i have a mare showing signs of foaling, think it is very likely she will foal tonight. How often should i check on her, i know she can deliver in as little as 15mins. she is in an american type barn so i have to turn the light on every time i visit her. we do have a foaling box, but didn't expect foal so soon. dont want to move her now and upset her.
this is the first pregnant mare i've looked after. i've read all the books and articles, but nothing prepares you for the actual thing! Any advise gladly accepted
2006-09-12 10:18:59 · 16 answers · asked by beanie 3 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
If you think she's ready to foal, I'd probably be checking on her hourly. Be on the lookout for any signs of her getting restless (sweaty, pawing, colicky, etc.) as that's fairly typical of 1st stage labour...may depend on whether she's a maiden/how many foals she's had as to how long that takes. If you're checking every hour, then you'll probably pick that up before she hits stage 2 (fairly explosive!).
As others have said, make sure she's got plenty of room to lie down in the box, you don't want her going down and getting into strife because there's not enough room.
Try not to disturb her too much- chances are she'll be able to do everything on her own- just keep an eye on her so that you can call the vet if you think she's in trouble. If you're worried because of her being the first you've looked after, you can always give your vet a call anyway, just so that they know you may be calling later.
My only concern is what you've said about not expecting the foal so soon- do you know her dates? How early could she be? If you think there's a chance that the foal may be premature, you definitely want a vet on standby- premmie foals can have a lot of issues early on.
Good luck. Hope all goes well :o)
2006-09-13 01:19:28 · answer #1 · answered by Loz 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You know a mare is going to foal soon if her teats have wax on them adn she may all of suddun look a lot thinner. When this starts, she could have the foal tonight, the next night.......horses are unpredictable.
Congrats....you tought about not moving her. This would be a great idea if the stall she is in now isn't too small. She needs to be in at least a 12' x 12' stall. If the stall is any smaller than that, it wouldn't be safe and I would move her.
Do you have a baby moniter?? They only cost about $20 and some times they are on sale. You can tell when the mare is about to go into labor because there be a lot of movement, which you can hear on the baby monitor.
If you don't have a baby monitor, you should stay in the barn with her. This will also be less upsetting than if you coming in and out and turning the lights on and off.
Make sure there is someone with you. If any problems occur, it takes at least two people to pull the foal.
Call your vet today and let him know what is happening. It is a good ideas to let him/her know in advance so they are prepared. That way if something happens during foaling, you can give them a quick call.
Have your veterinarian come and look at the mare and foal no later than 24 hours after birth.
Good Luck!
2006-09-12 10:30:39 · answer #2 · answered by andicohoon707 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
it would b best if u checked regularly like every 30 minutes, and when its the right time for foaling, have some help in comforting the mare and make sure the vet is there early incase of any problems or early foaling
2006-09-12 23:02:58 · answer #3 · answered by snuggums_69 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First off, I would make sure that she is in a place where if she did lay down to deliver that there is enough room for the colt, it's level so she or the colt don't get in a low spot and it's clean enough. Check on her every hour until her condition changes. Leave the light on, turning it on and off will disturb her worse than leaving it on. When she starts, leave her to it as much as possible, she can and will stop and stand if startled. If she has trouble, be careful pulling you must work with her contractions or you could cause nerve damage or even injure the colt. Oh man there is a lot to cover. Just remember that horses have been doing this on their own forever and she probably doesn't need your help. Just be there for her if she does.
2006-09-12 10:29:29 · answer #4 · answered by roamin70 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
looks like you have had good answers. We deliver approx 10-15 a year. A great book for you to purchase is call blessed are the brood mares. cost around $25. If you need help locating this book let me know.
www.cbarjpainthorses.com
2006-09-12 12:21:43 · answer #5 · answered by bon_jobe 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would check on her every 15 mins to half an hour, even just peeping into the barn to see that she is ok.
Our horses both delivered overnight with no-one there (they were in a field) and had no problems, so dont worry if you miss it as long as she seems Ok and is not in any distress.
2006-09-13 01:03:46 · answer #6 · answered by Catwhiskers 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good luck, looks like you have enough answers here, but please call the vet if the mare is struggling or the foal has presented but is not out within 30 mins
2006-09-12 14:00:00 · answer #7 · answered by shell 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would call the vet and ask her what to do or ask her to come out to your barn. The one mares like the most is if you leave when you leave she may give birth but ask a vet first.
Good Luck!
2006-09-12 14:17:11 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
the mare should be fine but check on her every hour or so and if she seems to be struggling phone a vet straight away, even if the vet says shes ok its better to be safe than sorry
2006-09-12 10:27:56 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
it normally goes OK with no need to worrier about anything, but it is all ways a good idea to have a vet on hand in case something goes wrong.
hope all goes well,say hi to your new foal or me!.
2006-09-12 21:35:22 · answer #10 · answered by horse.master 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋