Foaling
Help your mare have a safe and uneventful delivery of your new foal. If you are considering breeding, we offer a wide range of services from pre-breeding reproductive exams, artificial insemination, fertility detection, consultation during pregnancy, and assistance with any birthing difficulties.
If your mare has made it through 11 months of pregnancy you’re almost home free. Labor and delivery, while momentous, are generally uneventful. In most cases you will simply need to be a quiet observer – mares seem to prefer to foal at night in privacy and apparently have some control over their delivery. Because most mares foal without difficulty it is usually best to allow the mare to foal undisturbed and unassisted.
You can prepare your mare for a safe and successful delivery. Follow these suggestions from the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) to help the new mother and baby get off to a great start:
Write down your veterinarians phone number well in advance of the birth and keep it by all phones.
Keep a watch or clock on hand so you can time each stage of labor. When you’re worried or anxious, your perception of time becomes distorted. The watch will help you keep accurate track of the mare’s progress during labor.
Wrap the mares tail with a clean wrap when you observe the first stage of labor. Be sure the wrap is not applied too tightly or left on too long as it can cut off circulation and permanently damage the tail.
Wash the mares vulva and hindquarters with a mild soap and rinse thoroughly.
Clean the foaling stall (dimensions of 20' x 20' is ideal) as thoroughly as possible and provide adequate bedding.
Consider using test strips that measure calcium in mammary secretions or a suturable Foal-Alert device to help predict when the mare will foal. If a mare spends more than 30 minutes to deliver the foal call your veterinarian immediately.