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How to Care for a New FoalFoaling Friday 11 December 2009
Foaling is expensive and time consuming, it takes dedication and patience. With a gestation period of about eleven months it can feel like your foal will never arrive. It is important you make sure you are ready for the birth of the foal and have everything in place to keep the mare as comfortable as possible during labour. This article will give you a few simple tips on how to care for mare and foal.
Foaling – How to Care for Mare and Foal• Have an idea of when your foal should arrive. When the brood mare gets close to her due date she will show signs of waxing, restlessness and not eating.
• Most mares foal in the middle of the night; this is instinct as horses are prey in the wild.
• Horses have the ability to stop labour if they feel threatened. It is a good idea to move the mare into safe surroundings where she can give birth about two weeks before her due date; this way she can get comfortable with her surroundings.
• If you are present at the birth of the foal horse and the brood mare lets you, try to wipe away any mucus in the foal’s nose; this will help it to breathe.
• You might also have to remove the sack. Drying the foal with a towel is also a good idea so it doesn’t get too cold.
• Make sure that the foal is standing up and nursing within one hour of birth.
• As soon as the foal is up give him a tetanus vaccine. This is vital as tetanus can be fatal in horses.
• After the foal has nursed administer an enema, this prevents the possibility of a fatal toxic condition.
• Call a vet if the foal doesn’t nurse within an hour, if weak it will need help to stand and find the teat.
• A vet should run an IGG within the first twenty four hours of the foal’s life to make sure it has received enough colostrum.
• You must monitor your foal closely for the first few weeks of its life as it is very susceptible to disease. You need to check its breathing rate, manure consistency and colour, temperature and nursing behaviour.
• Do not put your foal in a paddock with other horses which could harm it.
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