for the mare to munch on so that she is not as tempted to eat the straw. Horses can colic on straw if they eat too much of it, therefore I make sure there is plenty of quality hay for her.

 

[Jill]

Thanks

That is what we did this year, is keep a big pile of nice hay in the corner and Sweetie only tasted the straw once to investigate what it was. It probably would have worked that way last year, but I was too nervous and just used hay.

 

[funnybunny]

We tried using straw once, but the straw was so thick and coarse that we didn't like it.

Shavings go on top of the stallmats, and now we use soft grass hay. Cleaning is not as hard as the straw.

 

[Nancy]

So glad this topic came up this is a little off the question but, just wondered if anyone else has had this happen and to say this is something you might want to watch for.

I do as the rest of you but, since straw is hard to find i am sure this could happen with straw too. You all know how curious foals are and mine seem to like to imitate mom so mom eats grain and the little darlings do too and same with the hay and since they don't have the ability to chew good when newborn what they do is move it around in there mouth the first time this happened to me what i noticed was a little sprig of hay protruding from the corner on there mouth and they acted like they were trying to swallow or sort of like choking I stuck my finger in the mouth and was shocked to feel a big wad of hay way back in there mouth and attached to the piece sticking out of mouth. I pulled it out and was amazed at how long and how big the wad of hay was I am sure it interfered with there ability to swallow the milk and also observed they were not nursing well ,which was what first prompted me to check the mouth. Now I routinely check there mouths they really get huffy with me, but I am not taking any chances I am sure they could really choke if it was not removed. I have watched them as they lay for there naps and to rest i see them nuzzling or nibbling the bedding that is under there mouth as they rest it in the bedding.I have seen this happen a lot so always check mine as I want to be sure they nurse .If you see the mares bag getting really full and dripping it is possible the foal is not nursing due to this being in back of there mouths.

 

[Tenltraining]

Ive never had this happen but I think its good you posted that information here so people can keep an eye out for that. Foals love to play around with stuff and its a good thing you were watching closely!! We all need to watch for that!