There is and always has been much debate as to WHY an attendant should be necessary at this time when in the wild mares foal without assistance just as they have for millenniums.

Realistically, if one were only to give it some thought, the answers to that question are quite basic and obvious.

Wild horse bands are generally fairly isolated from others and inbreed and close breed on a regular basis.  This generally tends to make a certain uniformity of size and shape within that particular group which translates to foals being of normal size for the mare.   In the process of natural selection , mares with a deformed pelvis or other genetic or physical handicap would be eradicate by the grim reaper who allows only the most fit to survive.

Over a course of time the family group generally becomes strong, fit and reproductively sound, making foaling season fairly simple and far less complicated than perhaps maintaining themselves on sparse feed in a bad year or finding water in drought.

Another advantage wild horses have is their unhampered ability to maintain muscle tone and endurance by constantly being on the move.  And of the mares to be allowed freedom to select a foaling place where they are at ease and which is unhampered by man-made obstructions. This is a far cry from the majority of today's pampered pets who laze around the farm all day being hand fed and coddled.  However,  it is also important to keep in mind that the survival rate of foals and mares in the wild is much lower than that of well maintained horses.

When taking into consideration the fact that today's domestic horse is generally fed to optimum and most generally overly generous proportions, is usually sporting muscles the consistency of yesterday's cream of wheat,  and housed in walled in, fenced off, confined areas it is no wonder they run into problems from time to time delivering strong, healthy babies.   Then if you should look further at the fact that many mares being bred today would more than likely have fallen victim to natural culling due to certain conditions or physical limitations it is no surprise that the job of foaling becomes unduly risky for them.  Leading the field of causes for the need of competent foaling assistance is the fact that most mares are mated to the biggest, finest, most robust stallion an owner's pocketbook can run to which affects foal sizes dramatically.

How many times have you heard it said that the "mare will govern the size of the foal."?   To a large degree this is true, however that control is generally the difference between foaling a Clydesdale or a Belgium!!! Indeed one is smaller than the other, however if the mare doing this job is the size of a Hackney, there is yet a problem with that foal size.

With good attention to detail and observation skills, however,  most of our mares do foal normally and for the most part without any real need of assistance.   It is for those times when trouble DOES occur that we need to be on guard, in attendance and have the knowledge and skills required to be of true assistance.   Considering that the time between the breaking of the water to time of parturition should be no more  than one hour, and further considering that until you can see a foot come forth you more than likely have no idea if there is or is not a problem,  in most instances there is no time to call a vet for assistance...it's either you help, or your mare pays a dear price.   Therefore it behooves all of us to take a little refresher course each year so we are equipped to recognize and handle situations that may occur at least until more qualified help can arrive.

Each year, several weeks prior to the first expected foaling date I gather up the essentials for my foaling kit which I then store in a small galvanized can which has a tight fitting lid and a handle that secures it so if this can needs to stand outside a stall in the wind or weather the contents will remain dry and secure inside .   One might use a plastic lidded box or a heavy plastic bag for that matter, but whatever you use should be easily accessed, large enough to find any given item without having to empty out the other contents when searching for it, and it MUST be clean, resistant to condensation, and resistant to rodent, dog, or insect invasion.

Helpful items to store in your foaling kit are:  flashlight with new batteries, even if you have stall lights there are times you may need this extra light.   Rubber coated ones are best.  They do not slip in wet hands and are water resistant in the rain.   Several pairs of surgical gloves and at least one set of plastic sleeves you can usually purchase from your vet if you do not have a handy supplier. Also you may want some lubricating jelly in case you need to be intrusive at any point. A digital thermometer,  be certain the battery is good .  A couple lengths of baling twine  necessary to tie up the placenta so the mare doesn't step on it and injure the uterus.   Bandage scissors or at least blunt ended scissors. Though we DO NOT cut the umbilical cord at delivery, there are times when scissors are necessary to open a tough membrane to help the foals head and nose out into the air. Also you may need to cut the twine. A small jar or film container ,  these come in real handy and are just the right size for daubing the navel stump with iodine or any one of the navel preparations on the market.   Personally I still use iodine and have never had a reaction or burned any foals tender skin but the choice of preparations is wide and up to you to choose.  Perhaps one of the most important items is towels  or rags,  several clean, soft, absorbent ones are needed.  Old bath towels are good but some old blankets washed and cut into strips can work also.  If you don't have any on hand, second hand stores or yard sales can usually supply you with inexpensive ones.   At least one large garbage bag to put the placenta in for disposal convenience or to keep it clean and in tact until your vet has examined it.   A watch or old alarm clock.   When you are busy and excited it is very easy to loose track of time.   Having a time piece on hand will enable you to time the delivery and to be aware when developments go beyond the norm for time. You will also want to have a Fleet enema available .  These are very good and just the right size for cleaning the meconium from the foal,  if not a prepared enema you can make one with glycerin or Ivory dish soap and water. If you make your own it MUST be delivered in a soft tube or squeeze bottle.  Whenever you are administering an enema to a foal you have to pay very close attention to go slowly and use only soft flexible equipment.  It is extremely easy to rupture and kill a foal from being rough or aggressive doing this procedure.

With all these things gathered up and stowed away I then place the bucket in a convenient place just outside the mare's stall.   When the time arrives you will not have time to be running to the house for these things so they need to be close to the mare.

Next I gather the things to make the mare and foal comfortable following parturition.   The ingredients for several bran mashes.   I like to begin a day or two before the due date by giving the mare a bran mash at meal time.  This is a real help to the mare as it keeps the stool soft making elimination much easier for her.   Over the years I've found mares that have been on mashes and remain on them for several days following don't seem to get colicky following delivery.   The mares seem to like them and readily eat them.   We offer warm mashes to our mares directly after foaling as soon as the mare has bonded with the foal and taken care of her motherly duties of sniffing, licking and nudging.

To make a bran mash we take some bran , corn syrup, grain,  the total quantity should be about the amount of grain they usually get, or she is not on grain when you begin giving the mashes start with about a  3 cups and build it up over the course of a few days to a coffee can full.   Bring some water to a boil  add the bran and the corn syrup and stir it up and let it sit and cool.   Add the grain when the mash is nearly cool enough to feed and fluff it all up.   It should resemble wet corn meal ...small lumps that are wet but not soupy.   Some horses will eat it even if it is very wet, but most prefer some texture to it...just be certain it has absorbed enough water to not be dry or you will run the risk of impacting her.

Now you have your supplies ready,  it's time to consider the stall.  If you are going to foal the mare outside, be certain the area is well drained, cleaned of all manure frequently and preferably is grassy or has clean gravel or dirt.   If you have no choice than to foal out in a paddock,  it is wise to lime it very heavily a few days before the expected due date, hose the lime in good.   This helps sanitize it .

If you are using a stall to foal, be very sure you have no hazards such as ill fitting doors that a mare or foal can get a leg under,  broken board...mares swing around and lay down unexpectedly and are not always careful where they are.    It is best to foal on straw as it has less dust and is more absorbent than sawdust or shavings.   If the stall is matted it helps to put a light dusting of sand or sawdust down first before bedding the straw.   This helps keep the mats from becoming slippery when wet.   Remember this new little life form is  get up and will need  good purchase with it's feet .   I've seen them exhaust themselves on slippery floors and this delays the vital nursing time.  If you must foal a mare without cover on the mat,  you can use newspaper to line the floor.  It is absorbent, the ink keeps it fairly sterile and it will help eliminate the slickness.

You will want to keep a cleaning fork next to the stall door so constant picking will be easy...you MUST keep the stall clean to avoid infecting the foal and the mare.

With all these things done, you can relax in the knowledge you are ready for the blessed event.   Post your vet's phone number next to EVERY phone in your house and inform your family where it is and what they will need to do if you get busy and need help.   If you have a remote phone with enough range to take to the barn this is helpful.   Often times you can inform your vet what is happening and if need be he/she can coach you along from long distance.   If you do not have a remote phone,  be sure your children and husband know how to make that call!   Also, keep your vet informed as the due date approaches...remember, vets have many cases to think about while you are focused on usually one at a time.  Keeping him/her informed will keep it close to mind that you may be needing assistance unexpectedly.

If you have not taken time to read up on foaling procedures, NOW is the time to do so.   There are a wide range of helpful books and videos available these days.  My favorite foaling book is one a friend of mine, Theresa Jones  published a couple years back called "THE COMPLETE FOALING MANUAL".  I like this book because it is written in layman's terms and is very thorough and to the point.  There are many good pictures to illustrate what is being said.   Even though I've foaled out hundreds of mares in my life, I ALWAYS take the time to reread the manual each year to refresh my memory.   This has served me well when complications arise....and should those unexpected situations arise you definitely DO NOT have the time to go read up on it.

If you live in an area plagued by fescue problems be certain that you remove your gestating mare from pasture or hay that is of fescue grass 10-12 weeks prior to her due date.   Failure to do this could have devastating results which are listed below. Some studies show that it only takes 8 weeks to work through the mare and make her safe, however to be on the safe side never hurts so I recommend 10-12 weeks off fescue.

There are also reports in the past two years that this problem is no longer limited to fescue pastures but also is now plaguing blue grass and clover as well, especially in Kentucky.  Though not yet as extensive as the problem with fescue, it does warrant checking with your vet or local extension office to see whether you have cause to be concerned regarding this.  If you are not certain if your area has these problems, or you are not sure what type grass your horse is pastured on, again  find your local extension service for the Department of Agriculture, or ask a good equine vet in your area.  Do not rely upon information from bovine vets as they are not always up to date on information relating to horses and their care.

Fescue grass itself is not toxic to horses, it is a certain type of mold that grows on it that creates the problem.  In certain areas of the country fescue is bio-engineered to not have the problem and is  then safe pasturage.  Oregon grows such grass for one place, yet it is still wise to check and be certain before trusting you are safe.

COUNTDOWN TO FOALING Part 2


Copyright © 1999 Dyan Westvang for the Missouri Foxtrotter News. All rights reseved.

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