Your Foaling Mare
A few steps and guides that can help with your foaling mare.
CONCEPTION TO 6 MONTHS
Exercise: normal; Nutrition: mineralized salt, pasture, alfalfa or grass hay, grain 0.5-1.5 lb/100 lbs body weight as needed. 6 MONTHS TO BIRTH Exercise: free; Nutrition: cal-phos supplement, protein supplement, Rhino immunization, Pneumabort K vaccine at 5, 7, and 9 months, sleeping sickness, Tetanus, Influenza boosters 3-4 weeks prior to foaling.
| Udder ME | | 3-4 weeks |
| Softening of croup area | | approx. 2 wks |
| Waxing | | 36-48 hours |
| Milk (yellow/smokey/white) | | 12 hours |
If mare drips milk excessively, some should be collected and saved for the foals. REMEMBER – ALL FOALING SIGNS ARE VARIABLE! DELIVERY Wrap tail; Allow things to progress on their own as much as possible.
| water bag breaks | | time 0 |
| 2 front feet and head present | | time 10 minutes |
| feet, head, chest, hips | | time 30 minutes |
| foal standing | | time 60-120 minutes |
| fetal membranes passed | | time under 3 hours |
| foal nursing | | time 2-4 hours |
NORMAL PROGRESSION:
YOUR VETERINARIAN SHOULD BE CALLED IF:
- The foaling process is interrupted or doesn’t progress as above.
- Fetal membranes are not passed by 6 hours or are not complete.
- Any unusual happening or any other concerns.