Preparing For The New Arrival
by Catherine Sampson

Springtime trumpets the arrival of soft nickers from the foaling box. It is a time of great anticipation and joy for horse owners as their rotund mare barely manages to waddle through her stall door opening that seemed more than adequate last summer. All that has changed, in a rather dramatic way. Fortunately, most foalings are problem free. However, preparing for that safe arrival and the aftercare of a newborn and its mother requires a good deal of thought and commitment.

The expectant mom should be cared for and maintained with regular attention during gestation.

Her vaccinations should be up-to-date and she should continue to receive parasite control medication (dewormings) as well as regular farrier care and dental examination. Your veterinarian can advise you with an appropriate maintenance plan, which will provide for the utmost care of your mare and her rapidly maturing fetus.

As the time draws closer, you will have to prepare a foaling stall, unless the arrival comes during the early summer months, when the climate would allow for an outdoor foaling on an uncluttered and clean grassy pasture. Whatever your decision, the mare must be provided with adequate room and comfort.

Most foalings will occur in the stable under the cover and quiet of nightfall, so let’s prepare a checklist of accommodation requirements.
 

This is also the time to practice with a flashlight. Until they become accustomed to the beam of light bobbing around the barn, horses might think that aliens have entered the stable. Also, remember to make night visits discrete and refrain from entering the stall too often. Mares close to foaling do not like or appreciate an audience or a lot of activity. They are one of only a few creatures that can actually refrain from going into labour to some degree if the environment isn’t to their liking.

Probably the most difficult part of foaling is the long dark hours that blurry-eyed owners must endure. As with most things in nature, babies come when they are ready. Choosing your breeding schedules to allow for foaling in more hospitable weather is an option.

Sometimes the tell tale signs of pending foaling are not present, so we must be vigilant. However, if your mare displays the gooey wax-like substance at the end of her teats and the muscles around her tail bone appear to have sunken or become jelly like and the tail substantially relaxed, then you are probably not too far away from the big event.

Other signs of approaching parturition are behavioral changes in your mare. She may seem restless and may even begin to perspire. Some contractions may also be detected.

The mare’s vulva should be washed with warm water using a mild soap and the tail should be wrapped snuggly, being careful not to pull too tight. The wrap is intended to prevent tail hairs from becoming soiled causing added contamination during foaling. The wrap should be checked often and removed immediately following delivery.
It is always a good idea to keep a journal of the events as they unfold. Recording of times and observations may be invaluable to your veterinarian, should a problem occur. Don’t be afraid to write every detail down, even if it seems insignificant.

For first time foaling observers, don’t be too over zealous in trying to help that wobbly foal find the feedbag. It may take a while, sometimes as long as two hours. Part of the struggle is nature’s way of priming the vitals such as the heart, lungs and the nervous system. It is also a bonding moment and human interference should be avoided. Let mom and baby get acquainted!

Occasionally, as in the case of certain maiden mares (first time mothers), some mares may be reluctant to let a foal nurse because their udders are sore and sensitive. In these incidents, the mare will have to be appropriately restrained in order for the foal to nurse. Once the milk has been let down by the suckling foal, the problem usually subsides. However, be certain that you are not the problem. Humans inadvertently tend to upset the mare with their presence, as the mare circles the stall in frustration. Leave the mare and foal alone for a while - grab a coffee and come back in half an hour.

After the foal has had a long suckle of that precious first milk which contains life-saving colostrum and as the mare seems to have settled, you can enter the stall.
Apply iodine the navel stub. If the umbilical hasn’t yet severed just be patient. Mother Nature has designed the cord with a weak spot in just the precise area that will break under physical stress. Don’t be premature and cut the cord. Let your foal have the last of the rich oxygenated blood from his dam.

To iodine the stub, begin by protecting your hands from the dye with rubber gloves. Be sure to thoroughly saturate the stub by dunking the exposed stub into small container filled with strong tincture of iodine. You will have to continue this practice for several days after to prevent infection and disease from finding an accessible route.
You may have to towel dry the foal. This is a good opportunity to begin mastering imprint techniques. You are basically conditioning the foal to various stimuli it has never experienced, but which it will eventually have to be accustomed to.

Some foals need help relieving themselves of their first manure called meconium. Administering a baby’s enema is your next job.
The mare should pass the placenta (afterbirth) within 30 minutes to two hours after foaling. You might have to tie up the sack and umbilical cord to the mare’s tail until this happens, so that she doesn’t tread on it. If the mare doesn’t pass the afterbirth within the above noted period, call your veterinarian immediately. Retained afterbirth can result in serious problems for your mare, including laminitis, resulting from a high fever caused by infection. Whatever you do, don’t attempt to remove the afterbirth that has not totally expelled itself. You could do grave damage to your mare’s reproductive organs.

With the afterbirth successfully passed, remove it from the stall and save in a sealed pail for your veterinarian to examine.

Finally, check your mare for any unusual bleeding. You may notice flinching again, but most likely this is a result of natural contractions, as the uterus begins to retract.
One last thing before you go - you might like to give your mare a warm bran mash. If there are no foreseeable problems, you can call your veterinarian and schedule for an examination of the mare and foal in the morning. Your veterinarian will want to vaccinate the foal and administer antibiotics to the mare as a preventative measure.
Although it’s not routine, go the extra distance for your mare by monitoring her temperature for 48 hours post-foaling. Even a slight fever could signal a warning of pending trouble ahead.

Stop and take one long last look before the barn lights are turned off and you wearily trudge back to the house, your head filled with wonderment at what has just transpired.
 

Horse Sport March, 2003