Are you expecting a foal this year?

Horse Gestation – Gestation Period for Horses

Are you expecting a foal this year? Do you know what to expect?! The gestation length of a foal is anywhere from 320-365 days. Mares due in winter tend to carry longer than those due in summer. Foals close to either extreme can still have problems so it is always a good idea to have new babies examined. Foals born earlier than 320 days (premature) often have serious issues that will need to be addressed immediately to increase its chances of survival. Newborn foals have no functioning immunity, and are dependent on acquiring it from the mare’s colostrum – the first secretions of the mammary glands before the true milk comes in. The mare must be properly vaccinated and have quality feed in order to produce a high quality colostrum. If the mare drips or streams colostrum in the days prior to giving birth, the foal will need to be supplemented with either an oral colostrum or an i.v. plasma product. This is something you must prepare for, and not wait until you have a newborn to think about where you will find colostrum. (Of course, your veterinarian should have plasma on hand.)

Outward physical changes in the mare can help us predict when the foaling will occur. The udder begins to enlarge 4-6 weeks prior to foaling. The teats usually fill and distend 2-14 days prior to foaling and “waxing” of the teats should occur as the ma re approaches foaling but this may not always be seen. Other signs may include relaxation of the tail head and pelvic ligaments, and relaxation of the flank area, and vulva. Keep in mind that many mares fail to take head of these predictive times and it is not unusual to have no signs and find a bouncy healthy foal with your mare one day.

Horse Birth and Foals – Mare Foaling

The foaling stall should be well cleaned and deeply bedded. Straw is a good choice as it is less dusty than wood chips or shavings. If the mare is to foal outside, be sure that the foal cannot roll under the lowest rail of the fence. It happens more often than you might think. Just because your mares are all friends does not men they will all be friends when a foal is around. Mares have tried to steal new foals, pasture mates have killed them, or a nervous or overprotective mother may run it to exhaustion trying to keep it safe from curious friends. The mare should be in her own pen as her due date approaches. It must be kept clean and free of excess manure.

Stage I of labor is the stage where final positioning and posturing of the fetus takes place. As the foal moves into the normal ‘diving’ position, the feet and nose help to dilate the cervix as the uterine contractions increase. The beginning of this stage may be difficult to identify and it is not marked by a single event or change in the mare. Stage I labor often begins two hours before foaling and may be seen only as colic-like signs; restlessness, gets up and down, tail swishing and pawing. Milk may be seen streaming from the teats. The colic-like signs are due to the pain from intermittent uterine contractions. This stage may range from 30 minutes to four hours. Mares may stop this stage and restart later. This usually happens when you call your friends to come watch her give birth. Once everyone decides it was a false alarm and goes in the house, she will begin labor again! Any disturbances may delay the foaling. Stage I ends when the water breaks, i.e. the major membrane (chorioallantoic) ruptures expelling its contents. 

Stage II of labor, the active stage, begins with stronger uttering contractions. Most mares are recumbent during Stage II but they may sit sternal and sometimes roll as they try to ease the pain of the uterine contractions. Some mares will stand, and if they do, be ready to catch that foal. The average length of Stage II is 20-30 minutes. Once the water breaks, the amniotic membranes should be visible at the vulvar lips within 5-10 minutes. The fetus is now in the birth canal, and this further stimulates stronger abdominal contractions. Normally, the front feet – one followed by the other, should be followed by the nose during a routine foaling. The amniotic membrane usually ruptures as the foal’s body is halfway through the birth canal. If it fails to break on its own and is over the foal’s nostril, it is best to tear the membrane and remove it from the airway. Any variation from this normal presentation is a cause for concern and a phone call to the veterinarian. 

The third stage of labor is the passing of the placenta and fetal membranes. If this is not accomplished within a few hours, a call to the vet is in order. Mares with retained fetal membranes are at a high risk for laminitis, septicemia, and even death. It is not a good idea to remove the membranes on your own. I know of several mares who suffered uterine trauma from unwise attempts at removing the membranes.

Foals

Now that you have a healthy foal on the ground, clean up the stall, wipe the udder and back legs with a warm damp towel to remove fluids, treat the foal’s navel, and sit back out of the way and watch. Keep in mind that the average time for a foal to stand and nurse is 90 minutes; don’t mess with it. 

Give it a chance to figure it out without expending energy fighting with you, but do call for help if it’s been an hour without success.