IN FOAL MARES TRAVELLING QUESTION

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Faberge

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I have 2 mares due to foal down in the first week of June. They are currently out 24/7 in large fields with ample grazing and haylage at the farm where they live. They will foal down at another yard about half an hour away, where there is limited turnout but 24 hour care. So ideally they will stay at the farm for as long as possible to take advantage of first flush spring grass and space etc before they go to the yard to foal. What would be the latest date that it would be safe to travel the 2 mares over to the other yard do you think?
Thanks
 
I wouldn't like to leave it any longer than a fortnight beforehand, if not longer if possible; although I know of people who have travelled mares dripping with milk and foaled down the same night! Not ideal for dam or foal.
If they have a fortnight, they have time to settle in, get used to the new water, food and bacteria plus new handlers so can pass on some protection to the foal too.
 
It's not nec about the safety of travelling (though that is definitely a consideration), it's more about the mares developing antibodies in the colostrum to the bugs in their surrounding environment. Horses, unlike humans, do not have passive immunity, where the antibodies are passed through the placenta to the unborn foetus. Horses are born in an immuno-incompetent state. Their immune system is boosted by the colostrum of the mare, which is why it is so important they the mares should be at the place of foaling for approx 30 days prior to foaling, as this is the key time for colostrum development. Also, on a mental note, it allows the mares to become fully accustomed to their surroundings, so they are relaxed for foaling.

With regards to travelling, out of the 100+ studies done regarding transportation of horses, only 3 have involved breeding stock and none have involved in-foal mares and/or the age of foals. They have mainly been on the effects of stress on shuttling stallions for northern and southern hemisphere breeding and youngsters for the sales. Though there was legislation brought in at the beginning of 2007 regarding the stage in gestation of mares and travelling and I think (though happy to be corrected, as this is from memory) that the 'advice' is to not travel mares who are closer than 30 days to their 'due' date and foals should be more than 25 days old (unless being travelled for emergency treatment).

Hope that rambling makes sense and is of some help.
 
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although I know of people who have travelled mares dripping with milk and foaled down the same night! Not ideal for dam or foal.

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Yes I have known professional breeders who have done and do this. Makes me sick tbh!
 
Most of the (numerous) books I have, suggest the infoal mare should be in her 'foaling location' at about 30 days before EFD. To build up the antibodies, as mentioned above.
 
I thought the law came in last year stating that no mare in their last tenth of the pregnancy can be transported (save in an emergency). Most of the reputable transporters wouldn't transport a heavily pregnant mare as a very large fine would be imposed on them and indeed yourself if you are stopped and checked.

Didn't honestly think there was a particular time for when foals can be travelled. The youngest we've travelled is a few weeks old when dam went off for walk-in covering and the foals had no trouble at all with the journey. Bear in mind the major shows allow foals to be shown at 3 weeks old.

If anyone does have definite rules and regulations, would be interested to know for our own sake when clients ask us about travelling their mares.
 
According to the Welfare of horses during transport regs which came into force Jan 07:

A horse is classed as unfit to travel if it is within the last 10% of pregnancy (approx 34 days).

Also unfit if they have given birth in the last week and foals require their naval to have healed.

Hope that helps
 
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