Frequently Asked Questions



The Look of Love

The mother looked at her new born son/daughter, the love shining in her eyes. Oh what a miracle to see this sight, come into the world! The mother nickered in answer to her foal. They nuzzled each other and the bonding begins....



I try to have callers on the phone while foaling. They will
update you on the message board. See link for callers.
Most on the board have watched me foal out mares for a few years,
and can answer about any of your questions.

1st OFF


I do help the mares. Some may or may not agree to that. If you have a problem with it, please do not watch. The less stress on mare and foal during foaling, is better for both. Please read what I do to help, below. We have this cam up for you to enjoy & learn with & share our joys (and can be sorrows) in foaling. Sometimes things happen, that just can not be helped. You have to learn to deal with it and go on.

I know there is a big difference between being here and watching foaling on the web cams. I wish you all could be here to watch the mares in real life. I have had more than 1 person here to watch foaling and learn. I think they enjoyed it a lot, and it is something I LOVE to do. It is not something you forget, and you learn more every year. I hope I never stop learning or pretend I know it all. I still have questions myself.


Most vets will tell you that you have a short time between the water breaking and foal being born. Most will say 30 minutes at the most. A little longer time is not a bad thing. I have seen it take up to 1 hour, with no problems. I have also been like the foaling midwife around here too.

1st time maiden mares are not always good pushers. So pulling is not uncommon. This is a downward pull. You have to be careful of the legs! Mares like people get tired and stop, then someone needs to assist. This can happen to a mare with a big foal as well. I do spend extra time in the barn with these making sure all is well, and mom and baby accept each other. I do not time myself out there.




Things to have handy in barn.
Towels, Iodine, Tetanus Shot, Waxed Dental Floss, Banamine
Dental Floss? I use this in case we have a pumper as I call it. Where cord did not seal when it broke and it is pumping blood. This needs to be taken care of very fast. You need this tied tightly.



How do I figure due dates?
I do it different for each mare, on the way that they foal. Each mare is different

Gigi 11 months to 1st breeding date. Has been 8 - 10 days early normally, and on date last year.
Gigi does not wax, or drip or show a lot of normal mare signs.She is a roller and does need banamine after foaling.
Her rolling may look worse to you on cam than it is to us in the stall. She will have halter and leadrope on for control, if she rolls.


Do I bed the mares
Yes with straw or grass hay before foaling. If I feel they are close enough the stall will be bedded. This also makes it easier for the mares to lay down. My horses are rather pampered & like to be bedded.


Do I wrap tails?
No - Why - It is my choice.


Why is the halter on?
I put the halter on for safety of those in while mare is foaling.


Do I help my mares when foaling?
YES! If they need help I am in there. If not, I just watch, but I am right there with them the entire time.
Terms for me are:
Elbow Lock = Leg is a little hung up - I reach in and lift to help. This is just a gentle lift.
Head and shoulders: are sometimes the hardest to get out. (those of us that have kids know this to be true) I check head position. If mare is having a hard time what will happen is: Baby will keep sucking back in and no ground is gained. I hold front legs at this point. At the end of the contraction, the baby will stay where it was. Next push from mare will help push out further.


Do your mares lay there awhile?
Most of the time yes they do. This is normal, and the baby taking awhile to get up is normal too. They have both just put in some hard work and need to rest. This does not concern me at all.


What shot did I just give the mare?
I normally give 5 - 10 cc of banamine after foaling if needed. This helps with the after pains, and they do not roll as much. It is not a lot of fun to have the mares rolling while you are in there working with the foal. It is a dangerous thing. Yes, that has been approved by my vet.


What do I do with baby after foaling?
Normally it is cold here when the mares foal. My barn is not heated. I do have heat lamps on for them. I dry the baby off as much as I can. I put Iodine on navel stump, and I give them a tetanus shot.


Why don't I use test strips?
Never have and probably never will. I know my mares, and what they do before foaling. I will go on what the mare is telling me she is doing. I watch, listen, and spend a lot of nights with little sleep. The maiden mares maybe a little harder to guess, but I don't think it will be a problem. Again I watch my mares and learn. Care to test which way is closer?


A Mare's Time Zones/ Practice times
You watch and see if you can figure out the mares time zone. This is the most likely time they will foal. Yes they will let you know with *PRACTICE* contractions and their laying down - or active times. This is normally a 1 -4 hour time period 2 times a day. The same times AM and PM. The mare will normally foal in these hours. From my experience anyway.


When do I get concerned enough to call a vet?
Well, I very seldom call one for foaling unless it is something VERY major! Like, water breaks, no foal coming... Hmmm not good, I will feel inside a mare to check head and make sure it is not turned, or see if I can feel the problem. By the time a vet got here it could be too late. I have learned to do what needs to be done, and will always try to save the mare 1st. A good book for people on this is A - Z on horses. It teaches you a lot.


Cams I am using some low light cams this year. 2 turn to black and white if light gets too low. Once heat lamps are in, it may be rather bright. I have a 20 Watt night light on the mares. I watch the mares in real time in the house on a 27" color TV, so I am seeing what is happening way before you do. These cams do not have audio, so I have an intercom system in the barn and in the house to hear what is going on. As, the mares get closer the cams is on 24/7 while they are in the barn. When they are outside (depending on weather) and close, I watch them very close. I will try to give you as much warning as I can. Some times watching a mare in labor is about like watching corn grow. Spook does not move around a lot. Some mares will pace a lot. Annie came real fast this year. Almost no warning got out. This was also


Why are there people in the barn?
My neighbors, or other people like to drop in when the mares are foaling. So people in the barn is a normal thing here when foaling, not a problem.

If there is anything I have forgotten to add, just know I have been doing this for years. This is my way of doing it here. We all do things differently at different places. This does not make 1 persons way of doing things better than others. "Just our way of doing things."