MouseintheHouse
Member
Following on from Scarlett's great thread 'Advice for a first timer' - what do all you experienced breeders have in your foaling kits?
What's in your foaling kit?
- Thread starter MouseintheHouse
- Start date
Spring Feather
Well-Known Member
I don't carry all these items down to the foaling boxes as my mares foal at home, but these are some of the things I have on-hand in the house in case they are needed.
Surgical gloves/obstetric sleeves
lubrication
foaling straps
iodine
chlorhexidine (I have spray but if you have a bottle without a spray then a 35mm camera pot or plastic shot glass work well)
Dawn washing up soap
ivermectin (worm mare within 24 hours of birthing; I worm her within 8 hours)
foaling straps
sponge
black bin bag
stainless steel pail
towels
enema
colostrum
Many people have string, scissors, stopwatch, pen, paper, tail bandages, flashlights. You should make sure to have your cellphone with vet numbers.
I have cctv, lights and power in my foaling boxes. I don't generally use gloves for anything external, I just scrub my hands well and then iodine them as I find it easier to break the sac with my fingers and if I need to help the mare out then I can get a better hold with hands. Make sure your fingernails are kept short, filed and without nail polish. I don't use string to tie up the afterbirth, I just tie it on itself as I find that easier than faffing about with bits of string.
Know your stages and make sure you keep a note of times.
I don't use tail bandages as I plait my mares tails when she's a day away from foaling. My mares always wear leather halters and I have lead ropes close by in case the mare tries to reject the foal or we need to hold her for any reason (sometimes mares can get way OTT with brand new foals).
Surgical gloves/obstetric sleeves
lubrication
foaling straps
iodine
chlorhexidine (I have spray but if you have a bottle without a spray then a 35mm camera pot or plastic shot glass work well)
Dawn washing up soap
ivermectin (worm mare within 24 hours of birthing; I worm her within 8 hours)
foaling straps
sponge
black bin bag
stainless steel pail
towels
enema
colostrum
Many people have string, scissors, stopwatch, pen, paper, tail bandages, flashlights. You should make sure to have your cellphone with vet numbers.
I have cctv, lights and power in my foaling boxes. I don't generally use gloves for anything external, I just scrub my hands well and then iodine them as I find it easier to break the sac with my fingers and if I need to help the mare out then I can get a better hold with hands. Make sure your fingernails are kept short, filed and without nail polish. I don't use string to tie up the afterbirth, I just tie it on itself as I find that easier than faffing about with bits of string.
Know your stages and make sure you keep a note of times.
I don't use tail bandages as I plait my mares tails when she's a day away from foaling. My mares always wear leather halters and I have lead ropes close by in case the mare tries to reject the foal or we need to hold her for any reason (sometimes mares can get way OTT with brand new foals).
mynutmeg
Well-Known Member
I'm looking forward to the answers to this as am going to be putting a kit together for the first time soon.
One extra question, a lot of books recommend having a bottle availble in case you need to bottle feed - my yo has sheep and lamb bottles, would these be suitable?
One extra question, a lot of books recommend having a bottle availble in case you need to bottle feed - my yo has sheep and lamb bottles, would these be suitable?
Spring Feather
Well-Known Member
I have plastic 3L calf bottles and calf teats. The lamb teats might work but they're a bit flimsy. The calf teats are stronger.
Enfys
Well-Known Member
Spring Feather, do you always give an enema?
Spring Feather
Well-Known Member
No almost never. I've only had to once; it was not one of my horses but a friends who called me in the middle of the night as mare was having a rough time of it. I went over and did have to give her considerable help to get the foal out. Once out the foal was dummy. Eventually got it sorted and waited and waited, and foal was straining a lot so in the end gave it an enema and then all systems were go.
mel_s
Well-Known Member
Where can we buy chlorhexidine please?
Sportznight
Well-Known Member
We always give enemas.
JanetGeorge
Well-Known Member
Very little!
A small pump bottle of Hibiscrub (for washing hands if I have to delve)
A bottle of lubricant
Half a dozen clean tea-towels
Terramycin spray (for navel)
tail bandages
a couple of Sainsbury's (or Tesco's) carrier bags - if the afterbirth dangles, I shove it into that and tie the handles to the tail - keeps it tidy.
A lamb feeding syringe without the tube - good for popping a bit of lubricant in if foals struggle to pass meconium.
bottle and teats.
And a resucitator - for a foal who needs help breathing (never needed to use it - Sod's law!)
I have frozen colostrum - in case. I virtually never give enemas - although last year I had to use a LOT of lubricant on a colt who had the tiniest rectum ever (I had to put on my reading glasses and use a torch to check that he had one at all!)
A small pump bottle of Hibiscrub (for washing hands if I have to delve)
A bottle of lubricant
Half a dozen clean tea-towels
Terramycin spray (for navel)
tail bandages
a couple of Sainsbury's (or Tesco's) carrier bags - if the afterbirth dangles, I shove it into that and tie the handles to the tail - keeps it tidy.
A lamb feeding syringe without the tube - good for popping a bit of lubricant in if foals struggle to pass meconium.
bottle and teats.
And a resucitator - for a foal who needs help breathing (never needed to use it - Sod's law!)
I have frozen colostrum - in case. I virtually never give enemas - although last year I had to use a LOT of lubricant on a colt who had the tiniest rectum ever (I had to put on my reading glasses and use a torch to check that he had one at all!)
Spring Feather
Well-Known Member
I have a resucitator too. I've never had to use it either but we have played around with it on our own noses and mouth ... and it's freakish
