Yet another NEW foal question, on When to

[Gracie]

Ok First some background. My mare HATES HATES HATES being stalled , yesterday with her newborn foal by her side it was raining horizontal, then pounded us with hail she NEVER went into the stall just stodd out in it while she and baby got SOAKED>

when the 2nd round of Hail hit I went out and took baby to the stall and mom followed and I shut them in,

they stay in at night AGAINST mamas wishes, but Im afraid in the horrid weather mama will NOT take baby into the stall at all, last night was in the 20;s baby was shaking in the stall I can imagine her out in the wind,

We live on a hill at tree level to the neighbors so we always have wind and at this time of year ALOT , so much so we are considering getting wind mills NO JOKE<

So my question knowing thia WHEN will it be safe fo rme to leave the stall door open 24/7 and just let them decide on being in or out,, Considering babie sonly 4 days old it will be moms decision not babies and knowing mama HATES the stalls I am worried,

Opinions please

 

[MyBarakah]

Hi,

Well.... I had a maiden mare act the same her first foaling season...... she was SO protective with her first and felt safer outside than inside, especially during the nasty/dangerous spring weather... I would have to lock her in a stall..... she would pace and throw a stinking fit! BAD FIT! I could watch her on the foaling monitor and see her horrible behavior. I was worried at one point she was going to be a danger to her foal. So I ended up going back out in the horrible lightning & pouring rain storm and just tied her up in the stall and tied her where she could get to water & hay...... But as long as she was going to put baby in harms way with the weather outside..... she NEEDS to go inside....... and she may be better as the baby gets older.... My maiden mare did get better as the baby got older after a good month.....

 

[Miniv]

Your nights are probably a lot like our's --- COLD. So until things warm up, we stall at night.

 

[Suzie]

Sometimes mamma does not know what is best. I have one 7 YO mare and with her 3rd foal- she stayed in 2 days. I let her and the foal outside. She was so happy to be outside she ran and bucked and jumped and acted plumb crazy, finally knocking her baby down a hill in her excitement to be outside. (baby was fine-just startled) It was like a reality check for her. She immediately stopped and started acting like a mom, not a teenager. This year after she foals, I am going to turn her loose in the paddock alone for a bit and let her get her energy spent, THEN let out the baby.

I put mom and baby in the stall at night and in bad weather. If mom shows bad behavior, she gets tied. On my farm, I decide what is best for mom and baby.

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

I have mares like that!!!

I use 3 sided shelters so they don't feel so 'caged' - they're not happy but tolerate that. We give them lots of treats to make it seem like a good thing!! We bed it deep with rice hulls and grass hay ontop so even if it's drafty it is warm. If the weather is severe (to me anything below the 40s at night for a newborn), the foal is blanketed often with 2-3 baby blankets - i've improvised with beach towels under fleece as needed) so the foal's body stays toasty warm.

The foal we had earlier this week is only wearing one blanket as we've not dipped below 50 at night with no rain or wind. We take blankets off during the day if the weather is really mild and do not use them at all for foals born later in the spring.

Foals can't regulate their body temperature at that young of an age so you do need to keep them out of severe/extreme weather.

 

[Marty]

That's ridiculous. I would have never let them stand outside like that. With that baby shaking, that's a sign he was freezing. You're the mama, you call the shots. I don't care what the mare likes or wants to do, I know what's best for them as you do too. Stick with your instincts. I also have one that hates the stall so I try to make it as inviting as possible. Is your stall large and roomy and comfortable? Clean bedding, fresh water, plenty of hay? They will want to stay where there is food. Keep plenty of hay in there. You may want to divide your grain feedings into 3 times a day. I also built a run-in for said screwy mare who doesn't like to stay in, but I also put doors on it so I still have the option of calling the shots. Do not let that mare run you. Put her in, put her baby in. The wind is what also will get them sick so be careful.

To answer your original question, I stall accordingly to the weather. The weather predicts if I have to keep the horses stalled. I prefer everyone get turned out daily for as long as possible. I think horses are healthier outside than living in a stall and babies certainly need to run and grow to develop. But let's just get real and put it in perspecitive, a light rain or sprinkle is one thing, but raining down horrizontal is quite another. There is no reason for me to put horses outside to freeze either when they can have the comfort of a nice stall and plenty of hay to keep them busy. I visit them often when they have to be stalled due to bad weather, do a lot of grooming, give a lot of treats and keep hay in front of them in there.

Good luck and best wishes to you.

 

[Gracie]

That's ridiculous. I would have never let them stand outside like that. With that baby shaking, that's a sign he was freezing. You're the mama, you call the shots.

First off I come here for HELP not critizism.

I did not LET THEM stay out. as soon as the weather changed we went out by the time we got there they were SOAKED and the weatehr was again Sunny.

We live in Washington, Common to have rain, sun, snow, sleet etc all within 30 minutes of each other,

We even had snow yesterday which we RARELY get,

Have ya ever been outside when a freak rain hit and ya were drenched within minutes??well thats what it was,

it cleared as fast as it came and we dried baby who was quit ready to take off and play some more, as soon as we were done drying her the rains hit again so IN THEY WENT>

today is a light rain and WIND so they are inside also, I am not irrisponsable nor stupid,

I guess I should have simply asked at what age can baby regulate heat and know to go inside on her own ,

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

The foal will stay out there with its mother until its weaned. The foal is not going to leave the mare and go hide in shelter if she's standing on the other side of the paddock.

 

[Relic]

lf the foal is that young regardless if mom doesn't like to be stalled thats where l would keep her till the weather is not as unpredictable..we have field mares meaning they hate to be cooped up but sometimes the health of the foal comes before what they want..

 

[hhpminis]

Gracie

It can take up to a week for the foal to be able to properly regulate it's temp. You are doing right by keeping them in with the rain and wind. That combination of wet foal and windy conditions could really get the foal cold fast.

I usually blanket the foal for the first few nights at least to help them hold their body temp. When the day warms up I will take it off and give them a chance to adjust their own body temp.

I also put a heat source like a heat lamp used for chicks in the stall, watching on the camera I will see the foal go in and out of the range of the lamp as needed.

We have had very odd weather this year and I have foals due very soon too. The lamps are in place ready for those cold NW nights.

When weather permits let them out for exercise. You are doing the right thing. Follow your gut feeling, the mare will just have to put on her big girl panties and deal with it.

 

[Gracie]

Gracie

It can take up to a week for the foal to be able to properly regulate it's temp. You are doing right by keeping them in with the rain and wind. That combination of wet foal and windy conditions could really get the foal cold fast.

I usually blanket the foal for the first few nights at least to help them hold their body temp. When the day warms up I will take it off and give them a chance to adjust their own body temp.

I also put a heat source like a heat lamp used for chicks in the stall, watching on the camera I will see the foal go in and out of the range of the lamp as needed.

We have had very odd weather this year and I have foals due very soon too. The lamps are in place ready for those cold NW nights.

When weather permits let them out for exercise. You are doing the right thing. Follow your gut feeling, the mare will just have to put on her big girl panties and deal with it.

THANK YOU.. Yes today is blustery and windy so they are in there stall, I do have the chicken brooder lamp in there at night so the stall doesnt drop below 40, baby went outside with no blanket yesterday first time and spent last night with no blanket and no shivering so she was ok,

Washington has had a VERY ODD year havent we, never know one minute to the next whats gonna happen,

Thanks to all kind enough to offer advice and suggestions, I cant wait for warm weather,

 

[WLS]

Congrats on your new foal.

Horses are creatures of habit, maybe if your mare got use to coming in everyday at the same time with grain and hay awaiting for her, she would look forward to her stall. My horses are such whimps, they line up at the door at dusk knowing grain awaits them inside.

An easy solution, if this mare must be outside, breed her to foal in June/July when the cold and dampness is not a problem.

Another thought, does this mare have a history of being hurt inside a stall? Or does she have a favourite stable mate, some mares like to be stalled next to their best friend ( I have two mares that like to be stalled next to each other). Lots of things to consider, but keep that baby warm. I would worry about a new born foal sleeping on cold ground........., they can get pneumonia.

Best of Luck. Wendy