This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Equine Reproduction » Pregnancy, Foaling, & Neonatal Care » Pregnant Mare Care and Nutrition »
  Discussion on Winter Foaling
Author Message
Member:
Fouch

Posted on Wednesday, Jan 17, 2007 - 1:31 pm:

I have a mare that is due to foal (in Missouri) early next month. I have enclosed the stall and installed a heater but am worried about odor build up, etc. If it is really cold there will be no ventilation. Also, I didn't find any article on how warm the stall needs to be when she foals. I assume that temperature isn't an issue once the foal is dried-off and nursing. This is a maiden embryo recipient mare and I am not sure if she we even let me in the stall let alone let me dry off the foal. Any suggestions?
Member:
Canyon28

Posted on Wednesday, Jan 17, 2007 - 2:17 pm:

I would start working with the mare now if she is at your farm. puting her in the stall and going in there and working around her, handling her a lot. Usually recipient mares are also chosen based on their personalities, so she should be pretty gentle. If she is foaling in Feb, you probably dont have to worry about needing the heat unless she happens to foal during a very cold spell, like under 25 degrees or something. I would be worried more about starting a fire with the heater in a barn,myself!
I always get right in there and handle the foal while it is still laying down,putting iodine on the navel, messing with its face and feet, and drying it off, etc. most mares will let you do this and dont get excited until the foal starts trying to get up. Once they are up then she may get a little agitated with you, but keep trying and also make sure you are never between her and the foal. Never block her view of the foal with your body in the first few days, so that means staying to the outside of the foal and not getting between the mare and the foal. If needed get a halter on her and someone to help you handle her. I would keep her and the foal in the stall for only two days at most, going in there to handle the foal and clean the stall several times a day. the stall will get really wet from the foaling, so you will need to get in there and shovel out the wet sawdust and straw. I always use these times as an opportunity to handle the foal some and let it sniff me, etc, they dont have any fear in the first couple of days, so if you can make a good impression on the foal in the first couple of days, it will go a long way towards making it easy to work with. I have outside runs on my foaling stalls, so after the second day, I open the outside door and let the mare and foal go in and out until night fall, then close them in the stall at night. By the third day or so the foal should be pretty frisky and sturdy on its feet and ready to go to an outside corral or large pen that is safe and has shelter out of wind and rain or snow. If you dont have this kind of set up, taking the mare and foal in and out of the stall and leaving them out during the day really helps to get the mare and foal used to being handled. I put a foal halter on the foal when I move them, so that the foal soon realizes that when it gets haltered, it is going out to play, and it will become much easier to halter them and get them leading. I prefer to halter break as soon as possible since it is sure a lot easier to handle a 100 lb foal than it is to wrestle with a 300 or 400 lb foal that doesnt want to be caught or doesnt want any part of you.
the more you handle the mare and foal, the better off eveything will be.
I have foaled out quite a few maiden mares and several of them you would have thought it was their 10th foal, not their first! They were super attentive moms and just loved their foals. Have never owned a mare that I thought might reject her foal, and I have also hand milked several of these maiden mares when their was a little bit of a problem with getting the foal to nurse at first. Hand milked them with out even a halter on. I raise AQHA cutting and reined cowhorses, not sure what breed you are raising or if the mare is a reg qh or just grade, but have never had a qh mare reject her foal or try to attack me. Chris www.canyonrimranch.net
Member:
Karent

Posted on Wednesday, Jan 17, 2007 - 3:54 pm:

Scott,

The foal needs a ventilated stall more than the heat. If you have no ventilation in the foaling stall the foal could suffer from a number of respiratory problems. My advice would be to get your foaling stall ventilated, forget about the heater. Get a foal blanket and human toddler socks for the foals ears if necessary (to avoid frostbite if it's really cold). Your foal will be alot healthier if he/she has clean air to breath.

I had a foal born last year the first part of March in 10deg weather with the wind howling and cold windchill. I made sure there was plenty of ventilation. The floor of the foaling stall had shavings underneath straw which really made the ground seem warm and cleanup easier.

I would also work with the mare and put her in the foaling stall, at least at night, so she can get used to any new bacteria that is different from where she is housed now.

We had no problems and I never had to put the foal blanket on, but I was glad that I at least had one, just in case.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Jan 17, 2007 - 9:17 pm:

I have never seen a recommended minimal temperature Scott and have seen foals born in the snow at well below freezing do OK. Keep the area the foal is in well ventilated as Karen suggests but there should be no wind. Under such conditions the foal is unlikely to suffer from the temperature alone. However the cold does represent a added stressor and if other problems exists, particularly anything that interferes with early nursing, stress from the cold with be exacerbated and hypothermia possible. In this event early intervention will be important. If the temp continues to worry out there are radiant type heaters that do not depend on heating the air. Be sure any such installation is reviewed by an electrician to insure fire safety.

It can be hard to predict how a newly parturient mare will behave but Christine is right you need to start working with her now but if the mare is showing dominant or aggressive behaviors toward the people around her I would extend it to light lunge work with an emphasis on a good "whoa".

If all this seems too much have you considered a foaling facility?
DrO
Member:
ilona

Posted on Wednesday, Jan 24, 2007 - 9:48 pm:

We have a foal due sometime in the next couple of weeks. I cannot enclose the mare in our run-in shelter. The way it is set up does not allow foe even a 12' gat to be attached and our ground is too frozen to posts and a gate. After much consideration and speaking with the local vet (we are new to the area), I have decided to take her to his facility to foal. Our temperatures can get to -10 to -20 and it makes me too nervous. He was honest and said that if she foal on a really cold night and did not choose the shelter there was a 50/50 chance of loosing the foal. No risk I want to take with those odds. So I am biting the financial bullet and taking her in.

DR O,
I have no experience with foaling at all. I am more neurotic than I was before the birth of my first born. Different people have told me different things regarding signs as to when she will foal. I have read all your articles and cannot seem to find any specific guidelines. There are some tests you recommend, that implies I milk her somewhat close to foaling. Are there any visuals that I can go by. Candy is wonderfully sweet, today I spent much time stroking her and too felt for her udder (she didn't seem to care). I only felt one teat which is somewhat descended in a pubescent kind of way.
Any suggestions you have will be most gratefully appreciated.
Member:
karent

Posted on Thursday, Jan 25, 2007 - 10:25 am:

Ilona,

That's probably a very good idea. Better safe than sorry. Is he close enough that you can go and watch the foal being born (if you can get there fast enough). I have seen many horses where I live give birth in the snow and do fine. But, if it were mine I would opt for a foaling stall, at least it would make me feel better.

DrO has a great article on foaling signs, etc. However, if you want to read more about it, I bought a great book called "The complete book of foaling" which was excellent.

I have always used a foal predictor kit and it has worked well for me and my next door neighbor, all our mares foaled when the kit said they would (that's 10 foals over the years between us). I know that other people have not had the same luck with the kit as I have, but I can only speak for myself.

Good luck, we are looking forward to pictures of your new baby very soon.

Where are you located in New Mexico?
Member:
erika

Posted on Thursday, Jan 25, 2007 - 11:23 am:

The predictor kit worked well for our one and only foal.

Hope you are able to watch the foaling. It is quite exciting.
Member:
ilona

Posted on Thursday, Jan 25, 2007 - 3:53 pm:

Thanx, that settles it. I will buy the predictor kit. Dr O's article suggests 3 different kits, which ones did you use?

My obvious concern is the timing as when I should take her to the facility.

I am about 1/2hr from the vet facility and I will get a call as soon as she shows signs of delivery, hopefully I will make it in time.

karen,
I see you you are in Taos, I'm in Ruidioso...about 4 1/2 hours from you. If you are ever around here, please call, I would love to meet you and show you my home and horses.....how's a home cooked meal sound?
Member:
ilona

Posted on Thursday, Jan 25, 2007 - 4:17 pm:

Karen,
I have just ordered the book you recommended...digitally, on-line! Talk about instant gratification! So I will now have my nose pasted to the screen. Thank you for the suggestion, its going to ease my anxiety a great deal. ( I ordered a hard copy too, just in case my land-line roots can't cope with this digital world!).
Member:
karent

Posted on Thursday, Jan 25, 2007 - 4:50 pm:

A home cooked meal sounds great. I would enjoy meeting you as well.

The book is great, I hope you enjoy it, I am really glad I read it.

The foaling predictor kit I have always used is called Predict-A-Foal manufactured by Animal Healthcare Products.

Good luck, foals are so much fun they really make you laugh. I have a quarab mare that was pregnant when I rescued her, I have no idea exactly when she will foal, but the Vet said probably within the next 2 months.
Member:
ilona

Posted on Thursday, Jan 25, 2007 - 8:15 pm:

Karen,
Do email me at equus@cyberverse.com and lets see what we can do.
Member:
oscarvv

Posted on Friday, Jan 26, 2007 - 8:07 am:

Hi Ilona,
I use the Chemetrics test for predicting foaling. It may take a little more time to do, I'm weird I love doing the test. It is very accurate, though no test is 100%.
-B
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC