In the spirit of the start of the foaling season, we wanted to use this month’s newsletter to provide you with resources to help you prepare your broodmare for a successful foaling. It can be a large undertaking to foal out your mare on your own, so I hope this information and resources help you prepare. The old saying “Proper preparation prevents poor performance” holds very true when it comes to foals. This is not an all-encompassing newsletter, as there are many nuances when it comes to foaling. So, any additional questions can be answered by our office staff or veterinarians.

Preparing Your Mare For Foaling

1. The first thing to do for your broodmare is to decide if you’re comfortable having her foal out on your own operation. It’s great when things go the way they should, but foals have the potential to decline rapidly. One option is to have your mare foal at a barn that specializes in foaling. If you decide to take her to a foaling facility, it is recommended she arrive 2-4 weeks prior to her due date.
2. Prior to foaling, you should also ensure your mare and the rest of the horses at your farm on an appropriate vaccine regiment. In addition to basic routine vaccinations, your mare will also need a Pneumabort vaccine given at 5,7, and 9-months gestation. There are other risk-based vaccines that may be recommended depending on your situation. It’s also recommended to booster your mare’s  core vaccines 4-6 weeks prior to giving birth to maximize the immunity passed onto the foal through colostrum. For a great breakdown on the recommended vaccine schedule for broodmares, check out this link below.
   1. https://www.zoetisequine.com/assets/pdf/Broodmares-Recommended-Vaccine-Schedule.pdf

3. Have your mare checked in late gestation to ensure appropriate fetal positioning and health along with ensuring appropriate body condition and diet for the mare. Look to maintain a body condition of 5-6 out of 9 (1-9 scale) through gestation. This will also allow for her to properly prepare the colostrum for the foal. Being in the appropriate condition will provide the right energy reserves for lactation, as that is the most energy draining time for the mare. The foal’s size will triple during the last trimester, so the mare’s energy demands should accordingly increase . This last trimester is also the time to transition your mare to a different hay source than fescue hay because this type has been shown to cause weak foals and inhibit her milk production (an earlier RRLAVC newsletter discusses this topic). Check out this web resource when it comes to broodmare nutritional needs.
   1. https://equine.ca.uky.edu/news-story/broodmares-nutritional-needs-during-late-gestation

4. If you’ve decided that you’re comfortable to have your mare foal out at your farm, then you need to set up a foaling area that is large, quiet, comfortable, and easy to clean. Horses are a prey species, meaning they will be more likely to foal at night rather than the day. This means your late gestational mare should be on a routine of being turned out during the day (weather permitting) and stalled at night in a stall measuring 14 feet by 14 feet minimum. Nighttime observation can be achieved by setting up cameras to monitor your mare overnight. Close to foaling, the stall should be filled with ~10 inches of straw rather than shavings to decrease dust, decrease infection, and make cleaning the foal off easier.
   1. https://news.okstate.edu/articles/agriculture/2021/stotts_foaling-prep.html

5. Along with the designated foaling area, you need to stock an organized kit of foaling supplies. This includes things like a digital thermometer, stethoscope, scissors, flashlight, exam gloves, liquid soap (Ivory), umbilical cord disinfectant (1% chlorhexidine), towel, phosphate enema, and measuring cup with handle to name a few. A more expansive list can be found on these websites.
   1. https://vetmedbiosci.colostate.edu/erl/2024/02/16/foaling-kit-checklist/
   2. https://www.arsequine.com/standard-foaling-kit

6. If your mare has a Caslick’s in place, it will need to be opened 2-4 weeks prior to foaling.

Foaling Out On Your Own

When it comes to foaling, you have to know when it’s time to intervene. As hard as it may be, please try your best not to get involved too much. Directly after birth is a very important time for that mare and foal to bond. So, if things are going like they should try to make your interactions limited. If things don’t seem right or you have questions at any point, please call us!

Indications of Impending Labor

• Udder filling 2-4 weeks prior to due date.
• Softening of vulva and croup muscles 7-14 days prior to due date.
• The udders become engorged 5-7 days days prior to due date.
• “Waxing” of teats 1-4 days prior to due date. The “wax” is dried colostrum on the teat end.

Stages of Labor

1. Stage 1: This stage is the longest of the three and can be very subtle, so pay close attention to your mare when the due date is near. The mare will seem restless and show signs of colic as the foal is positioned into the birth canal and the cervix fully dilates. This stage can last a couple hours from onset to the beginning of stage 2. The end of stage 1 and transition into stage 2 is when the mare’s water breaks.
2. Stage 2: This part is typically very rapid with the foal being born in 30 minutes or less. There should be progress noted after the water breaks every 10 minutes. The mare will lay down and have strong contractions until the foal is delivered. The foal should be born surrounded in a thin white-blue membrane with forelimb hooves seen first (one in front of the other) and facing down followed by the head. If a thick red membrane (red bag) is seen exiting the vulva instead, call us immediately.
3. Stage 3: The last stage encompasses the expulsion of the placenta by the mare after the foal is born. If the mare is up after foaling with the placenta still attached, try to collect the hanging portion and tie it up on itself to prevent the mare from stepping on it. You may notice her to be mildly uncomfortable as the uterus continues to contract as she passes the remaining portion. The placenta should be expelled by the mare within 3 hours after foaling. Once the placenta is expelled set it off to the side or preferably in a bucket of water for your veterinarian to examine at the mare and foal check. If your mare is severely uncomfortable after foaling or excessive bleeding is noted after stage 3, call us immediately.

https://ker.com/equinews/stages-foaling-horses/

1-2-3 Rule For Foaling

1. Newborn foal should stand on its own within 1 hour of birth.
2. The foal should start nursing within 2 hours of birth.
3. The mare should pass the placenta within 3 hours of birth.

Some Other Important Points

• Colostrum & Nursing: Because a foal is born with practically no immune system, it must receive temporary immune protection from its mother’s milk in the form of colostrum. The colostrum it ingests is composed of antibodies that help protect the foal from disease. So, adequate colostrum transfer is vital for the health of the foal. The foal has a limited amount of time to absorb colostrum from the mare. The absorption clock starts as soon as the foal hits the ground and stops at roughly 24 hours. From birth to the 24 hour mark, the ability of the foal to absorb colostrum from the mare declines. In ideal situations the foal should receive the recommended level of colostrum within 8 hours of birth. You should notice the foal nursing frequently, 5-7 times per hour at least. You should see and hear a seal be created on the teat by the foal.
• Sleeping & General Appearance: A day in the life of a healthy foal is waking up from a nap, standing up soon after, nursing the mare briefly, urinating/defecating, laying back down to nap, and repeating that sequence. So, a healthy foal will sleep frequently, but when a foal is awake they should be bright, active, and interactive with their environment.
• New Foal and Mare Exam: A veterinarian should examine both the mare and foal within the first 24 hours after birth to ensure things are going appropriately. They will perform a physical exam on the foal and mare along with examining the placenta. A blood sample will be collected from the foal to perform an IgG test to determine if adequate colostrum was transferred from mare to foal.
• Dipping the Navel: It’s important to dip the navel/umbilicus in an antiseptic solution after birth to prevent infection. I prefer a diluted 4% chlorhexidine solution of 1 part chlorhexidine to 4 parts water to create a 1% chlorhexidine solution. The umbilicus should be dipped 2-3 times per day for the first 3 days.
• Meconium: This is the foal’s first poop after birth. It ranges in form from a pellet to a paste, and is dark brown/black to a green color. A foal typically passes the meconium within the first 3-4 hours after birth and even up to 12 hours after birth. However, if not passed in the first 24 hours of birth it is considered retained or impacted. Some signs that your foal may have a meconium impaction are if they’re acting colicky, tail flagging, straining, hunched back, and restlessness.
• Urination: Colts should urinate within the first 6 hours, while fillies may take a little longer urinating within the first 12 hours.

https://www.vet.cornell.edu/about-us/news/20230203/foal-speed-ahead-caring-newborn-horse#:~:text=Foals%20should%20be%20passing%20meconium,make%20sure%20it’s%20happening%20correctly.

https://thehorse.com/184820/save-that-foal-how-to-keep-newborn-foals-healthy/

I hope this list of information and resources can ease your anxiety around foaling. Just know that if at any point during the process you have questions always feel free to call us!

Written By: Dr. Gunner Edgell

Rocky River Large Animal Veterinary Clinic is here to serve you and your animals.