Getting ready for foaling
Preparation for foaling begins weeks before the birth.
“It’s important a foaling mare not be placed in a strange environment or have a stranger act as night attendant just prior to parturition,” said Dave Freeman, Oklahoma co-operative extension service equine specialist.
He said the mare can delay foaling until she is relaxed about a new environment. Night attendants should start visiting one or two weeks before the mare’s due date.
The mare needs to have a clean, spacious, quiet place to foal. Stalls should measure at least 4.3 X 4.3 metres and should be filled with a clean straw bed at least 20 centimetres thick. If the mare is going to foal in the pasture, make sure the area is dry, with plenty of grass.
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Barn lights should not turned on and off randomly. Freeman suggests using a small flashlight to monitor the mare during the night.
Mares that have caslick sutures must have them opened at least 30 days prior to foaling. Otherwise the vulva or vagina may suffer oblique tears that are difficult to repair, resulting in a deformity that may lead to uterine infection.
Although normal gestation for a mare is 330 to 350 days, variations are normal. Colts normally are carried longer than fillies.
Irritability a sign
As the birth nears, the mare may become irritable and restless. If running in a herd, she may distance herself from the other horses.
Most foaling farms suggest that a mare’s tail be wrapped with flannel, gauze or derby bandages at this time, keeping it out of the way if problems develop during the birth.
Freeman cautioned against using tight elastic wraps such as Ace bandages because circulation to the tail may be cut off.
The mare’s udder and vulva should be gently scrubbed with warm water, using a mild soap and clean cotton, while double-checking for unopened caslick sutures.
– Oklahoma State University
