foaling from the field

[LOU83]

Hi

Due to a change in circumstances i'm going to have to foal my mare out side. Ill be moving yards in the next couple of weeks to a friends who has a field next to her house. I had all planned foaling my mare in a stable but this is not going to happen. Does anyone have any experineces of foaling outside?

Any help would be greatfull

 

[Anastasia]

Lou Lou, does this field have access to a shelter or any other building in case needed?

I personally dont have any experience, other than a mare who did it during the day, but we took the mare and foal inside after it was born. But I believe there are several members who do keep their mares outside for foaling who I am sure will give you their experiences.

Good luck!

 

[LOU83]

Hi

Yes there is a shelter but it would not be bigger enough for her to foal in, so can't put a gate up or anything to keep her in. I was going to purchase a foal rug but have no idea what size to get? She is due to foal 1st May i hope the weather picks up (fingers crossed)

 

[henryhorn]

It's a bit cold in May sometimes which is why we tend to have our foals later, but all ours foal outside.
You need to have a clean paddock (not grazed through the winter) and poo pick if possible so it minimises the risks.
I would put a thick bed down in your field shelter of straw and be prepared for keeping the mare in it and an area close to it with temporary fencing in case of emergency, so long as there is a nice deep bed the foal will lie inside even if Mum eats standing partly outside with access to hay tied inside high up.
The hardest part is actually catching them foaling, and searching the fields for the afterbirth is fun (!) so you need to keep a very close eye on her and ensure you have the means to cope with problems.
We choose to foal outside, it's a cleaner environment, they can ease their pain by walking about, and given a choice I am certain the horses prefer it too.
When she starts foaling be near enough to know if there are problems, and have your foaling kit plus towels to dry the foal. Having a tiny rug is useful too once the mare has dried it herself and allows it to feed.
You need to spray the cord stump more thoroughly than normal because of flies etc, but other than that ther should be no problems.
pm me any questions, I'll be glad to help..

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

all of our foals were born outside, we bred about 15 foals in total, none suffered any ill effects from being born outside. our vet always advised it

just keep a close eye what with the unpredictable weather we are having, but they are tougher than we think often

 

[KarynK]

Always foal outside, or rather they do as they are given the choice of a 14x12 field shelter or the paddock, so far the paddock wins every time.

Just waiting for one to foal at the moment and am montoring her with water hardness test strips. Have found nature is brilliant and she is using her instinct to hold out for better weather.

This is the earliest I have foaled out by about 2 weeks. I will rug the foal and mine are medium sized horses at maturity and I have 3ft foal rugs that have been just fine, I also have a quilted rug to put underneath if it is really cold.

My main brood mare would have real problems being stabled as she gets very stressed when in so this is the best option for her for a stress free birth and since adopting this method I have been converted.

I foal in a small post and rail paddock and have lighting available in the paddock. The field shelter has rubber matting down and I confine the deep bedding to the back to allow a young foal more ease of movement. When she foals I will monitor the situation and only take action if there is a problem. But this particular mare is a very attentive and natural mother, as soon as the foal stands she will take it into the field shelter and allow it to rest in the straw.

Providing you prepare well this is a perfectly viable option.

 

[LOU83]

Hi

Thank you everyone it's put my mind a rest! Hopefully i will still enjoy the moment if a catch it.

Just one quick question i want to buy a foal rug just incase what size should i get. My mare is 16hh and the syallion is 16hh any idea i suppose bigger would be better than smaller one. Any ideas?

 

[Tia]

Firstly don't worry about not having a stable to foal in. My vet and my previous vet always said that outside was best anyway; seems to have worked fine for me and plenty of other people who breed.

Mine foaled outside last year; one foaled in the field shelter and one foaled out in the field. No problems at all, both foaled without any issues. I was there but kept a low profile throughout as neither mare needed any help. Both foals were big strapping healthy foals.

Make sure you have your chlorhexidene ready for spraying the navels and that you have your foal kit in order and ready to go at a moments notice. The only items I used out of it last year was the string/scissors to tie up the placentas and the towel to rub down the foals.

Have some bran so as to give the mare a little warm bran mash after foaling - my mares enjoyed theirs.

If you are planning to worm the mother after foaling to prevent scouring, then make sure you have your Ivermectin there. I worm within 12 hours of foaling, usually the following morning if the foal was born overnight.

Keep a close eye on the mare a few days beforehand as you will then be able to pick up on where she has chosen to foal down. They hang around certain areas within the field and decide where they are going to do it - makes it much easier to keep a close watch on them when you know where they are going to do it.

Best of luck - hope you enjoy seeing your new addition come into the world.

 

[KarynK]

Update for you, successful delivery arrived this morning at 3:30 am, temperature 0* and slight ground frost, a super little chestnut filly, white blanket with spots, 1st foal of the foundation appaloosa stallion Peyres Sully Cortez R ex my TB mare Windward Isle.

The mare proved me wrong and had this one in the shelter quite happily, but my shelter is quite big and it was cold this time, or I think she would have chosen the paddock again.

Unlike human weather forecasters she and nature timed it to perfection as it was a positively barmy day compared to recent weather with more mild to follow and I had to take baby’s rug off as she sun bathed!

I was monitoring her with water hardness test strips and she had risen to 250ppm on Sunday night which I can testify was bl**dy cold, she powered down and was back down to 125ppm by Monday morning, then back up Monday night and birth in the early hrs of Tuesday. Will post a review of the strips shortly but it was a big success!

Have purchased a new rug for the filly today as my old one only has a lining, for the warmer weather, I got a Weatherbeta foal turnout size 3’ £19.99, as usual belly straps far too long, Argh!! I think they make them with a weanling in mind, there is plenty of room to grow in it though! But with a knot fits snugly and is on tonight, but as usual as it got dark mum took her straight in the shelter and put her to bed!

Both are doing really well but I am knackered having to dig out the big bed and replace it! Luckily I bought big bale straw!

 

[LOU83]

Thank you all i'm now looking forward to foaling out side and i can see the posative points.

Thanks Karynk for posting your pic. What a fab little filly. And i'm off to buy a tiny rug (how cute)

Best of luck to everyone who is foaling this year.

I will let you know how i get on!

 

[KarynK]

Good luck with the foaling I am sure she will be fine, tip on the lighting I purchased some solar spotlights from B&Q, there are 2 of them with a charger/battery, they are detachable so I charged the batteries and detached the lights and on foaling they provided enough light to work with but they were not too bright for mother and foal. They have detachable spikes to stick them in the ground so are brilliant for foaling out.