Signs Your Mare is Ready to Foal The following is a checklist of hints your mare's body will give two months before to help you identify her foaling time. Two Months Left Foal changes position, moving towards the delivery position. This causes the mare's belly to look much larger, and for her to take wider strides. Two Months Mammary glands enlarge. This includes her udder and the milk veins on her abdomen. One Month Loss of appetite and/or change in social behavior. She may prefer to be by herself in the pasture. Two Weeks to Two Hours Waxed teats. Sticky, clear to yellow colored drops form on the teats and become dried and hard. Two Weeks to Two Hours Relaxed tail head, croup, and perineal areas. Feeling these areas, you will notice a change as they become softened due to a hormone release. Hours Change in udder size, shape, and temperature. Her udder will fill with milk, the teats pointing outward, and both will become warm to the touch. Hours Those hard, dried waxy drops on her teats will soften due to the temperature change, and will become stringy, and eventually drip off. Delivery is near when this occurs!

Foaling Info

Onset of Labor and its Three Stages You've been watching your mare for weeks now, checking on her during the night, and now she has begun to show all of the signs listed in the table above. Then, on a sleepy one o'clock morning, something changes. Stage One This is where the cervix relaxes, the uterus begins to contract, and the foal gets into position for delivery. Stage One is the trickiest to notice. Some mares may show all or none of these signs: Restlessness, tail switching, pacing. Sweating over the chest, neck, and flanks. Urinating and passing small amounts of manure frequently. Increased mammary gland temperature and "squirting" milk. Increased heart and respiratory rate. Decreased body temperature. What Should You Do? Don't upset your mare, and she can shut down the foaling process if she feels she needs to. Stage One can last up to 24 hours, so this is the time to prepare! Wrap the mare's tail to keep it out of the way, and clean the foaling stall of manure and objects that might get in the way (buckets, salt blocks, etc.). If the mare's vulva has been sutured to prevent infection, the sutures should be removed now. Before foaling, the mare owner should assemble a foaling kit containing Iodine solution or tincture to douse the foals naval stump with. Scissor and string in case the umbilical cord needs to be broken and tied to prevent infection. Enema tube, soap, and lubricant or "horse laxative" to aid the foal in passing his first meconium (manure....the first one is always the hardest!) Your veterinarian's phone number and the numbers of trusted fellow horse people to call for help if it is needed. (Often, first time "horse moms and dads" will feel better if someone who has gone through the foaling process is there or on the phone to help out. In a normal birth, the veterinarian is not always needed for this.) Clean towels This table checklist! Stage Two After the water breaks the stall will have a certain smell (amniotic fluid) that you will remember for some time. This smell is what will bond the mother to the foal. Stage Two is when the contractions become strong enough to push the foal through the birth canal. Any problems that can occur will happen in this stage, and the mare owner must be ready to call for help if it is needed. Your mare will lay down in this stage, perhaps roll, get up, and then get down again. Finally, she will lie down and prepare to push with the contractions. The foals feet should appear within 15 minutes after the mare lies down and contractions are plainly visible (her body goes rigid, all four legs strain with each contraction, and she may grunt as she pushes). Both feet should be seen, one before the other, covered in a white membrane. If one foot is not visible in this time period, you can gently reach in and straighten the other one. The bottom of the feet should be facing the mare's legs (downward). As the foal inches into the world with each contraction, his nose will appear next, resting on his knees. Most foals will be widest at the shoulders, and this will be the most difficult part for your mare to deliver. Make sure the foal's front feet are slightly crooked, one forward further than the other, slanting his shoulders. If the legs come out even, the shoulders may lock in the mare's pelvis. You may help at this point by wrapping the foals legs in a towel, and gently pulling down on them towards the mare's hocks, and ONLY with her contractions, or you may tear her insides or harm the foal. As soon as the shoulders are free the rest of the foal will come gushing out (and I do mean gush!). At this point, time should stand still. Clear the membrane from the foal's head so he can begin breathing on his own. It is okay for his tongue and mucous membranes to be blue at this time, but if he is not sputtering and coughing to remove the fluid from his lungs, you should seek help to get him breathing. Do not touch the umbilical cord or frighten the mare so she stands up and breaks it. Life giving blood is flowing through it to the foal! Allow both the mare and foal to rest for at least 20 - 40 minutes before any more activity goes on. Stage Three Labor is complete when the placenta and fetal membranes pass out of the mare's body. This occurs 5 to 45 minutes after the foal's birth. Usually, if the mare and foal are allowed to rest for 20 - 40 minutes, they will pass as soon as the mare stands up. Do not pull on the placenta...this may cause tearing and infection! If the membranes have not passed within 2 hours, a vet should be called. Problems in Labor       What You Should Do Mare pushes for 45 minutes and no feet appear. Call your vet! The foal may be in the wrong position and needs help before his oxygen supply is endangered. Foal's feet are upside down. The foal may be simply upside down. Getting the mare to her feet may turn him around. He also may be backwards, or breech. Time is critical here. Call your vet! Some suggest walking your mare until she arrives to prevent the delivery from progressing, but you cannot stop labor once it hits the third stage!. Mare stops labor completely and returns to normal. Have your vet examine her...she may have a thickened placenta, which did not rip to allow fluids to escape. She also may have shut down because she felt threatened. Mare's water broke, but after 20 minutes, nothing has happened. The hormone that stimulates hard labor may not have been released because the foal isn't moving. Tug on the foal's leg if you can see it...this will cause him to counter-tug, and stimulate contractions. If he doesn't tug back, call the vet immediately! Mare has pushed the foal's shoulders out, but can't remove his hips. Call your vet! The mare and foal's pelvises have become locked! Mare stands quickly after birth, breaking the umbilical cord, and blood gushes evrywhere. Is the blood coming from the cord, or from the foal's navel? If it's coming from the foal, pinch stump to temporarily stop the loss of blood, tie cotton string around it, making sure to allow it to bleed first to prevent infection. Mare stays down, and placenta begins to come out. Break the cord about 2 inches from the foal's abdomen and tie the stump off with cotton string to prevent infection in his bloodstream.

FOALING  YOUR  MARE          WHERE SHOULD SHE FOAL?             The choice between foaling outside in the pasture or in the stall should be made after considering all factors involved. The most important factor being, will you be present? If the answer is no or maybe, then it is imperative that you allow your mare  to foal in the pasture where her normal selection process of the best place to foal will keep her safe.             If the mare is to foal in a stall, it should be of sufficient size to allow room to lie down and deliver the foal without fear of her hindquarters being too close to the  wall.   The bedding may be shavings, straw, or shredded paper.  The latter two are slightly preferable as they are longer and do not invade the newborn's eyes and  oral cavity as shavings and sawdust may. WHEN WILL SHE FOAL?         There are as many formulas for predicting the foaling date of mares as there are  mare owners. These arithmetic and zodiacal contrivances are all acceptable as  long as they have the mare foaling somewhere between 335 and 365 days.  A foal born in less than 320 days of gestation is in great risk of being weak and  premature.  Foals that exceed one year and one week of gestation have historically  failed to exhibit the robust qualities of their full siblings born of normal gestation  limits.   The light breeds will tend to foal more closely to the 343-353 day range with a few foaling earlier and a few foaling later.              WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF IMPENDING PARTURITION?             Mammary development is one of the most important signs that we are nearing the  end of gestation. Unfortunately for the foal watch person, this mammary development may become evident up to a  month prior to foaling.   Relaxation of the muscular tissue in the hind quarters and  the sacrosciatic ligament, as evidenced by the more prominent appearance of the  tail head and relaxation and lengthening of the vulva, may be evident in the last  couple of weeks prior to delivery. Waxing of the teats is a sign referred to in many  booklets and described by word of mouth.  Although a fairly reliable sign when  waxing does occur,  it is absent in some mares.   When wax is present on the teats, it  appears 2-4 days prior to foaling, but may be present for longer periods in some  cases. Changes in milk composition and color are a fairly consistent indicator of impending parturition.   Beginning two weeks prior to foaling, the milk will transform  from clear to serum-like and then become smoky gray a day or so before foaling.             As foaling nears, the milk will change from opaque-white to sticky, thick and very  white.             The mare may become anxious and restless and present signs that resemble colic.   She may walk in circles, lie down and get up, nip at her flanks and urinate   frequently.  The pasture mare will usually isolate herself from the others and seek   secure spot for foaling.                 LABOR AND DELIVERY                 Stage 1:  Contractions begin and the foal advances through the cervix.  The sac (allantois or fetal membrane) should become visible at the  mare's vulva.   Stage 1 lasts until this sac ruptures. This may take 1-2 hours                                 Stage 2:   The foal is expelled through the birth canal head and front  feet first and delivery of the foal is completed. This stage lasts from 10-45 minutes.                 Stage 3:   The expulsion of the placenta (afterbirth) occurs. This stage  may coincide with delivery of the foal or take up to 3 hours which is the  upper limit of time allowed for passage of placental tissue.                 FOAL CHECK                 The fetal membrane should be broken and free the foal's head. If not,  you must manually remove the membrane from the foal's nostril area.  This is one of the only circumstances that might require you to  approach the mare and foal immediately.  We may feel that we are  important and needed in the foaling process. However, nothing could   be farther from the truth!   Leave them alone!                 When it becomes necessary to approach the mare and foal you must  approach with caution.  Please do not assume that since you love your   mare and she loves you that she will allow you near her foal.   Do not  attempt to carry out procedures on the mare or foal if she is  overprotective as it may result in injury to the foal or yourself.                 The umbilical cord will break when the mare stands and turns to  examine her foal or when the foal begins to scramble about. If the cord  does not break on its own it may be grasped and pinched and twisted  until broken 1-2 inches from its insertion into the foal's abdomen. Do  not cut it sharply.                 When the mare and foal have both recovered from the rigors of the  birth process and have had time to bond and rest, you can now treat  the foal's umbilical stump with Nolvasan or Betadine solution.   The  mare's vulva should be checked for tearing. The foal should nurse  within 3 hours of birth and pass the meconium (black, sticky stool)   within 8-12 hours.                 Watch the mare and the foal for the next 2 days to ensure that   postparturiant colic is not severe and that normal nursing, defecating   and urinating are occurring.

Getting Ready for a Foal If your mare will be foaling indoors, bed the stall with clean straw. Most mares foal successfully with little or no human intervention. For many people, in fact, the human role in the big event involves nothing more than discovering the new arrival in a field one morning. If, however, you'd prefer to witness a foal's delivery and perhaps participate in the process, you'll need to plan and prepare. While you'll have a full 11 months to anticipate the big day, you need just an hour or so to prepare yourself and your property. Your tasks will include assembling the necessary supplies, selecting a foaling location and charting a plan of action. Make your preparations at least 30 days before your mare's due date, because foals don't always stick closely to a schedule. You probably have many of the items needed for the delivery on hand already, but it's wise to take inventory in advance so you'll have time to purchase additional supplies. Store the items in a large, sealable, plastic storage container, which will itself come in handy later. clean stainless steel or new plastic bucket clean tail bandage for the mare thermometer petroleum jelly or other lubricant halter and lead rope clean bandage scissors a watch flashlight sterile plastic gloves several clean, large towels povidone iodine solution for disinfecting the foal's navel Fleet enema for the foal an extra-large sweater that can be placed on the foal to keep it warm, if necessary (front legs through the arms, head through the neck hole) Indoors: If you're planning on having your mare foal indoors, you'll need a stall that measures 12 feet by 12 feet or larger. Otherwise you'll have to combine two stalls by removing the common wall. Once you've selected a foaling stall, give it a thorough inspection, looking for and eliminating hazards such as raised nails, large splinters and curling or fraying mat edges. For safety's sake, remove the feed- and water-bucket screw eyes. If you'll be keeping your mare in the stall ahead of time, feed and water her from buckets on the floor as the big day approaches. Remove all the buckets at foaling time. Access is a consideration when a mare foals indoors. Optimally, a foaling stall will have two doorways so entry is possible even if one is blocked. If you don't have two doors, consider removing stall bars or window coverings to create a second entryway. If the stall door does not extend all the way to the floor, use a section of plywood to close the gap. That way, if your mare delivers nearby, the newborn won't catch a leg under the door or otherwise get stuck. Assess your lighting. Most mares prefer a dimly lit space, but in an emergency you'll need as much light as possible. If the existing fixtures do not provide enough illumination to read by at night, acquire alternate lighting, such as lanterns or floodlights. Make plans to have the entire stall disinfected and bedded with clean straw. Several studies have linked foal diseases with wood shavings, which can harbor bacteria, molds and irritants. Outdoors: In mild climates where tidy, grassy areas are available, allowing a mare to foal outdoors is an attractive and generally preferable option. Outdoor foaling requires less preparation on your part, and the extra space will probably be appreciated by your mare. For a foaling spot, look for a fairly level area of lawn or paddock. Ideally, the site will not have been grazed or ridden on for at least six months--this provides the cleanest, most disease-free foaling surface. Choose a more or less square space with sides that are at least 25 feet long. Once you've designated a foaling space, clear away rocks, sticks and other potential hazards. Then make plans to cordon it off with a snow fence or another temporary structure. Don't use wire fence, however, unless you will be there to supervise the foal until he leaves the enclosure; the youngster may not be able to see or avoid the wire in his first few wobbly hours. When your foaling area is established, mow the grass to a length of about three inches. Lighting is also an important consideration for outdoor foaling. It's wise to arrange to have the headlights of two or three trucks available, or you may want to have larger spotlights on hand. When your outdoor site is prepared, keep all horses off of it. Move your mare to the spot only when her water has broken or when other signs suggest that foaling is imminent. Devise a Contingency Plan Although the majority of foalings proceed without complication, you'll want to be prepared if a crisis does arise. In the final minutes of your hour, consider what you would need in an emergency. Make sure your truck and trailer are in good repair and ready to go at a moment's notice. If you don't own a trailer, make arrangements with trailer-owning friends to have access to theirs. Compile a list of important phone numbers, including your veterinarian, a backup veterinarian and any foaling-savvy horse friends you can call for support. Inquire about colostrum. Foals need this antibody-rich first milk to survive and flourish. But sometimes foaling complications or other problems interfere with a mare's colostrum supply, so it's wise to become acquainted with alternate sources for this precious substance. Some large veterinary practices store colostrum for emergency use. You can also see whether there are any nurse-mare programs in your area and keep their numbers handy, just in case. Finally, you can plan to collect colostrum from your mare just before foaling and freeze it yourself (your veterinarian can instruct you on how to do this).

How to Make and Use a Milking Syringe If you need to milk your mare, there is more than one way to do it. Until this spring, I did it the old fashioned way - as if I were milking a cow. With a mare, that is very inefficient and very, very messy! I always finished with sticky colostrum on my arms, in my hair, all over my clothes. A close friend of mine was visiting when I had to milk and made a simple "udder pump" for me from a 60 ml syringe. I can now get five times the milk with a tenth of the effort and no mess! Here is how to do it: Equipment List 60 ml Syringe Sharp Knife or Fine Tooth Handsaw Cooking Spray Plastic Baby Bottle

Place the syringe on a hard surface and cut the end with the tip off as close to the tip as you can while completely opening the tube. Any fine tooth saw or sharp knife that can cut the plastic syringe will do. Since the cut edge will not touch the mare, absolute smoothness is not necessary. Scrape and wipe away any residual crumbles of plastic.

Wash throughly, spray the rubber plunger cap with cooking spray so it slides easily, then put the plunger into the syringe body backwards. Slide it in and out a couple of times to lubricate, grab your clean baby bottle and its off to see the mare!

You will probably have to tie the mare or have someone hold her the first few times you milk her. Have a clean baby bottle in hand to pour the milk into. Place the syringe over a teat, press gently but firmly against the udder to create a seal, then pull the plunger back slowly. The milk will flow easily into the syringe. If the mare's milk is not down yet, you may only get a few milliliters at time, but every drop counts! As the milk comes down, you will be able to fill the syringe, often several times. Be sure to milk each teat equally as neglecting one side could provoke mastitis.

These mares both foaled within 12 hours of "WAXING" or loosing the plugs. The yellowish white thick wax like substance hanging on the nipples. Some mares you will not see this. Lucky for us we got to see it and take pictures of it.

Picture of WAXING

340-Day Gestational Table Breed Date  Day 340    Breed Date   Day 340    Breed Date   Day 340    Breed Date  Day 340  Feb. 1            Jan. 8             Mar. 1        Feb. 7           Apr. 1          Mar. 9           May 1       Apr. 8  Feb. 2            Jan. 9             Mar. 2        Feb. 8           Apr. 2          Mar. 10         May 2       Apr. 9  Feb. 3            Jan. 10           Mar. 3        Feb. 9           Apr. 3          Mar. 11        May 3        Apr. 10  Feb. 4           Jan. 11            Mar. 4        Feb. 10         Apr. 4          Mar. 12        May 4        Apr. 11  Feb. 5           Jan. 12            Mar. 5       Feb. 11         Apr. 5           Mar. 13         May 5       Apr. 12  Feb. 6           Jan. 13            Mar. 6       Feb. 12         Apr. 6           Mar. 14         May 6       Apr. 13  Feb. 7           Jan. 14            Mar. 7       Feb. 13         Apr. 7           Mar. 15         May 7       Apr. 14  Feb. 8           Jan. 15            Mar. 8       Feb. 14         Apr. 8           Mar. 16         May 8       Apr. 15  Feb. 9           Jan. 16            Mar. 9       Feb. 15         Apr. 9           Mar. 17         May 9       Apr. 16  Feb. 10         Jan. 17            Mar. 10     Feb. 16        Apr. 10         Mar. 18         May 10     Apr. 17  Feb. 11         Jan. 18           Mar. 11      Feb. 17        Apr. 12         Mar. 19         May 11     Apr. 18  Feb. 12         Jan. 19           Mar. 12      Feb. 18        Apr. 13         Mar. 20         May 12     Apr. 19  Feb. 13         Jan. 20           Mar. 13      Feb. 19        Apr. 14         Mar. 21         May 13     Apr. 20  Feb. 14         Jan. 21           Mar. 14      Feb. 20        Apr. 15         Mar. 22         May 14     Apr. 21  Feb. 15         Jan. 22           Mar. 15      Feb. 21        Apr. 16         Mar. 23         May 15     Apr. 22  Feb. 16         Jan. 23           Mar. 16      Feb. 22        Apr. 17         Mar. 24         May 16     Apr. 23  Feb. 17        Jan. 24            Mar. 17      Feb. 23        Apr. 18         Mar. 25         May 17     Apr. 24  Feb. 18        Jan. 25            Mar. 18      Feb. 24        Apr. 19         Mar. 26         May 18     Apr. 25  Feb. 19        Jan. 26            Mar. 19      Feb. 25        Apr. 20         Mar. 27         May 19     Apr. 26  Feb. 20        Jan. 27            Mar. 20      Feb. 26        Apr. 21         Mar. 28         May 20     Apr. 27  Feb. 21        Jan. 28            Mar. 21      Feb. 27        Apr. 22         Mar. 30         May 21     Apr. 28  Feb. 22        Jan. 29            Mar. 22      Feb. 28        Apr. 23         Mar. 31         May 22     Apr. 29  Feb. 23        Jan. 30            Mar. 23      Feb. 29        Apr. 24         Apr. 1           May 23      Apr. 30  Feb. 24        Jan. 31            Mar. 24      Mar. 1          Apr. 25         Apr. 2           May 24       May. 1  Feb. 25        Feb. 1             Mar. 25      Mar. 2          Apr. 26         Apr. 3           May 25       May. 2  Feb. 26        Feb. 2             Mar. 26      Mar. 3          Apr. 27         Apr. 4           May 26       May. 3  Feb. 27        Feb. 3             Mar. 27      Mar. 4          Apr. 28         Apr. 5           May 27       May. 4  Feb. 28        Feb. 4             Mar. 28      Mar. 5          Apr. 29         Apr. 6           May 28       May. 5  Feb. 29        Feb. 5             Mar. 29      Mar. 6          Apr. 30         Apr. 7           May 29       May. 6  Mar. 30        Mar. 7             May 30       May. 7  Mar. 31        Mar. 8             May 31       May. 8  Breed Date   Day 340    Breed Date   Day 340     Breed Date  Day 340    Breed Date   Day 340  June 1             May 9            July 1           June 8             Aug. 1          July 8           Sept. 1         Aug. 9  June 2             May 10          July 2           June 9             Aug. 2          July 9           Sept. 2         Aug. 10  June 3             May 11         July 3           June 10           Aug. 3           July 10         Sept. 3        Aug. 11  June 4             May 12         July 4           June 11           Aug. 4           July 11         Sept. 4        Aug. 12  June 5             May 13         July 5           June 12           Aug. 5           July 12         Sept. 5        Aug. 13  June 6             May 14         July 6           June 13           Aug. 6           July 13         Sept. 6        Aug. 14  June 7             May 15         July 7           June 14           Aug. 7           July 14         Sept. 7         Aug. 15  June 8             May 16         July 8           June 15           Aug. 8           July 15         Sept. 8        Aug. 16  June 9             May 17         July 9           June 16           Aug. 9           July 16         Sept. 9        Aug. 17  June 10           May 18        July 10          June 17           Aug. 10         July 17       Sept. 10       Aug. 18  June 11           May 19        July 11          June 18           Aug. 11         July 18       Sept. 11        Aug. 19  June 12           May 20        July 12          June 19           Aug. 12         July 19       Sept. 12        Aug. 20  June 13           May 21        July 13          June 20           Aug. 13         July 20       Sept. 13        Aug. 21  June 14           May 22       July 14           June 21           Aug. 14         July 21        Sept. 14       Aug. 22  June 15           May 23       July 15           June 22           Aug. 15         July 22        Sept. 15       Aug. 23  June 16           May 24       July 16           June 23           Aug. 16         July 23        Sept. 16       Aug. 24  June 17           May 25       July 17           June 24           Aug. 17         July 24        Sept. 17       Aug. 25  June 18           May 26       July 18           June 25           Aug. 18        July 25         Sept. 18       Aug. 26  June 19           May 27       July 19           June 26           Aug. 19         July 26        Sept. 19       Aug. 27  June 20           May 28       July 20           June 27           Aug. 20         July 27        Sept. 20       Aug. 28  June 21           May 29       July 21           June 28           Aug. 21         July 28        Sept. 21       Aug. 29  June 22            May 30      July 22           June 29           Aug. 22         July 29        Sept. 22       Aug. 30  June 23            May 31      July 23           June 30           Aug. 23         July 30        Sept. 23       Aug. 31  June 24            June 1       July 24            July 1              Aug. 24          Aug. 1        Sept. 24       Sept. 1  June 25            June 2       July 25             July 2             Aug. 25          Aug. 2        Sept. 25       Sept. 2  June 26            June 3       July 26            July 3              Aug. 26          Aug. 3        Sept. 26       Sept. 3  June 27           June 4        July 27            July 4              Aug. 27          Aug. 4        Sept. 27       Sept. 4  June 28           June 5        July 28            July 5              Aug. 28          Aug. 5        Sept. 28       Sept. 5  June 29           June 6        July 29            July 6               Aug. 29         Aug. 6        Sept. 29       Sept. 6  June 30           June 7        July 30             July 7              Aug. 30         Aug. 7        Sept. 30       Sept. 7                                                                                                Aug. 31         Aug. 8

If you see this on a mare, you better be ready for a foal!

This is what is inside of the "Balloon" from the other picture. its the front foot of the foal.

The mare's heat cycle is referred to as equine estrus, estrous or oestrous cycle. It is the period of time which she will produce a fertile egg (or ovulate) and will accept a stallion. A mares best times for coming into heat are the warmer and longer days of the year, such as mid to late spring and the summer months. Most mares will come into heat every 21 days. Usually 21 days after the day the mare first comes into heat, she will start into heat again, but some mares vary anywhere from 18 to 31 days in their heat cycles. Heat periods are generally longer earlier in the breeding season and many older mares have longer than average heat cycles. Ovulation, or the period of time when the mare is fertile and can conceive a foal generally only occurs 24 to 48 hours before the mare goes out of heat. Thus no matter how long she is in heat, ovulation will only occur shortly before the end of her heat cycle. Sperm will only live in the mare's reproduction tract for about 24 hours, so it is absolutely necessary to breed her shortly before she goes out of heat. It is best to breed the mare on the second day of her heat cycle and then breed her every other day until she goes out of heat. That way she will have live sperm in her genital tract when the egg is released from the ovary. Mare's that have just foaled will come into heat about 9 days after the foal is born, but sometimes this varies from 4 to 18 days. This is called the "foal heat". You can breed her at this time if she foaled cleanly and without complications. If she had problems foaling, then you should at least wait until her next heat period which will usually occur 18 to 21 days after the foal heat. This will give her time to heal and get ready to rebreed.