Foal questions

[Irishcobs]

A bit early as foal as I haven’t even found a stallion yet. And I’m sure the vet can answer these but you can never get enough advice.
So teeth, feet and injections.

Obviously the vet will check the foal mouth when its born for any problems etc and I’ll get them looked at every time the vet is about, but do I need to actually book appointments for its teeth?
How soon should I get the farrier out for its feet after its born?
And how old are they when they have the first injection?

Also Foaling.
Hattie isn’t overly happy with being stabled. So I was planning for her to foal in the summer field. A few weeks before she is due I will electric fence Gyp into one side, her the other so he doesn’t pester her. Is it ok for newborns to have electric fencing in the field?
I do have a stable big enough for her foal in, its half a barn, but it will mean they will have to stay in the winter field and only have hay as all of the grass would of gone by then and Gyp can’t be stabled so he will have to live in the yard/field when its time for Hattie to foal but this will probably upset Hattie. Is foaling in a field ok?
Also how soon after the foal is born can I put Gyp back with them? I was thinking a good month, providing Hattie was comfortable with him being with her. Hattie is top horse and she won’t let him near if she didn’t want him there.

 

[Brenter_Star]

First of all - good luck!

Teeth - the first teeth will come through within a week of birth; there won't be any visible when your foal is born, but it's a good idea to have the vet checking out everything. I have them actually checked out by a dentist for the first time at around a year old; assuming there's been nothing to cause you concern, you could leave it later - some people don't have them done until they have adult teeth through unless they're quidding or something before then.

Again, the vet will tell you if theres any particular 'emergency' type remedial farriery treatment needed, but assuming your foal is completely normal, I'd get your farrier to do the first trim around 6-10 weeks - although there's unlikely to be very much to take off, it's a nice gentle introduction - just get the farrier to check baby over when he does your mare.

Injections - first one around 4 months of age. May be worth having an anti-tet at birth (tetanus anti-serum; not a vaccination but a sort of 'just in case' injection) depending on what stage gestation the mare was last jabbed (remember to check vaccination card as tet is usually only done every 3 years now, so although last vaccination might be within a month of birth, it might be flu.)

Your vet will give you better vaccination advice!

 

[Irishcobs]

Thank you very much. I'm excited at the moment but I'm sure as so as she is scanned in foal I'm be panicking and asking questions everyday!

 

[magic104]

Our dentist just looked into his mouth & had a feel when he was 5mths (he was doing the mare & the others anyway). Every time he comes out (6mths) he will just look into his mouth until he needs work doing, this way he gets used to someone opening & feeling around.
Feet again your farrier will advise when he visits the mare, but our's are normally being trimmed at 4mths.
Vaccs start from 3mths onwards, Prince has already had his 1st two his 3rd is due end of Mar & he is a year old in June.

 

[amandaco2]

field foaling is fine provided you can observe mum safely and have somewhere to put them in should it rain or get cold(foals are quite vunerable to wet and cold)i would try to get her comfy in the stable incase the foal is ill and they need to come in(mum being stressed will make things so much harder to deal with an already weak ill foal!)
but make sure there are no ditches etc and if its wet and the mare goes into labour once the foal safely born i would bring them in,even if it seems mild.foals can quickly fail.
electric isnt ideal at all for foals, i would rather have a post and 4 railed paddock or hedged- at least until its a few weeks old.foals tend to get tangled up in electric which is obviously very dangerous.and can also roll underneath fences.
feet should be trimmed/seen by a farrier from one month old every 4 weeks unless there is a problem and the vet says it needs intensive care to correct a limb.
the equine dentist has a little look at beys mouth when he sees mums but actual work doesnt usually start until they are at least 2.
i got bey vaccinated aged 5 months.she is still with mum(shes almost 10months old now) and her second vacs have been done too.tet is the most important one.
putting a gentle gelding the mare gets on with should be ok when the foal is a few months old, but make sure they got on over an electric fence first as mum could be very agressive and foal proud and foal may get in the way!