With spring quickly approaching foaling season is upon us! This time of year fills expectant owners with excitement, worry, and often leads to plenty of sleepless nights. Being prepared for this special arrival is paramount to ensuring a smooth and successful foaling.
The first step we advise taking is keeping an open line of communication with your veterinarian. Although most foals are born without a veterinarian onsite, if an emergency should arise, having your veterinarian in the loop will increase your chances of getting help if needed. Secondly, make sure your phone is charged and it is able to get a signal at the facility your mare will be located when she foals. If you live in a rural area with limited signal try to buddy up with someone who can go get help if needed. And finally rehearse your foaling plan and get familiar with your foaling kit. Physically act out the steps you would take if your mare started going into labour, grab your foaling kit, open it up, and talk through the steps you would take with yourself or your barn help. This rehearsal may seem overkill, but with the adrenaline rush of a newborn even the most seasoned breeder can get overwhelmed. If you haven’t created a foaling kit before our program developed our very own foaling kit, made up of items easily sourced from your home and local farm supply.
It includes:
Contact sheet for veterinarian and other farm help (remember to include numbers, and hours of availability in case of an emergency), suitable halter and lead rope to fit the mare, clock, torch, thermometer, notebook/pen, 2 clean buckets, ivory soap, tail wrap, scissors, medical grade disposable palpation gloves, string, chlorhexidine, fleece blanket, and towels.
In addition to these core items for the birth itself we recommend having the following to hand:
Colostrum supplement – this supplement comes in a mixable powder or premixed paste in a tube. Keep in mind that the mixable powder will require a suitable size bottle and nipple for your foal to successfully feed. 90% of the time this extra precaution isn’t needed, but you will be thankful it is there if the mare and foal are struggling at feeding time.
Enema – this tool is incredibly handy when your little foal is struggling with constipation. Best used with a simple flax solution or mineral oil, your foal will thank you if they fail to pass their meconium in the first 12 hours.