It's been ten months since you bred your mare, and you're patiently waiting this last month for the arrival of your new foal. Everything is new to you and you're wondering what you should be doing in anticipation of the blessed event. There are several things you can do that will help your mare and her foal get off to a good start.

Now is the time to vaccinate your mare with tetanus toxoid and if you are in an area susceptible to Botulism, Botulism toxoid as well. It is also good management to move the mare into her foaling environment, if possible. By doing these things now the mare will have a chance to make colostral antibodies that are protective to the foal. If your mare has had a foal before, ask your veterinarian to draw a blood sample to test for NI antibodies to make sure it will be safe for the foal to nurse.

Begin careful observation of your mare, so that you are familiar with her usual habits by checking in on her several additional times, both during the day and at night. Start watching her udder for signs of mammary development. Clean her udder to get her accustomed to being touched there. As she gets closer to foaling you will notice the filling of her udder and the muscles around her tail will start to loosen and feel soft.

Prepare a "foaling kit," things you will need to have readily available when your mare starts to foal. (See "The Kit"). Also, prepare an area for your mare to have her foal. This area needs to be clean and dry and well bedded, with enough light for you to see what is happening but quiet enough so as not to upset her. This area should be ample enough in size that the mare will not have the tendency to lie down against a wall.

If you have never witnessed a foaling, now is a good time to watch a video if no opportunity exists to see the real thing before your mare is due. Being familiar with what should happen will make you more relaxed and less likely to panic. Remember birthing is instinctive to the mare and while most mares do well on their own, some might need a little assistance. Staying calm and quiet is usually the best thing you can do for your mare.

The month has passed and when you turned your mare out this morning you noticed her "bag" was full with little beads of wax on the tips of her nipples. She stayed by herself all day and was restless, walking the fence or getting down and up several times. When you brought her in for dinner she wasn't interested in eating. She may have broken out in a sweat and her vulva is unusually long. These are classic signs that birthing is eminent, but not all mares show these signs. There are plenty of books and articles describing the foaling process so I won't go into that here, but I will advise you about your role.

It is important for you to be quiet, observant, and ready to react to the situation presented to you. In a normal foaling, most mares will not need any assistance. A mare will break water, a white glistening membrane will bulge out of the vulva, and soon after you will see one, then two feet and a nose emerge. At this point, open the membrane, if it is not open already, and clear it away from the foal's nostrils. As the mare strains to produce the foal, you might guide the foal with gentle downward traction on the legs. It helps to have one foot slightly in front of the other to get the shoulders out. Once the shoulders are out the mare can usually finish the process herself. At this point it is important for the mare and foal to lie still so the naval cord does not break too soon or quickly. The foal is receiving its last transfusion of blood from mom. Once the cord breaks, thoroughly douse the foal's navel in iodine. This will help prevent infection, and should be done daily for the foal's first few days of life. Now stand back and give mom and baby a chance to bond. Soon the mare will pass her placenta, get on her feet, and urge her baby to do the same. After a few unsteady attempts, the foal will be up and looking for breakfast. Resist the urge to help as nature usually produces the fastest results. Occasionally, the first time mom needs to be held to keep her from kicking at the foal and sometimes a slow foal needs help finding the nipple, but most will have a full tummy within three hours of birth.

If all the vital, physical, and behavioral signs on the foal are good and the foaling has been problem free, your vet can be asked to check the mare and foal at a reasonable hour. Now you can get some rest.

THE KIT

a tail bandage or rectal sleeve and tape to keep the tail hairs out of the vulva
cotton and buckets for warm water to wash the mare's vulva and udder
rectal sleeves in case you need to check the foal's position
iodine (or Novalsan) to dip the foal's navel
scissors and string to tie up the placenta if not passing on its own
a large towel to dry off the foal after mom has licked it all over
possibly a heat lamp to keep the foal warm, depending on your location
a fleet enema in case the foal is straining to pass its first meconium
a lamb's nipple and pop bottle if you have to bottle feed the foal
a shot of Banamine for your mare (provided your vet okays it) if she shows a lot of pain after passing her placenta. Having it available can save a lot of time and worry as you wait for your vet to arrive. (I do recommend you call your vet before giving it to the mare.)

11 months have passed and no sign of udder development: Your mare could have been exposed to endophyte infected fescue. Talk to your vet about the use of Domperidone to treat the mare.

Your mare is straining, trying to foal, but nothing is happening: Call your vet immediately. Once a mare starts to foal the whole process should take less than 30 minutes. While waiting for your vet, reach in and see if you can feel anything. A leg may be hung up and a little help can get things resolved. If you are uncomfortable doing that try to keep the mare from straining by walking her until the vet arrives.

Your mare has broken water, but instead of 2 feet coming out, the hooves are upside down: Again, have your vet on the way, while you reach in to determine if the foal is upside down or coming backwards. If upside down, try to turn the foal. It helps to have the mare walking and sometimes she will reposition the foal by getting up and down and rolling a little (though rolling in excess as if in colic, should be controlled). If it's backwards, you need to get the foal out immediately before it suffocates.

Instead of a nice shiny white protrusion, a dark red velvety looking blob is coming from the vagina: This is known as "red bag" or premature placental separation. Again, have your vet on the way, but you need to get the foal out immediately. Tear open the bag and reach in for the foal. Try to get it out as quickly as possible.

The mare has foaled, but the placenta has not passed: Talk to your vet, there are many ways to deal with this condition. It is not an emergency, but can cause nasty problems if not taken care of.