Mare and Foal Care

Care of your mare and foal starts with choosing the stallion. If your mare is registered, make sure she is not to closely related to the stallion chosen. People choose a particular stallion for many reasons, including desired bloodlines, temperament, gaits, conformation, color, etc. If your mare has been bred in the past (even if she did not take, she will need to be cultured by your vet to make sure she is free of STD's (yes, horses get them too, but not very common) and free of any infections that may cause her to abort. Your vet may also be able to determine where she is in her cycle. While your vet is there, it's a good time to see if her teeth will need floating in the next year, as they cannot be done while she is pregnant. if you get the culture and teeth done the same day, you can save on the call out for the vet.

Mares come into heat appx every 21 days, give or take a few days. Some mares act like they are in heat every days, but may only accept the stallion on certain days. Some mares are difficult or fussy and harder to determine when they are in heat. It's best to bring your mare to the stallion's ranch about a week ahead of time, which will give her time to settle in to her new surroundings. Be prepared that she might have just finished a heat cycle before arriving and might need to stay as long as a month. If your mare has a foal at her side, make sure the stallion owner knows ahead of time. Please have the rear shoes pulled before she arrives.

Once she arrives, she will be "teased". This means that she will be lead to the stallion's stall so she and the stallion can"talk". If she pins her ears, squeals, stomps or kicks, she is probably not ready. Some more fussy mares will squeal even when they are ready as part of the bonding ritual with the stallion. If she pees for him, she is ready to breed. Some mares will actually call to the stallion from across the yard, or pee 10 times well before you make it to the stallion's stall.

Once she is ready, both her and the stallion will be wiped down with plain water. Solutions such as betadine etc cannot be used as they will kill the sperm. Her tail will be wrapped to prevent hairs from getting in the way. Her head will be cross- tied up so if she does decide to kick, she can't kick very hard. We also use breeding hobbles to further prevent a hard kick. The stallion will be brought to her, again sniffing noses to double-check that she is ready. Then he is brought up behind her to do his business. The actual mating only takes about 30 seconds.The stallion is then lead back to his corral, and the mare will be walked for a few minutes so she doesn't pee, than put back as well.

The mare will be exposed every other day while she is in heat, as the sperm lives 36-48 hours. Some mares stay in heat only 1-2 days, while others (particularly those who have had several babies) may stay in over a week. We are small-time breeders as opposed to barns that produce hundreds of foals each year. We are not set up for artificial insemination (AI), and use live cover only. We do guarantee that you get a live foal, or the same mare can return to be rebred during the same season without an additional stud fee. Once she is out of heat, she can picked up and taken home. Your vet can do an ultrasound, if desired, to make sure she is pregnant, about 3 weeks after breeding.

Now you will have about 11-12 months till your new baby arrives. Unlike humans, horses do not have a set delivery date. The number of days of gestation is determined by the foal, but the typical calendar is to subtract 3 weeks from the last breeding date. Once the foal is fully developed, the mare will go into labor. If she feels distressed in any way, she can actually postpone the birth by up to 3 days.

During your wait for the foal to arrive, there are many thing you need to plan, and somewhat special diet your mare will need, as well as extra vaccinations. Many things such as the wrong feed or not enough feed, or severe stress or illness (especially rhino) can cause her to abort or reabsorb the fetus. She will need to keep up to date on her vaccinations, worming etc as normal, but also needs extra rhinopneumonitis (rhino) vaccines at 5, 7, and 9 months of gestation. Give her the 5-way or 6-way 1 full month before her due date. The foal will receive all of its immunities through the mare's milk. We use and recommend the Fort Dodge 6-way vaccine, which covers 3 types of encephalitis, rhino, flu and tetanus. This immunity lasts up to 1 year. If any your horses are exposed to other horses frequently such as shows, they may bring home other things such as strangles, which is highly contagious. There is still a shot vaccine available, though some are starting to use the intranasal vaccine. The shot will leave a lump at the injection site which goes away in a week or so, and the nasal might be snezed out or it there is any cut in the nostril will cause a secondary infection. We use the shot. The strangles immunity lasts 5-6 months. We only give shots in the traingle of the neck (ask your vet to show you where), as it is least harmfull. Shots in the rump can leave a depression at the site, and/or cause the horse to kick at you. West Niles is a shot we avoid like the plague. Do your own research and you will see too... It has been known to cause serious birth defects, including foals born without a face or without limbs. Is has also made many stallions and mares infertile. The debate is still out there that the Fort Dodge vaccine is a "killed" virus and is safe, and the "live" virus is causing the problems. In either case we do not give west niles.

Feeding is also very important. Under no circumstances should a pregnant or lactating mare be eating fescue grass, especially in the last 3 months of pregnancy. It can cause the mare to have no milk, and have trouble giving birth. It should have no ill effects on male horses, but is not especially nutritious. Fescue has hard, stiff leaves. Sudan grass is a common cattle feed and can grow over 10 feet tall. It can also cause abortions, and if harvested wrong can kill a horse. Wild Chamomile (aka Pineapple Weed) is perfectly fine for all horses and can be eaten in large quantities.

The best ratio we have found is 1/4 Alfalfa and 3/4 Bermuda Grass. It is an ideal mixture for proper growth of the foal, not too fast, but has sufficient nutrients for the growth spurts. Growth spurts can happen at any time, but you won't know it till it's too late, and insufficient nutrients can result in a smaller or poorly developed horse. Growth spurts can occur up to about 6 years old. On a side note, male horses who are gelded early will be taller adults that those gelded later or left as stallions. Some people allow their yearling to remain ungelded because of neck development or the initial size for halter classes, but if you want a larger and more docile horse and do not plan to breed, geld him early. They can be gelded as young as 3 weeks of age.

Another feed your mare should have is some type of mare and foal or youth pellets, starting 3-4 months before she is due. The bag will have feeding instructions. We also add a little corn oil to this, about half a cup, which cleans out her system as will help her keep her weight up (only for mare). The last 3 months or so, all the way through when the foal is weaned, there should be a constant supply of grass hay in the feed area. The mare will be ravenous, and if she doesn't get enough food both she and the foal will start eating their manure. A ratio of 1/4 alfalfa and 3/4 bermuda is a good mix for proper foal growth, as this provides not to much nor too little nutrients. If you use other types of hay such as orchard, oat, timothy or teff, check on the nutrition guidelines as these hays are richer. Too rich of feed, the foal's pasterns can grow too straight. Feed lacking in essential nutrients can result in a much smaller or poorly developed foal. The mare might "look" fat but simply have a "baby belly". It's like stretch marks tat don't go away. If her topline is drawn in and spine or hips are showing, she may be underweight.

Fencing is another very important issue. If your mare is in a pipe corral, large field, or any type of fencing where other small animals the size of a rabbit or dog can get in, the fencing is not adequate. Many predators such as coyotes, cougars, or depending on what part of the country you are in, wolves, alligators, etc will come into the enclosure and attack the foal. The other problem is when the foal lays down, it can roll out under the fence. This is even worse because now the foal is trapped outside, away from it's mother, no food source and no defense. We believe in 24x24 pipe corrals and one of two types of fencing. There is "horse fencing", 5' high where each cross wire on the fence is wrapped around rather than welded together. The openings are 2" wide and 4" tall, which will allow a small hoof to get in and out without getting stuck. Welded wire horse panels are expensive, but worth it. They are more sturdy than attaching a roll of fence, and will not only keep the foal in, and predators out, but keep your horse from sticking her neck through and rubbing out her mane. If you have 2 or more attached stalls, it keeps them from reaching through and biting each other as well.If the gate on you corral has an opening below it, drop the gate as low as it will go and still be able to open.

In addition to the fencing you need a shelter. A fully covered stall is nice of course, but few of us have something like that. The standard 8x12' shelter can be a bit crowded with 2 horses squeezing under it, especially when the wind is blowing the rain sideways in the winter, or when the sun is at an angle in the summer. We like either the 8x24 or 12x24 roof. So now you have a fully-fenced 24x24 corral, your roof is up, one more thing... side panels. If you get some standard plywood, lay it on it's side, and attach it to the pipe corral. If you can attach it in a manner where the horse can't chew on it, and it won't catch the rain pouring off the rear of the shelter, go ahead and stand it upright. It makes a nice windbreak for the rainy season. Simply remove them in the summer to allow the wind to cool the horses.

A stall mat is a better option than a feeder once the time comes. If you have a tub feeder, the foal can fall over it or in it. A hanging feeder can be a noose. We have a black rubber mat on the ground as a feeder, and a large rubber feed pan for the supplements. If the mare has shoes on, they will need to be pulled. This will help prevent the baby from being stepped on because she can feel it with her foot, and if she does step on it, hopefully it won't be as hard. They are usually very careful about where they step. Ensure that adequate clean water is available, and not big enough for the foal to fall in. We keep mosquito-eating fish in our water barrels. they don't bother the horse, but do a service for them by eating all the nasties in the barrel.

The time has come. The mare's belly is huge, and the flank in sinking in with the belly hanging below. Milk is starting to come in, and the buttocks on both sides below the tail is getting soft. Each mare is different. Some will get mile 1 month before foaling, while others wait until the day before. Typically it shows up 2 weeks before foaling. The nipples may or may not wax over, and might leak or drip milk. If your mare has not foaled before, it's a good idea to get her use to being touched on the nipples... caution: she may bite or kick. She may let the foal nurse for a day, then get sore and stop allowing it. Good idea to have a bottle and milk replacement powder ready just in case. It's very rare that a mare will reject a foal, but it does happen, so be prepared to feed it every 2 hours for a week or longer until it can eat on it's own.

We add straw (NOT SHAVINGS) to the corral about 6" deep once the milk comes in or if she's close to the due date. It's hard to clean, but it's soft landing for the foal and doesn't stick to it. You don't want shavings in the corral, because this will stick to the baby, and can be inhaled. After foaling (during bonding time) you can remove the wet straw and replace it with dry straw. We switch to shavings when the baby is 1-2 weeks old.

Now you wait. You might wait a day or two, or over a month. Most mares foal after dark, but rarely will foal in broad daylight. She should be monitored all night (at least once every 30 minutes) for signs of distress... looking at her belly, pawing the ground, kicking at her belly, and frequent laying down. The foal is turning around and she is ready to deliver. The waters will break, and the foal will arrive within half an hour. Have the vet's phone number at hand in case something goes wrong. Have a secondary vet's phone number in case you can't get a hold of the first one. Have a dim-lit area, flashlight, etc so you can see what's happening without causing the mare distress. Have about 4 towels ready. You will need a bucket with about 6" water in it and a lid. Spray bottle full of betadine solution. You will see a shiny sack, and hopefully 2 front hooves, which are usually offset. The bottom of the hooves should be facing away from the tail. If the hooves are facing up, or you see one hoof, nose, tail etc, the foal is turned wrong, call the vet now! The vet should have you get the mare up and walk her around, which should cause the foal to go back into the uterus and hopefully turn around. I say "should", not will. It's the vet's call.

Usually everything goes right. Once the foal is out, the mare might get up or might rest for a short time. If it's not already broken, break the sack at the foal's nose so it can start breathing. slip the sack off, but do not tuoch the umbilical cord. Start drying the foal. Make sure you have your thumb nails cut back, and start rubbing inside those little ears even before the foal gets up. The foal will shake it's head, but keep rubbing. The feet are soft on the bottom, but tap on them. Grab the tail and play with it. Touch all over as you dry. This is called imprinting, and will prevent headshyness and other problems later on. When the mare gets up, the umbilical cord should break naturally. Take your spray bottle of betadine and soak it generously. This prevents infection. Caution: keep an eye on the mare. She may not like you in the corral, and might bite or kick.

The foal should be able to stand within an hour and start nursing. It will probably fall over many times till it finds out where the legs are and what to do with them. Rub inside those little ears several more times before you leave them alone to bond. The foal should be able to find the milk by instinct, but a gentle nudge in the right direction won't hurt if it's taking too long. It needs to eat within 2 hours max. If it won't eat, call the vet. The legs will be very long, the pasterns will sag, and the knees are huge. Don't be alarmed, this is normal. The pasterns will come up within a few days, and he/she will grow into those legs. If you have bug problems, the foal can be sprayed with regular fly spray. The mare cannot, because the foal will be chewing all over her. Spray mom with a 50/50 mixture of vinegar (apple cider vinegar if available) and water. It is edible and harmless to the foal. About 8-10 days old there will be explosive diarrhea. This is when the mare comes in season again and the extra hormones are getting into the milk supply. It's normal, don't worry.

Call your vet during normal business hours the next day after foaling. The vet will do a mare-foal check about 24-hours-old. You will need to catch and hold the baby. The vet should take a blood sample, check eyes, and check temperature. The foal's temperature may be a degree higher than normal for an adult. Much higher than that and the vet may put him/her on antibiotics for a few days, just in case.

They can be turned out the next day after birth. It needs to be able to run to grow property and develop muscle tone. The foal will follow right next to the mare for a few weeks, then might start getting bold. A grass pasture is ideal, but if not available, make sure the turnout has adequate fencing. Introduce grass slowly if your horses are not use to it. 15 minutes per day the first week is enough. Too much rich food can cause founder (similar to gout, resulting in a lame horse). If you only have a sand turnout available, you must stay with them because the natural grazing instincts of the foal will tell it to eat the sand, and in turn lead to sand colic. They might pick up small rocks and chew on them too. If the only fenced turnout area available is regular pipe corral fencing, or if it's sand, stay with them while turned out in case of escape or eating sand.

Another thing the foal will start eating is mom's mane and tail, especially if it's bored. We have tried tail bags, wraps, braiding etc, and nothing helps except other entertainment. Toys in the corral will help prevent this. We like to put in a traffic cone (a clean new one, not one off the street), and a jolly ball in the corral. We hang the ball on the side of the corral rather than let it roll around, which prevents stepping on it and possibly falling when it rolls out from under the hoof. The foal will also eat a certain amount of the mare's manure... it's gross but it's necessary. The foal's gut has no bacteria to help break down and process food. By eating mom's poop, the foal can get these necessary bacteria. Adult horses normally don't eat manure. If both mom and foal are eating the poop as soon as it hits the ground, and no hay is present in the stall, they are most likely starving and need more food.

Halter breaking can be started at any time. I only use leather halters on suckling and weanling foals, because they will break in case of emergency like getting stuck on a fence. Introduce the foal to the halter and leave it on him/her for a few hours. I usually walk around and wear the foal out till is HAS to sleep, then slip the halter on when it lays down. You can lay the foal in your lay like a dog, which is good for it's emotions. pet it all over. Tap on the feet. When the foal is about 2-3 weeks old it will get very itchy. Good time to start bonding... scratch the chest, neck, and back. We do not start lead training till the foal is a full month old. The neck muscles have not had enough time to develop and you can hurt the foal by pulling on it. We do lead training for a week or so, then start breaking to tie. About 1 month old is when the foal should be dewormed, then put it on the same schedule as your mare orotehr horses. Make sure the dewormer used is safe for all ages. It will not need to be vaccinated till 4 months old, and at that time will need the 6-way shot, with a booster 1 month later.

When breaking to tie, I start by simply throwing the rope once around the pipe corral bar, and hold the other end. Since I'm holding it, I determine how much resistance there is, like a bungee cord. The next day I might loop it twice around the poll. I only loop it, I do not tie it till the foal is about 2 months old and is use to the procedure. Then I only tie a slip knot, which I can pull loose in one tug if I need to untie quickly. About now the feet have hardened up and I can introduce the hoof pick. I like the pick that has a brush on it. The foal should be leading well now, and if the mare is broke enough, you can go for a ride pony the baby.

We wean between 4-6 months, depending and how they are eating, if the mare is too thin, emotions, and other minor factors. The best way to wean it at first put mom one stall over from the baby. They can still see each other, the the foal cannot touch or suckle mom. They will call each other. Don't worry, they will be fine. A few days later move the mare farther apart if possible, or take one on a walk or to the turnout and leave the other behind. Good weaning should take a week. If your place is big enough, move mom out of sight after a week. Remember that the baby needs to stay in the stall that is fenced in, the mare is moving out.