Believe it or not, foaling season is right around the corner. Make sure you and your mare are ready with these eight steps.
Required Vaccinations
You should vaccinate your mare four-six weeks prior to her due date. This allows time for your mare to develop antibodies in the colostrum to protect the foal until he is old enough for his own vaccines. Where you live determines which extra vaccines are necessary, but the core recommended vaccines include: eastern and western encephalitis, tetanus, West Nile and rabies. In our area, we also vaccinate for botulism. Rotavirus is a cause of diarrhea in foals, so mares receive this vaccine at eight, nine and ten months of gestation. EHV-1 causes abortion in mares. That vaccine is given at three, five, seven and nine months of gestation. In some barns, mares also receive a strangles vaccination.
Adjusting Your Mare’s Feed
The fetus does a lot of growing the last three months of gestation. Your veterinarian will likely recommend increasing your mare’s vitamin/mineral/protein values at that time. If you know your mare loses a lot of weight during lactation, the last 30 days of her pregnancy is a good time to increase her feed.
Alfalfa is a good source of calcium and great for mares because they leach calcium from their bones to fortify their milk. At Iron Spring Farm, we start feeding alfalfa the last 2-4 weeks of pregnancy to help with milk production. Our mares stay on Triple Crown 30% Ration Booster throughout pregnancy and the amount will increase the last three months. We add Triple Crown Senior for the mares who need additional calories.
As weaning nears, feed amounts can be decreased.
Avoid Steroids
Steroids should be used only in emergency, but avoided if at all possible. This includes topical medications.
Watch Your Supplements
There are several herbal supplements on the market that clearly state not to feed to pregnant mares. Be sure to read the labels of any products you want to use. Devil’s claw is one popular ingredient that should not be fed to pregnant mares.
Get Your Foaling Stall Prepared
Ideally your mare should be moved into the foaling stall a month before she’s due. Be sure to disinfect your foaling stall before your mare moves in. At ISF, we strip the stall of any bedding and then wash with soap and water. We then spray with One Stroke disinfectant and allow to dry. Once it’s dry, we add a generous amount of clean straw (wood shavings can harbor bacteria, mold and irritants), and the mare’s water buckets. (We don’t keep the same buckets in the stall; the buckets move with the mare.)
Good foaling stalls are well lit and large enough for the mare to lie down and still have room to push out the foal behind her. Oversized foaling stalls also allow you and/or your veterinarian to safely maneuver around your mare.
Assemble Your Foaling Kit
You want to assemble your foaling kit at least a couple of weeks before your mare is due. The ISF foaling kit includes, towels, gloves, shoulder-length gloves, lube, thermometer, navel clamp, disinfectant, soap, scissors, rubbing alcohol, enema, tail wrap and a baby bottle.
Conversations with Your Veterinarian
Unfortunately, there can be unexpected complications during foaling. Discuss your emergency plans with your veterinarian prior to the due date. Give some thought to whether or not you have financial means for a C-section. Or if you have to make a decision, is the mare or the foal your main priority to save? Finally, how far are you willing to go if the foal is sick or deformed? While these conversations are uncomfortable, thinking through the answers while not in crisis can help you make a contingency plan.
Know If You Need to Move Your Mare to a Professional Facility
Most facilities suggest moving your mare at least 30 days before her due date to give her time to adjust to the new surroundings. It’s always good to think ahead about where the mare and foal will be living and turned out. At your current location, will the foal have a playmate available (another foal or quiet mare or gelding)? Are the people responsible for the day-to-day care comfortable and experienced with young foals? If you’re caretaking, do you have enough time and experience to handle a mare and foal? Answering these questions honestly can help you make the right decision for your mare.
Foaling season is nearly here. Ensuring your mare and facility are ready makes the process safer and smoother.
Disclaimer:
All content provided by Iron Spring Farm is general and for informational purposes only. Content may also not constitute the most up to date information. Nothing in this content is intended to constitute veterinarian advice or to serve as a substitute for consultation with a veterinarian. Always seek the advice of your veterinarian or other qualified provider with any questions that you may have about the treatment and care of your horse.
Any reliance that you place on the information provided is strictly at your own risk and Iron Spring Farm, its officers, employees, representatives, and agents, hereby disclaim any and all liability to any party for any direct, indirect, implied, punitive, special, incidental, consequential or other damages arising directly or indirectly from access to or use of any content provided to the maximum extent permitted by law.
